The Changeless Nature

170 The Changeless Nature38. Sugatas: see Note 7 on Part One.39. Hell of the worst sufferings: (Tib: mNar. Med Skt: Avici) literally, 'comparedto which there is no suffering'. Of the 18 hells, this is the place ofworst suffering, being the hottest of the 8 hot hells, bringing excruciatingtorment for terrible lengths of time.40. Three worlds: one way of describing samsara. The three worlds are thesubterranean world (of nagas), the world on the earth and the world abovethe earth (various levels of godly existence).41. The two accumulations: 1) 'virtue' — the positive energy coming fromgood action and 2) jnana. In this latter case, 'accumulation' is a manner ofspeaking, since it is more a question of opening-up in an ever greater degreeto the intrinsic jnana of the mind.42 This follows Kongtrul Rinpoche's commentary: the true nature will beperceived on the path of insight, this perception will increase on the path ofcultivation and will be finally realised on the path of no-learning — buddhahood(see following note).43. The path of insight, the path of cultivation: The mahayana path can be subdividedinto 5 component paths which mark progressive levels ofunderstanding. These are the paths of accumulation, junction, insight,cultivation and no-learning respectively. The first two of these are the levelsof 'ordinary beings'. The path of accumulation starts with the awakeningof bodhicitta and is chiefly concerned with the gathering of great virtue, orpositive energy, through the practice of good action. Then follows thepath of junction in which one gains an indirect understanding of voidnessthrough study, reflection and meditation. It paves the way for the nextpath, hence its name.44. The pure and impure bodhisattva levels: although all bodhisattvas in thedeep levels are 'deeply-realised ones' compared to ordinary beings, they stillhave to remove all the incidental impurities before they can reach buddhahood.The last three deep levels (8th — 10th) are called 'pure' since theimpurities which remain are exceedingly subtle. It is by comparison to thesethree levels that the first seven are known as 'impure'.45. The desire realm: the whole of samsara can be viewed through a threedimensionalclassification. The first dimension — the desire realm — is theone containing the six types of being, often described in the teachings.The second — the form realm — corresponds to the 17 types of godlyexistence resulting from the various levels of meditative stability. The third— the formless realm — comes from the four levels of formless meditativeabsorption.46. The path of the realised: (Tib: 'Phags. Pa'i. Lam) the path leading torealisation of the four sublime truths (see Notes 6/9 on Chap. III). 'TheRealised' is used for those who reach the fruit of the hinayana path i. e.arhants. The term 'deeply-realised' is used for mahabodhisattvas, in orderto emphasise the greater depth of their understanding (which perceives thedeep nature — voidness). In both cases the original term is 'Phags. Pa, whichsimply means 'gone higher' (than the ordinary level of existence).