An Introduction to Tantric Buddhism c7.49

c7.49

In the *Pañca-karma* of Nāgārjuna-pāda we find four gradations in the Śūnyatā doctrine. The first is Śūnya, the second Ati-śūnya, the third Mahā-śūnya, and the fourth or the final is the Sarva-śūnya,—and these are all different according to their cause and effect.¹ The first stage Śūnya has been explained as light (*āloka*)²; it is knowledge (*prajñā*), and the mind remains active in it,—it is relative (*paratantra*) by nature.³ In this stage mind has got as many as thirty-three impure states (*doṣa*) associated with it. These are sorrow, fear, hunger, thirst, feeling (*vedanā*), sympathy (*sama-vedanā*), self-analysis (*pratyavekṣā*), kindness (*kāruṇya*), affectionateness (*sneha-tantraka*), fickleness (*cakita*), doubt (*saṃśaya*), jealousy (*mātsarya*), etc.⁴ This mental stage Śūnya has been called the woman (*strī*), and it has been said that of all illusions the illusion of the woman is the greatest.⁵ It is also called the left (*vāma*) and the lotus in the lunar circle; it is said to be the first vowel to indicate its adamantine nature.⁶