Kankharevata (Thag 1.3) (Thag 3) | Shégan Issari
like a fire ablaze in the night,
giving light, giving eyes,
"Single Verses: (1.3)" (Thag 3), translated from the Pali by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
Thag 1.3, attributed to Kankharevata is contemplative transmission on the luminous wisdom of the Tathāgatas—enlightened beings in Buddhism, most notably the Siddhartha Gautama himself. This verse captures the essence of the Buddha's wisdom as a transformative force, depicted as a beacon that illuminates the path to complete liberation and dispels the darkness of ignorance, separation, and division.
The imagery of discernment as a "fire ablaze in the night" is rich with symbolic resonance. Fire, in many spiritual traditions, represents purification, transformation, and enlightenment. Here, it illustrates the penetrating and illuminating nature of the Tathāgata’s wisdom, which burns away the obscurities that cloud human perception, much like a fire that renders visible the hidden aspects of the physical world in the darkness of night. The reference to giving "light" and "eyes" suggests the enlightening impact of this wisdom, enabling followers to behold the true and unfettered nature of reality, which is otherwise obscured by forces of ignorance and delusion.
The phrase "subduing their doubt" emphasizes the role of the Tathāgata's teachings in overcoming the uncertainties and skepticisms that hinder spiritual progress. Doubt, in the Buddhist context, is one of the five hindrances that impede the development of concentration and insight. By subduing doubt, the teachings of the Tathāgatas facilitate a firmer, unshakeable confidence in the Dhamma, leading practitioners towards a deeper, experiential understanding of spiritual truths.
The Tathāgata, from both exoteric and esoteric perspectives, conceptually embodies the ultimate realization of the Gautama’s Way. Exoterically, the Tathāgata could be understood as a historical figure, Siddhartha Gautama, whose teachings guide overcoming suffering through ethical living, meditation, and wisdom. Esoterically, the Tathāgata represents a transcendent reality—an embodiment of the Dharma itself, timeless and present in all ages, signifying the universal potential for enlightenment inherent in all beings. This dual understanding enriches the concept, making it both a personal guide and a cosmic principle, accessible through inward contemplation and outward reverence.
The term Tathāgata, suggesting "one who has truly gone" or "one who has become authentic," deepens our appreciation of the Buddha's unique spiritual status, as well as that of his arahant disciples. This epithet not only personalizes the enlightened experience but also universalizes it, indicating that such a state is accessible to other realized beings within the Buddhist tradition. The rich tapestry of interpretations from the Pali commentaries highlights different facets of enlightenment, showing the complexity of Kankharevata’s imagery of light and vision.
The departure from ordinary understanding and existence that enlightenment entails is underscored by the Buddha's use of the term Tathāgata when referring to himself, coupled with doctrinal clarifications that neither the five aggregates nor any other phenomenal reality can fully account for the nature of Tathāgata. This interpretative richness also addresses the metaphysical nuances of the Tathāgata's existence, particularly in relation to post-mortem states, where traditional views on existence and non-existence fail to encapsulate the enlightened state of witnessing.
Historically, the term Tathāgata is most frequently associated with Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha. Literally translated as "one who has thus gone" or "one who has thus come," it carries connotations of one who has arrived at a profound truth or departed from the realm of suffering.
Philosophically, the Tathāgata challenges conventional notions of existence and non-existence. From an ontological perspective, the Buddha often used the term to point towards the ineffability of an enlightened being’s state. The famous tetralemma regarding the Tathāgata — whether he exists after death, does not exist, both, or neither — serves to dismantle rigid ontological categories. This suggests that the state of a Tathāgata transcends ordinary understanding and existence, living in a reality where usual dualities (existence and non-existence, coming and going) do not apply. This interpretation invites a deeper metaphysical inquiry into the nature of reality and existence as understood within Buddhist thought.
In esoteric Buddhist contexts, the Tathāgata is seen not merely as an individual who attained enlightenment but as a symbol of the enlightenment potential inherent in all beings. This is closely linked with the Mahayana doctrine of Buddha-nature, which posits that all sentient beings possess an intrinsic, latent capacity for enlightenment, akin to a seed that inherently contains the potential to become a tree. The Tathāgata, in this view, is both a personal attainment and a universal principle, embodying the ultimate truth of inherent Buddhahood.
From a psychological viewpoint, the Tathāgata can be understood as representing the highest potential of human consciousness. This includes the integration and transcendence of the psychological aggregates (skandhas) that compose personality and identity. In existential terms, the Tathāgata exemplifies the liberation from existential suffering, the realization of no-self (anattā), and the transcendence of the cycle of birth and rebirth (samsāra). This perspective focuses on the transformational impact of Tathāgata’s realization in the practical and existential domains of human life.
Comparatively, the Tathāgata could be juxtaposed with similar figures in other spiritual traditions who embody the ultimate truth or reality, such as the concept of Christ in Christianity as the Logos, or the Brahman in Hindu philosophy. This approach fosters an integrative understanding, highlighting the universal themes of enlightenment, transcendence, and ultimate reality across different religious and philosophical traditions.
Kankharevata’s verse, therefore, does more than describe a mere moment of clarity; it encapsulates the entire soteriological aim of Buddhist Philosophy—to illuminate the mind through the profound wisdom of the Tathāgata, who transcends and transforms the perception of conventional realities. This fire of discernment that blazes through the night does not just dispel darkness but radically alters the landscape of understanding and experience, guiding beings toward a liberation that is as inclusive as the definition of the Tathāgata itself—open to all who truly seek to "go" or "become" thus. This verse from the Theragāthā, in its elegant and symbolic brevity, captures the essence of Buddhist enlightenment—inviting deep reflection on the nature of existence and the transformative power of true wisdom.
