The Treasury of Abhidharma with the Clarified Meaning [Chapter 1: Elements]

Ignorance is called darkness because it prevents the vision of the true nature of things. Through the attainment of an "antidote" the liberating Path by the Blessed Buddha, this darkness is destroyed. It is destroyed altogether, in every way, and regarding everything that can be known because it is a phenomenon that will never arise again. Therefore, He is "The One who has Altogether and in Every Way Destroyed Darkness." Solitary Realizers original: "Pratyekabuddhas," those who reach enlightenment alone and Disciples original: "Shravakas," those who reach enlightenment by hearing the Buddha's teachings also have their darkness destroyed, insofar as their afflicted confusion has been completely removed. However...

As for the grammatical formation, the entry of this word into a compound should be understood through the "shaping" of words like "drunkard" original: "śauṇḍa," a technical reference to Panini's grammar rules for compounds. Alternatively, it can be understood through the "division of rules" yogavibhāgaA grammatical technique where a rule is split to allow for a broader application. regarding the locative case. Or, it is a general compound. According to the rule "With a case-inflected word" Panini Sutra 2.1.4, a word ending in a case-suffix is compounded with another case-suffixed word wherever it is desired. Or it may be seen as a Determinative Compound TatpuruṣaA compound where the second member is principal. of the "Peacock-tail" class original: "mayūravyaṃsakādi," Panini Sutra 2.1.72; a class of irregular compounds.

One might ask: "How can the word 'darkness'—which is a secondary part of the compound—be connected to the word 'everything'?" It is true; "everything" is not connected to "darkness" itself, but rather to the destruction of darkness. Because the Blessed One is the "Destroyer of Darkness" through his union with the act of destroying it, that destruction must be understood as having "everything" as its base. For example, in the phrase "a rogue at dice" original: "akṣeṣu dhūrta", the person is called a "rogue" because of his connection to the quality of "roguishness," and the "dice" are the base or object of that quality. This is how it should be understood here as well.

We also see another possible way to form this compound. "Destroyed in everything" means Universal Destruction original: "sarvahṛtam". "Destroyed in every way" means Altogether Destroyed original: "sarvathāsarvahṛtam". The one by whom darkness is altogether and universally destroyed is thus the Destroyer of Darkness Altogether and in Every Way. In this way, the word "destroyed" is in grammatical agreement with "darkness," and there is no error in the word order. "In every way" refers to the removal of both afflicted and non-afflicted darkness. "In everything" refers to all knowable things, characterized by the Twelve Sense Bases dvādaśāyatanaThe six sense organs (eye, ear, etc.) and their six objects (sight, sound, etc.) which encompass all of experience.. As the scripture says: "O Brahmin, when I say 'all, all,' I mean only the twelve sense bases."

Is "darkness" here referring to the shadows of the night? No, the author says: "Ignorance is called darkness because it prevents the vision of the true nature of things." The word "darkness" is commonly used for the gloom of night. It is called "darkness" original: "andhakāra" because it "makes people blind" original: "andha-kara". Because it prevents the illumination of things as they are—whether they exist or not—ignorance receives the name "darkness" by analogy. It prevents the vision of the truth of suffering and the other Noble Truths.

"That [darkness]" refers to that ignorance. "By the attainment of an antidote" means by the attainment of the Noble Path āryamārgaThe spiritual path that leads to the end of suffering.. The "opposite side" original: "vipakṣa" refers to the mental afflictions; the "antidote" original: "pratipakṣa" is the "side" that strikes against the opposite. Or rather: untainted knowledge is the antidote to ignorance; it is through the attainment of this knowledge. "Altogether" means in every way. "In everything knowable" means it is destroyed because it is a phenomenon that will never arise again—meaning its habitual practice has been abandoned. "Therefore, He" refers to the Blessed One.

Regarding the mention of Solitary Realizers and Disciples: the word "Solitary Realizer" is placed first in the compound because it carries more weight. The word "granted" original: "kāmam" is used here in the sense of a concession i.e., "It is granted that they have destroyed darkness, but...". But they have not destroyed it "in every way" because they have not completely removed non-afflicted confusion akliṣṭa-sammohaA subtle form of ignorance that remains even after the main passions are gone, preventing total omniscience..

One might object: "Is it not true that a Disciple or Solitary Realizer also abandons all tainted things just like a Buddha? Why then is it said that only the Buddha has 'completely removed' it?" For it is said in scripture: "I do not speak of the end of suffering without having fully understood and known even a single phenomenon" original: "dharma". And likewise...