BSHAD PA'I ZHI GNAS

So far we have figured out that the eight chapter has something interested related to the definition of the earlier branches. And it is bshad pa'i zhi gnas.

bshad pa means explanation or teaching, here teaching is more appropriate. Note that there's a genitive particle at the end of bshad pa, or bshad pa'i, so the right side is tied to the left, it's a teaching of zhi gnas.

So what's zhi gnas? This is a very important meditation term, calm abiding, or Shamatha in Sanskrit. This is where the meditator could single-pointedly focus on an object for hours without any disturbances.

zhi actually means peace, and gnas means to stay or abide, so this is like 'staying in peace.'

So far we have learned from the commentary that all the earlier branches could refer to the eight chapter in Bodhisattva Way of Life that deals with the meditation, single-pointed concentration.

But there's more in the commentary!