The Four Buddhist Rules of Textual Interpretation

1. The doctrine (dharma) over the person (puru.sa) presenting it; 

2. The spirit (artha) of the text over the words (vya~njana) in which it is presented; 

3. The precise meanings (nitaartha) over our interpretations (neyaartha) thereof; 

4. Direct or immediate knowledge (j~naana) over mediated, discursive consciousness (vij~naana).