Books/Cataphatic Emptiness: rGyal-tshab on the Buddha-essence Theory of Asaṅga's Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā

Cataphatic Emptiness: rGyal-tshab on the Buddha-essence Theory of Asaṅga's Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā

Translation of Commentary on the Ultimate Continuum of the Mahāyāna

Dissertation

Dissertation

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Abstract

This doctoral dissertation studies the Ratnagotravibhāga (Uttaratantra), the only surviving Indian Buddhist treatise on the Buddha-essence doctrine, by way of one of its major Tibetan commentaries, rGyal-tshab Dar-ma-rin-chen (1364-1432)'s Theg pa chen po rGyud bla ma'i ṭīkā. This project consists of three parts: a special edition of the first chapter of the Theg pa chen po rGyud bia ma'i ṭīkā, an English translation of the selected sections of that commentary, and a comparative analysis which follows six distinct lines of inquiry.
      The six lines are: rGyal-tshab's doctrinal classification of the text; his critiques of absolutism, skepticism, and quietism in connection with diverse interpretations of the Buddha-essence doctrine in Tibetan traditions as well as a tentative comparison with critiques of the theory of "Original-enlightenment" in modern Chinese Buddhism; his analysis of the title of Tibetan version and the structure of the text; rGyal-tshab's philosophical positions on reality, Element, and natural luminosity of the mind; his expositions of the tripartite Buddha-essence, its ten aspects, and the eighteen similes; and the notion "spiritual gene" understood by dGe-lugs-pas.
      This comparative approach will provide a broader synthetic understanding of the role that Buddha-essence played as a doctrinal genre in Tibetan intellectual history.

Citation	Jiang, Bo. "Cataphatic Emptiness: rGyal-tshab on the Buddha-Essence Theory of Asaṅga's Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā." PhD diss., Columbia University, 2008.

Table of Contents About the Book Texts Translated Quotes

• List of Tablesv
• AcknowledgmentsvI
• Technical Notesvii

Part 1: The Prāsaṅgika-Mādhyamika Interpretation of the Buddha-essence Theory

• Introduction2
• Chapter 1: Historical and Doctrinal Background17
  • 1. rGyal-tshab's Life and Works17
  • 2. The social-political background26
  • 3. The doctrinal background29
  • 4. The Structure and Contents of the rGyud bla ṭīkā33
• Chapter 2: Doctrinal Classification of the Ratnagotravibhāga37
  • 1. Asaṅga and the Five Treatises of Maitreya38
  • 2. The subtle emptiness according to the RGV41
    • The truth-habit as the cause of saṃsāra41
    • The truth-habit as the addictive obscuration43
    • Śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas' realization of objective selflessness44
    • Refuting the Vijñānavādin standpoint concerning emptiness47
  • 3. The Three Stages of Teaching according to the DIR49
    • Establishing the unique vehicle49
    • As the distinctive presentation of the Prāsaṅgika-Mādhyamika
      viewpoint54
  • 4. The Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra and the TGS56
  • 5. The TGS as Being Definitive62
• Chapter 3: Critiques of Absolutism, Skepticism, and Quietism69
  • 1. Critique of Dol-po-pa's "Great Madhyamaka"70
    • Refuting Dol-po-pa's classification of the TGS71
    • Refuting Buddha-essence as a permanent entity72
    • Refuting Buddha-essence as being endowed with twofold purities77
  • 2. Critique of the Mainstream Positions81
    • 'Gos-lo's position on Buddha-essence84
    • dGe-lugs-pa scholars' responses89
  • 3. A Comparison with Critiques of "Original-enlightenment" theory in
    Modern Chinese Buddhism94
    • A comparison of interpretations between 'Gos-lo and Zongmi96
    • Modern Chinese Critiques of "Original-enlightenment"99
• Chapter 4: Analysis of the Title and Textural Structure110
  • 1. The Title "Mahāyānottaratantra" and Its Implication110
  • 2. The Seven Vajra-Like Bases114
    • Two aspects114
    • rGyal-tshab's revision of rNgog-lo's "two wheels" theory 116
    • The first three bases as ultimate fruition118
    • The last four bases as cause and conditions119
  • 3. The Term "Ratnagotra" and the Textual Structure of RGV121
  • 4. rGyal-tshab on the Fourfold Ratnagotra as Cause and Conditions124
    • The Element as a cause according to RGV I.16124
    • The last three bases as conditions127
  • 5. On RGV 1.3129
  • 6. Conclusion132
• Chapter 5: Reality, Element, and Natural Luminosity of the Mind134
  • 1. The Buddha-essence and Its Various Names134
  • 2. Reality136
    • As immutable ultimate reality136
    • The tainted reality138
  • 3. Dharmatā140
  • 4. Natural Luminosity of the Mind142
    • Origin in Canonical sources142
    • rGyal-tshab's Exegesis on the Passages from the SMS and the DIR144
    • On the Passage from the GGS147
  • 5. The Element150
    • According to the AAN150
    • According to the MAS154
  • 6. The Buddha-essence and the Madhyamaka Philosophy156
    • The Equation of the Buddha-essence with emptiness156
    • Realizing the Buddha-essence as the Middle Way159
  • 7. Conclusion163
• Chapter 6: Buddha-essence and Its Ten Aspects164
  • 1. The Tripartite Buddha-essence164
    • The diffusion of the truth body166
    • The indivisible reality and generic potentials168
  • 2. The Ten Points170
    • Nature171
    • Causes173
    • Fruition178
    • Actions187
    • Possession192
    • Engagement194
    • States196
    • All-pervadingness198
    • Unchangeability200
    • Indivisible excellences205
• Chapter 7: The Eighteen Similes in the Tathāgatagarbha-sūtra209
  • 1. rGyal-tshab's General Discussion209
  • 2. The Nine Smiles for the Obscuring Defilements215
    • The lotus simile for latent state of attachment215
    • The bees simile for latent state of hatred216
    • The husks simile for latent state of misknowledge216
    • The filth simile for intense outburst of attachment, hatred, and
      misknowledge218
    • The floor simile for ground of instincts for misknowledge219
    • The fruit simile for addictions eliminated by the Path of Insight220
    • The tattered rags simile for addictions eliminated by the Path of
      Meditation221
    • The woman simile for addictions related to the Impure Stages222
    • The clay simile for addictions related to the Pure stages223
    • Discussion of the twofold obscuration224
  • 3. The Nine Smiles for the Obscured Element226
    • The three similes for the Truth Body228
    • The gold simile for reality230
    • The five similes for the spiritual gene231
• Chapter 8: The Twofold Spiritual Gene236
  • 1. Tsong-kha-pa's Analysis of the Vijñānavadin Standpoints237
  • 2. A Mādhyamika Critique of the Vijñānavadin Standpoint248
  • 3. The dGe-Iugs-pa Exegesis of the "Spiritual Gene" Section of the AA250
  • 4. Natural Luminosity of the Mind under Debate256
• Conclusion264
• Abbreviations268
• Bibliography271

Part 2: Appendices

• 1. A Special Edition of Chapter One of the Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i ṭīkā
  (1a-72a and 64a-170b)285
  • A. Topical Outline285
  • B. Special Edition306
• 2. Translations449
  • A. The Mahāyānottaratantrarvyākhyā (Chapter One: 1.1-7.5 and 21.1-78.22)449
  • B. The Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i ṭīkā (Chapter One: 1a-72a and
    64a-170b)525