Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations

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**{{i|''The'' Tathāgatagarbha ''in the'' Ratnagotravibhāga|109}}
**{{i|''The'' Tathāgatagarbha ''in the'' Ratnagotravibhāga|109}}
**{{i|''Tibet – the'' gzhan stong ''and'' rang stong ''dispute''|112}}
**{{i|''Tibet – the'' gzhan stong ''and'' rang stong ''dispute''|112}}
**{{i|''The'' Dasheng qixinlun (Ta-sheng ch’i-hsin lun) ''and the''
**{{i|''The'' Dasheng qixinlun (Ta-sheng ch’i-hsin lun) ''and the''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tathagatagarbha ''in East Asia''|115}}
Tathagatagarbha ''in East Asia''|115}}
**{{i|''Dōgen on the Buddha-nature''|119}}
**{{i|''Dōgen on the Buddha-nature''|119}}
**{{i|''A note on some contemporary issues: Critical Buddhism and a debate
**{{i|''A note on some contemporary issues: Critical Buddhism and a debate on<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;not-Self in Thai Buddhism''|122}}
on not-Self in Thai Buddhism''|122}}
**{{i|''Critical Buddhism''|122}}
**{{i|''Critical Buddhism''|122}}
**{{i|''Not-Self in contemporary Thai Buddhism''|125}}
**{{i|''Not-Self in contemporary Thai Buddhism''|125}}
*{{i|'''6 Huayan – the Flower Garland tradition'''|'''129'''}}
*{{i|'''6 Huayan – the Flower Garland tradition'''|'''129'''}}
Buddhism in China 129
**{{i|''Buddhism in China''|129}}
The Avatatsaka Setra 132
**{{i|''The'' Avataṃsaka Sūtra|132}}
The Huayan tradition in China 138
**{{i|''The Huayan tradition in China''|138}}
Huayan thought – Fazang’s ‘Treatise on the Golden Lion’ 141
**{{i|''Huayan thought – Fazang’s 'Treatise on the Golden Lion' ''|141}}
A note on some aspects of Huayan practice 144
**{{i|''A note on some aspects of Huayan practice''|144}}
The Avatatsaka Setra and Vairocana in Buddhist art 146
**{{i|''The'' Avataṃsaka Sūtra ''and Vairocana in Buddhist art''|146}}
7 The Saddharmapuéäaráka (Lotus) Sâtra and its influences 149
*{{i|'''7 The ''Saddharmapuṇḍarīka (Lotus) Sūtra'' and its influences'''|'''149'''}}
A note on Tiantai (Tendai) 161
**{{i|''A note on Tiantai (Tendai)''|161}}
Nichiren ShDnin and his tradition 165
**{{i|''Nichiren Shōnin and his tradition''|165}}
8 On the bodies of the Buddha 172
*{{i|'''8 On the bodies of the Buddha'''|'''172'''}}
Prolegomenon to the MahAyAna 172
**{{i|''Prolegomenon to the Mahāyāna''|172}}
The bodies of the Buddha and the philosophy of emptiness 176
**{{i|''The bodies of the Buddha and the philosophy of emptiness''|176}}
YogAcAra – the system develops 179
**{{i|''Yogācāra – the system develops''|179}}
A note on the dGe lugs schema of the Buddha’s bodies 182
**{{i|''A note on the dGe lugs schema of the Buddha's bodies''|182}}
A final note: the ‘nonabiding nirvAUa’ and the lifespan of the Buddha 185
**{{i|''A final note: the 'nonabiding nirvāṇa' and the lifespan of the Buddha''|185}}
 
*{{i|'''9 The path of the Bodhisattva'''|187}}
9 The path of the Bodhisattva 187
**{{i|''Buddhism reaches Tibet''|187}}
Buddhism reaches Tibet 187
**{{i|''The eighth-century debates''|191}}
The eighth-century debates 191
**{{i|''Compassion and the Bodhicitta''|194}}
Compassion and the Bodhicitta 194
**{{i|''Bodhisattva stages, paths and perfections''|200}}
Bodhisattva stages, paths and perfections 200
*{{i|'''10 Trust, self-abandonment and devotion: the cults of Buddhas<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and Bodhisattvas'''|'''209'''}}
10 Trust, self-abandonment and devotion: the cults of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas 209
**{{i|Buddhānusmṛti – ''recollection of the Buddha''|209}}
Buddhanusmvti – recollection of the Buddha 209
**{{i|''The'' pratyutpanna samādhi ''and Huiyuan''|212}}
The pratyutpanna samadhi and Huiyuan 212
**{{i|''The notion of a Buddha Field'' (buddhakṣetra)|214}}
The notion of a Buddha Field (buddhakwetra) 214
**{{i|''Some Bodhisattvas''|218}}
Some Bodhisattvas 218
***{{i|''Maitreya''|218}}
Maitreya 218
***{{i|''Avalokiteśvara''|221}}
AvalokiteZvara 221
***{{i|''Tārā''|225}}
TArA 225
***{{i|''Mañjuśrī''|226}}
MañjuZrC 226
***{{i|''Kṣitigarbha''|229}}
KWitigarbha 229
**{{i|Some Buddhas|231}}
Some Buddhas 231
***{{i|''Akṣobhya''|231}}
AkWobhya 231
***{{i|''Bhaiṣajyaguru''|234}}
BhaiWajyaguru 234
***{{i|''Amitābha/Amitāyus''|238}}
AmitAbha/AmitAyus 238
****{{i|''The Amitābha sūtras''|238}}
The AmitAbha sEtras 238
****{{i|''Amitābha’s Pure Land in China''|243}}
AmitAbha’s Pure Land in China 243
****{{i|''Hōnen Shōnin (1133–1212)''|254}}
HDnen ShDnin (1133–1212) 254
****{{i|''Shinran Shōnin (1173–1262)''|259}}
Shinran ShDnin (1173–1262) 259
**{{i|''Notes''|267}}
Notes 267
**{{i|''References''|389}}
References 389
**{{i|''Index of names''|422}}
Index of names 422
**{{i|''Index of subjects''|430}}
Index of subjects 430
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Latest revision as of 16:57, 29 June 2023



Mahāyāna Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations
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Originating in India, Mahayana Buddhism spread across Asia, becoming the prevalent form of Buddhism in Tibet and East Asia. Over the last twenty-five years Western interest in Mahayana has increased considerably, reflected both in the quantity of scholarly material produced and in the attraction of Westerners towards Tibetan Buddhism and Zen.

Paul Williams’ Mahayana Buddhism is widely regarded as the standard introduction to the field, used internationally for teaching and research and has been translated into several European and Asian languages. This new edition has been fully revised throughout in the light of the wealth of new studies and focuses on the religion’s diversity and richness. It includes much more material on China and Japan, with appropriate reference to Nepal, and for students who wish to carry their study further there is a much-expanded bibliography and extensive footnotes and cross-referencing. Everyone studying this important tradition will find Williams’ book the ideal companion to their studies. (Source: Routledge)

Citation Williams, Paul. Mahayana Buddhism: The Doctrinal Foundations. 2nd ed. Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices. New York: Routledge, 2009. https://archive.org/details/mahayanabuddhismthedoctrinalfoundationspaulwilliamsroutledgeseealtruismandreality_202003_445_W/mode/2up.


    • Preface and acknowledgementsx
  • 1 Introduction1
    • Buddhism: doctrinal diversity and (relative) moral unity1
    • The Indian background7
    • Factors that may have contributed to change12
    • Abhidharma15
    • Mahāsāṃghikas and the Lokottaravāda18
    • The origins of the Mahāyāna, and the laity21
    • Mahāyāna before 'Mahāyāna' – the Ajitasenavyākaraṇanirdeśa Sūtra27
    • On the origins of the Mahāyāna – some more sūtras30
    • The justification of the Mahāyāna sutras38
  • 2 The Perfection of Wisdom (Prajñāpāramitā) Sūtras 45
    • On the Mahāyāna sūtras45
    • The origins and development of the Prajñāpāramitā literature47
    • Wisdom (prajña) and its perfection49
    • Absence of Self – the extensive perspective51
    • The Bodhisattva55
  • 3 Mādhyamika63
    • Nāgārjuna and Āryadeva63
    • The development of the Mādhyamika tradition in India65
    • Emptiness and intrinsic existence – the incompatible rivals68
    • A brief note on Mādhyamika method71
    • Three Mādhyamika critiques72
      • On causation73
      • On the Self74
      • On nirvāṇa75
    • The two truths76
    • Meditation and emptiness – an impressionistic outline79
    • A final note – Mādhyamika in China and East Asia81
  • 4 Yogācāra84
    • Background84
    • The Yogācāra tradition – scholars and texts86
    • The three natures (trisvabhava)88
    • Mind92
    • Substratum consciousness, consciousness and immaculate consciousness97
    • Yet more disputes within the Yogācāra tradition100
  • 5 The Tathāgatagarbha103
    • Some Tathāgatagarbha Sūtras104
    • The Tathāgatagarbha in the Ratnagotravibhāga109
    • Tibet – the gzhan stong and rang stong dispute112
    • The Dasheng qixinlun (Ta-sheng ch’i-hsin lun) and the
         Tathagatagarbha in East Asia      115
    • Dōgen on the Buddha-nature119
    • A note on some contemporary issues: Critical Buddhism and a debate on
         not-Self in Thai Buddhism      122
    • Critical Buddhism122
    • Not-Self in contemporary Thai Buddhism125
  • 6 Huayan – the Flower Garland tradition129
    • Buddhism in China129
    • The Avataṃsaka Sūtra132
    • The Huayan tradition in China138
    • Huayan thought – Fazang’s 'Treatise on the Golden Lion' 141
    • A note on some aspects of Huayan practice144
    • The Avataṃsaka Sūtra and Vairocana in Buddhist art146
  • 7 The Saddharmapuṇḍarīka (Lotus) Sūtra and its influences149
    • A note on Tiantai (Tendai)161
    • Nichiren Shōnin and his tradition165
  • 8 On the bodies of the Buddha172
    • Prolegomenon to the Mahāyāna172
    • The bodies of the Buddha and the philosophy of emptiness176
    • Yogācāra – the system develops179
    • A note on the dGe lugs schema of the Buddha's bodies182
    • A final note: the 'nonabiding nirvāṇa' and the lifespan of the Buddha185
  • 9 The path of the Bodhisattva187
    • Buddhism reaches Tibet187
    • The eighth-century debates191
    • Compassion and the Bodhicitta194
    • Bodhisattva stages, paths and perfections200
  • 10 Trust, self-abandonment and devotion: the cults of Buddhas
         and Bodhisattvas    209
    • Buddhānusmṛti – recollection of the Buddha209
    • The pratyutpanna samādhi and Huiyuan212
    • The notion of a Buddha Field (buddhakṣetra)214
    • Some Bodhisattvas218
      • Maitreya218
      • Avalokiteśvara221
      • Tārā225
      • Mañjuśrī226
      • Kṣitigarbha229
    • Some Buddhas231
      • Akṣobhya231
      • Bhaiṣajyaguru234
      • Amitābha/Amitāyus238
        • The Amitābha sūtras238
        • Amitābha’s Pure Land in China243
        • Hōnen Shōnin (1133–1212)254
        • Shinran Shōnin (1173–1262)259
    • Notes267
    • References389
    • Index of names422
    • Index of subjects430

Mahāyāna - Mahāyāna, or the Great Vehicle, refers to the system of Buddhist thought and practice which developed around the beginning of Common Era, focusing on the pursuit of the state of full enlightenment of the Buddha through the realization of the wisdom of emptiness and the cultivation of compassion. Skt. महायान Tib. ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ། Ch. 大乘

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abhidharma - Abhidharma generally refers to the corpus of Buddhist texts which deals with the typological, phenomenological, metaphysical, and epistemological presentation of Buddhist concepts and teachings. The abhidharma teachings present a meta-knowledge of Buddhist sūtras through analytical and systemic schemas and are said to focus on developing wisdom among the three principles of training. The Abhidharma is presented alongside Sūtra and Vinaya as one of the three baskets of the teachings of the Buddha. Skt. अभिधर्म Tib. ཆོས་མངོན་པ། Ch. 阿毗达磨

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sūtra - Sūtras mainly refer to the discourses delivered by the Buddha and his disciples, and the Sūtra corpus is one of the three main sets of teachings which form the Buddhist canon. Skt. सूत्र Tib. མདོ། Ch. 佛经

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Prajñāpāramitā - A class of Mahāyāna sūtras which represents some of the earliest known literature of this genre of Buddhism. There are around forty texts associated with this category, though the most widespread is the exceedingly brief Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtra, popularly known as the Heart Sūtra. This class of literature is typically associated with the second turning of the dharma wheel and especially with the teachings on emptiness (śūnyatā). As such, these texts were the primary scriptural source for the philosophy of the Madhyamaka school. Skt. प्रज्ञापारमिता Tib. ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་,ཤེར་ཕྱིན་ Ch. 般若波羅蜜多

Go to the page with the definition of 'Perfection of Wisdom'

Prajñāpāramitā - A class of Mahāyāna sūtras which represents some of the earliest known literature of this genre of Buddhism. There are around forty texts associated with this category, though the most widespread is the exceedingly brief Prajñāpāramitāhṛdayasūtra, popularly known as the Heart Sūtra. This class of literature is typically associated with the second turning of the dharma wheel and especially with the teachings on emptiness (śūnyatā). As such, these texts were the primary scriptural source for the philosophy of the Madhyamaka school. Skt. प्रज्ञापारमिता Tib. ཤེས་རབ་ཀྱི་ཕ་རོལ་ཏུ་ཕྱིན་པ་,ཤེར་ཕྱིན་ Ch. 般若波羅蜜多

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Bodhisattva - A person who seeks enlightenment for the sake of others. In Mahāyāna Buddhism, a Bodhisattva is a compassionate being who is training on the path to Buddhahood and aspires to eliminate the suffering of all beings and take all sentient beings to the state of enlightenment. The Mahāyāna sūtras including those on buddha-nature generally have Bodhisattvas as the main audience or interlocutors for the Buddha's discourses. Skt. बोधिसत्त्व Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས་དཔའ། Ch. 菩薩

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śūnyatā - The state of being empty of an innate nature due to a lack of independently existing characteristics. Skt. शून्यता Tib. སྟོང་པ་ཉིད་ Ch. 空,空門

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Yogācāra - Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana). Skt. योगाचार Tib. རྣལ་འབྱོར་སྤྱོད་པ་ Ch. 瑜伽行派

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tathāgatagarbha - Buddha-nature, literally the "womb/essence of those who have gone (to suchness)." Skt. तथागतगर्भ Tib. དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པའི་སྙིང་པོ་ Ch. 如来藏

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These are the root verses of the Uttaratantra attributed to Maitreya by the Tibetan tradition.

Go to the page with the definition of 'Ratnagotravibhāga'

bodhicitta - The altruistic thought to seek enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings. It is said to have two aspects: compassion aimed at sentient beings and their problems and the wisdom of enlightenment as the solution. Skt. बोधिचित्त Tib. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས། Ch. 菩提心

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