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

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|BookToc=List of Tables v
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Acknowledgments VI
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Technical Notes vii
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Part I: The Prasailgika-Madhyamika Interpretation ofthe Buddha-essence Theory
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Introduction 2
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Chapter 1: Historical and Doctrinal Background 17
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1. rGyal-tshab's Life and Works 17
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2. The social-political background 26
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3. The doctrinal background 29
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4. The Structure and Contents of the rGyud bla !ikii 33
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Chapter 2: Doctrinal Classification of the Ratnagotravibhaga 37
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1. Asailga and the Five Treatises of Maitreya 38
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2. The subtle emptiness according to the RGV 41
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The truth-habit as the cause of saIp.sara 41
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The truth-habit as the addictive obscuration 43
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Sravakas and pratyekabuddhas' realization of objective selflessness 44
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Refuting the Vijfianavadin standpoint concerning emptiness 47
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3. The Three Stages of Teaching according to the DIR 49
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Establishing the unique vehicle 49
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As the distinctive presentation of the Prasailgika-Madhyamika viewpoint
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54
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4. The Prajiiiipiiramitii-siitra and the TGS 56
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5. The TGS as Being Definitive 62
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Chapter 3: Critiques of Absolutism, Skepticism, and Quietism 69
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1. Critique of Dol-po-pa's "Great Madhyamaka" 70
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Refuting Dol-po-pa's classification of the TGS 71
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Refuting Buddha-essence as a permanent entity 72
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Refuting Buddha-essence as being endowed with twofold purities 77
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2. Critique of the Mainstream Positions 81
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'Gos-lo's position on Buddha-essence 84
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dGe-lugs-pa scholars' responses 89
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3. A Comparison with Critiques of "Original-enlightenment" theory in Modern Chinese
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Buddhism 94
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A comparison of interpretations between 'Gos-lo and Zongmi 96
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Modern Chinese Critiques of "Original-enlightenment" 99
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Chapter 4: Analysis of the Title and Textural Structure 110
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1. The Title "Mahiiyiinottaratantra"and Its Implication 110
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2. The Seven Vajra-Like Bases 114
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Two aspects 114
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rGyal-tshab's revision of rNgog-lo's "two wheels" theory 116
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The first three bases as ultimate fruition 118
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The last four bases as cause and conditions 119
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3. The Term "Ratnagotra" and the Textual Structure ofRGV 121
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4. rGyal-tshab on the Fourfold Ratnagotra as Cause and Conditions 124
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The Element as a cause according to RGV I.16 124
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The last three bases as conditions 127
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5. On RGV 1.3 129
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6. Conclusion 132
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Chapter 5: Reality, Element, and Natural Luminosity of the Mind 134
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1. The Buddha-essence and Its Various Names 134
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2. Reality 136
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As immutable ultimate reality 136
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The tainted reality 138
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3. Dhannatii 140
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4. Natural Luminosity of the Mind 142
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Origin in Canonical sources 142
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rGyal-tshab's Exegesis on the Passages from the SMS and the DIR 144
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On the Passage from the GGS 147
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5. The Element 150
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According to the AAN 150
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According to the MAS 154
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6. The Buddha-essence and the Madhyamaka Philosophy 156
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The Equation of the Buddha-essence with emptiness 156
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Realizing the Buddha-essence as the Middle Way 159
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7. Conclusion 163
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Chapter 6: Buddha-essence and Its Ten Aspects 164
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1. The Tripartite Buddha-essence 164
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The diffusion of the truth body 166
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The indivisible reality and generic potentials 168
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2. The Ten Points 170
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Nature 171
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Causes 173
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Fruition 178
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Actions 187
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Possession 192
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Engagement 194
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States 196
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All-pervadingness 198
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Unchangeability 200
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Indivisible excellences 205
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Chapter 7: The Eighteen Similes in the Tathiigatagarbha-sutra 209
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1. rGyal-tshab's General Discussion 209
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2. The Nine Smiles for the Obscuring Defilements 215
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The lotus simile for latent state of attachment 215
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The bees simile for latent state of hatred 216
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The husks simile for latent state of misknowledge 216
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The filth simile for intense outburst of attachment, hatred, and
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misknowledge 218
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The floor simile for ground of instincts for misknowledge 219
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The fruit simile for addictions eliminated by the Path ofInsight 220
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The tattered rags simile for addictions eliminated by the Path of Meditation
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221
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The woman simile for addictions related to the Impure Stages 222
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The clay simile for addictions related to the Pure stages 223
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Discussion of the twofold obscuration 224
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3. The Nine Smiles for thc Obscured Element 226
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The three similes for the Truth Body 228
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The gold simile for reality 230
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The five similes for the spiritual gene 231
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Chapter 8: The Twofold Spiritual Gene 236
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1. Tsong-kha-pa's Analysis of the Vijfianavadin Standpoints 237
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2. A Madhyamika Critique of the Vijfianavadin Standpoint 248
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3. The dGe-Iugs-pa Exegesis of the "Spiritual Gene" Section of the AA 250
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4. Natural Luminosity of the Mind under Debate 256
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Conclusion 264
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Abbreviations 268
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Bibliography 271
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Part II: Appendices
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1. A Special Edition of Chapter One of the Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i tfkii (1 a-72a
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and 64a-I70b) 285
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A. Topical Outline 285
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B. Special Edition 306
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2. Translations 449
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A. The Mahiiyanottaratantraryakhya (Chapter One: 1.1-7.5 and 21.1-78.22) 449
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B. The Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i {ika (Chapter One: la-72a and 64a-170b) 525
 
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Revision as of 14:44, 30 April 2020

Cataphatic Emptiness: rGyal-tshab on the Buddha-essence Theory of Asaṅga's Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā
Translation of Commentary on the Ultimate Continuum of the Mahāyāna
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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.

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