Buddha-Nature: Through the Eyes of Go rams pa Bsod nams seng ge in Fifteenth-Century Tibet

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Dissertation

Abstract

This dissertation explores the evolving interpretation and understanding of the Buddha-nature in Fifteenth-Century Tibet, through the eyes of Go rams pa Bsod nams seng ge (1429-1489), a prominent scholar of the Sa skya school of Tibetan Buddhism. The previous work of European and American scholars in this field have led to our general understanding of Buddha-nature as an innate potential for enlightenment that lies within all sentient beings. The concept of Buddha-nature provides the primary answer to a question with which all Mahāyānists have been philosophically concerned, throughout history: are all sentient beings capable of attaining Buddhahood? The Mahāyāna, more specifically, Madhyamaka theory of Buddha-nature answers the question unequivocally: "Since all sentient beings possess Buddha-nature they are guaranteed to achieve the state of Buddhahood." This research has been mostly limited to the interpretations of Indian and Chinese texts and to a study of only certain Tibetan schools. This dissertation seeks to fill the gap in present scholarship by analyzing the systematic thought of Go rams pa, who set out to provide a critical analysis, explain the internal coherence, and map out the organization of diverse Indian and Tibetan interpretations of this complex idea. I demonstrate in two fundamental ways that Go rams pa developed an unique view of Buddha-nature in two ways: First, I explore the facts Go rams pa's interpretation of Buddha-nature that contribute to his unique perspective. Second, I analyze his opponents' views on the subject thereby illuminating its distinctive features in an historical context. Throughout this study, I deploy a comparative apparatus considering the different views that Go rams pa thought was wrong. Given this fifteenth-century debate, we realize that the understanding of Buddha-nature is subtle and complicated; yet this study is vital to explicate its implications. I conclude that according to Go rams pa, Buddha-nature is to be understood as unity of the emptiness of the mind and clarity which is the nature of mind.

Citation	Jorden, Khenpo Ngawang. "Buddha-Nature: Through the Eyes of Go rams pa Bsod nams seng ge in Fifteenth-Century Tibet." PhD diss., Harvard University, 2003.

ABSTRACTiii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSviii
INTRODUCTION1
- General Introduction1
  - Past Scholarship and Dissertation Focus4
  - Research Strategy and Methodology8
  - Introduction to the Sdom Gsum Kha Skong10
  - The Topical Outline of the First Chapter of the Sdom Gsum Kha Skong13
CHAPTER I - BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SA SKYA SCHOOL20
- 'Khon Family Lineage20
  - Sa chen Kun-dga’ snying-po22
  - Slob-dpon Rin-po-che Bsod nams rtse mo24
  - Rje btsun Rin po che Grags pa rgyal mtshan25
  - Sa skya Pandita Kun dga' rgyal mtshan26
  - 'Gro mgon Chos rgyal 'Phags pa30
  - Ngor E wam Chos Idan and Ngor chen Kun dga' bzang po33
  - Nalendra and Rong ston Shes bya kun rig34
  - The Tshar pa and Tshar chen Blo gsal rgya mtsho35
- Other Important Monasteries37
- Sa Skya College in India39
CHAPTER II - BIOGRAPHY OF GO RAMS PA42
- Accounts of Go rams pa's Life42
  - Go rams pa's Birth43
  - Entering into the Religious Life and Early Studies44
  - Youthful Travels and Studies in Central Tibet45
  - Higher Studies with Many Great Masters46
  - Receiving Ordination of a Full Monk (Bhiksu)50
  - Persuaded from Returning Home50
  - Propagating the Teachings of Buddha52
  - Establishment of a Monastic College57
  - His Death and Relics59
  - His Disciples64

CHAPTER I H - GO RAMS PA ’S OBJECTS OF REFUTATION.________________66 PARTI._________________________________________________________________ 66 Identification o f the Objects o f Refutations................................................................................................ 69 Rgval tshab and His Followers................................................................................................................... 69 Claimed Followers o f Rong ston................................................................................................................. 73 Buston. Shakva Mchog Idan and Their Followers....................................................................................74 Mang thos’s Interpretation o f Go rams p a ’s Thought................................................................................80 Go rams p a ’s own Interpretation................................................................................................................ 82 Hypothetical Questions................................................................................................................................83 Mang thos "s Understanding o f Go rams p a ’s Intention............................................................................ 84 The Two Purities are Mutually Exclusive....................................................................................................85 CHAPTER I V - GO RAMS PA ’5 REFUTATION OF__________________________ 89

JO NANG PA ON BUDDHA-NATURE._____________________________________ 89 PART II.________________________________________________________________89 Refutation o f Truly Existing Buddha-nature............................................................................................... 89 History o f the Jo nang pa Tradition.............................................................................................................90 A Summary o f Jo nang na’s Gzhan stone Theory...................................................................................... 93 Positioning Jo nang pa School..................................................................................................................... 95 Distinction between Rang stone and Gzhan stone...................................................................................102 Meaning o f the Non-differentiation o f the Basis and the Result............................................................. 103 Claiming their Assertion to be in accord with Sutras and Sastras......................................................... 103 Classification o f Real and Imputation.......................................................................................................110 Demonstrating the Classification o f Real and Imputation with Examples........................................ 110 Claiming All Three Tantras to be Valid............................................................................................... I l l Refutation o f wavs in which they accept the result...................................................................................116 Refutation o f the Ontology: Contradiction with Definitive Treatises.....................................................118 Contradiction with the logical reasons which refutes Realists............................................................... 118 Contradiction with the Sequence o f the Turning the Wheel o f Pharma.................................................120 Contradiction to the Intent o f Sutra. Tantra and Sastra........................................................................... 122 Illustrating the Reasons o f Investigation without Bias............................................................................ 123 Essence o f the Important Points in Brief.................................................................................................. 124 CONCLUSION._________________________________________________________125 Ascertainment with evidence.___________________________________________ 128 APPENDICES_____________________________________________________ 130 Appendix A: The text of sdom gsum kha skong’s first chapter on basis (gzhi) and its translation.________ —____ ..._......__....___ ... 130 Note on the Versification............................................................................................................................130 The Text and Translation............................................................................................................................130 Appendix B: Go rams pa’s writings.... — --------------------------------- ------------ 181 Volume 1 ................................................................................................................... 182 Volume H ................................................................................................................. 187 Volume H I................................................................................................................ 188 Volume IV .................................................................................................................189 Volume V ................................................................................................................. 194 List of his works arranged by subjects___ __________________________________ 198 On the Hevaira Tantra:..............................................................................................................................198 On the Cakrasamvara Tantra:...................................................................................................................200 On the Guhvasamaia Tantra:....................................................................................................................200 On the Vairabhairava Teaching:............................................... 201 On the Yoga Tantra:...................................................................................................................................201 On the Prainaparamita:............................................................................................................................. 201 On the Ratnaeotravibhaea ofMaitreva:.................................................................................................. 201 On the Logic and Epistemology (Pramana):.............................................................................................202 On the Madhvamaka Philosovhv:............................................................................................................ 202 On the Three Sets o f Vows:........................................................................................................................ 202 On the Yoga Tantra:.................................................................................................................................. 203 Various Praises, Prayers and Answers to some Questions ____........._______ 203 BIBLIOGRAPHY----------------------------------------- 208

Primary Sources and Translations; Sutras and Tantras.....------- 208 Commentaries and Philosophical Treatises .....___ .......______________ 209 Primary Sources of Works by Tibetans ____ ...______________ 212

Secondary Sources------------------------------ 215

Go rams pa bsod nams seng ge གོ་རམས་པ་བསོད་ནམས་སེང་གེ. sdom pa gsum gyi rab tu dbye ba’i kha skong gzhi lam ‘bras gsum gsal bar byed pa'i legs bshad ‘od kyi snang ba (A Supplement to The Clear Distinction of Three Vows, An Illuminating Light of Good Explanation Which Clarifies the Triad: The Basis (gzhi), Path (lam) and Result ('bras bu) ). In gsung 'bum, bsod nams seng ge. Vol. 9: 815–86. (dkar mdzes bod rigs rang skyong khul, sde dge rdzong, rdzong sar khams bye'i slob gling): rdzong sar khams bye'i slob gling, 2004–2014.

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-ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS________________________________________________ viii
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-INTRODUCTION.________________________________________________________ 1
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-General Introduction__________ 1
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-Past Scholarship and Dissertation Focus......................................................................................................4
+***{{i|Past Scholarship and Dissertation Focus|4}}
-Research Strategy and Methodology............................................................................................................. 8
+***{{i|Research Strategy and Methodology|8}}
-Introduction to the Sdom Gsum Kha Skong.................................................................................................10
+***{{i|Introduction to the ''Sdom Gsum Kha Skong''|10}}
-The Topical Outline o f the First Chapter o f the Sdom Gsum Kha Skong.............................................13
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-CHAPTER I-B R IE F HISTORY OF THE SA SKYA SCHOOL_________________ 20
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-‘Khon Family Lineage_________________________________________________ 20
+**{{i|'Khon Family Lineage|20}}
-Sa chen Kun-dga ’ snving-oo.........................................................................................................................22
+***{{i|Sa chen Kun-dga’ snying-po|22}}
-Slob-dpon Rin-vo-che Bsod nams rise mo...................................................................................................24
+***{{i|Slob-dpon Rin-po-che Bsod nams rtse mo|24}}
-Rie btsun Rin vo che Grass pa rgval mtshan.............................................................................................. 25
+***{{i|Rje btsun Rin po che Grags pa rgyal mtshan|25}}
-Sa skva PandJta Kun dgq ’ rgval mtshan......................................................................................................26
+***{{i|Sa skya Pandita Kun dga' rgyal mtshan|26}}
-‘Gro mgon Chos rgval 'Phags oa................................................................................................................ 30
+***{{i|'Gro mgon Chos rgyal 'Phags pa|30}}
-Ngor E warn Chos Idan and Ngor chen Kun dgq ’ bzang po......................................................................33
+***{{i|Ngor E wam Chos Idan and Ngor chen Kun dga' bzang po|33}}
-Nalendra and Rons ston Shes bva kun rig...................................................................................................34
+***{{i|Nalendra and Rong ston Shes bya kun rig|34}}
-The Tshar pa and Tshar chen Bio gsal rgva mtsho....................................................................................35
+***{{i|The Tshar pa and Tshar chen Blo gsal rgya mtsho|35}}
-Other Important Monasteries___________________________________________ 37
+**{{i|Other Important Monasteries|37}}
-Sa Skya College in India_______________ ..... ___________________________ 39
+**{{i|Sa Skya College in India|39}}
-CHAPTER U -BIO G RA PH Y OF GO RAMS PA______________________________42
+*{{i|CHAPTER II - BIOGRAPHY OF GO RAMS PA|42}}
-Accounts of Go rams pa’s Life _________________________________________42
+**{{i|Accounts of Go rams pa's Life|42}}
-Go rams p a ’s Birth....................................................................................................................................... 43
+***{{i|Go rams pa's Birth|43}}
-Entering into the Religious Life and Early Studies.....................................................................................44
+***{{i|Entering into the Religious Life and Early Studies|44}}
-Youthful Travels and Studies in Central Tibet............................................................................................ 45
+***{{i|Youthful Travels and Studies in Central Tibet|45}}
-Higher Studies with Many Great Masters.................................................................................................. 46
+***{{i|Higher Studies with Many Great Masters|46}}
-Receiving Ordination o f a Full Monk (Bhiksu)..........................................................................................50
+***{{i|Receiving Ordination of a Full Monk (Bhiksu)|50}}
-Persuaded from Returning Home................................................................................................................ 50
+***{{i|Persuaded from Returning Home|50}}
-Propagating the Teachings o f Buddha........................................................................................................52
+***{{i|Propagating the Teachings of Buddha|52}}
-Establishment o f a Monastic College..........................................................................................................57
+***{{i|Establishment of a Monastic College|57}}
-His Death and Relics.................................................................................................................................... 59
+***{{i|His Death and Relics|59}}
-His Disciples.................................................................................................................................................. 64
+***{{i|His Disciples|64}}
 CHAPTER I H - GO RAMS PA ’S OBJECTS OF REFUTATION.________________66
 PARTI._________________________________________________________________ 66