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

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 III - GO RAMS PA'S OBJECTS OF REFUTATION66
PART I66
- - Identification of the Objects of Refutations69
  - Rgyal tshab and His Followers69
  - Claimed Followers of Rong ston73
  - Bus ton, Shākya Mchog Idan and Their Followers74
  - Mang thos's Interpretation of Go rams pa's Thought80
  - Go rams pa's own Interpretation82
  - Hypothetical Questions83
  - Mang thos's Understanding of Go rams pa's Intention84
  - The Two Purities are Mutually Exclusive85
CHAPTER IV - GO RAMS PA'S REFUTATION OF JO NANG PA ON
BUDDHA-NATURE89
PART II89
- Refutation of Truly Existing Buddha-nature89
- History of the Jo nang pa Tradition90
- A Summary of Jo nang pa's Gzhan stong Theory93
- Positioning Jo nang pa School95
- Distinction between Rang stong and Gzhan stong102
- Meaning of the Non-differentiation of the Basis and the Result103
- Claiming their Assertion to be in accord with Sūtras and Śāstras103
- Classification of Real and Imputation110
  - Demonstrating the Classification of Real and Imputation with
    Examples110
  - Claiming All Three Tantras to be Valid111
- Refutation of ways in which they accept the result116
- Refutation of the Ontology: Contradiction with Definitive Treatises118
- Contradiction with the logical reasons which refutes Realists118
- Contradiction with the Sequence of the Turning the Wheel of Dharma120
- Contradiction to the Intent of Sūtra, Tantra and Śāstra122
- Illustrating the Reasons of Investigation without Bias123
- Essence of the Important Points in Brief124
CONCLUSION125
- Ascertainment with evidence128
APPENDICES130
- Appendix A: The text of sdom gsum kha skong's first chapter on basis (gzhi)
  and its translation130
- Note on the Versification130
- The Text and Translation130
- Appendix B: Go rams pa's writings181
- Volume I182
- Volume II187
- Volume III188
- Volume IV189
- Volume V194
- List of his works arranged by subjects198
  - On the Hevajra Tantra:198
  - On the Cakrasamvara Tantra:200
  - On the Guhyasamāja Tantra:200
  - On the Vajrabhairava Teaching:201
  - On the Yoga Tantra:201
  - On the Prajñāpāramitā:201
  - On the Ratnagotravibhāga of Maitreya:201
  - On the Logic and Epistemology (Pramāṇa):202
  - On the Madhyamaka Philosophy:202
  - On the Three Sets of Vows:202
  - On the Yoga Tantra:203
- Various Praises, Prayers and Answers to some Questions203
BIBLIOGRAPHY208

- Primary Sources and Translations; Sūtras and Tantras208
- Commentaries and Philosophical Treatises209
- Primary Sources of Works by Tibetans212
- Secondary Sources215

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.