Chapter 4.3 - Reality in Madhyamika (c): The Paramita Discipline

The shat-paramita-naya, the six fold path of highest perfection, is the Madhyamika spiritual discipline. The Prajnaparamita treatises treat of these, especially the last paramita, prajna–wisdom. The paramita way is distinguished from the older discipline of the Theravada, in three important respects: the replacement of the arhat by the bodhisattva ideal, the elaboration of the older shila–samadhi–prajna triad of the spiritual discipline into the six fold path of the paramitas namely, dana, shila, kshanti, virya, dhyana and prajna, and the minute analysis of the highest stages of spiritual life into bhumis or planes of Yoga culminating in complete Buddhahood. These revolutionize the ideal, the path and the final result of the spiritual discipline; they impart a unity and universality never known before in spiritual life.^[1]

In the ultimate truth all things are Shunya, devoid of their own natures. There is no individual, no ‘I’ and ‘mine’. And yet conditioned by causal forces, there are fundamental Psycho Physical elements as well as senses. And each of these elements has its own nature and capacity. Thus, it can come into birth of the co-operation of its causal factors. And things of everyone has its own functions. These elements are as substantial and possessed of self being–(Svabhava). And in the analysis, the non-substantiality of the basic elements of existence.

“In the deeper truth that the conditioned is itself in its ultimate nature the unconditioned reality, that the world is itself ‘Nirvana’, when rightly seen”^[2]

For, example, earth can hold things and water can moisture things. In this way everything has its own nature and function. In this sense Truth means such nature of things as impermanence, relativity, non-substantiality, devoidness of selfhood. About the universal reality there is nothing that is determinable. In the ultimate realization such modes of intellection come to an end. This is the universal reality, this is same as Nirvana, the unborn and the extinct dharma, which ever remains in its true nature. For example, water is cold by nature and it becomes hot only when fire is given to it. With the extinction of fire, the heat of the water also becomes extinct and water returns to its original nature and remains cold. The mind using all the diverse modes of intellection is like water getting fire. The original nature of mind, the Tathata, is like the coldness of water. Tathata is like this and eternally remains as its fundamental nature. The wise one who rises above exclusive clinging, understand the conditioned as well as unconditioned experiences of the reality, as Nirvana.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

T.R.V. Murty, The Central Philosophy of Buddhism, p. 262-263.

[2]:

K. Venkaraman, Nagarjuna’s Philosophy, Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan, Varanasi, 1921, p. 47.