3. Later period

The doctrine of the Dependent Origination through Tathāgatagarbha was compiled by adopting the doctrine of the Ālayavijñāna. Such are the works:

The Laṅkāvatāra-sūtra

The Laṅkāvatārasūtra, or the “Sūtra on (the Buddha’s) Entering (the Country of) Lanka”, articulates a number of characteristic Mahāyāna positions, such as the identification of the Ālayavijñāna and Tathāgatagarbha. It was used in East Asia as a basic canonical text by the Faxiang and Chan schools in presenting their distinctive ideologies. This sūtra has been outlined in the introduction of the present thesis.

The Awakening of Mahāyāna Faith

The Awakening of Mahāyāna Faith ascribed to Aśvaghoṣa, of which Sanskit original was lost, was translated into Chinese the first time by Paramārtha in 550 CE, and the second time by Śikṣānanda in the Tang dynasty; both titles are Da-sheng-qi-xin-lun^[1] . Most of scholars now accept the reconstructed Sanskrit title of the work that is Mahāyānaśraddhotpādaśāstra and the Sanskrit text is certainly an indigenous Chinese production.^[2] The text sought to harmonize the two Indian derived soteriological positions of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna systems into a synthetic vision based on the One Mind in Two Aspects. This text is also considered as an attempt of synthesis of the teachings of Mādhyamika and Vijñānavāda schools, and as a philosophical work dealing with the doctrine of the Tathāgatagarbha and Ālayavijñāna after the manner of Yogācāra of Asaṅga.^[3]

The major theme of this text is the relationship between the absolute reality and relative phenomena. This relationship based on the Mind of sentient being:

所言法者.謂眾生心.是心則攝一切世間法出世間法^[4]

The principle is “The Mind of the sentient being”. This Mind includes in itself all states of being of phenomenal world and the transcendental world.^[5]

Therefore, the Mind of all living beings includes not only ordinary mind but also absolute mind or the Buddha-nature. And to explain that relationship between them, the treatise declares the thing-in-itself, called suchness (tathatā) or absolute mind, not only exists in the original realm above and beyond phenomena, but also expresses itself as phenomena.

The conjunction of the absolute and the phenomenal occurs in the concept of the Tathāgatagarbha or the Buddha-nature.

所言義者. 則有三種. 云何為三. 一者體大. 謂一切法真如平等不增減故. 二者相大. 謂如來藏具足無量性功德故. 三者用大. 能生一切世間出世間善因果故^[6]

Of the significance, there are three aspects: (1) The “greatness” of essence (體 ti), for all phenomena are identical with Suchness and are neither increasing nor decreasing; (2) The “greatness” of attributes (相 xiang), for the Tathāgatagarbha endowed with numberless excellent qualities; (3) The “greatness” of influences (用 yong), for the influences give rise to the good causes and effects in this or in the other world alike.^[7]

So, with this explanation, all questions are cleared. The Mind of living being consists of three aspects: essence, attribute and influence. The essence of Mind is identical with Suchness (tathatā), the attribute of Mind is identical with the Buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha), and the influence of Mind is identical with the ordinary mind or consciousness. Suffering beings, in so far as they are suffering, remain deluded and in bondage. However, insofar as they are beings, they display their suchness and are aspects of the activity of absolute mind, and in this sense they already contain the goal of transcendence and liberation within themselves.

These ideas are worked out in more detail through the use of the concepts of “one Mind and its two Aspects”

顯示正義者. 依一心法. 有二種門. 云何為二. 一者心真如門. 二者心生滅門. 是二種門^[8]

The revelation of the true meaning by that the principle of one Mind has two aspects: one is the aspect of Mind in terms of Absolute and the other is the aspect of phenomena. Each of these two aspects embraces all states of existence.^[9]

Briefly, the Dashengqixinlun discusses only on One Mind. This Mind is the Mind of all living beings which includes both Absolute and phenomena, and signifies its characteristics through the three following aspects:

-The nature of Mind = the Suchness (tathatā) = One Mind is the conjunction between absolute reality and phenomena

-The attribute of Mind = the Buddha-nature or Tathāgatagarbha = absolute reality hidden in One Mind.

-The influence of Mind = the Consciousnesses (vijñānas) = the phenomena exposed out of One Mind.

Thus, according to the text, both the Buddha-nature and Ālayavijñāna look like two sides of one coin; they are only the exposition of One Mind or Suchness.

The Gaṇḍavyūha-sūtra

The Gaṇḍavyūha-sūtra (dashengmiyanjing), three fascicles, was translated twice into Chinese, the first time by Jivākara (T16n681) and the second time by Amoghavajra (T16n682). This Sūtra discusses rebirth in the Secret Adorned Pure Land (miyanguo) and teaches that all phenomena emerge from the Ālayavijñāna. Its doctrines resemble those of the Laṅkāvatārasūtra.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Da-sheng-qi-xin-lun 大乘起信論 (Taisho Tripiṭaka (CBETA 2011) [T32n1666] & 1667)

[2]:

Hajime Nakamura, Indian Buddhism: Aṅguttaranikāya Survey with Bibliographical Notes, p. 232.

[3]:

Sarla Khosla, Aśvaghoṣa and His Times, p. 354.

[4]:

Taisho Tripiṭaka (CBETA 2011) [T32n1666], p. 575c.

[5]:

The Awakening of Faith, tr. Yoshito Saṃyuttanikāya. Hakeda, p. 28.

[6]:

Taisho Tripiṭaka (CBETA 2011) [T32n1666], p. 575c.

[7]:

The Awakening of Faith, tr. Yoshito Saṃyuttanikāya. Hakeda, p. 29.

[8]:

Taisho Tripiṭaka (CBETA 2011) [T32n1666], p.576a.

[9]:

The Awakening of Faith, tr. Yoshito Saṃyuttanikāya. Hakeda, p.31