History Yogachara

1 history

1.1 origination
1.2 asaṅga , vasubandhu
1.3 yogācāra , madhyamaka
1.4 yogācāra in east asia
1.5 yogācāra in tibet
1.6 principal exponents of yogācāra

history

the yogācāra, along madhyamaka, 1 of 2 principal philosophical schools of indian mahāyāna buddhism.

origination

the earliest text of tradition saṃdhinirmocana sūtra might first or second century ce. includes new theories such basis-consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna), , doctrine of cognition-only (vijñapti-mātra) , 3 natures (trisvabhāva). however, these theories not new, have predecessors in older theories held previous buddhist schools, such sautrāntika theory of seeds (bīja) , sthavira nikāya s abhidharma theory of unconscious bhavanga. richard king has noted similarity of sautantrika representationalism , yogacara:

the sautrantika accept form (akara) or representation (vijñapti) of object perceived. schools differ in yogacara refusal accept validity of discussing external objects causes (nimitta) given external object never (directly) perceived.

the saṃdhinirmocana sūtra, doctrinal trailblazer of yogācāra, inaugurated paradigm of 3 turnings of wheel of dharma, own tenets in third turning . yogācāra texts considered part of third turning along relevant sutra. (some traditions categorize teaching within fourth turning of wheel of dharma.) moreover, yogācāra discourse surveys , synthesizes 3 turnings , considers final definitive explanation of buddhism.

the orientation of yogācāra school largely consistent thinking of pāli nikāyas. treats later developments in way realigns them earlier versions of buddhist doctrines. 1 of agendas of yogācāra school reorient complexity of later refinements in buddhist philosophy accord buddhist doctrine.

asaṅga , vasubandhu

maitreya , disciples. gandhara, 3rd century ce



statue of vasubandhu (jp. seshin), kōfuku-ji, nara, nara japan.

yogācāra, had genesis in saṃdhinirmocana sūtra, largely formulated brahmin-born half-brothers asaṅga , vasubandhu. asaṅga spent many years in intense meditation, during time tradition says visited tuṣita heaven receive teachings maitreya. heavens such tuṣita said accessible through meditation , accounts of given in writings of indian buddhist monk paramārtha, lived during 6th century. xuanzang tells similar account of these events:

in great mango grove 5 or 6 li southwest of city (ayodhyā), there old monastery asaṅga bodhisattva received instructions , guided common people. @ night went place of maitreya bodhisattva in tuṣita heaven learn yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, mahāyāna-sūtra-alaṃkāra-śāstra, madhyānta-vibhāga-śāstra, etc.; in daytime, lectured on marvelous principles great audience.

asaṅga went on write many of key yogācāra treatises such yogācārabhūmi-śāstra, mahāyānasaṃgraha , abhidharma-samuccaya other works, although there discrepancies between chinese , tibetan traditions concerning works attributed him , maitreya.

the yogācāra school held prominent position in indian buddhism centuries after time of asaṅga , vasubandhu. teachings , derivations of school have influenced , become well-established in east asian buddhism , tibetan buddhism.

yogācāra , madhyamaka

according tibetan sources, school in protracted dialectic madhyamaka. however, there disagreement among contemporary western , traditional buddhist scholars degree opposed, if @ all. summarize main difference: while madhyamaka held asserting existence or non-existence of real thing inappropriate, later exponents of yogācāra asserted mind (or in more sophisticated variations, primordial wisdom) , mind real. is, however, later interpretation of yogācāra, , vasubandhu , asaṅga in particular did not assert mind inherently existent. according interpretations, .

the position yogācāra , madhyamaka in dialectic expounded xuanzang in 7th century. after suite of debates exponents of madhyamaka school in india, xuanzang composed in sanskrit no longer extant three-thousand verse treatise non-difference of madhyamaka , yogācāra.

some later yogācāra exponents synthesized 2 views, particularly Śāntarakṣita in 8th century, view later called yogācāra-svatantrika-madhyamaka tibetan tradition. in view mādhyamika position true , @ same time mind-only view useful way relate conventionalities , progress students more skillfully toward ultimate. synthesized view between 2 positions, incorporated views of valid cognition dignāga , dharmakīrti, 1 of last developments of indian buddhism before extinguished in 11th century during muslim incursion.

yogācāra in east asia


statue of xuanzang @ giant wild goose pagoda in xi an, china



xuanzang memorial hall in nalanda, bihar, india

translations of indian yogācāra texts first introduced china in 5th century ce. among these guṇabhadra s translation of laṅkāvatāra sūtra in 4 fascicles, become important in history of chan buddhism. during sixth century, indian monk , translator paramārtha propagated yogācāra teachings in china. translations include saṃdhinirmocana sūtra, madhyāntavibhāga-kārikā, triṃśikā-vijñaptimātratā, , mahāyānasaṃgraha. paramārtha taught on principles of consciousness only, , developed large following in southern china. many monks , laypeople traveled long distances hear teachings, on mahāyānasaṃgraha.

although yogācāra teachings had been propagated in china before 7th century, xuanzang important founder of east asian yogācāra. @ age of 33, xuanzang made dangerous journey india in order study buddhism there , procure buddhist texts translation chinese. dan lusthaus writes xuanzang had come conclusion issues of dispute in chinese buddhism resolved availability of important texts, , yogācārabhūmi Śāstra.

xuanzang spent on ten years in india traveling , studying under various buddhist masters. lusthaus writes during time, xuanzang discovered manner in buddhists understood , interpreted texts richer , more varied chinese materials had indicated, , drew meaning broad cultural context. xuanzang s teachers included Śīlabhadra, abbot of nālandā, 106 years old. xuanzang tutored in yogācāra teachings Śīlabhadra several years @ nālandā. upon return india, xuanzang brought him 657 buddhist texts, including important yogācāra works such yogācārabhūmi Śāstra. upon return china, given government support , many assistants purpose of translating these texts chinese.

as important contribution east asian yogācāra, xuanzang composed treatise cheng weishi lun, or discourse on establishment of consciousness only. work framed around vasubandhu s triṃśikā-vijñaptimātratā, or thirty verses on consciousness only. xuanzang upheld dharmapāla s commentary on work being correct one, , provided own explanations of these other views in cheng weishi lun. work composed @ behest of xuanzang s disciple kuiji, , became central representation of east asian yogācāra. xuanzang promoted devotional meditative practices toward maitreya bodhisattva. xuanzang s disciple kuiji wrote number of important commentaries on yogacara texts , further developed influence of doctrine in china, , recognized later adherents first true patriarch of school.

yogācāra in tibet

yogācāra first transmitted tibet Śāntarakṣita , later again atiśa. yogācāra terminology (though not view) employed nyingmapa in attempting describe nondenumerable ultimate phenomenon (tibetan: རྣམ་གྲངས་མ་ཡིན་པའི་དོན་དམ་) intended endpoint of dzogchen practice. yogācāra is, therefore, integral part of history of tibetan buddhism.

although je tsongkhapa (whose reforms atiśa s kadam tradition considered beginnings of gelug school) argued in favour of yogācāra views (specifically regarding existence , functioning of 8 consciousnesses) in career, prevailing gelug view came hold yogācāra views matter of interpretable meaning, therefore distinct madhyamaka logic held of definitive meaning in terms of buddhist 2 truths doctrine.

for part, jonang teachers, including taranatha, held own shentong ( other-voidness tibetan: གཞན་སྟོང་, wylie: gzhan-stong) views expressed in terms of great madhyamaka definitive in meaning, in contrast circumstantially definitive rangtong ( self-voidness or prasaṅgika, tibetan: རང་སྟོང་, wylie: rang-stong) philosophy of termed general madhyamaka , comprising both svatantrika , prasaṅgika madhyamaka.

stupa @ jomonang (Ü-tsang, lhatse, tibet) completed 1333 dolpopa sherab gyaltsen. courtesy jonang foundation © 2007.

current discussions between tibetan scholars regarding differences between shentong , rangtong views may therefore appear similar historical debates between yogācāra , madhyamaka, specific distinctions have, in fact, evolved further. although later tibetan views may said have evolved earlier indian positions, distinctions between views have become increasingly subtle, yogācāra has evolved incorporate madhyamaka view of ultimate. jamgon ju mipham gyatso, 19th century rimé movement commentator, wrote in commentary on Śāntarakṣita s synthesis, ultimate view in both schools same, , each path leads same ultimate state of abiding.

principal exponents of yogācāra

principal exponents of yogācāra categorized , alphabetized according location:

china: paramārtha 真諦 (499–569), xuanzang 玄奘(602–664) , kuījī 窺基 (632–682);
india: half-brothers asaṅga , vasubandhu; sthiramati 安慧 , dharmapāla 護法
japan: chitsū 智通 , chidatsu 智達 of kusha-shū
korea: daehyeon 大賢, sinhaeng (神行, 704-779), woncheuk (圓測 ; 631-696) , wonhyo (zh: 元曉 ; 원효; 617 - 686)




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