Visions of Unity: The Golden Paṇḍita Shakya Chokden's New Interpretation of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka

Contents

Contents List of Tables ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 1. Introducing the Visions of Unity 6 2. Introducing the Chapters 11 Chapter One: Life and Works of the Golden Paˆ∂ita 17 1. Political and Religious Landscape of Fifteenth-Century Tibet 17 2. Life of the Golden Paˆ∂ita 23 Early Years and Education 25 Becoming a Prolific Writer and Famous Scholar 31 Settling in the Golden Monastery and Exploring New Horizons 35 Becoming a Tantric Master and Crystallizing Novel Views 44 3. Writings of Shakya Chokden 51 Chronological List of Shakya Chokden’s Works 51 Topical Divisions of Shakya Chokden’s Works Addressed in This Book 59 Chapter Two: The Intellectual Background of Shakya Chokden’s Interpretation of Yogåcåra and Madhyamaka 71 1. Two Tendencies in Yogåcåra and Ni±svabhåvavåda Writings 71 2. Basic Elements of Shakya Chokden’s Approach to Mahåyåna Systems 84 vi Contents 3. Pointed Disappointments: Shakya Chokden’s Personal Reflections 91 4. Broadening Empty Horizons: A Note on Changes in Shakya Chokden’s Views 102 Chapter Three: Readjusting Rungs of the Ladder: Revisiting Doxographical Hierarchies 109 1. Key Features of Shakya Chokden’s Approach to the Buddhist Tenets 109 2. Demarcating the Middle: On the Valid Divisions of Madhyamaka and Great Madhyamaka 116 3. Self-Emptiness and Other-Emptiness 122 Self-Emptiness 124 Other-Emptiness 127 4. Bidding Farewell to the Pråsa∫gika/Svåtantrika Division? 136 5. Are There Two Types of Yogåcåra Madhyamaka? 141 6. Are There Any Cittamåtra Followers Around? 145 7. Expanding the Mådhyamika Camp 150 Chapter Four: Through Broken Boundaries to New Enclosures: Reconciling Yogåcåra and Madhyamaka 157 1. Differences between Al¥kåkåravåda and Satyåkåravåda 157 2. The Heart of the Matter: Probing the Al¥kåkåravåda/ Ni±svabhåvavåda Distinction 168 3. A New Look at the Old Origins: Distinctions of Madhyamaka Stemming from Interpretations of the Second and Third Dharmacakras 183 Looking at the Second and Third Dharmacakras through the Eyes of the Madhyamaka Founders 183 Position of Al¥kåkåravåda 186 Position of Ni÷svabhåvavåda 191 Positions of Later Mådhyamikas 201 4. Steering the Middle Way between the Two Conflicting Middle Ways: The Art of Not Taking Sides 207 vii Contents Chapter Five: Explorations in Empty Luminosity: Shakya Chokden’s Position on Primordial Mind 213 1. Facing the Reality of Primordial Mind 213 Primordial Mind and the Question of Existence 213 The Question of Withstanding Analysis 220 Does True Existence Have to Be Negated in Order to Abandon Grasping at It? 223 2. Primordial Mind as an Impermanent Phenomenon 228 3. (Un)linking the Self-Cognizing Primordial Mind and Dualistic Consciousness 238 4. Does Self-Cognition Cognize Itself? 242 5. Primordial Mind as the Bridge between Yogåcåra and Tantra 249 Primordial Mind as the Focus of All Mahåyåna Paths 249 Different but Concordant Approaches to Primordial Mind in Al¥kåkåravåda and Tantra 252 A Powerful Ally: Using the Tantric View of Reality for Support 264 Conclusion: The Grand Unity—Shakya Chokden’s Middle Way 269 Glossary of Buddhist Terms: English-Tibetan with Sanskrit Parallels 279 Spellings of Tibetan Names and Terms 299 Notes 307 Bibliography 391 Index 423 ...