Buddha-nature and Emptiness
HEFT 91
Kazuo Kano
Buddha-nature and Emptiness
rNgog Blo-ldan-shes-rab and
A Transmission of the Ratnagotravibhāga]] from India to Tibet
WIEN 2016
ARBEITSKREIS FÜR TIBETISCHE UND BUDDHISTISCHE STUDIEN
UNIVERSITÄT WIENTable of content
CONTENTS
PREFACE
Introduction
PART I Historical and Doctrinal Background
- Chapter 1 The Authorship of the Ratnagotravibhāga and Its Transmission in India from the 5th to the 10th Century
- Chapter 2 The Resurrection of the Ratnagotravibhāga in India in the Early 11th Century: Maitrīpa and Jñānaśrīmitra
- Chapter 3 Ratnākaraśānti’s Understanding of Buddha-nature
- Chapter 4 The Transmission of the Ratnagotravibhāga in East India from the 11th to the 13th Century: From Prajñākaramati to Vibhūticandra
- Chapter 5 The Kashmiri Tradition of the Ratnagotravibhāga Exegesis in the 11th and 12th Centuries: [[Sajjana]] and his Circle
- Chapter 6 Six Tibetan Translations of the Ratnagotravibhāga
- Conclusion
PART II rNgog Blo-ldan-shes-rab and His Doctrinal Position
- Chapter 7 The Life and Works of rNgog Blo-ldan-shes-rab
- Chapter 8 rNgog’s Doctrinal Positions in Relation to Sajjana’s and His Commentarial Style
- Chapter 9 rNgog’s rGyud bla ma'i don bsdus pa as a Reflection of His Own Doctrinal Position
- Conclusion
PART III rNgog’s Impact on Later Developments
- Chapter 10 rNgog’s Impact on Doctrinal Developments from the 11th to the Early 14th Century
- Chapter 11 rNgog’s Impact on Doctrinal Developments from the Late 14th to the 16th Century
- Conclusion
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
- Resituating rNgog’s Position in a Wider Context
APPENDICES
- Appendix A A Topical Outline ofthe rGyud bla ma'i don bsdus pa
- Appendix B A List of Commentaries of the Ratnagotravibhāga
ABBREVIATIONS AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES
INDICES
A Synoptic Outline of This Book
Introduction
Part I: Historical and Doctrinal Background
Chapter 1: The Authorship of the Ratnagotravibhāga and Its Transmission in India from the 5th to the 10th Century
- Basic Textual Materials and Structure of the Ratnagotravibhāga
- The Authorship of the Ratnagotravibhāga
- The Earliest Witness of the Authorship
- The Earliest Witness Ascribing Authorship to Maitreya
- Authorship in Indian Tradition from the 11th Century Onward
- Studies by Modern Scholars
- Positive Descriptions on the Ultimate and Their Aim in the Ratnagotravibhāga
- Doctrinal Developments within the Ratnagotravibhāga
- The 5th and 6th Centuries: An Approach to the Yogācāra Doctrine
- The *Mahāyānadharmadhātunirviśeṣa
- The *Anuttarāśrayasūtra
- The *Buddhadhātuśāstra
- The Doctrines of Buddha-nature and Yogācāra
- The Single Vehicle vs. the Three Vehicles
- Paramārtha’s Translations 37
- The Late 6th to the 10th Centuries: the Ratnagotravibhāga Disappears from View
- Mādhyamikas’ Integration of the Buddha-nature Doctrine
- A Summary and Further Considerations
Chapter 2: The Resurrection of the Ratnagotravibhāga in India in the Early 11th Century: Maitrīpa and Jñānaśrīmitra
- Maitrīpa
- Jñānaśrīmitra
- Quotations from the Ratnagotravibhāga in the Sākārasiddhiśāstra 55
- Summary of Sākārasiddhiśāstra passages (i)-(8) 67
- A Summary and Further Considerations 69
Chapter 3: Ratnäkarasänti’s Understanding of Buddha-nature 71
- Ratnäkarasänti 71
- Buddha-nature 74
- Yänatraya 78
- The Ekayäna Doctrine Found in Two Works Attributed to Ratnäkarasänti: the Sütrasamuccayabhäsya and Triyänavyavasthäna jq
- The Säratama s and Kusumänjali’s Interpretations ofAbhisamayälamkära I.39 8°
- The Sütrasamuccayabhäsyds Interpretation of Abhisamayälamkära I.39 82
- The Authorship of the Sütrasamuccayabhäsya and Triyänavyavasthäna 85
- References to the Ratnagotravibhāga Found in the Sütrasamuccayabhäsya 87
- A Summary and Further Considerations 95
Chapter 4: The Transmission of the Ratnagotravibhāga in East India from the 11th to 13th Century:From Prajnäkaramati to Vibhüticandra 97
- Prajnäkaramati 97
- Atisa 98
- Yamâri 101
- Vairocanaraksita 103
- Rämapäla 105
- Sahajavajra 108
- Abhayäkaragupta 108
- Zhi ba ’byung gnas 124
- Dasabalasrimitra 126
- Ratnaraksita 127
- Vibhüticandra 130
- A Summary and Further Considerations 132
Chapter 5: The Kashmiri Tradition of the Ratnagotravibhāga Exegesis in the 11th and 12th Centuries: Sajjana and his Circle 135
- Sajjana 135
- Mahäjana 139 Amrtäkara 144
- Jayänanda 148
- A Summary and Further Considerations 152
Chapter 6: Six Tibetan Translations of the Ratnagotravibhāga 155
- The Translation by Atisa and Nag-tsho 156
- The Translation by rNgog and Sajjana 163
- The Translation by Pa-tshab 167
- The Translation by Mar-pa Do-pa Chos-kyi-dbang-phyug 171
- The Translation by Jo-nang Lo-tsä-ba Blo-gros-dpal 172
- The Translation by Yar-klungs Lo-tsä-ba 176
- How Did Tibetans study the SanskritText ofthe Ratnagotravibhāga? —TibetanRemarksFoundinaRatnagotravibhāgaSanskritManuscript 177
- A Summary and Further Considerations 178
Conclusion to Chapters 1-6 181
Part II: rNgog Blo-ldan-shes-rab and His Doctrinal Position 189
Chapter 7: The Life and Works of rNgog Blo-ldan-shes-rab 191
- A Translation of Las-chen Kun-dga’-rgyal-mtshan’s Sketch of rNgog’s Life 193
- The Tibetan Text: Las-chen Kun-dga’-rgyal-mtshan, bKa gdams chos 'byung 197
- Other Episodes 198
- Works 202
- A List of rNgog’s Writings 202
- The Spread of the Teaching of the gSang phu Tradition in Mi nyag and rNgog’s Letter Addressed to a Community in Tsong kha 208
- The Composition of rNgog’s Concise Guide to the Ratnagotravibhdga 210
Chapter 8: rNgog’s Doctrinal Positions in Relation to Sajjana’s and His Commentarial Style 211
- Problems Associated with the Buddha-nature Doctrine of the Ratnagotravibhdga 212
- Sajjana’s Doctrinal Position 215
- Textual Materials relating to Sajjana’s Mahayanottaratantrasdstropadesa 217
- Previous Studies of the Mahayänottaratantrasästropadesa 218
- A Structural Analysis of the Mahäyänottaratantrasästropadesa 219
- An Outline of the Mahdyänottaratantrasästropadesa 221
- Sajjana’s Soteriological Schemas on the Ratnagotravibhdga 226
- rNgog’s Doctrinal Position 228
- rNgog’s Commentarial Style 233
- The Commentarial Style and Techniques Characteristic of rNgog’s Concise Guides 234
- An Evaluation of rNgog’s Commentarial Style within the Wider History ofTibetan Buddhism 238
- A Summary and Further Considerations 239
Chapter 9: rNgog’s rGyud bla ma’i don bsdus pa as a Reflection of His Own Doctrinal Position 241
- Previous Studies 241
- A Description of Materials relating to the rGyud bla ma’i don bsdus pa 243
- The dbu med Handwritten Manuscript 243
- Other Extant Handwritten Manuscripts 244
- The Block Print 245
- Phywa-pa’s Ratnagotravibhdga Commentary 246
- Works Quoted in the rGyudbla mai don bsduspa 247
- rNgog’s Structural Analysis of the Contents of the Ratnagotravibhdga 248
- An Evaluation ofthe Ratnagotravibhāga among Maitreya’s Corpus of Five Treatises 249
- The Seven vajrapadas and the Soteriological Models of the Ratnagotravibhāga 251
- The Ratnagotravibhāga's Presentation of Its Main Topic 252
- The Cycle of apratisthitanirvdna 255
- The Cycle of the Three Jewels 256
- The Indirect Cause 256
- The Direct Cause 258
- Eight Qualities of the Jewel of the Sangha 260
- rNgog’s Position on the Buddha-nature Doctrine 261
- The Three Aspects of Buddha-nature: dharmakäya, tathatä, gotra 262
- Buddha-nature/Emptiness as a Cause 266
- Buddha-nature and the Älayavijnäna 268
- The Ontological Status of the Buddha-qualities: An Interpretation of RGV I.154- 155 270
- The Relation between the Doctrines of Emptiness and the Buddha-nature Doctrine: An Interpretation of RGV 1.156-167 273
- A Summary and Further Considerations 274
Conclusion to Chapters 7-9 277
Part III: rNgog’s Impact on Later Developments 283
Chapter 10: rNgog’s Impact on Doctrinal Developments from the 11th to the Early 14th Century 285
- An Overview of Later Tibetan Scholars’ Reactions to rNgog’s Position 285
- Details of Later Reactions 291
- Gro-lung-pa Blo-gros-’byung-gnas 291
- Gro-lung-pa’s Writings 291
- Gro-lung-pa on the Ultimate Truth 292
- Gro-lung-pa on the Three Aspects of Buddha-nature 293
- Gro-lung pa on the Gotra 294
- Phywa-pa Chos-kyi-seng-ge 296
- Phywa-pa’s Writings 296
- Phywa-pa’s Ratnagotravibhāga Commentaries 298
- Phywa-pa’s Positions That Accord with rNgog’s 299
- Phywa-pa’s Positions That Develop rNgog’s Further 300
- The Älayavijnäna 300
- MistakenViewson EmptinessandYogācāra 301
- Buddha-nature and Emptiness 302
- A Definition of the Two Kinds of Gotra 303
- On the Ultimate Truth 308
- Sa-skya Pandita Kun-dga’-rgyal-mtshan 309
- bCom-ldan-ral-gri 311
- bCom-ldan-ral-gri as a gZhan stong Forerunner 311
- bCom-ldan-ral-gri’s Position as Reflected in His RGV Commentary 314
- bCom-ldan-ral-gri’s Refutation of the *Amalavijnâna 316
- bCom-ldan-ral-gri on RGV V.19 319
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med 320
- Who is Blo-gros-mtshungs-med? 320
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med on the Five Treatises ofMaitreya 324
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med on the Vajrapadas 325
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med on the Worship of Srâvakas 325
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med on RGV 1.28 327
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med’s Own Position on Buddha-nature 329
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med on the Gotra 334
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med on the Nine Similes of Buddha-nature 335
- Blo-gros-mtshungs-med’s Contributions 335
- Bu-ston Rin-chen-grub 336
- sGra-tshad-pa Rin-chen-rnam-rgyal 338
- A Summary and Further Considerations 340
Chapter 11: rNgog’s Impact on Doctrinal Developments from the Late 14th to the 16th Century 345
- Rong-ston Shäkya-rgyal-mtshan 345
- rGyal-tshab Dar-ma-rin-chen 349
- rGyal-tshab on RGV I.27 349
- rGyal-tshab on the Seven Vajrapadas 351
- rGyal-tshab on Verse V.19 352
- rGyal-tshab on the Alayavijnâna 352
- ’Gos Lo-tsä-ba gZhon-nu-dpal 352
- gZhon-nu-dpal on the Two Cycles 354
- gZhon-nu-dpal on the Eight Qualities of the Jewel of the Saiigha 355
- gZhon-nu-dpal on RGV I.27 and 28 355
- gZhon-nu-dpal on the Ten Buddha-nature Topics 357
- gZhon-nu-dpal on RGV I.130 358
- gZhon-nu-dpal on the Postscript to the First Chapter of the RGV 359
- gZhon-nu-dpal on RGV V.19 359
- gSer-mdog Pan-chen Shäkya-mchog-ldan 360
- Shäkya-mchog-ldan’s Classification of Various Positions 361
- A Sketch of Shäkya-mchog-ldan’s Position 363
- Shäkya-mchog-ldan on the Seven Vajrapadas 364
- Shäkya-mchog-ldan on RGV 1.27 and 28 365
- Shäkya-mchog-ldan on Non-affirming Negation 368
- Shäkya-mchog-ldan on the Two Truths 369
- Shäkya-mchog-ldan’s Mus rabs ’byamspa’i dris lan 370
- Pan-chen bSod-nams-grags-pa 372
- bSod-nams-grags-pa on the Seven Vajrapadas 373
- bSod-nams-grags-pa on the Jewel of the Saṅgha 373
- bSod-nams-grags-pa on RGV 1.27 374
- A Summary and Further Considerations 375
Conclusion to Chapters 10 and 11 379
Final Considerations: Resituating rNgog’s Position within a Wider Context 385
- rNgog’s Struggle to Do Away with the Ontological Aspect of the Buddha-nature Doc¬ trine 392
Appendices 393
- Appendix A: A Topical Outline of the rGyud bla ma'i don bsduspa 395
- Appendix B: A List of Commentaries on the Ratnagotmvibhaga 405
Abbreviations 415
Bibliographies 417
- Primary Sources by Indie Authors 417
- Primary Sources by Tibetan Authors 423
- Secondary Sources 432
Indices 461
- Indie Personal Names 462
- Tibetan Personal Names 464
- Indie Work Tides 469
- TibetanWorkTides 476
- Chinese Personal Names and Work Tides 478
- Toponyms 479 General Index 480