Articles by alphabetic order
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 Ā Ī Ñ Ś Ū Ö Ō
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0


Shentong/Nirvana School

From Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Deathhhan).jpg
Devas-happy.jpg
2b73.jpg
10fdf73 n.jpg
SStuupa.jpg

Shentong(Other-Emptiness) is the philosophical Doctrine of Karuna Dharmakaya Buddhism.
According to a Shentongpa (proponent of Shentong), the emptiness of ultimate reality should not be characterized in the same way as the emptiness of apparent phenomena because it is prabhāsvara-saṃtāna, or “clear light mental continuum,” endowed with limitless Buddha qualities. It is empty of all that is false, not empty of the limitless Buddha qualities that are its innate nature.

the Moutain Doctrine Tibet’s Fundamental Treatise on Other-Emptiness and the Buddha Matrix By: Dolpopa.
Moreover the Angulimala Sutra says:

Manjushri, an empty home in a built-up city is called empty due to the absence of humans. A pot is empty due to the absence of water. A river is empty due to water not flowing. Is a village that is without householders called “empty, empty?” Or are the households empty in all respects? They are not empty in all respects; they are called empty due to the absence of humans. Is a pot empty in all respects? It is not empty in all respects; it is called “empty” due to the absence of water. Is a river empty in all respects? It is not empty in all respects; it is called “empty” because water is not flowing. Similarly, liberation is not empty in all respects; it is called “empty” because of being devoid of all defects. A Buddha, a supermundane victor, is not empty but is called “empty” because of being devoid of defects and due to the absence of humanness and godhood that have ten of millions of afflictive emotions.
Alas, venerable Manjushri, acting out the behavior of a bug, you do not know the real meaning of empty and non-empty. The naked ones” also meditate on all as empty. Do not say anything, you bug of the naked ones!

Dolpopa's Commentary]

The passage from “The Buddha is like space” through “How could you, Angulimala, understand/ Empty nothingness!”which indicates, in accordance with the assertions of some, that everything is a self-emptiness of nothingness is an introduction by Manjushri. It leads to Angulimala’s delineating the difference between self-emptiness and other-emptiness, despite the fact that Manjushri actually knows the difference.
Then, using the example of hail-stone becoming non-existent upon melting, he teaches that the final liberation, Buddhahood, is not empty,This teaches that the ultimate supermundane truth, the body of attributes,is not empty of its own entity. Using the example of an empty home, an empty vase, and an empty river, he teaches an emptiness of all defects; this teaches that the final liberation is other-emptiness. All descriptions of non-emptiness/ “Liberation is not empty in all respects,” “A supermundane victor is not empty,” “Non-empty phenomena are other,” and so forth– mean that the ultimate noumenon is not itself empty of itself.

Queen Srimala Sutra
Chapter IX
The Underlying Truth:
The Meaning of Emptiness
“O Lord, the wisdom of the tathāgatagarbha is the Tathāgata’s wisdom of emptiness (śūnyatā). O Lord, the tathāgatagarbha has not been seen nor attained
originally by all the arhats, pratyekabuddhas, and powerful bodhisattvas.
“O Lord, there are two kinds of wisdom of emptiness with reference to
the tathāgatagarbha.

The tathāgatagarbha that is empty is separate from,
free from, and different from the stores of all defile ments.
And the tathāgatagarbha

that is not empty is not separate from, not free from, and not different
from the inconceivable Buddha-Dharmas more numerous than the
sands of the Ganges River.
“O Lord, the various great disciples can believe in the Tathā gata with
reference to the two wisdoms of emptiness.
All arhats and pratyekabuddhas

revolve in the realm of the four contrary views because of their knowledge
of emptiness. Thus, arhats and pratyekabuddhas do not originally see nor
attain [the wisdom of the tathāgatagarbha.

Nirvana Sutra

V224. “How can the Tathagata be one eternal and unchanging?” O Kasyapa! One who reproaches me thus commits slander, which is wrong. O Kasyapa! You must not entertain such a notion and say that the nature of the Tathagata perishes. O Kasyapa! We do not place the annihilation of illusion in the category of matter rupa. Why not? Because of the fact of the ultimacy of Eternity. Hence, we say Eternal. Nirvanic quietude has nothing to supercede it. All phenomenal existences are done away with, with nothing remaining. This indicates what is fresh, clear, eternal, and unretrogressive. That is why we say that Nirvana is eternal. It is the same with the Tathagata. He is eternal, with no change. “Stars sweep”. This refers to illusion. Once swept, all is gone and no trace remains of any existence. This indicates that all Tathagatas are those who have done away with illusion and are no longer in the five realms. This means that the Tathagata is one eternal and that there is no change [with him]. Also next, O Kasyapa! It is the Dharma which is the teacher of all Buddhas. Hence, the Tathagata respectfully makes offerings. As the Dharma is eternal, so too are all Buddhas eternal.”

V225. Bodhisattva Kasyapa said again to the Buddha: “If the flame of illusion dies out, the Tathagata must also die out. This indicates that there can be no ground where the Tathagata is eternal. This is similar to the situation in which hot iron slag can no longer be seen when the red colour disappears. The same with the Tathagata and illusion. Gone, there is no other pace to go to. And it is like the case of iron. The heat and the red colour gone, there remains nothing to be seen. The same with the Tathagata. Once extinguished, what remains is non-eternal. The fire of illusion done away with, he enters Nirvana. This tells us that the Tathagata is non-eternal.” “O good man! The iron you speak of refers to common mortals. Illusion done away with, the common mortal comes about again. That is why we say non-eternal. This is not the case with the Tathagata. Gone, there is no coming about. Hence, eternal.” Kasyapa further said to the Buddha: “If we place the colour-robbed iron back into the fire, the red colour will return.

It it is thus with the Tathagata, illusion will again form. If illusion again forms, this is nothing but the non-eternal.” V226. The Buddha said: “O Kasyapa! Do not say that the Tathagata is non-eternal. Why not? Because the Tathagata is one Eternal. O good man! When wood is burnt, extinction comes about, and there remain behind the ashes. When illusion is done away with, there remains Nirvana. All such parables as of the torn garment, beheading and broken earthenware enunciate the same truth. All such things have such names as torn garment, beheading, and broken earthenware. O Kasyapa! The iron that has become cold can be made hot again. But this is not the case with the Tathagata. Illusion once done away with, what there is is utmost purity and coolness. The blazing flame never comes back again. O Kasyapa! Know that the situation of innumerable beings is like that of the iron. With the blazing fire of Wisdom free from the “asravasdefilements, I now burn off the bonds of illusion of all beings.”

V227. Kasyapa said further: “It is good, it is good that I now clearly see what the Tathagata means when he says that all Buddhas are eternal.” The Buddha said: “O Kasyapa! Imagine, for example, a chakravartin [world-ruler] in the back of his palace. At one time he is in the back garden. Though this king is not among the attendant females, we cannot say that his life is at an end. O good man! The same is true of the Tathagata. Though not in Jambudvipa [this world, but in Nirvana, we cannot say that he is non-eternal. He is now out of the world of innumerable illusions and is now in the all-wonderful world of peace and happiness. He sits amidst the flowers of Enlightenment; he sees and amuses himself.”

V228. Kasyapa again asked the Buddha: “The Buddha says that you have already crossed over the great ocean of illusion. If you are beyond the sea of illusion, why did you take in [marry] Yasodhara and beget Rahula? From this, we can know that the Tathagata has not yet severed himself from the bonds of illusion and crossed the sea. Please, O Tathagata! Enlighten me upon this point.” The Buddha said to Kasyapa: “Do not say that if the Tathagata had long crossed the great sea of illusion, there could be no reason for him to take Yasodhara [as his wife] and bring forth Rahula and that, in consequence, the Tathagata could not have yet severed himself from the bonds of illusion and crossed the great sea of illusion. O good man! This Great Nirvana calls forth a thing of great significance. Listen to me with your best attention. I shall speak for all the world. Do not become surprised and entertain doubt. If the Bodhisattva-mahasattva reaches Great Nirvana, such a high and wide thing as Mount Sumeru could indeed be placed inside a mustard seed. If beings are standing on Mount Sumeru [at that time, they will feel neither narrowed down nor oppressed.

V251. Kasyapa said further: “O Tathagata! Why do we say eternal? You, the Buddha, say that when the light of a lamp has gone out, there is no direction or place to be named [as to where it has gone]. The same is the case with the Tathagata. Once dead, there can be no direction or place that can be named.” The Buddha said: “O Kasyapa! You should not say: “When the light of a lamp has gone out, there is not direction or place to be named. The same is the case with the Tathagata. When there is extinction, there can be no direction or place to be named.” O good man! When a lamp is lit by a man or woman, any lamp, big or small, [has to be] filled with oil. When there is oil [there], the lamp keeps alight. When the oil is spent, the light also disappears, along with it. That light going out can be compared to the extinction of illusion. Although the light has gone out, the utensil [vessel, lamp-holder] remains behind. The same is the case with the Tathagata. Although illusion has gone, the Dharma-Body remains forever. O good man! What does this mean? Does it mean that both the light and and the lamp disappear? Is it so?”

V291. “Also, emancipation is the not-empty. For example, the body of bamboo and reed is empty inside. This is not the case with emancipation. Know that emancipation is the Tathagata.

V307. “Moreover, emancipation is termed that which severs all conditioned phenomena samskrta-dharmas, gives rise to all untainted anasrava, wholseome qualities / phenomena and eliminates the various paths/ approaches, that is to say, Self, non-Self, not-Self and not non-Self. It merely severs attachment and does not sever the view of the Self/ the seeing of the Self/ the vision of the Self atma-drsti. The view of the Self is termed the ‘Buddha-dhatuBuddha-Nature. The Buddha-dhatu is true emancipation, and true emancipation is the Tathagata.
V308. “Also, emancipation is the “not-empty-empty”. “Empty-empty” is non-possession. Non-possession is the emancipation which the tirthikas and Nirgrantha Jnatiputras Jains presume upon [base themselves upon]. But, in truth, the Nirgranthas do not possess emancipation. So we say “empty-empty”. Not-empty-empty is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.

“Also, emancipation is the “not-empty”. The pot in which we put water, drink, milk, cream, butter, honey, etc., can well be called the water pot and suchlike, even when there is no water, drink, cream, butter, honey or any other thing in it. And yet, we cannot say that the pot is either empty or not-empty. If we say empty, there cannot be any colour, smell, taste or touch. If we say not-empty, what we see is that there is nothing in it such as water, drink or any other thing. We can say neither matter ["rupa"] nor non-matter ["arupa"]; we can say neither empty nor not-empty. If we say empty, there can be no Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity. If not-empty, who is the one blessed with Eternity, Bliss, Self, and Purity? Thus, we should say neither empty nor not-empty. Empty will entail [the notion] that the 25 existences, all illusions, suffering, the phases of life, and all actual actions do not exist. When there is no cream in the pot, we may say empty. Not-empty points to Truth, to whatever is Good, Eternal, Bliss, Self, Pure, Immovable and Unchanging. It is as in the case of taste and touch regarding the pot. That is why we say not-empty. In consequence, we may say that emancipation is as in the case of the pot. The pot will break in certain circumstances. But this is not so with emancipation. It cannot break. What is indestructible is true emancipation. True emancipation is the Tathagata.

371. “A person [might] say that all gets extinguished, implying that the entrance of the Tathagata into Nirvana constitutes extinction.
“A person [might] say that all is non-eternal, meaning that even Nirvana is non-eternal, and the same with suffering, void, and non-self too. That is why we say that such is non-grasping of the import of the sutras. One cannot depend upon such. O good man! There might be a person who says that the Tathagata, pitying all beings, looks to what is apt for the occasion. As he knows what is right for the occasion, he speaks of what is light as heavy and what is heavy as light.

Source

whatdobuddhistsbelieve.wordpress.com