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” } “ Those suttantas uttered by the Tathagata, deep, deep in_ meaning, not of ‘the world, dealing with the void, tu these when uttered, they will not listen, they will not lend a ready ear, they will not bring to them an understanding heart, they will not deem these doctrines that which should be learnt by heart, that which should be mastered,”’® So, it is not strange that in the time of Buddha, Nigrodha paribbajaka used to designate Buddha’s doetrine by the term ‘Suifiiagara-hata-pfiiia’ or ‘the perception in the wisdom of emptiness.’ ® Now we find that in the Prajiaparamita-sttras, such negative aspect of Buddha’s Ontological perception is clearly expressed. The idea of ‘Sanskrit-sinyata,’ ‘ Asanskrita-Siinyataé’ ‘and ‘ Atyanta-Stinyata,’ embodied therein, is nothing but conerete explanation of Buddha’s Ontological perception In the negative. This point has - been clearly pointed out in the Madhyamika-sastra by Nigarjauna who was the systemizer of the sitra thus :— “faraqafaaaa faad faairats uquatfacets fratufaa waa” * “The real state of dharma is like Nirvana, indescrib- able, incomprehensible, without. birth or death, it is anna EERE natn nnn nninnmmnntnecmneneneneneneneenenenectncenne ameneemmeenemmtniain anenne temmaemmemnammenaneenemnanenemneeanememmmmmnineneneneneanemmememnaneenstinemamnn a mememeeennenal ! §.N, Part II, p. 267. : 2 The Book of the Kindred, Sayings, IT, p. 179. 3D. N., Vol. IY, p. 88. Udumbarika Qihonada snitanta, * Madhyamika-Sistra, chap. XVIU, karika 7. 100 ORIGIN OF MAHAYANA BUDDHISM beyond the reach of thought or language for it is ‘absolute.”’ The _Prajfiaparamita-stitras themselves, as we know, deal with Buddha’s Ontological perception. This can be understood even from the meaning of the term ‘Prajiaparamita.’ Etymologically, ‘ Prajiiipiramita’ means the highest or the absolute wisdom of Buddha (which he obtained under the Bodhi-tree). Of course Buddha’s perception has bearing on two aspects—negative and positive—as has been. refeyred to, many times, in the previous discussion, The ‘Siinyata’ idea of the Prajiaparamita is its negative aspect while the ‘Dbarma- tathata’ idea _of it_is the positive one.’ However, the main _ treatment of the Prajiiipiramita-siitras was concerned with the exposition of the n¢gative aspect of Buddha’s Ontological perception, And the Madhyamika doctrine of Nagarjuna is the systematized doctrine of this negative idea, Now, it is clear enough from the above statements, that Buddba’s Ontological perception on the cosmic existence can be identified with the Mahayana doctrine or the Developed form of Buddhism in the negative aspect. Nay, we venture to.go a step further and say that both the said ideas are not only identical but originally they were one and the same in the Buddha’s ' perception. Our next enquiry, then, is to find out the relation between Buddha’s Ontological perception and the doctrine of the Mahayana sitras so far as their positive aspect is concerned. + The positive aspect of Prajhiparamitd-siitras or Buddha’s Ontological perception has been clearly and fully expressed in concrete form in the Saddharmapuodarika- siitra. The Prajfiapdramité-siitras themselves attempt to make us understand the existence of the positive aspect. of Buddha’s Ontological perception. While the Saddharmapundarike-siitra attempts not only to make us understand its existence but at the same time realize it in our life, HOW THE TERMS CAME INTO USE? 101 As we know from the above discussion, in the Original form of Buddhism, speaking generally, Buddha expressed his Ontological ideas in the negative. But occasionally, we came across even certain positive aspect ~of his Ontological idea in the Pali Nikayas. For example, in the Sarnyutta Nikaya :— Ekayano ayam maggo sattanam visuddhiya, sokapari- deviinarh samatikkamaya dukkbadomanassanam atthanga- miya fidyassidhigamaya nibbanassa sacchikiriyaya......” | “There is the one way to this path which exists for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of grief and lamentation, for doing away with sorrow and_dejection, for thy attainment of the knowable and the realisation of Nibbana.” * Again, in the same Nikaya :— Jitipaccaya bhikkhave jaramaranaih, .........uppada vi. Tathigatanath anuppada va Tathagatanan, thita va 8h dhatu dhammatthitata dhammaniya mats idapaecayata, tarh Tathagato abhisambujjhati, abhisameti, abhisambajjhitva abhisametvé acikkhati, deseti pafiapeti, patthapeti vivarati vibhajati uttanuikaroti passatati caha.” * “Conditioned by rebirth is decay and death......... whether, Brethren, there _be_an_avr‘sing of Tathagatas, or whether there be no such arising, in each this nature of things just starids, this casual status, this casual orderliness, the- relatedness of this to that. Concerning that the Tathagata is fully Enlightened, that he ‘fully understands. Fully Enlightened, fully understanding he declares it, teaches it, reveals it, sets it forth, manifests, explains, makes it plain, saying; Buddha! Conditioned hy this, that comes to be.” * batt enentememtmemnanenenanneneranem enn ‘ S.N., Part V, pp. 167, 185. and ALN. U1, p. 314. 3 Translated by my culleague, Mr. Sailendranath Mitra, M.A. > S.N., Part IT, p. 25. * The Books of the Kindred Sayings, II, p. 21. 47218 102 ORIGIN OF MAHAYANA BUDDHISM This idea is exactly the same with that of ‘ Dharma- tathat&’ as expressed throughout the Prajiipiramita- stitras, which reveals the expression of the positive aspect of the doctrine. We find, moreover, in one of the same sutras the following passage :— “Every existence (sarva-dharma) is ‘all sinyata.’ Therefore, there is nothing to recognize (asarnjfia), nothing to entreat (apramahitain), nothing to produce (anuppado), nothing to decay (aniredha). Therefore, all existence is originally calm (svabhiva-nirvina). Whether the Buddha come to this world or not, such a character of all existences (Dharma-laksana) is permanent,” ! At the very sight of the above passage, we can understand how exactly the idea expressed in it corresponds to that of the above quoted Nikaya passages ? However, the positive idea of the Ontological perception has been fully manifested in the Saddharmapundarika- siitra. So the Upayakansalya-parivarta of the same siitra states :— “waifaft wifaamat a faafed af caraaeonay 1”* “The stability of the Dharma, its being subjected_to fixed rule, its unshakable perpetuity in the world.” * The idea expressed here is exactly the Bame_as that of Sarhyutta-Nikaya and the Prajiapairamila passages, quoted above. "But more complete expression of it is found in the Tathagatayuspramana-parivarta in the Saddharma- pundarika-siitra :— “gerfa weal ta aay aata Retina a HAA | aetfa 82. aa quad afiga Wal aTATqUrTTA A aret tat aa fafas difa senanrarefaaraaien: | ufanfed aude oda: FART YRS: + Chinese translation of Mahdprajé dparamitd-sitra, Hoang Bundle, Vol. X. p. 60, of Chinese Tripitaka. -® Saddharmapundarika-sitra, Part I, p. 53. * §,B, E., Vol. XVI, p- 53. atoms HOW TIE TERMS CAME INTO USE? 103 vate wear stewafat gary wea @ faestateer 1. aaa waa areas Sater Tafae fete fag y ua 4 & dafad aa fed aa a weifern emaraq 1”! “When creatures behold this world and imagine that it is burning, even then my Buddha-field is teeming with gods and men.’ “They dispose of manifold amusements, kotis of pleasure gardes, palaces, and aerial cars; (this field) is embollished by hills of gems and_by trees abounding with blossoms and fruits. as ‘And aloft gods are striking musical ssten monte hs me, the disaiples and other sages who are piling after enlightenment. “So in my field here, everlasting; but others fancy that it is burning.” s Again, in the Mahayaua Mahaparinirvana-stitras which are regarded as belonging to a later composition in consideration of the Saddharmapundarika-sfitra and Prajfiaparamita-sitras, this positive Ontological perception of Buddha assumes conerete form in the terms ‘ Nitya’ or permanent, ‘sukha’ or happy and ‘Atma’ or Ego, as opposed to the terms ‘ Anitya’ ‘Duhkha’ and a of the Original form of Buddhism. Thus, the Buddha’s Ontological perception on cosmic existence lias been proved clearly to bear a close identity with the doctrine of Mahayana siitras.so far as_ positive sense Is concerned, (6) Lhe relation between the Buddha's Ontological perception upon his own personality and Makayina Buddhalogy. The Buddha’s Ontological perception on the cosmic existence and its relation with the doctrine of Mahayana Saddharmapundarika-sitra, pp. 324-5. ° * §. B, E., Vol. XXJ, pp, 308-9. 104 ORIGIN OF MAHAYANA BUDDHISM stitras haye been discussed above. Our duty now will be to see what relation can be found between Buddha’s Ontological perception on his ‘own personality’ and Mahayana ‘ Buddhalogy.’ Before proceeding with the discussion, we should bear in mind, that- from the Buddha’s standpoint, there is no Buddhalogy. For, so-called Buddhalogy pertains to Buddba’s personality itself. And his perception on his own personality turned out later on to be ‘ Buddhalugy’ among his desciples. As we know from the scriptures, the culminating moment of his meditation is the moment of the solution of questions regarding the truth of reality and at the same time the moment of the attainment of the said truth is the moment of Buddha’s Enlightenment. At that very moment he obtained not only ontological perception upon cosmic existence, but at the same time he understvod the real characteristic of his own personality. ‘I hereupon, the man Siddhartha, the sun of Suddhodana discovered himself no more as such, but as father of all no more as such ordinary human being but the ‘Jina of all’ (sabbabbibha), the ‘ Knower of all’ (sabbavida).