English
The six sutras constitute a kind of special Sutra pitaka, since, in addition to the six sutras themselves, the Yogacarins vaguely admit the authenticity of all other sutras, Hmayana as well as Mahayana. In the same way the twelve Sastras constitute a sort of special Abhidharma Pitaka. 1 N. 1270 (verses only), N. 1269, 1267. Frequently quoted hereafter as A.K., Hsiian Tsang's translation alone being used. In such numbers as (2-7a), 2 refers to the number of the fasc. ( ^), the same in all editions ; 7 refers to the number of the sheet, " a " means right side, " b " left side. The pagination of each edition, of course, differs. In this case, as in that of the M.V., N.A., and A.P., I have given that of the edition in my possession brought back from China. 3 N. 1265, quoted as N.A. 3 N. 1266, quoted as A.P. 30 MANUAL OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY As regards the six sutras, we know that the Yogacarin school founded by Asanga was a new and in many ways original contribution to Buddhist thought. Consequently, it was in exact accord with none of the preceding sutras even of the Mahayana school. Nevertheless, it was found necessary to give the new school added prestige and authority by the citation of certain sutras which were already known and accepted. Only a small number of sutras, however, could be used for this purpose. The four Agamas taught many things contrary to the doctrines of the new school. The same was true of the Prajna Paramita Sutras and others of a similar type which expounded the theories of the Madhyamika philosophers. The purely Buddhological sutras, such as the Sukhavati vyuha, were equally inconsistent with the philosophical tendency of the new system. Consequently, recourse could only be had to those sutras which taught the doctrine of transcendental idealism, a doctrine which seems to have developed subsequent to Nagarjuna, and in contrast to the latter 's absolute nihilism. As finally constituted the new sutra canon consisted of : — (1) Abhidharma Sutra, and TatJidgata-dvirbhdva-guna- alamkdra Sutra (titles questionable). These were never translated into Chinese, and seem to have been completely lost. (2) Avatamsaka Sutra, of which we have two complete Chinese translations,1 in addition to renderings of separate parts. Like all the other Sutras of the Yogacarin Canon, this cannot be earlier than Nagarjuna, but it must be one of the oldest of the six, as the Tirthakas (heretics) and Hinayanists claim that it was compiled by Nagarjuna himself, and even the orthodox Mahayana tradition has it that he found this sutra in the dragon's cave. As a whole, however, it is probably later than Nagarjuna, as, in addition to the doctrine of 1 N. 87-8. INTRODUCTION 31 !§unya or Nihilism, which we know was the special doctrine of Nagarjuna, it teaches in a rather vague way the doctrine that the universe is the product of the mind — a later develop ment. Apart from Buddhological ideas, however, it is principally concerned with expounding the stages (fifty-two in all) of a Bodhisattva on his path to perfection or Buddhahood. This sutra is the basis of a special school of Chinese Buddhism 1 vaguely related to the Yogacarin school, but with many important differences. The sutra itself nowhere specifically teaches the Yogacarin doctrine, but it is probably posterior to the Saddharma Pundarika, which, in its present form, is itself posterior to Nagarjuna. 4. Lankdvatdra 2 Sutra. — This is a highly important sutra from the philosophical standpoint, teaching in an almost systematic way a definitely idealistic system, differing, however, on various important points from the later orthodox Yogacarin system, chiefly because the sutra emphasizes the noumenal aspect of things with a tendency towards monism and transcendentalism, as opposed to the more pluralistic and phenomenalistic idealism of the doctrine of Asanga. Its doctrines are in general accord with the Mahayana Sraddhotpada, of which we have an excellent English translation by Suzuki.3 5. Ghana Vyuha* — This sutra was not translated into Chinese until after the time of Hsiian Tsang, and it is probable that the version which has come down to us has received several new interpolations and additions. In the main, however, its doctrine is in general agreement with that of the preceding sutra, save that the later esotericism is here given greater emphasis. 6. Sandhi Nirmocana Sutra. — Of this we have several Chinese translations,5 of which again that of Hsiian Tsang 1 The Hua-yen school mentioned above. The T'ien-t'ai school has for its basic sutra the Saddharma Pundarika. 2 N. 175, 176, 177. 3 Awakening of Faith in Mahayana Buddhism. * N. 444. 5 N. 154, 155, 156, 246, 247. 32 MANUAL OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY is probably the best. The great number of the translations shows how much the work was appreciated in China. This sutra differs from all the others by being a work which really teaches the Yogacarin philosophy in its orthodox form. For this reason it is considered by the Yogacarins as being the most important of the six sutras. This identity of doctrine early aroused the suspicions even of the uncritical Orientals, and it has been frequently suggested that it was composed by Asanga himself. This view is partially supported by the fact that the sutra in question is embodied as a whole in the latter 's Yogdcara-bhumi, and even more because of the fact that the style is much more like that of a Sastra than an ordinary Mahayana Sutra (a fact, we may add, that makes it of infinitely greater literary merit). The twelve Sastras are : — 1. Yogacdra-bkumi.1 — This is the gigantic work in 100 fasc., which is supposed to have been dictated by the Bodhisattva Maitreya, and transcribed by Asanga. Buddhists who were not of the Yogacarin school have not scrupled to credit the whole work to Asanga. Just as the Sandhi Nirmocana is the basic sutra of this school, so is the Yogacara-bhumi the basic sastra. Later works are largely commentaries or epitomes of this sastra. In a general way it corresponds in scope to the Sarvastivadin Mahavibhasa, save that it is written from a single standpoint and its doctrines are given authoritatively, as opposed to the assembled arguments of the diverse thinkers of the Hinayana school which constitute the bulk of the Mahavibhasa. Consequently, while no Yogacarin work is lacking in philosophic thought, the Yogacara-bhumi is more theological than philosophical in tone. Translated into Chinese by Hsiian Tsang. The original lost. 2. Sutra-alamkdra.2 — This is a literary epitome of much of the practical side of the Yogacara-bhumi, i.e. the stages on the path of the aspirant, and the actions, thoughts, and studies which should accompany each stage, together with the 1 N. 1170, quoted as Y.B. or Yog. Bhu. 2 N. 1190. INTRODUCTION 33 different resultant meritorious qualities associated with the various degrees of sanctity. It has no connexion with the book of the same title by AsVaghosa.1 We are fortunate in possessing French translations of both Asanga's and Asvaghosa's Sutra Alamkaras, the former by the veteran scholar, Sylvain Levi, and the latter by E. Huber, whose death was a great loss to Buddhist scholarship. 3. Arya-vdcd Prakarana? or the exposition of truth, an early and famous epitome of the metaphysical side of the Yogacara-bhumi. There is almost no doctrinal divergence from the original sastra, and together with the Yogacara- bhumi itself, it is considered to represent the earlier phase of Asanga's thought. 4. Abhidharma Sangiti, z or compendium of philosophy. The verses which serve as the text for each section are ascribed to Asanga, while the prose portion was by Bodhisirnha, who must have been an early disciple of the school. Being thus a joint work, a slight development of doctrine is noticeable, as e.g. in the form of the syllogism. Of great importance as showing the intermediate stage in the Yogacarin philosophical development is the commentary on the Abhidharma Sangiti, known as the Abhidharma Samyukta Sangiti,4 by Sthitamati, not to be confused with the Sthiramati of the Madhyamika school, whose works are also well known. 5. Mahdydna Samparigraha, or an inclusive treatise on Mahayana, of which the verses are by Asanga and the commentary by Vasubandhu. Of this we have three Chinese • f translations,5 of which that by Hsiian Tsang is again con sidered the most authoritative.