Rong-zom-pa’s Discourses on Buddhology

Orna Almogi. Rong-zom-pa’s Discourses on Buddhology: A Study of Various Conceptions of Buddhahood in Indian Sources with Special Reference to the Controversy Surrounding the Existence of Gnosis (ye shes: jñāna) as Presented by the Eleventh-Century Tibetan Scholar Rong-zom Chos-kyi-bzang-po. Studia Philologica Buddhica: Monograph Series XXIV. Tokyo: The International Institute for Buddhist Studies, 2009.

• Available from the International College for Postgraduate Buddhist Studies Library, International Institute for Buddhist Studies, Tokyo.

Part One Introduction

Chapter 1:			Rong-zom-pa’s Discussion of the Controversy Surrounding the Constituents of Buddhahood: An Overview				23
	1.	Introductory Remarks					23
	2.	Various Positions regarding the Constituents of Buddhahood					25
	3.	The Conceptions of Buddhahood Contained in Various Scriptural Systems					27
	4.	The Buddhist Doxographical Systems and Schools as the Basis of the Various Positions					33
		A.		Three Incorrect Positions regarding the Substratum of Appearances			34
				(i)	Undisputed (rtsod gzhi med pa) Positions		35
				(ii)	Disputed (rtsod gzhi bcas pa) Positions		36
		B.		The Fourth and Correct Position regarding the Substratum of Appearances			37
	5.	Discussions of the Issue Found in Other Works of Rong-zom-pa					38
	6.	Concluding Remarks					43

Chapter 2:			Buddhology in Its Historical and Philosophical Context: An Overview				45
	1.	Introductory Remarks					45
	2.	Non-Mahāyāna Buddhology					47
		A.		Nirvāṇa without Remains and the Indirect Activities of the Buddha in the World			47
		B.		The Notions of Transcendental and Multiple Buddhas and Their Fields			51
	3.	Non-Tantric Mahāyāna Buddhology					53
		A.		The True Nature of the World as Nirvāṇa and the Inconceivability of Buddhahood			56
		B.		Buddhahood as Defined by Qualities and the Notion of Unfixed Nirvāṇa			57
		C.		The Theory of the Three Kāyas			61
		D.		The Four Gnoses			68
		E.		The Notion of Bliss			70
	4.	Tantric Buddhology					76
		A.		Mantras, Vidyās, and Dhāraṇīs			81
		B.		Mudrās			88
		C.		Manifold Expressions of Buddhahood			106
				(i)	Multiple Bodies		108
				(ii)	Multiple Gnoses		114
				(iii)	MultipleBuddha Families		119
		D.		The Notion of Ādibuddha			125
		E.		Wrathful Manifestations			128
		F.		Maṇḍalas			130
		G.		The Notion of Great Bliss			134
	5.	Concluding Remarks					137

Chapter 3:			The Controversy Surrounding the Existence of Gnosis at the Stage of a Buddha				139
	1.	Introductory Remarks					139
	2.	The Problem of Ascribing a Mental Element to the Absolute					139
	3.	The Mental Element of the Absolute and Yogācāra Theories of Knowledge					142
	4.	A Buddha’s Knowledge (jñāna: ye shes): A Brief Discussion of the Key Terms					160
		A.		On the Tibetan Term ye shes			160
		B.		Non-conceptual Gnosis and Pure Mundane Gnosis			163
	5.	Unfixed Nirvāṇa: The Absolute and Its Activity in the World					171
	6.	The Various Positions and Their Proponents					176
		A.		Indian Authors			177
				(i)	Proponents of the Purified Dharmadhātu as the Sole Constituent of Buddhahood (Position 1)		177
					(a)	*Madhyamaka-Siṃha	177
					(b)	Mañjuśrīmitra	178
					(c)	Atiśa	179
					(d)	Candraharipāda	180
					(e)	Bhavya	180
				(ii)	Proponents of the Existence of the Purified Dharmadhātu and Non-Conceptual Gnosis (Position 2)		181
					(a)	Nāgamitra and Jñānacandra	181
					(b)	Dharmamitra	182
				(iii)	Proponents of the Existence of Pure Mundane Gnosis (Positions 3–6)		184
					(a)	Śrīgupta	184
		B.		Tibetan Authors up until the Eleventh or Early Twelfth Century			185
					(a)	Ye-shes-sde	185
					(b)	Gro-lung-pa	186
					(c)	sGam-po-pa	186
	7.	Concluding Remarks					187

Chapter 4:			Rong-zom-pa’s Position on Whether Gnosis Exists at the Stage of a Buddha				189

	1.	Introductory Remarks					189
	2.	Rong-zom-pa’s View regarding the Existence of Gnosis at the Stage of a Buddha as Addressed by Mi-pham					193
		A.		The Main Points of Mi-pham’s Argumentation			193
		B.		Mi-pham’s Discussion: A Translation			199
	3.	Self-occurring Gnosis					206
		A.		Occurrences of the Term in Indian Sources			206
		B.		Rong-zom-pa on Self-occurring Gnosis			215
	4.	Rong-zom-pa on How the Buddhas Act					220
	5.	Rong-zom-pa’s Madhyamaka Affiliation					226
	6.	Concluding Remarks					232

Part Two Annotated Translations

A Note on the Annotated Translations							235

The Sangs rgyas kyi sa chen mo							237
	1.	An Outline of the Text					237
	2.	An Annotated Translation					239

The Discussion in the dKon cog ’grel							277
	1.	An Outline of the Text					277
	2.	An Annotated Translation					278

Works by Indian Authors							299
	1.	Proponents of the Purified Dharmadhātu as the Sole Constituent of Buddhahood					299
		A.		*Madhyamaka-Siṃha’s Dṛṣṭivibhāga			299
		B.		Mañjuśrīmitra’s Bodhicittabhāvanānirdeśa			306
		C.		Atiśa’s Ekasmṛtyupadeśa			310
		D.		Candraharipāda’s Ratnamālā			311
		E.		Bhavya’s Madhyamakapradīpa			315
	2.	Proponents of the Existence of the Purified Dharmadhātu and Non-Conceptual Gnosis					319
		A.		Nāgamitra’s Kāyatrayāvatāramukha and Jñānacandra’s Commentary, the Kāyatrayavṛtti			319
		B.		Dharmamitra’s Prasphuṭapadā			336
	3.	Proponents of the Existence of Pure Mundane Gnosis					341
		A.		Śrīgupta’s Tattvāvatāravṛtti			341

Works by Tibetan Authors							343
	1.	Ye-shes-sde’s lTa ba’i khyad par					343
	2.	Gro-lung-pa’s bsTan rim chen mo					347
	3.	sGam-po-pa’s Thar rgyan					352

Part Three The Tibetan Texts: Critical Editions

Introductory Remarks on the Critical Editions							363

Tibetan Texts Cited in the Introduction							367
	1.	Passages Cited in Chapter Two					367
	2.	Passages Cited in Chapter Four					383

The Sangs rgyas kyi sa chen mo							391
	1.	A Note on the Edition					391
	2.	A Critical Edition					392

The Discussion in the dKon cog ’grel							411
	1.	A Note on the Edition					411
	2.	A Critical Edition					413

Works by Indian Authors							425
	1.	Proponents of the Purified Dharmadhātu as the Sole Constituent of Buddhahood					425
		A.		*Madhyamaka-Siṃha’s Dṛṣṭivibhāga			425
		B.		Mañjuśrīmitra’s Bodhicittabhāvanānirdeśa			430
		C.		Atiśa’s Ekasmṛtyupadeśa			435
		D.		Candraharipāda’s Ratnamālā			436
		E.		Bhavya’s Madhyamakapradīpa			438
	2.	Proponents of the Existence of the Purified Dharmadhātu and Non-Conceptual Gnosis					440
		A.		Nāgamitra’s Kāyatrayāvatāramukha and Jñānacandra’s Commentary, the Kāyatrayavṛtti			440
		B.		Dharmamitra’s Prasphuṭapadā			453
	3.	Proponents of the Existence of Pure Mundane Gnosis					455
		A.		Śrīgupta’s Tattvāvatāravṛtti			455

Works by Tibetan Authors							457
	1.	Ye-shes-sde’s lTa ba’i khyad par					457
	2.	Gro-lung-pa’s bsTan rim chen mo					460
	3.	sGam-po-pa’s Thar rgyan					463

Appendix

Klong-chen-pa’s Presentation of Various Conceptions of Buddhahood in His Yid kyi mun sel							475
	1.	Introductory Remarks					475
	2.	A Translation					478
	3.	The Tibetan Text					482

Abbreviations and Bibliography							485
	1.	Sigla Used in the Critical Editions and in Citations of Tibetan Texts					485
	2.	Journals, Collections, Series, and Institutes					486
	3.	Primary Sources: Indian Works					487
	4.	Primary Sources: Tibetan Works					500
	5.	Secondary Sources					507

Index							527

Centre for Tantric Studies

Rong-zom-pa’s Discourses on Buddhology

Part One

Introduction

Part Two

Annotated Translations

Part Three

The Tibetan Texts: Critical Editions

Appendix

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