Analysis Of Yoga In Samdhinirmocana Sutra

Author(s): Shinjo Kawasaki
Publisher: Shinjo Kawasaki
Catalog link: https://jainqq.org/explore/269252/1

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ANALYSIS OF YOGA
. IN THE SAMDHINIRMOCANA-SŪTRA
Shinjo KAWASAKI
(Sutra)
The Sanskrit text of the Samdhinirmocana-sūtra is not extant. In Chinese there are two complete translation, one made by Bodhiruci in 514 A. D. (TW Y E • #UWA MERE TIÅ Taisho No. 675) and the other made by Hsüan-chuang in 647 A. D. (SZER ETETTEL Fi# Taisho No. 676). There are also two partial translations, one made by Gunabhadra in some years between 435-443 A. D. (*. *#OPERIRE DILE
*
BARAT IERICE L *. Taisho Nos. 678, 679) which corresponds to the last two chapters of Hsüan-chuang's translation, and the other made by Paramārtha in between 557-569 A. D. (IR L - Taisho No. 677) which corresponds to the second chapter of Hsüan-chuang's complete translation. Hsüan-chuang's translation is the most often quoted and authoritative in the Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda tradition in China and Japan.
In Tibetan, there is only one translation (Peking ed. No. 774, Vol. 29). Prof. Étienne Lamotte of Louvain published a French
* This is a study done under the guidance of Prof. Alex Wayman, Columbia
University. The present writer remains thankful to Prof. Wayman for his kind and thoughtful guidance, 1968–70.
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translation with the Tibetan text. (Samdhinirmocanasutra, l'explication des mystères, texte tibétain édité et traduit par E. L., 1935, Louvain). The Tibetan text corresponds fairly well to both of the Chinese complete translations. Hsüan-chuang's translation, however, has eight chapters, each of which is titled after the main topic discussed therein. The chapters of Gunabhadra's 'Chinese translation and the Tibetan translation are named after the Bodhisattvas who played the important role in the respective chapters. Gunabhadra's translation has eleven chapters, while the Tibetan translation has ten. In the Tibetan text, the introductory chapter is not independent but included in the first chapter.
This Sutra is one of the six fundamental, authoritative Sūtras in the Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda tradition. Prof. Obermiller gives a good introduction to the significance of this Sutra:
"Tradition tells us that the Saint Asanga, having been inspired by Bhattaraka Maitreya, has laid the foundation to the Yogācāra Vijñānavāda system in accordance with the teaching exposed in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra. He has accordingly composed his Yogacarya-bhūmi, his Mahāyāna-samgraha and Abhidharma-samuccaya, and was followed by Vasubandhu in the Vyakhyāyukti, Vimsatikā, Trimśikā, and their commentaries. In all these works the teaching of the Samdhinirmocana according to which the old and the intermediate Canon are both considered to be of conventional meaning (neyartha) is adopted as a foundation. In particular, that section of the Yogacarya-bhumi which is called Nirnaya-samgraha quotes passages from all the chapters of the Samdhinirmocana at full length, and explains them in detail. The teaching of Non
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sūtra
substantiality, in accordance with the Samdhinirmocana, is demonstrated in the chapter on the Absolute Truth (tattvaadhikāra) of the Bodhisattva-bhūmi. The teaching about the store-consciousness (ālaya-vijñāna), the negation of the reality of the external world and the teaching about the three aspects of existence (of which the causally dependent and the ultimate are treated as being real by themselves) is discussed in detail in the Mahāyāna-samgraha. The chief points thus demonstrated are, moreover, summarized in the Abhidharma-samuccaya, and the treatises of Vasubandhu exposed the subject on the same lines. The main texts which give a summary of the contents of the Samdhinirmocana and of which the treatises of Asanga and Vasubandhu just mentioned are considered to be the interpretation, ...... are the Sutrâlamkāra, the Madhyanta-vibhanga and the Dharma-dharmatā-vibhanga."
E. Obermiller: "The Doctrine of Prajñāpāramitā”,
Acta Orientalia, (Uppsala, 1933), pp. 97-98. As Prof. Obermiller pointed out above, there is a close relationship between this Sūtra and the Yogācāra-bhūmi. A long quotation in the latter begins abruptly without mentioning the name of the Sūtra it is quoting. A quotation from a Sūtra in its entirety in a śāstra is quite rare in Buddhist literature. From this, Prof. S. Fukaura ( TE *) suggested once that it is probable that the Samdhinirmocana might be originally a part of the Yogācāra-bhūmi and later on become an independent sūtra with the addition of the introductory verses, just as the Pu-sa-ti-ch'ih-ching (i t t
THER) became independent out of the Yogācāra-bhūmi. Cf. A. Wayman : Analysis of the Śrāvakabhūmi Manuscript (Berkeley,
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1961), p. 30. It might also be worth mentioning that Hsüan-chuang translated 100 volumes of the Yogacara-bhumi between May 15, 647 and May 15, 648 A. D. and the Samdhinirmocana-sutra between May 18-July 13, 647. (• HRK)
(Commentaries)
There is no Sanskrit commentary extant on this Sūtra. Several commentaries were composed in China, Korea and Japan: Ling), Yuan-hsiao (617......),
•
yin (4), Hsüan-fan ( Ching-hsing · 681......) and Yuan-ts'e (613-695). Except for the last of these, all are missing and not available. Yuan-ts'e's commentary is very important not only because of its exhaustiveness but also because of the author's importance as a direct disciple of Hsüan-chuang and his influence in the Chinese Yogacara tradition. This Chinese commentary lacks the last chapter, but there is a Tibetan translation made from this Chinese commentary (Ven-tshig, Chos-grub tr. Peking ed. No. 5517, Vol. 106) so that we can tell what was written in the last, missing chapter of Yuan-ts'e's original. (E· FAZER · 本続蔵経)
In Tibetan, there are several commentaries on this Sutra. The oldest Tibetan catalogue of the Buddhist scriptures (Dan-dkar dkar-chag), which was produced in 812? A. D., tells us that there were five commentaries on this Sutra translated into Tibetan at that time. (Nos. 530, 531, 532, 533, 534 in M. Lalou: "Les textes bouddhiques au temps du roi Khri-sron-lde-bcan", Journal Asiatique, t. 241 (1953) pp. 313-353. In the Tibetan Tripitaka of the presentday form, however, there are only three commentaries.
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2.
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra
a) Samdhinirmocana-sūtra-bhāsya by Asanga ? (Peking ed. No. 5481,
Vol. 104) b) Samdhinirmocana-sūtre Arya-Maitreya-kevala-parivarta-bhāşya by
Jñāna-garbha (No. 5535, Vol. 109) c) Samdhinirmocana-sūtra-vyākhyāna by Byan-chub rdsu-ḥphrul
(No. 5845, Vol. 144)
(Yogācāra)
One of the early examples of this word can be found in the Śikṣāsamuccaya of śāntideva.
“Tatra Kāśyapa yo bhikṣur yogācāri bhavati, tasya tena vaiyāvstya-karena bhikṣunā'nulomikāny upakaraṇāny upasam. hartavyāni glāna-pratyaya-bhaişajya-parişkārāś ca / yasmimś ca pradeśe sa yogācāri bhikṣuḥ prativasanti tasmin pradeśe nôccaśabdaḥ kartavyaḥ/ rakṣitavyo vaiyāvstya-karena bhikṣunā yogācāri bhikṣuḥ / śayyâsana-upastambhanâsya kartavyā / praņītāni ca sampriyāņi yogācārabhūmy-anukūlāni khādaniyabhojanīyāny upanāyitavyāni / (Bendall ed. p. 55)
:""Then too, O Kāśyapa, in a case where a monk practises self-discipline, your serving monk must collect the means of assistance suitable to the occasion, and also requisites, medicaments, and appurtenances for any bodily failure; and in the
place where this monk lives no loud noise must be allowed; - but the serving monk must watch over the monk under
discipline, must prop up his bed or seat, and must offer him food both hard and soft, pleasant, acceptable, and suited to
the character of his disciplinary course." (Bendall tr. p. 56) We are not sure why the Chinese translator used HE (lit.
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monk released from bondages) for Yogācāri bhikṣuḥ. Yoga in this sense means a bond or tie (āśrava) as in the word yoga-kṣema (spiritual success free from the bonds of attachment). ASM p. 131. An Arhat is sometimes translated as * or *, since he is free from four bonds of Kama, Bhava, Dṛṣṭi and Avidya.
Another example of the word Yogacara is found in the more sophisticated definition given by Bodhibhadra in his commentary (Nibandhana) of Aryadeva's Jñānasāra-samuccaya.
"With a methodical mental orientation (yoniśo-manasikāra), they put into practice, just in accordance with the natures of the things, what is meant by the scriptural sentence: 'Jinaputra! The three worlds are mind-only.' (from Dasabhumika-sutra). That is why they are called Yogacara alias Yonisomanasikara-yoga."
S. Yamaguchi: Chugan Bukkyō Ronkō, p. 17 Here, the Yogācāra is defined as the methodical mental orientation, in accordance with the natures of the things (bhāvaanurūpya). Sthiramati in his Madhyantavibhāga-ṭikā gives a definition of Manaskāra-pratipatti and Anudharma-pratipatti as follows:
"The behavior in accordance with the Dharma is a behavior following the natures of things that should be meditated on and that should be comprehended. It consists of the intense contemplation on Calming and Clear Vision already entered." (dhyātavya-jñeya-dharma-anugatā anupraviṣṭa-samatha-vipasyana-bhāvanā-ātmikā pratipattir anudharma-pratipattiḥ // (Yamaguchi ed. p. 21)
Sthiramati more clearly defines Yoga as the intense contemplation
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra
on Calming and Clear Vision in his commentary on the Mahāyāna
sūtra-alamkāra :
“Yoga is a repeated exercise (abhyāsa). Yogācāra are those who, having acquired the Nirvikalpa-jñāna in the First Stage (bhūmi), intensely contemplate the same Nirvikalpajñāna or Calming and Clear Vision as a pair (samatha-vipaśyanāyauganaddha) in the way of intense contemplation (bhāvanā. mārga) in the Stages from the Second upto the Tenth Stage.” | rnal ħbyor ni goms par byed pa la bya ste / sa dan por rnam par mi rtog paḥi ye śes rñed nas sa gñis nas sa bcu man chad bsgom paḥi lam na rnam par mi rtog paḥi ye ses de ñid la bsgom pa ham shi gnas dan lhag mthon zun du hbrel pa la bsgom pa ni rnal ħbyor pa shes byaḥo || Peking
ed. Vol. 108, p. 281-3. As to the difference between Calming and Clear Vision, a verse of the Mahāyāna-sūtra-alamkāra reads as follows:
"By the halting of thought in thought on the basis of the right mental station, Calming is (established). Then, by the investigation of the doctrines, Clear Vision is (established).” // cittasya citte sthānāc ca dharma-pravicayād api samyaksthitim upāsritya samatho'tha vipaśyanā // Bodhipaksa Chapter v. 66 (Lévi ed. p. 146)
(Cf. ASM. p. 93)
ECHTET, ERZIE, EES,
Sthiramati comments on this verse as follows:
“The right mental station (samyak-sthiti) means the right concentration (samyak-samādhi). Relying on the four kinds of concentration without defilements (anāsrava-samādhi) of the
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realm of forms (rūpa-dhātu), thought halts on thought. The halting of thought on such a single area of thought (ekagratā) as 'The three worlds are mind-only. There is nothing other than the mind' is Calming. Only by that extent, Calming is accomplished. When the equipose of thought is attained, the knowledge of knowing natures just as such (yathābhūta-jñāna) will be produced. The non-discursive thought (nirvikalpajñāna) of knowing the meaning of the doctrines without perversion is called Clear Vision. This is, in short, an explanation of Calming and Clear Vision in the Mahāyāna." // yan dag par gnas pa ni yan dag pași tin ne ḥdsin la bya ste / gzugs kyi khams kyi zag pa med pași tin ne ḥdsin la brten nas sems la sems bshag pa ste / khams gsum thams cad ni sems tsam du zad pa ste / sems las gshan med do shes sems rtse gcig tu ḥjog pa ni shi gnas shes bya ste / de tsam. gyis na shi gnas yoňs su grub pa ste / sems mñam par bshag . pa rñed na yan dag pa ji Ita ba bshin du ses paḥi ses rab hbyun stechos gan rnams kyi don phyin ci ma log par ses paủi rnam par mi rtog paủi ye śes la lhag mthon shes bya ste / ḥdi dag ni theg pa chen pohi shi gnas dan lhag mthon
gi mtshan ñid mdor bsten to // Peking ed. Vol. 109, p. 61, 1. 3. The analysis of Yoga-praxis, in terms of Calming and Clear Vision, was made more elaborately later in the tradition of the YogācāraVijñānavāda in Tibet, China and Japan. The part of the Samdhinirmocana-sūtra which I am going to introduce here is the most often quoted to support their standpoint. This is the part of the fourteen categorical questions made by Bodhisattva Maitreya and answered by Vairocana-Buddha in the form of Sambhoga-kāya.
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra Maitreya represents the Aparijña's standpoint while the Buddha reveals the Parijña's view.
TRANSLATION
SAMDHINIRMOCANA-SŪTRA (Sūtra of the Explanation of the Profound Meaning) Chapter IX: Questions of the Bodhisattva Maitreya
or the Analysis of Yoga
1) At that time, Bodhisattva Maitreya asked the Bhagavat:
"Bhagavat! Relying on what (kim samniśritya), and standing on what base (kim pratișthāya), do Bodhisattvas intensely contemplate Calming (samatha) and Clear Vision (vipaśyanā) in the Mahāyāna ?
The Bhagavat gave this answer : "Maitreya ! Standing on the provisional establishment of the natures (dharma-prajñaptivyavasthāpana), and relying on the non-abandonment of the vow (anirākṣta-pranidhi) for the supreme perfection of enlightenment (anuttarā-samyaksambodhi), (Bodhisattvas intensely contemplate Calming and Clear Vision in the Mahāyāna).
(Sūtra-alamkāra pp. 167–168, WI , XE30. p. 519b) · 2) The Bhagavat taught the following four as the meditativeobject elements (ālambana-vastu) of Calming and Clear Vision.
a) the image attended with predication (savikalpa-pratibimba) b) the image devoid of predication (nirvikalpa-pratibimba) c) the limits of the entity (vastu-paryantatā)
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d) the fulfillment of the requirement (kārya-parinişpatti)
“Among them, Bhagavat, how many are the meditative objects of Calming ?
The Answer: “It is only one, i. e., the image devoid of predication (is the meditative object of Calming).
“How many are the meditative objects of Clear Vision ?
The Answer : "It is only one, i. e., the image attended with predication (is the meditative object of Clear Vision).
“How many are the meditative objects of Calming and Clear Vision combined ?
The Answer: “There are two sorts, i. e., the limits of the entity and the fulfillment of the requirement are the meditative objects of Calming and Clear Vision combined).
(ASM p. 86, KETER, XE31, pp. 686-7; BETW*
7E31, pp. 744-5) 3) “Bhagavat! Staying and relying on these four meditativeobject elements of Calming and Clear Vision, how do the Bodhisattvas exert themselves in Calming (śamatha-paryeşin) ? And how are they skilled in Clear Vision (vipaśyanā-kušala) ?
The Answer : "Maitreya ! The provisional establishments of the natures are as follows: i) sūtra, ii) geya, iii) vyākarana, iv) gāthā, v) udāna, vi) nidāna, vii) avadāna, viii) itivrttaka, ix) jātaka, x) vaipulya, xi) adbhuta-dharma, xii) upadeśa.
(dvādaśa-anga-dharma-pravacana, Cf. ASM pp. 75-78).
I have taught those (establishments) to the Bodhisattvas. They listen to them well (suśruta), keep them well in mind (susamāpta), remember them by heart (vacasā paricita), examine them by intellect (manasā anvīksita), comprehend them well by insight
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sūtra
(drstyā supratividdha). They live in solitude (ekākino rahogatāḥ), and stay mentally composed (pratisamlayana). They orient the mind (manasikr) to the Dharmas that have been well thought over (sucintita-dharma). With the mental orientation with an inner continuity (adhyātmika-prabandha-manasikāra ?), they orient the mind to the thought that has the mental orientation to (the Dharmas). When (the Bodhisattvas) keep acting in this way for a long time, the bodily cathartic (kāya-praśrabdhi) and mental cathartic (citta-praśrabdhi) will be produced in them. This is what is called Calming. The Bodhisattvas are those who exert themselves for. Calming in this manner. (ASM p. 108, SEPERTAA , RIE31, p. 30b; &#
M E # *-, MiE31, p. 664c; HEW *-, XiE31, p. 481c) 4) Having attained the bodily and mental cathartic, (the Bodhisattvas) fix themselves in this state (of Calming). They put aside the aspects of thought (citta-ākāra) (as false appearances). They inquire into (praty-aveks) the Dharmas that are properly thought over in the above-mentioned way (sucintita-dharma) and have a conviction (adhimuc=nirvedha) on those Dharmas as being the images in the scope of concentration inside (of the mind) (adhyātma-samādhi-gocara-pratibimba ?). In this way, with the images in the scope of concentration, (the Bodhisattvas) inspect (vicaya), inspect fully (pravicaya), deliberate fully (paritarka), consider profoundly (paricāra), bear in mind (kṣānti), desire (kāma), investigate conclusively (nitiraņa), look for (darśana), and comprehend (avabodha) the objects that should be known (iñeya-artha). This is what is called Clear Vision. The Bodhisattvas are those who are skillful in Clear Vision in this manner.
(ASM p. 110 ;Lam-rim 493a)
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5) “Bhagavat! The Bodhisattvas have the inner mental orientation (adhyātma-manasikāra) on thought which has the thought as the meditative object (citta-ālambaka-citta). While they are still unable to attain the bodily and mental cathartic what shall this mental orientation be called ?
“Maitreya ! It is not Calming. It should be called (a mental orientation) associated with a conviction consisting with Calming (samatha-anulomika-adhimukti-samprayukta-manasikāra).
"Bhagavat! While the Bodhisattvas are still unable to attain the bodily and mental cathartic, they may have a mental orientation reflecting inward on those properly conceived Dharmas as the images in the scope of concentration. What should this mental orientation be called ?
“Maitreya ! It is not Clear Vision. It should be called (a mental orientation) associated with a conviction consisting with Clear Vision (vipaśyanā-anulomika-adhimukti-samprayukta-manasikāra).
(ASM p. 126; Lam-rim 511a) 6) “Bhagavat! Between the Way of Calming (śamatha-mārga) and the Way of Clear Vision (vipaśyanā-mārga), is there a difference or none ?
The Answer : "Maitreya ! There is a difference, and there is no difference.
“Why is there no difference ?
"Because (Calming) has as the meditative object the thought which is the meditative object of Clear Vision (vipaśyanā-ālambana
citta).
“Why is there a difference ? “Because the image attended with predication (savikalpa
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sutra
pratibimba) is not the meditative object of (Calming).
7) "Bhagavat! Between the image in the scope of concentration (possessed by the Bodhisattvas skilled) in Clear Vision (vipaśyanā-samādhi-gocara-pratibimba)* and the thought (citta), is there a difference or none?
"Maitreya! There is no difference.
"Why is there no difference?
"Because the image is no more than the representation (vijñapti-mātra). Maitreya, as I taught before, the meditative object of perception becomes manifest as 'what is represented only' (vijñāna-alambanam vijñapti-mātra-prabhāvitam).
"Bhagavat! When the image in the scope of concentration is not different from the thought, how can the thought perceive (utprekṣate) the thought itself?
The Answer: "Maitreya! It is true that here in this world there is nothing that can perceive itself (kartṛ karman). But, the thought thus produced (evam utpanna-citta) would make a manifestation of imagery in this way (evam avabhāsate) (having double aspects of the perceiving thought and the thought to be perceived).
"Maitreya ! For instance, when a form (rūpa ) is given, on the cleaned up surface of a mirror, we would be likely to assume that we perceive not only the form itself but also the image of the form (reflected in the mirror). In that case, the image appearing in this way (on the surface of the mirror)
* rnam par lta bar bgyid pa shes bya ba ni lhag mthon daň ldan paḥi rnal hbyor pa rnam par mi rtog pahi śes pa rtogs paḥo // (One who observes (vyavalokayitr) means a Yogin endowed with clear vision who comprehends the things with nirvikalpa-jñāna. SNSV. p. 162a. R. E.
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appears as a thing completely different and independent (bhinnaarthavat) from the form itself. Just in the same manner, the
thought thus produced appears itself as a thing completely different and independent from the image held in the scope of concentration (samadhi-gocara-pratibimba).
(Mahāyāna-samgraha, Taisho Vol. 31, pp. 182c-183a; p. 285bc; p. 338c; p. 400ac)
8) "Bhagavat! When sentient beings have images in thought, which appear in one form (as a blue Dravya) or another, and which stay in their intrinsic natures (svabhāva-avasthita), are those (images) not different from the thought itself?
The Answer: "Maitreya! They are not different. Ignorant people, with perverted intelligence (viparita-mati), could not tell properly (yathābhūtam ajñātvā) that those images are no other than mental representation (vijñapti-mātra). They have a perverted understanding (about the images).
9) 'Bhagavat! To what extent do the Bodhisattvas intensely contemplate Calming exclusively?
The Answer: "At the time when they orient the mind on the image of the thought (citta-nimitta) with a mental orientation without interruptions (sarita-manasikāra). (ASM p. 96)
"To what extent do they intensely contemplate Clear Vision exclusively?
The Answer: "At the time when they orient the mind on the successive thought (anantarya-citta) with a mental orientation without interruptions.
66
"To what extent do Calming as well as Clear Vision occur in equal union when the pair is mixed?
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Analysis of Yoga in the Samdhinirmocana-sūtra
(kiyatā samathaś ca vipaśyanā côbhe misribhūte samayugam
vartate)
(ASM p. 121)
The Answer: "When they orient the mind on a single area of thought (cittaikagratā).
"Bhagavat! What is the image of thought (citta-nimitta) ?
“Maitreya ! The image attended with predication (savikalpapratibimba), which is the meditative object of Clear Vision (vipaśyanā-ālambana) and which is in the scope of concentration (samādhi-gocara) (is the image of thought). “What is the successive thought (ānantarya-citta)?
(Cf. ASM p. 94) “Maitreya! Thought which has the image which is the meditative object of Clear Vision as its meditative object (is the successive thought).
"What is a single area of thought (cittaikagratā) ?
"Having understood that the image in the scope of concentration (samādhi-gocara-pratibimba) is no other than mental representation (vijñapti-mātra), (the Bodhisattvas) have the mental orientation towards truth (tathatā). This is a single area of thought. ·
(Cf. ASM p. 108)
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ABBREVIATIONS: ASM: A. Wayman, Analysis of the Sravakabhumi Manuscript (Berkeley, 1961). SNSV: Samdhinirmocana-sutra-vyakhyana (Peking ed. No. 5845, Vol. 144). BIBLIOGRAPHY: Hakuju Ui: Study of the Mahayana-sutra-alamkara (Daija-shogon-kyoron Kenkyu), Tokyo, 1961. Hakuju Ui: Study of the Yogacara-bhumi (Yugaron Kenkyu), Tokyo, 1958. Josho Nozawa : Study of Yogacara in Mahayana Buddhism (Daijo Bukkyo Yugagyo no Kenkyu), Kyoto, 1957. Susumu Yamaguchi : A Study of Madhyamaka Buddhism (Chugan Bukkyo Ronko), Tokyo, 1939. - 155 -