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THE DOCTRINE OF LIBERATION IN INDIAN RELIGIONS
There are two kinds of emptiness--the first is the emptiness of consciousness that can be attained through concentration. It is also called emptiness of surface consciousness. The second is the emptiness of citta which consists of the constant freedom from the obsessions and includes also the stopping of viññāņa. The second type is nirvāņa or one aspect of it. 50
According to the Mādhyamika school, liberation is possible only through Emptiness (šūnyatā)--by giving up all views, standpoints and predicaments. A.K. Lad states :
“But along with these, the view that everything is sünya, should also be given up. The logic behind it is that Realty is indeterminate, and all attempts to bring it in the thought categories necessarily make it determinate, and to determine the Reality is to negate Reality.”51
Another important school of Mahāyāna is the Yogācāra also called Vijñānavāda. It stresses meditation or yoga. Hence it is called Yogācāra. It expounds the ultimate reality of consciousness only (vijñaptimātratā). Hence it is called Vijñānavāda. Maitreyanātha, Asamga and Vasubandhu were the great philosophers of this school. The basic ideals of Vijñānavāda are found in the Sandhinirmocanasūtra, the Lankavatārasūtra and in the two short treatises on Vijn optimātra1āsiddhi called Vimsatikā and Trimśikā of Vasubandhu.
According to the Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda, the only ultimate reality is Consciousness (vijñāna), all else is unreal. The Buddhist texts have used citta or thought, mana or mind, vijñāna or consciousness, and vijñapti or cognition as synonyms. The Vijñāna vādin philosophers distinguish three forms of consciousness.
The first is imaginary consciousness (parikalpita); the second is dependent consciousness (paratantra) and the third is absolute consciousness (parinis panna). The last is identical with Nirvāņa. It is realized when the cosmic illusion is destroyed. In this school Nirvana is described in positive terms like goodness, calmness, holiness, perfect peace, supreme wisdom and freedom etc. It is identified with dharmadhātu and dharmakāya. The yogi who realizes parinispanna vijñāna is freed from the duality of subject and object. The parinispanna consciousness being pure and non-dual transcends all discrimination and thought construction. It is beyond the reach of speech and
50. 51.
Rune E.A. Johansson, The Psychology of Nirvana, p. 37. A,K, Lad, The Concept of Liberation in Indian Philosophy, p. 77.
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