Sambodhi 1984 Vol 13 and 14

Author(s): Dalsukh Malvania, Ramesh S Betai, Yajneshwar S Shastri
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 32

Conception of Maya (Illusion) in Asanga's Vijnanavada Buddhism
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know the why and how of appearances. The seed of this doctrine is found in the earliest texts of the Prajñāpāramitā literature, works of Nagārjuna, Laňkāvatāra Satra and in Asvaghoşa's writings. The Aştasahasrika Prajñāparamita-the earliest work of Mahāyāda literature, states that everything is like a dream, like illusion, thought construction and thus unreal.17 Even Nirvāṇa is said to be like illusion, and dream, 18 The Samādhivāja sūtra of Mahāyāna literature also tells us that all things have no self-substance, tliey are like the air castle of the Gandharvas, that they are like Mayā or Mirage. 19 Nägārjuna the great champion of Madhyamika school of thought holds a similar view.20 Lankavatarasútra treats the entire world as an illusion or as similar to Maya.21 All the things are Māyā, because they are unreal like the flash of lightning which is seen as quickly appearing and disappearing. All things are unborn and thus do not exist. They are like the air-castle of the Gandharvas, like a dream, like the creation of a magical power.22 Even Ašvaghosa the great master of Mahāyāna Buddhism, clearly states that all phenomena are created by the imperfect notions of the finite mind. AU existence is therefore like a reflection in a mirror, without substance, only a phantom of the mind. 23 The Absolute is 110n-dual, but the phenomenal world of objects is appearance of illusory. ignorance colours the true model in the finite mind. As there is an influence at work, there arise false imperfect ideas. On account of influence of ignorance this manifold world of phenomena arises 24. The same idea found in earlier texts, is fully developed by Asanga and credit goes to him for giving perfect shape to this doctrine of illusion or ignorance All these worlds such as ignorance, illusion, Bhränti, Mayā are used as synonyms by Asanga. Asanga was not fully satisfied with his predecessors explanation to a question how this non-dual pure consciousness appears as a manifold world of phenomena. 'To attribute any kind of casualiiy in an absolutely real sense to the immutable, uncreated and transcendent. Absolute will be logically absurd. To solve this vexed problem, Asanga has developed this doctrine of Maya or illusion owing to the influence of which consciousness, though itself absolutely non dual, appears to be holding up diverse, discrete and finite appearances as inumerable, animate and inanimate objects of the universe. Pure consciousness influenced by ignorance gives rise to all phenomenalappearances recognised as various empirical entitics(paratantra) and also to further appearances sometimes known as illusory objects. 23 (Parikalpita). So, besides the one non-dual Absolute Reality there has to be assuned a universal diversifying factor or effectuating principle. Thus, assumption of illusion or ignorance is the only solution to the question which unavoidably arises as to liow this one non-dual transcendental Reality