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Conception of reality in Mabâyäna Buddhism
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phenomena. It is the principle of unity underlying the entire phenominal world. It is essentially identical with all elements and yet cannot be defined in terms of any elements, it transcends all of them. It is like ūkaša (sky) which pervades everything and is affected by nothing.30 The word Śünya' is used for Reality to indicate indeterminate nature of Reality in terms of subject-object duality. The Reality by its very nature has no characteristic of its own to describe it.81 It is also called 'Suddha. imon and Mahātman. He says that realising the non-substantiality of ego and that of elements, understanding the real meaning of Sün yarā, the enlightened ones transcend the individual existence and realise pure Soul (Suddhātman) and became one with that universal Soul.52 It is also identified with Nirvana (Liberation).83 Nirvana is nothing but realising Dharmadhātu i.e. the essence of everything. For Asanga, everything is in essence, the same as Dharmadhāju. Nirvāņa neans realisation of this potentiality.
Asanga thought that, Nāgärjuna emphasising the transcendental aspect of the Absolute failed to show the proper relation between Absolute and Phenomena. It is true that Nāgārjuna accepted the Dharmadhāru as the underlying ground of phenomena and did not treat it as an entity separate from the Phenomenal World. But, he did not make clear how this Dharmadharu or Absolute, immanent in empirical experience constitutes the very soul of all things. Asanga, to show the relation between the Absolute and phenomena speaks of double process of the Absolute, viz. defilement and purification (Sanklesa and Vyavadana). Phenomenal world is defiled aspect of the Absoluie only. He believes in certain kind of parıņāmavāda (theory of transformation). Owing to powerful influence of ignorance, the Absolute becomes defiled and transformes itself into phenomenal world. But this defilment is not a permanent feature of the Absolute. It is foreign to it. Therefore, it can be purified by realising pure consciousness. Really, Phenomena are not different from the Absolute. The relation between tham is like that of pure and muddy water. The water is the same whether, it is muddy or pure. Pure water is the muddy water from which the mud is removed. Similarly Reality is nothing but the world from which subject-object duality is removed, 34 The things
29. Sarvadharmasca buddhaivam dharmo najvaca kaścana.-M S.A. IX-4. 30. Yathambaram sarvagatam sadāmatan tathaiva tat sarvagatam sadamatam.
M.S.A,-18-15. 31. lbid.-XIV-34. 32. Buddhah suddhät malabhitvat gatá almamahatmatāın.--M.S.A;-1X-25. 33. Ibid. -- IX-17; XVIII-66. 34. Yathaiva toye luthite prasadite no jayate sa punaraccbatänyatak.
Malapakarsastu sa tatra kevalah svacittasuddbau vidhiresa eva hi.-M.S.A.-XII-19.
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