World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 926

phenomena as essence of it but is itself not Phenomena. It transcends phenomena. It is basic conception in the philosophy of Asanga that Dharmadhātu, the non-determinate Reality is the ground of the determinate entities of the Phenomenal World. This non-determinate Reality is only the ultimate nature of the determinate phenomenal entities and not other entity apart from them. Thus, that the Absolute transcends phenomena does not mean that it is another reality which lies outside the world of Phenomena. There are no two sets of the real. The Absolute is the reality of the apparent phenomena and it is their nature.
Nāgārjuna, emphasising transcendental aspect of Reality, categories the whole Phenomenal existence as saṁvrti (empirical) Satya and does not analyse the empirical experiences in detail. 37 Asanga, being a great speculative thinker is not ready to accept Nagarjuna's extreme view of bringing all Phenomenal, empirical experiences under one category i.e. under Samvrtisatya. He tried to give constructive theory of phenomena advocating three kinds of truth unlike the Nāgārjuna's doctrine of two truths. The Samvrtisatya of Nāgārjuna is divided into parikalpita (imagined and paratantra (dependent) and Paramartha-Satya of the Nāgārjuna is also called Parinispanna. According to Asanga, even in the phenomenal level, there are two kinds of experiences, one is utterly unreal or illusory and other is dependent, real for all practical purposes. Parikalpita" and paratantra are related to worldly things while Parinispanna is related to highest truth, Nirvana Were all klesas and imagination cease to exist.40
Vasubandhu, Younger brother of Asanga, Upholds the Asanga's view. He describes the Absolute Reality as Pure, undefiled existence which is beyond finite thought, the Good, the Eternal and Blissful. It is liberation, it is Buddha's body of pure existence. It transcends the category of thought as well as the plurality of Phenomenal world.41 This Phenomenal world is transformation of Vijñāna only.42
It is clear from conception of Reality of Mahāyānists that, they took very much pain to prove that the Absolute is indescribable and nondeterminate. It cannot be described positively or negatively. It is neither existence nor non-existence, neither both nor-neither. It cannot be called existence (bhāva) because it is not subject to origin, decay and death. There is no empirical existence which is free from origin, decay-and death. Empirical existence arises from causes and conditions. Everything that which arises from causes and conditions is necessarily, unreal. Whatever is produced by cause and condition has beginning, decay and destruction. Reality is uncaused and unconditioned, hence it cannot be called as an existence. It cannot be called as non-existence also because the nonexistence (abhāva) is a relative concept depending upon concept of bhāva (existence). Disappearance of bhāva is known as abhāvo (non-existence). To call it being or non-being (bhāva or abhāva) is thus absolutely wrong.
877