THE ACTIVE SELF: A PHILOSOPHICAL STUDY OF THE 'BUDDHA NATURE TREATISE' AND OTHER CHINESE BUDDHIST TEXTS.

摘要

Statement of the Problem. The notion of anatman, no self, is.;this notion in the tradition, how can texts of the tathagatagarbha/.;Buddha nature lineage speak positively of a Buddha nature, a pure.;mind and even the perfection of self? Similarly, the teaching that.;central to Buddhist thought and practice. Given the importance of.;everything is empty (sunya) and that the supreme truth is emptiness(' ).;is central to Mahayana Buddhism. How then are we to understand.;the remarks of the Buddha nature theorists that the Buddha nature.;is revealed by emptiness and that the perfections of purity, self, bliss.;and eternity, with which the Buddha nature is identified, are not(, ).;empty (asunya)?;This study addresses these philosophical issues. What is Buddha.;nature? What is its ontological status? Why do certain texts speak of.;a Buddha nature? What is the place of the Buddha nature concept in.;the context of the history of Buddhist thought? In particular, can it be.;reconciled with the central teachings of anatman and sunyata? If so,(' ).;how? In short, what does the term "Buddha nature represent and how does it function?;Procedure. The Buddha nature concept is studied in three texts.;from the Chinese Buddhist canon, extant only in these Chinese.;versions: the Buddha Nature Treatise (Fo Hsing Lun), attributed.;to Vasubandhu and translated by Paramartha; the Supreme Basis.;Sutra (Fo Shuo Wu Shang I Ching, Anuttarasrayasutra) translated(' ).;by Paramartha; and the No Increase, No Decrease Sutra (Fo Shuo.;Pu Tseng Pu Chien Ching, Anunatvapurnatvanirdesa) translated(' ).;by Bodhiruci. The former is the focal text of the study; the other two texts are examined in comparison to it.;The study is divided into three parts: (1) The first is a textual section in which the three texts are summarized and interpreted with respect to our philosophical concerns. The summaries include passages in translation, all of which are those of the author. (2) Second is a section of philosophical analysis of the themes which emerge in the textual section. The topics treated are ontology, action and practice. (3) Third is a section devoted to the influence of Buddha nature thought on subsequent developments in Chinese Buddhism. In addition to these major components of the study, there is an appendix on Buddha nature thought and mysticism and a glossary of technical terms with Chinese characters.;Conclusions. Upon examination of the texts, we find that "Buddha.;nature" stands for the acts of practice on the Buddha Way, liberation,;and the manifestation of that liberation. This is its active nature and it.;is in this sense that it is interpreted as an "active self." Buddha nature.;is expressly identified with such acts as wisdom, non-attachment and.;compassion. It is never represented as possessing a substantive,;thing-like character or attribute. It is specifically said that the.;"functions" of the Buddha nature are its "essence." It is this.;identification of the Buddha nature with its functions, or its description.;in terms of actions, which makes possible the affirmation of such a.;thing as a Buddha nature despite the emphasis on anatman and.;sunyata in the history of Buddhism. The Buddha nature functions as(' ).;a metaphor for the efficacy and desirability of the Buddhist path.;without creating a substantial "thing" to which persons could become attached. As an "active self," the Buddha nature is not an entity, but an identity comprised of certain acts. For the ordinary person, practicing to attain realization is indicated; for the Buddha, manifestation of that realization in wisdom and compassion. In both cases, it is these acts which constitute the essence and identity of the person and the Buddha nature.