Outlines of Mahayana BuddhismSuzuki, Daisetz Teitaro
Religion
Outlines of Mahayana Buddhism
Suzuki, Daisetz Teitaro
Mahayana Buddhism -- Doctrines
The _paratantra-lakṣana_ advances a step further, but the fundamental
error involved in it is its persistent self-contradictory disregard
for what our inmost consciousness is constantly revealing to us. The
intellect alone can by no means unravel the mystery of our entire
existence. In order to reach the highest truth, we must boldly plunge
with our whole being into a region where absolute darkness defying the
light of intellect is supposed to prevail. This region which is no
more nor less than the field of religious consciousness is shunned by
most of the intellectual people on the plea that the intellect by its
very nature is unable to fathom it. But the only way that leads us to
the final pacification of the heart-yearnings is to go beyond the
horizons of limiting reason and to resort to the faith that has been
planted in the heart as the _sine qua non_ of its own existence and
vitality. And by faith I mean _Prajñâ_ (wisdom), transcendental {94}
knowledge, that comes direct from the intelligence-essence of the
Dharmakâya. A mind, so tired in vainly searching after truth and bliss
in the verbiage of philosophy and the nonsense of ritualism, finds
itself here completely rested bathing in the rays of divine
effulgence,--whence this is, it does not question, being so filled
with supramundane blessings which alone are felt. Buddhism calls this
exalted spiritual state Nirvâna or Mokṣa; and _pariniṣpanna-lakṣana_
is a world-conception which naturally follows from this subjective,
ideal enlightenment.[38]
_Two Forms of Knowledge._
The other Hindu Mahâyânism, the Mâdhyamika school of Nâgârjuna,
distinguishes two, instead of three, orders of knowledge, but
practically the Yogâcâra and the Mâdhyamika come to the same
conclusion.[39]
{95}
The two kinds of knowledge or truth distinguished by the Mâdhyamika
philosophy are _Samvṛtti-satya_ and _Paramârtha-satya_, that is,
conditional truth and transcendental truth. We read in Nâgârjuna’s
_Mâdhyamika Çâstra_ (Buddhist Text Society edition, pp. 180, 181):
“On two truths is founded
The holy doctrine of Buddhas:
Truth conditional,
And truth transcendental.
“Those who verily know not
The distinction of the two truths.
Know not the essence
Of Buddhism which is meaningful.”[40]
The conditional truth includes illusion and relative knowledge of the
Yogâcâra school, while the transcendental truth corresponds to the
absolute knowledge.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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