Vijnanakaya
Encyclopedia
Vijnanakaya or Vijnanakaya-sastra is one of the seven Sarvastivada Abhidharma Buddhist
scriptures. "Vijnanakaya" means "group of consciousness". It was composed by Devasarman (according to both Sanskrit
and Chinese
sources), with the Chinese translated by Xuanzang
: T26, No. 1539, 阿毘達磨識身足論, 提婆設摩阿羅漢造, 三藏法師玄奘奉 詔譯, in 16 fascicles.
Vijnanakaya is the first Abhidharma
text that is not attritubted to a direct disciple of the Buddha
, but written some 100 years after the Buddha's parinirvana
, according to Xuanzang
's disciple Puguang. Yin Shun
however, concludes it was composed around the 1st century CE, and was influenced by the Jnanaprasthana
, though differs in several aspects. In this regard, he likens it to the Prakaranapada
, which is also a different position on the Sarvastivada
as a whole.
This is an esteemed Sarvastivada
text wherein the Sarvastivada is upheld against Vibhajyavada objections, in the first of its six sections. It is here that the theory of sarvastivada, the existence of all dharma
s through past, present and future, is first presented. Interestingly, the issue is only brought up when Moggaliputta-tissa
makes the standard claim of the Vibhajyavada, "past and future (dharma
s) do not exist, (only) present and unconditioned (dharmas) do exist". The Vijnana-kaya has four main theses to refute this:
In addition to refuting the Vibhajyavada view, the second section is a refutation of the Vatsiputriya Pudgalavada claim of: "the paramartha of the arya [truths] can be attained, can be realized by the 'pudgala', present and complete, therefore it is certainly [the case] that the 'pudgala' exists". The Sarvastivada take the title 'Sunyavada
' in order to refute this claim, though this is obviously meaning "empty of pudgala", rather than the later Sunyavada of the Mahayana
, i.e. the Madhyamaka. The first refutation centers around the two extremes of "absolute identity" and "absolute difference". The second hinges on the continuity of the existence of the skandha
s in the past, present and future – sarvastivada – proper.
The third and fourth sections concern the causal condition, and the conditioning object of vijnana respectively. The fifth includes the two other conditions, the immediate condition and predominant condition. These conditions are discussed in terms of their realm, nature, temporal location, etc. in a format that came to be standard for the Sarvastivada
Abhidharma
. Such a system also appears in Abhidharma type analysis of dharmas in the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra
and its Upadesa. The remaining five sections are doctrinal elaborations of the Sarvāstivāda school, including issues regarding perception, dependent origination and conditionality
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
scriptures. "Vijnanakaya" means "group of consciousness". It was composed by Devasarman (according to both Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
sources), with the Chinese translated by Xuanzang
Xuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
: T26, No. 1539, 阿毘達磨識身足論, 提婆設摩阿羅漢造, 三藏法師玄奘奉 詔譯, in 16 fascicles.
Vijnanakaya is the first Abhidharma
Abhidharma
Abhidharma or Abhidhamma are ancient Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic and scientific reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist Sutras, according to schematic classifications...
text that is not attritubted to a direct disciple of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
, but written some 100 years after the Buddha's parinirvana
Parinirvana
In Buddhism, parinirvana is the final nirvana, which occurs upon the death of the body of someone who has attained complete awakening...
, according to Xuanzang
Xuanzang
Xuanzang was a famous Chinese Buddhist monk, scholar, traveler, and translator who described the interaction between China and India in the early Tang period...
's disciple Puguang. Yin Shun
Yin Shun
Yin Shun was a well-known Buddhist monk and scholar in the tradition of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism, particularly the Three Treatise school. Yin Shun's research helped bring forth the ideal of Humanistic Buddhism, a leading mainstream Buddhist philosophy studied and upheld by many practitioners...
however, concludes it was composed around the 1st century CE, and was influenced by the Jnanaprasthana
Jnanaprasthana
Jnanaprasthana or Jnanaprasthana-sastra, composed by Katyayaniputra is one of the seven Sarvastivada Abhidharma Buddhist scriptures. Jnanaprasthana means "establishment of knowledge"...
, though differs in several aspects. In this regard, he likens it to the Prakaranapada
Prakaranapada
Prakaranapada or Prakaranapada-sastra, composed by Vasumitra, is one of the seven Sarvastivada Abhidharma Buddhist scriptures. The Chinese was translated by Xuanzang as: T26, No. 1542, 阿毘達磨品類足論, 尊者世友造, 三藏法師玄奘奉 詔譯, in 18 fascicles; with another partial translation by Gunabhadra and Bodhiyasa: T26,...
, which is also a different position on the Sarvastivada
Sarvastivada
The Sarvāstivāda were an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the 'three times'. Vasubandhu's states:-Name:...
as a whole.
This is an esteemed Sarvastivada
Sarvastivada
The Sarvāstivāda were an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the 'three times'. Vasubandhu's states:-Name:...
text wherein the Sarvastivada is upheld against Vibhajyavada objections, in the first of its six sections. It is here that the theory of sarvastivada, the existence of all dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
s through past, present and future, is first presented. Interestingly, the issue is only brought up when Moggaliputta-tissa
Moggaliputta-Tissa
Moggaliputta-Tissa , Moggaliputta-Tissa (ca. 327 BC – 247 BC), Moggaliputta-Tissa (ca. 327 BC – 247 BC), (born in Pataliputra, Magadha (now Patna, India) was a Buddhist monk and scholar who lived in the 3rd century BC...
makes the standard claim of the Vibhajyavada, "past and future (dharma
Dharma
Dharma means Law or Natural Law and is a concept of central importance in Indian philosophy and religion. In the context of Hinduism, it refers to one's personal obligations, calling and duties, and a Hindu's dharma is affected by the person's age, caste, class, occupation, and gender...
s) do not exist, (only) present and unconditioned (dharmas) do exist". The Vijnana-kaya has four main theses to refute this:
- The impossibility of two simultaneous cittaCittaCitta was one of the chief lay disciples of the Buddha. He was a wealthy merchant from Savatthi. His life and character were so pure that near his death, had he wished to be a chakravartin, it would've been granted. However, he turned down this wish as it was temporal...
s - The impossibility of karmaKarmaKarma in Indian religions is the concept of "action" or "deed", understood as that which causes the entire cycle of cause and effect originating in ancient India and treated in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh philosophies....
and vipakaVipakaVipāka is a Buddhist technical term meaning the result of karma , or intentional actions.In Buddhist belief, the law of kamma-vipāka is of great importance. In a discourse the Buddha said “Intention, monks, is kamma I say...
being simultaneous - That vijnana only arises with an object
- Attainments are not necessarily present.
In addition to refuting the Vibhajyavada view, the second section is a refutation of the Vatsiputriya Pudgalavada claim of: "the paramartha of the arya [truths] can be attained, can be realized by the 'pudgala', present and complete, therefore it is certainly [the case] that the 'pudgala' exists". The Sarvastivada take the title 'Sunyavada
Shunyata
Śūnyatā, शून्यता , Suññatā , stong-pa nyid , Kòng/Kū, 空 , Gong-seong, 공성 , qoγusun is frequently translated into English as emptiness...
' in order to refute this claim, though this is obviously meaning "empty of pudgala", rather than the later Sunyavada of the Mahayana
Mahayana
Mahāyāna is one of the two main existing branches of Buddhism and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice...
, i.e. the Madhyamaka. The first refutation centers around the two extremes of "absolute identity" and "absolute difference". The second hinges on the continuity of the existence of the skandha
Skandha
In Buddhist phenomenology and soteriology, the skandhas or khandhas are any of five types of phenomena that serve as objects of clinging and bases for a sense of self...
s in the past, present and future – sarvastivada – proper.
The third and fourth sections concern the causal condition, and the conditioning object of vijnana respectively. The fifth includes the two other conditions, the immediate condition and predominant condition. These conditions are discussed in terms of their realm, nature, temporal location, etc. in a format that came to be standard for the Sarvastivada
Sarvastivada
The Sarvāstivāda were an early school of Buddhism that held to 'the existence of all dharmas in the past, present and future, the 'three times'. Vasubandhu's states:-Name:...
Abhidharma
Abhidharma
Abhidharma or Abhidhamma are ancient Buddhist texts which contain detailed scholastic and scientific reworkings of doctrinal material appearing in the Buddhist Sutras, according to schematic classifications...
. Such a system also appears in Abhidharma type analysis of dharmas in the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra
Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra
The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra was an encyclopedic collection of Prajnaparamita texts, usually attributed to Nagarjuna, translated into Chinese by Xuanzang and his assistants. Alternatively, this name refers to the Large Sutra on the Perfection of Wisdom The Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra was an...
and its Upadesa. The remaining five sections are doctrinal elaborations of the Sarvāstivāda school, including issues regarding perception, dependent origination and conditionality