Books/The Philosophy of Buddhism

The Philosophy of Buddhism

Book

Book

 Search online

The translation of Erich Frauwallner's Die Philosophie des Buddhismus, first published in 1956, opens up a classic introduction to Buddhist thought to a broader English language readership. The book covers the period of early canonical literature with examples of its philosophically relevant ideas, followed by the principal philosophical concepts of systematic Sravakayana Buddhism. In the main part of the book, Frauwallner presents the first survey of the development of the philosophical systems of Mahayana Buddhism. He was well aware of the limitations in presenting only the Buddhist philosophy of the "classical", i.e., the systematic period, and does not seem to have been ready to add the philosophically creative new postsystematic tradition of Buddhist epistemology and logic, a major subject of his subsequent years of research.

Frauwallner's way of translating was straightforward: to remain as close as possible to the original text while presenting it in a clear and readable way in order to convey an accurate impression of its meaning. For technical terms in the source materials he maintained a single translation even when various meanings were suggested. For clarity regarding such variations of meaning he relied on the context and his explanation.

The same approach was taken by the translator of the present book. Although his translation attempts to be faithful to the 1994 edition of Die Philosophie des Buddhismus, he inserted helpful additional headlines into the text and considerably enlarged the index. All other additions by the translator are given within square brackets. Besides this, he created an Appendix, which contains one of Frauwallner's more important articles "Amalavijnana and Alayavijnana" (1951) to complement the long Yogacara section of the book, a bibliography of selective publications after 1969. The URLs for many of the source materials were also conveniently provided. (Source: Motilal Banarsidass)

Citation	Frauwallner, Erich. The Philosophy of Buddhism (Die Philosophie des Buddhismus). Translated by Gelong Lodrö Sangpo with the assistance of Jigme Sheldrön, under the supervision of Ernst Steinkellner. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2010. Originally published 1956 by Akademie Verlag as Die Philosophie des Buddhismus (Berlin).

Table of Contents About the Book Texts Translated Quotes

• Introduction1
• A. The teaching of the Buddha5
  • AA. The Buddha (ca. 560-480 B.C.E.)5
  • AB. The proclamation of the Buddha5
    • ABA. The sermon of Benares (Dharmacakrapravartanasūtra)6
    • ABB. The Buddhist path of liberation8
      • ABB.1. From the "Kandaraka Sutta" (Majjhima Nikāya 51)8
  • AC. Questions which the Buddha did not answer10
    • ACA. Ānanda [Saṃyutta Nikāya 44, 10]10
    • ACB. The Sūtra of Vatsagotra and the Fire (Aggivacchagottasuttanta) [Majjhimanikāya Sutta 72]11
    • ACC. The Sūtra of the Bearer of the Burden (Bhārahārasūtra)15
  • AD. The tenet of dependent origination16
    • ADA. The Account of Enlightenment (Bodhikathā; Mahāvagga I, 1)17
    • ADB. The Great Sūtra of the Foundations of Origination (Mahānidānsuttanta; Dıghanikāya XV)18
    • ADC. The Sūtra of Dependent Origination (Pratītyasamutpādasūtra)24
    • ADD. From Vasubandhu’s "Commentary to the Sūtra of Dependent Origination"

(Pratītyasamutpādavyākhyā)26

• • • ADE. The Sūtra of the young Rice plant (Śālistambasūtra)29
• B. The Dogmatics (Abhidharma) of the Hīnayāna36

BA. The rise of the Buddhist Schools................................................................................................................................36 BB. The principal philosophical doctrines of the Sarv›stiv›da............................................................................37 BBA. The principal philosophical thoughts ........................................................................................................37 BBA.1. The denial of a soul, of a self.............................................................................................................37 BBA.1.1. From “The Questions of Menandros” (Milindapañh›)..............................................39 BBA.1.2. Vasubandhu the Younger (ca. 400-480 C.E.)....................................................................46 BBA.1.2.1. A soul does not exist (AbhidharmakoŸa III, v. 18-24).....................................47 BBA.1.2.2. From “Refutation of the Person” (Pudgalaprati˝edhaprakara˚a).............52 BBA.2. General views associated with the doctrine of the denial of a soul....................................58 BBA.2.1. First general view: All entities lack a solid permanent core.....................................58 BBA.2.1.1. (A) Discussion of this first general view in the field of material elements ...........................................................................................................................59 BBA.2.1.2. (B) Discussion of this first general view in the field of psychology...........60 BBA.2.1.3. A substance does not exist (AbhidharmakoŸa III, ad v. 100)........................61 BBA.2.2. Second general view: The momentariness of all things..............................................62

BBA.2.2.1. The momentariness of entities (AbhidharmakoŸa IV, v. 2-3).......................64 BBB. The fundamental concepts ..............................................................................................................................67 BBB.1. The Dogmatics of the Sarv›stiv›da...............................................................................................67 BBB.1.1. From the “Treatise on the Five Aggregates” (Pañcaskandhaka)............................68 BBB.2. The Dogmatics of the Sautr›ntika..................................................................................................73 BBB.2.1. The seemingly and the truly real (AbhidharmakoŸa VI, verse 4)............................75 BBB.2.2. The nature of acquisition (AbhidharmakoŸa, II, verse 36)........................................76 BBC. The doctrine of liberation of the Hınay›na..............................................................................................78 BBC.1. Suppression through knowledge (AbhidharmakoŸa, I, verse 6)..........................................81 BBC.2. Nirv›˚a as non-existence (AbhidharmakoŸa II, verse 55).....................................................82 BBC.3. From “Establishment of the Truth” (Tattvasiddhi)..................................................................84 C. The schools of the Mah›y›na...............................................................................................................................................89 CA. Main elements in the development of the Mah›y›na........................................................................................89 CAA. The new goal of liberation.............................................................................................................................89 CAB. The philosophical doctrine of a highest being and of the unreality of the phenomenal world......................................................................................................................................................................89 CAC. The new buddhology........................................................................................................................................90 CB. The beginnings of the Mah›y›na.............................................................................................................................90 CC. The oldest literary documentation of the Mah›y›na........................................................................................91 CCA. The Prajñ›p›ramit› literature and its philosophical doctrines .......................................................91 CCA.1. Central philosophical thought: the concept of a highest being..............................................92 CCA.2. The unreality of the phenomenal world and its relationship to the highest being........93 CCA.3. From the “Perfection of Insight in Eight Thousand Lines” (A˝˛as›hasrik› Prajñ›p›ramit›)....................................................................................................................................94 CCB. From the “Jewel Heap” (RatnakÒ˛a)........................................................................................................102 CD. The Madhyamaka school.........................................................................................................................................106 CDA. N›g›rjuna (ca. 200 C.E.)...............................................................................................................................106 CDA.1. The works of N›g›rjuna..................................................................................................................106 CDA.2. The philosophical system of N›g›rjuna....................................................................................106 CDA.2.1. The unreality of the external world................................................................................106 CDA.2.1.1. The phenomenal world as dependent origination.........................................107 CDA.2.1.2. The relativity of opposing terms and the middle way.................................107 CDA.2.1.3. N›g›rjuna’s concept of intrinsic nature (svabh›va) and the emptiness of the phenomenal world...................................................................108 CDA.2.1.4. The highest and the restricted truth....................................................................109 CDA.2.1.5. The nature of the phenomenal world is diversity (prapañca)...................109

CDA.2.2. The highest reality.................................................................................................................109 CDA.2.2.1. Distinction from the phenomenal world: free from diversity, extinction, peace, etc.................................................................................................109 CDA.2.2.2. Identity in nature of the phenomenal world and nirv›˚a...........................109 CDA.2.3. Doctrine of liberation...........................................................................................................110 CDA.3. Introduction to sections of the Madhyamakak›rik›.............................................................110 CDA.3.1. Chapter I: Examination of causes (Pratyaya-parık˝›).............................................110 CDA.4. From the “Mnemonic Verses of the Middle Doctrine” (Madhyamak›rik›)................112 CDA.4.1. Chapter 15: Examination of intrinsic nature (svabh›va-parık˝›).......................114 CDA.4.2. Chapter 18: Examination of the self (›tma-parık˝›).................................................116 CDA.4.3. Chapter 24: Examination of the noble truths (›rya-satya-parık˝›)....................118 CDA.4.4. Chapter 25: Examination of nirv›˚a (nirv›˚a-parık˝›).........................................123 CDA.5. Introduction to sections of the Vigrahavy›vartanı................................................................126 CDA.6. From the “The Quarrel =Averting” (Vigrahavy›vartanı)..................................................127 CDA.7. Introduction to the sections of the Ratn›valı............................................................................130 CDA.8. From the “Garland of Jewels” (Ratn›valı)...............................................................................133 CDB. firyadeva (Beginning of 3rd century C.E.)...............................................................................................139 CDB.1. Introduction to the sample from the Catu¯Ÿataka..................................................................139 CDB.2. From the “Treatise in Four Hundred Stanzas” (Catu¯Ÿataka)..........................................140 CDC. Buddhap›lita (ca. 5th century C.E).............................................................................................................142 CDC.1. Introduction to the sample from the MÒlamadhyamakav¸tti...........................................142 CDC.2. From the “Commentary to the Mnemonic Verses of the Middle Doctrine” (MÒlamadhyamakav¸tti)................................................................................................................142 CDD. Bh›vaviveka (middle of 6th century C.E.)................................................................................................144 CDD.1. Introduction to sample from the Prajñ›pradıpa.....................................................................144 CDD.2. From the “Shining Light of Insight”............................................................................................145 CDD.3. From the “Jewel in the Hand” (Tchang tchen) (T 1578, pp. 276a3-377b11).................149 CDE. Candrakırti (7th century C.E.)......................................................................................................................154 CDE.1. The works of Candrakırti...............................................................................................................154 CDE.2. Introduction to the sample from the Prasannapad›..............................................................154 CDE.3. From the “Clearly Worded” (Prasannapad›)..........................................................................155 CDE.4. Introduction to the sample from the Madhyamak›vat›ra.................................................157 CDE.5. From the “Introduction to the Madhyamaka Doctrine” (Madhyamak›vat›ra)........159 CE. The school of S›ramati.............................................................................................................................................164 CEA. S›ramati (ca. 250 C.E.)..................................................................................................................................164 CEA.1. From the “Elucidation of the Seed of the (Three) Jewels” (Ratnagotravibh›ga).........165

CF. The school of the Yog›c›ra......................................................................................................................................171 CFA. The beginnings of the Yog›c›ra school: the Yog›c›rabhÒmiŸ›stra............................................171 CFA.1. The divisions of reality {sections 1-8}.........................................................................................171 CFA.2. The determination of the nature of reality: non-duality & the middle way & the constitution of the nature of reality {sections 9 –13}.............................................................172 CFA.3. The proof of the unreality of the phenomenal world {section 14}.....................................173 CFA.4. The 2 proofs of the unreality of the designations {sections 15-16}...................................174 CFA.5. The 2 errors & the false and correct view of reality {sections 17-19}..............................174 CFA.6. From the “Stage of the Bodhisattva” (BodhisattvabhÒmi)..................................................175 CFB. The Sa˙dhinirmocanasÒtra.......................................................................................................................180 CFB.1. The doctrine of the threefold nature of things in Chapt. VI..................................................180 CFB.2. The doctrine of the threefold essencelessness of entities in chapt. VII and its relation to the doctrine of the Prajñ›p›ramit› and of the M›dhyamikas .....................182 CFB.3. From the “Elucidation of the Secret Meaning” (Sa˙dhinirmocanasÒtra)....................183 CFC. Maitreyan›tha (ca. 300 C.E.)......................................................................................................................191 CFC.1. The works of Maitreyan›tha.........................................................................................................191 CFC.2. The first philosophical system of the Yog›c›ra: the doctrine of Maitreyan›tha........192 CFC.2.1. The highest being as the center of the system...............................................................192 CFC.2.2. The highest being and the phenomenal world.............................................................193 CFC.2.3. The false conception and the deception of the phenomenal world, etc................193 CFC.2.4. The doctrine of liberation...................................................................................................194 CFC.2.4.1. Non-conceptual knowledge and liberation......................................................194 CFC.2.4.2. Buddhology and the highest being.......................................................................195 CFC.2.5. The doctrine of Maitreyan›tha and the Madhyamaka doctrine..........................196 CFC.3. Introduction to the samples from the Mah›y›nasÒtr›la˙k›ra.......................................196 CFC.3.1. From the “Ornament of the SÒtras of the Mah›y›na” (Mah›y›nasÒtr›la˙k›ra).................................................................................................200 CFC.4. Introduction to samples from the Madhy›ntavibh›ga........................................................207 CFC.5. From the “Elucidation of the Middle and of the Extremes” (Madhyantavibh›ga)....210 CFD. Asaºga (ca. 315-390 C.E.)............................................................................................................................213 CFD.1. The works of Asaºga........................................................................................................................213 CFD.2. The philosophical system of Asaºga..........................................................................................214 CFD.2.1. Adoption of old concepts and development of new psychological concepts ....214 CFD.2.2. The appearance of the phenomenal world: the doctrine of the three characteristics.........................................................................................................................214 CFD.2.2.1. The dependent characteristic.................................................................................215 CFD.2.2.2. The imagined and the perfect characteristic....................................................216

CFD.2.3. The doctrine of liberation...................................................................................................216 CFD.2.4. Asaºga’s Buddhology..........................................................................................................217 CFD.3. Introduction to the translated sections of the Mah›y›nasa˙graha................................218 CFD.4. From the “Summary of the Mah›y›na” (Mah›y›nasa˙graha).....................................219 CFE. Vasubandhu the Elder (ca. 320-380 C.E.)................................................................................................231 CFE.1. The works of Vasubandhu the Elder and Vasubandhu the YoungerError! Bookmark not defined. CFE.2. Synopsis of the doctrines of the “Twenty Verses” and “Thirty Verses”........................232 CFE.2.1. The mental complex as three transformations of cognition..................................232 CFE.2.2. The mental complex and the seeds of permeation......................................................233 CFE.2.3. The mental complex in relation to the phenomenal world, highest reality and other beings .....................................................................................................................234 CFE.2.4. The doctrine of liberation...................................................................................................235 CFE.3. Introduction to the Vi˙Ÿatik› Vijñaptim›trat›siddhi..........................................................235 CFE.3.1. Chapter One: Doctrine of the unreality of the external world and answers to objections based on reasoning (verses 1-7)..............................................................235 CFE.3.2. Chapter two: Answers to objections based on scripture (verses 8-10)...............236 CFE.3.3. Chapter three: Proof of the unreality of the external world: impossibility of the concept of an atom, etc. (verses 11-15)....................................................................237 CFE.3.4. Chapter four: Refutation of various objections (verses 16-21)..............................239 CFE.4. “Proof that (Everything) is Mere Cognizance, in Twenty Verses” (Vi˙Ÿatik› Vijñaptim›trat›siddhi)....................................................................................................................242 CFE.5. Introduction to the Tri˙Ÿatik› Vijñaptim›trat›siddhi........................................................253 CFE.6. “Proof, that (Everything) is Mere Cognizance, in Thirty Verses”....................................254 CFF. Dign›ga (ca. 480-540 C.E.)..........................................................................................................................259 CFF.1. From the “Compendium of the Means of Valid Cognition” (Pram›˚asamuccaya)..260 CFG. Sthiramati and Dharmap›la (middle of the 6th century C.E.).........................................................262 CFG.1. From Hiuan-tsangs “Proof that (Everything) is Mere Cognizance” (Tch’eng wei che louen)...............................................................................................................................................265 D. Sources and Literature..........................................................................................................................................................271 DA. General............................................................................................................................................................................271 DB. A. The doctrine of the Buddha.................................................................................................................................271 DBA. Canonical texts (Tripi˛aka):........................................................................................................................271 DBB. Pratıtyasamutp›dasÒtra:.............................................................................................................................272 DBC. Pratıtyasamutp›davy›khy›:......................................................................................................................272 DBD. ⁄›listambasÒtra:.............................................................................................................................................272 DC. B. The Dogmatics of the Hınay›na........................................................................................................................272 DCA. Milindapañh›:.................................................................................................................................................272

DCB. Vasubandhu the Younger:............................................................................................................................273 DCB.1. AbhidharmakoŸa:..............................................................................................................................273 DCB.2. Pañcaskandhaka:................................................................................................................................273 DCC. Harivararman, Tattvasiddhi:....................................................................................................................273 DD. The Schools of the Mah›y›na.................................................................................................................................273 DDA. 1. The Madhyamaka School.......................................................................................................................273 DDA.1. A˝˛as›hasrik› Prajñ›p›ramit›:...................................................................................................273 DDA.2. RatnakÒ˛a (K›Ÿyapaparivarta):...................................................................................................274 DDA.3. N›g›rjuna:............................................................................................................................................274 DDA.3.1. Madhyamakak›rik›:...........................................................................................................274 DDA.3.2. Vigrahavy›vartanı:..............................................................................................................274 DDA.3.3. Ratn›valı:.................................................................................................................................275 DDA.4. firyadeva: Catu¯Ÿataka:..................................................................................................................275 DDA.5. Buddhap›lita, MÒlamadhyamakav¸tti:.....................................................................................275 DDA.6. Bh›vaviveka, Prajñ›pradıpa:.........................................................................................................275 DDA.7. Tchang tchen (Hastaratna ?)..........................................................................................................275 DDA.8. Candrakırti:..........................................................................................................................................276 DDA.8.1. Prasannapad›:........................................................................................................................276 DDA.8.2. Madhyamak›vat›ra:...........................................................................................................276 DDB. 2. The school of S›ramati............................................................................................................................276 DDB.1. S›ramati, Ratnagotravibh›ga:.....................................................................................................276 DDC. 3. The school of the Yog›c›ra.....................................................................................................................276 DDC.1. BodhisattvabhÒmi:.............................................................................................................................276 DDC.2. Sa˙dhinirmocanasÒtra:..................................................................................................................277 DDC.3. Maitreyan›tha:...................................................................................................................................277 DDC.3.1. Mah›y›nasÒtr›la˙k›ra:...................................................................................................277 DDC.3.2. Madhy›ntavibh›ga:.............................................................................................................277 DDC.4. Asa∫ga, Mah›y›nasa˙graha:.....................................................................................................277 DDC.5. Vasubandhu..........................................................................................................................................277 DDC.5.1. Vi˙Ÿatik›:................................................................................................................................277 DDC.5.2. Tri˙Ÿik›:..................................................................................................................................278 DDC.6. Dign›ga, Pram›˚asamuccaya:.....................................................................................................278 DDC.7. Hiuan-tsang, Tch’eng wei che louen:...........................................................................................278 E. Supplementary remarks ......................................................................................................................................................279 EA. General............................................................................................................................................................................279 EB. A. The doctrine of the Buddha.................................................................................................................................280

EC. B. The Dogmatics of the Hınay›na........................................................................................................................280 ED. The schools of the Mah›y›na.................................................................................................................................281 EDA. 1. The Madhyamaka school........................................................................................................................281 EDB. 2. The school of S›ramati............................................................................................................................281 EDC. 3. The school of the Yog›c›ra.....................................................................................................................282 Appendix I: Amalavijñ›na and filayavijñ›na. A Contribution to the Epistemology of Buddhism. By Erich Frauwallner Appendix II: Bibliography of Erich Frauwallner

Appendix III: Sources and Literature (after the fourth edition)

1. Frauwallner, E.. Die Philosophie des Buddhismus. Berlin: Akademie Verlag, 1994.