With its emphasis on the concept of buddha-nature, or the ultimate nature of mind, the Uttaratantra is a classical Buddhist treatise that lays out an early map of the Mahāyāna path to enlightenment. Tsering Wangchuk unravels the history of this important Indic text in Tibet by examining numerous Tibetan commentaries and other exegetical texts on the treatise that emerged between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries. These commentaries explored such questions as: Is the buddha-nature teaching found in the Uttaratantra literally true, or does it have to be interpreted differently to understand its ultimate meaning? Does it explicate ultimate truth that is inherently enlightened or ultimate truth that is empty only of independent existence? Does the treatise teach ultimate nature of mind according to the Cittamātra or the Madhyamaka School of Mahāyāna? By focusing on the diverse interpretations that different textual communities employed to make sense of the Uttaratantra, Wangchuk provides a necessary historical context for the development of the text in Tibet. (Source: SUNY Press)
Citation
Wangchuk, Tsering. The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows: Tibetan Thinkers Debate the Centrality of the Buddha-Nature Treatise. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2017.
Acknowledgmentsxi
Introduction1
General Remarks1
Textual Historical Background5
Part I. Early Period: Kadam Thinkers Rescue the Treatise13
Chapter 1. Rise of the Uttaratantra in Tibet: Early Kadam Scholars Revitalize the Newly Discovered Indian Exegesis13
Introduction13
Ngok and Chapa on the Pervasive Nature of the Buddha-Body15
Ngok and Chapa on Definitive or Provisional Nature in the Uttaratantra 18
Ngok and Chapa on the Uttaratantra as a Last Wheel Treatise 19
Buddha-Element as a Conceived Object20
Ngok and Chapa Differ on Emphasis21
Conclusion24
2. Sowing Seeds for Future Debate: Dissenters and Adherents25
Introduction 25
Sapen, the Dissenter 26
Rikrel, the Third Karmapa, and Sangpu Lodrö Defend the Uttaratantra 29
Rinchen Yeshé’s Proto Other-Emptiness Presentation of the Uttaratantra, and Butön’s Reply34
Conclusion38
Part II. The Pinnacle Period: the Other-Emptiness Interpretation Spreads 43
3. Other-Emptiness Tradition: The Uttaratantra in Dölpopa’s Works43
Introduction43
Predominance of the Last Wheel Scriptures44
Is the Uttaratantra a Cittamātra Text or a Madhyamaka Text?46
Classification of Cittamātra48
Classification of Madhyamaka51
Conclusion54
4. The Uttaratantra in Fourteenth-Century Tibet55
Introduction 55
Sazang Follows in His Master’s Footsteps55
Two Fourteenth-Century Kadam Masters’ Uttaratantra Commentaries 59
Longchenpa’s View on the Uttaratantra63
Conclusion65
Part III. The Argumentation Period: Self-Emptiness Proponents criticize Other-Emptiness Approach 69
5. Challenges to the Purely Definitive Nature of the Uttaratantra: Zhalu Thinkers Criticize Dölpopa 69
Introduction69
Butön’s Ornament 70
Dratsépa’s Commentary72
Conclusion80
6. Challenges to the Supremacy of the Uttaratantra: Rendawa and Tsongkhapa on Tathāgata-essence Literature 83
Introduction83
Rendawa on the Uttaratantra and the Tathāgata-Essence Literature83
Tsongkhapa on the Uttaratantra and the Tathāgata-Essence Literature89
Conclusion95
7. Gyeltsap’s Commentary on the Uttaratantra: A Critique of Dölpopa’s Interpretation of Tathāgata-essence Literature97
Introduction97
Middle Wheel and Last Wheel Teachings101
Definitive Meaning and Provisional Meaning103
Self-Emptiness and Other-Emptiness104
Conclusion106
Conclusion109
General Remarks109
Completing the Cycle112
Notes119
Bibliography181
Tibetan Language Works Cited181
English Language Works Cited186
Index191
Tsering Wangchuk's The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows is a clear and concise introduction to the history of the Uttaratantra and buddha-nature theory in pre-modern Tibet. It is an ideal introduction for anyone not yet familiar with the buddha-nature debate in Tibet. Wangchuk summarizes the writings and views of several of the most important Tibetan philosophers who weighed in on buddha-nature between the eleventh and fifteenth centuries from Ngok Lotsāwa through Sakya Paṇḍita to Dolpopa and Gyaltsap Je.
The book is divided into three main sections: early Kadam thinkers who attempted to fold the Uttaratantra's positive-language teaching on buddha-nature into mainstream Madhyamaka doctrine of non-affirming negation. They did so by asserting that buddha-nature was, in fact, a synonym of emptiness, and was, therefore, a definitive teaching. The second stage was reactions during the thirteenth century. Sakya Paṇḍita, for example, rejected the conflation of buddha-nature and emptiness and declared the teaching to be provisional; early Kagyu thinkers revived the positive-language teachings and asserted that such statements were definitive, and Dolpopa taught "other-emptiness," the strongest expression of positive-language doctrine ever advocated in Tibet. Finally, in the fourteenth century, a number of mainly Geluk thinkers, such as Gyaltsap Je, reacted against Dolpopa and all synthesis of Yogācāra and Madhyamaka thought, relegating the Uttaratantra again to provisional status.
The advantage of Wangchuk's historical frame is that all assertions are placed in the easy context of an opponent or supporter's writing, thus reminding the reader that buddha-nature theory in Tibet is an ongoing conversation, a debate between the two fundamental doctrinal poles of positive and negative descriptions of the ultimate.
Brief selections from a number of texts including:
Does it explicate other-emptiness (གཞན་སྟོང་) or self-emptiness (རང་སྟོང་)? Generally speaking, the former refers to the idea that ultimate truth is empty of defilements that are naturally other than ultimate truth, whereas self-emptiness implies that everything including ultimate truth is empty of its own inherent nature.
~ in The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows, page(s) 4
All sentient beings have the buddha-essence because 1) the buddha-body radiates [to all sentient beings], 2) the suchness [of a buddha and sentient beings] is indivisible, and 3) the buddha-nature exists [in all sentient beings]
~ in The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows, page(s) 15-16
Even though defilements exist, they are adventitious [to the buddha-element, because the buddha-element] is naturally pure. [Enlightened] qualities such as the buddha's powers, and so forth naturally exist [in the buddha-element] from a time without beginning. Therefore, there is no new elimination of previously existing defilements, and there is no new achievement of previously non-existent [enlightened] qualities.
~ Gsang phu ba blo gros mtshungs med in The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows, page(s) 32
Because freedom from adventitious defilements is the very nature of the tathagata-element since the primordial time, there are no afflictive emotions that need to be eliminated [from the element]. Because the perfect dharma-reality that is indivisible form the enlightened qualities is the very nature of the tathagata-element, there are no virtuous qualities that need to be newly-acquired
~ Rta nag rin chen ye shes in The Uttaratantra in the Land of Snows, page(s) p. 35
