Mahayana Buddhism

296 Pages·1978·9.816 MB·English

by  Nalinaksha Dutt

MAHA YANA BUDDHISM
NALINAKSHDAU TT
ProfoefPs iislo(irR etired),
CalcUunitvtear sifJI
MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
Delhi Varanasi Patna
© MOTILAL BANARSIDASS
IndologiPcuabll ishe& rBso oksellers
H�d
Office: BUNGALOWR OAD,J AWAHARN AGARD,E LHI-7
Branch:e s.1 CHOWK,V ARANASI(-UI. P).
2. ASHOKR AJPATHP,A TNA-4(B IHAR)
RevisEeddi ti:oD ne lhi1,9 78
P r.i ce:R 4Ss. (C loth)
30( Paper)
PrintienId n dia
BY SHANTILJAALI NA T SHRJIA INENDRPAR ESAS-, 45P,H ASE-IIN,D USTRIAL
AREAN,A RAINNAE,W DELHI-A2N8D P UBLISHBEYD N ARENDRPAR AKASJHA IN,
FOR MOTILABLA NARSIDASBSU,N GALOWR OAD,J AWAHARN AGAR,D ELHI-i
PREFACE
Thep resewnotr ki st her eviseeddi tioofnm y earlipeurb lica­
tioenn titlAesdp ecctifsH inayiiannadM ahiiyanaB uddhisImn.
thiesd itiomna tters reltaot Hiinnga yanhaa veb een retained
onlyw heret hesbee cmae necessafroyrt hes akeo fc omparison
andc ontrawsitt hM ahayana.
I thanmk y studeDnrt. M issK sanikSaa haP,h .D .,R esearch
AssociatCee,n treo fA dvancedS tudieisn AncienItn dian
Historfyo,r t heh elpr enderbeyd h er in revigs itnhefi nal
proofasn d preparitnhge I ndexo ft hibso ok.
N. DUTT
CONTENTS
PREFACE V
INTRCDUCTION IX
I PolitaindcC aullt urBaalc kgrouonfd
MahayABnuadd hmi s
II MahayaTnriacc ients h :Ne ikayas 71
IIIT hTfMea inP hasoefBs u ddhism 79
IV DasBah iimi 83
V Cor.ceptioofnK aya 136
VI ExpositiofoNn irvaI)a I7l
VII Concepotfit ohnTe r uth 244-
VIIIC onceptioofnt heA bsolute 277
INDEX 283
INTRODUCTION
The questitohna tn aturalalryi si('nso urm indsw,h y the
omnisciBehnatg avaBnu ddhap reachtewdo r eligisoyusst e:m s
one lower (Hinayaanndat )h eo thehri ghe(rM ahayanOar)
twoT ruthosn,e c onventio(nSaalr Jlvrtaind-t shaeo tythae)rr e al
(ParamarthTah-esa antyswae)tr.o t hiqsu estiiosgn i veni n the
Saddharma-puo1)nr/ea orfi tkhae,n iIn ec anonictaelx tosf the
Mahay anistIst .i sa sf ollows:
BhagavanS akyasirprhias,i nfgr omh isd eepm editation,
regainheidns � rmamle ntaslt ataen dt hena ddressSeadr iputra
witht hesweo rds:" Veryd eepa nde xtremedliyffi cuiltti sf or
theS rftvakaasn dP ratyekabuddthoa cso mprehentdh et ruth
attainbeydt heT athagatwahso,h ads truggfloerid t f ors everal
aeons.E qualdliyffi culitti sf ort hemt op enetraitnet ot he
meaninogf thet erseex pressi(osnasn dhiibuhsiiedfb iiy)t h e
TathagataSsa.k"y asiraplhsabo e forhei sa ttainmeonft b odhi
atG ayab usiehdi msewlift hth ea cquisiotfit ohneii ve1)ika-dharmas
(eightdeheanr malse aditnogB uddhahooadn)d itw as after
realistihnegT ruthth ahte b ecamceo nvinctehdai tt c oulndo t
be impartebdy one toa nothbeyrm eanso fw ords.T hough
awaroef t hef utiloiftt yh ea veQika-dharhmeah sa,dt2 o i nstruct
theS ravaktaosa cquitrhee mo nlay sa ne xpediebnetac useh e
realitsheadtt h esaev eQika-dhaornmlays coauplpde atlo t hem.
He admittetdh atb y acquiritnhge sdeh armast hep erfect
Sravakasa nd Pratyekabuddchoausl db ecomef reef rom
impuritaineds w ouldn oth avea nym orer ebirbtuhts titlhle y
wouldn otb ec apabolfer ealistihnehg i ghesTtr uthv isualised
by theT athaga.t.aN.so t tos peaokf S ravakaansd P ratyeka­
buddhaesv,e nB odhisatotfv tahse h ighersatn ki,. et.h eA vai­
vartti(klaisnt o.n -recedfirnogmt heg oalw)e ref ara wayf rom
ther ealisatoifo tnh eT ruthS.a riputwraasa sketdo r eloyn
1. Editebdy thep resent warnidtp eurb lishbeydt heA siatic Society in
1954.I n 1934w asp ublishaende ditioofnt hitse xbty twoJ apanessaev ants
ProfWso.g iharaan dT suchida.
2. SeeM ahavyutpatti.
x INTRODUCTION
BhagavSaank yasiwzoprhdtash' astt h teh ryeaen awse rem ere
expedireenstosrt tobe ydB uddhfaosr i mparttirnaign intgo
beingsw,h oc luntgo d iffernet typoefsp ractfiocsrep si ritual
progress.
TheurpenoS aripsuotlriac Biutdeddht aoe xplwahiynh es aid
thatth Ter utwha st odoe eapn ds ubttlobe ec omprehebnyd ed
Sravakaansdw hyt het erssaey inogfBs u ddhwaesr ael so
uninteltHogt ihbelmAet. t her epeatreedq ueosfSt a riputra,
Buddhaag reedt oe xplatihnre e aali mo ft heT atghaatas
onltyot howsheo h adi mplfiacitit nhh ima ndn ott ot hose
whow eres ticloln ceed(i atbhimaHneis kaait)dh. at th Ter uth
coludn obte t hseu bject-omfda itstceurs( saitoanrr kkoiica'vraMta a
andc oubledr ealisebdy theT athagawtiatsht ihne mselves.
TheB uddhaapsp eiantr h weo rlodn ltyoh elbpe intgosa ttain
theT athagata-Imaonwdil nesdi(ggteha tgat thaii-jiiaannaa-)d,a rs
whicmha yb ee quatteood m nisci(esnacreatv aaa)jn fidf otrh is,
theirrsee alolnyey [mcaa llBeudd dhayaanndnao ta s ecoonrd
at hirtdh,o utghhe tya kree coutroms aen yf ormosfe xposition
tos uitth dei ffercelnatso sfbe esi nwghso smee ntianlc loinnsa ti
andm entdaelv elopvmaernOytn as c couonftt h eaipr pearance
int hew orladta t imweh etnh earreoe n eo rm oroef t hfiev e
shortco(mkian�giisd) u'eta ost h)Ke a lp(at im,e s)att(vtay pe
ofb eigns),k ld(ai mpuridtnitei(s w)r,o nvgi ewasn)d a yu�
(lenogftl hi fe).
Thea bovteo piisrc e peaitnfe udr tdheetra iinlt sh ega thas.
Buddhsaa itdh aftot rh obseei nwghso,b elieivnte hdee x istence
oft hew orladnd i tssu ffersi,hn epg reachhiedsdh armgai ving
reasaonndesx ampleisnn, inaet2 gavSi,zs. u,t graat,h iat,i vrttaka,
jataakdab,h untiad,a annadv arigoeuysyr ae plweittesh i milies.
He heludp b efotrhee tmh seu mmumb onuom fN irvaI)aan dn ot
BuddhahSoiomdi.l ahrepl rye,a cthheVeda ipulyatsoat htorsaes
whoh ada ccumulmaetreidtt hsr ousgehv eerxails teanncde s
werpeu rel,e arnaenddw en-behaavnedtd ot, h ehme h elodu t
thgeo aolfB uddhahood.
Therwaes o nye iama ndn otth raenedi fB uddhhaad p reach­
edo nlHyi naya(npa3. 5 , 57)t hehne w oulhda vbee en
v.
chargweidtm hi serl(imnaetsssa ernyvay() i, r,an�daa )tt ach­
ment( chandaI-frh aegh aa)ds. t raigahstkweaedyve rybody
tos eekb odhit,h emna nyw oulndo th avtea kehni asd vice
INTRODUCTION xi
sedouslayn>dw ouldh aves ufferefdo rt harte asolno ngeirn t he
worldosf e xisteanncde gote ntangliendo ne orm ore of the
sixtytwo herveiteiwcsa.l1
Buddhaa ssurBeudd dahhoodn oto nlyt ot hoes,w ho perfected
themselivnet sh es ipx iirambiutta liissto o t hosweh,o worshipped
ther eliocfs B uddhao re recttehde reosnt upaosfa nym aterial,
bei to fj eweolr s ando,r m adei mage(si bmboaf)B u ddhaw ith
anym etaolr e venc layo,r d rew sketocfth heesfi guroef B uddha
onp aperw,a lle,t c.o re veno fferedfl owerosr p layemdu sical
instrumeonrts sa ngs ongisn a doraotnio f Buddha'ism ageosr
jusutt tertehde w ords" NamoB'usdtduh iiya".
Therei so nlyo ne dharma,w hichi sr efulgebnyt n ature
(rpakrctadi hsa riim saa/Jdpiir aabvsharaan)d w hichi se ternal,
unsahkeablaen dh asa lawo fi tse(ldfa hrma-ni).yR eaamlaistiiing
thee ternadlh armSaak,y aisrphsat ayeadtt heB odhimaQ<;ifao r
threwee eksa ndf elpti tfyo r tshueff erinbge ingsH.e wanted
toe nteirn tpo arintihrevna iindlJt ah ereb,u ta tt hei ntervention
'oBfr ahmaa nda lsor ememberiwnhga tt hep reviouBsu ddhas
hadd oneh,e. madeu p hism indt o propagahties dharimna
threwea ys( yiinsaot )h aitt c ouldb ei ntelligtiotb hleeb eings
atl argeH.e thenp roceedetdo Benares apnrde achehdi s
dharmat ot hefi veb hik�iunsa modifiefdo rmu sinfgo rt hefi rst
timet hew ordsn irvairih1)aand,th aa,ra mnad sanghAat.t he
samet imeh,e i nitiattheeBd o dhisattwvhaos a,p proachheidm ,
�to theh ighesttr uthI.t i st hihsi ghetre achitnhga th e was
goingt oi mparnto w to Sariputarnad askedh im toh ave
implicfiati tihnh isw ordasn d assurehdi mt hahte a s wellas
manyo theArr hatwso uldu ltimataetltyia nB uddhahood.
Aftelri stenitnog t hea bovem entionewdo rdso f Buddha,
Sariputrreag retttheadht e a ndh isf ellow-hbrreenwt eres atisfied
witht hes uperficaisaple cotft het eachianngd d idn ote xertto
divdee epi ntoi ts inner mewahniicnhgi ,s p ure,s ubtlaen d
beyondd iscuss,i aonnd thermeibsys etdo a ttaBiund dhahood
witha lil tast tribu(tseesce h .I IIv.s .5 -6)H.e feltth atas h e
was previousal hye reticpaalri vnijak,a he was taughotn ly
nirv(qrutieit u)db eyr ealistihneng o n-existoefna cneys ubstance
(souli)n phenomenab ut itw as notr ealn irvatrttaii nable
I.V idBe rahmajiiolfta h-eDs iguhtat-aN ikiiya.
xii INTRDOUCTION
onlbyy B uddhaHse. w ase lataetdt heh opeh elodu tb y
BuddhSaa kyasitrhpahhteaw ould ianld suoec oruseb ecomae
BuddhHae.h adn om ored oubatb outth et rutahn ds olemnity
oft hweo rdosf B uddhaan,d h ew oulnde vemri statkheo saes
thbee guiolfMe asr aH.e w asr emindbeyBd u ddha htehh aatd
forgotttheeBn o dhisavtotwtv aak ebnyh iml ong laognoag n d
thahte h adr eceitvreadi nfirnogSm a ykasiripnhB ao dhisattva
secraentdst hahte ,b einfgo rgeotffh uillso npga sfte,lt th ahte
hada ttaiNnierdv at;lTah.i tse xtS,a ddharmapur;tf,awraisk a,
delivebrySe adk yasiprpahrat icutolr aervliyv e the ofm emory
thBeo dhisavtotwtvsaa k ebnyt hSer avakas.
Aftecro untlaeesosnS sa ripuwtirlabl e comteh eB uddha
Padmapraabnhdha i Bsu ddhak�weitlbrleac allVeidr aaj a nd
wilblef ulolfB odhisatTthvipasrs o.p heacbyo uSta ripuwtarsa
applaubdyet dh ea ssembloafgg oed asn dm enw,h oe xpressed
theaiprp recioafBt uidodnh a's sand(heynaibghmasa�atayi icn gs)
bys ayitnhga attB enartehse doctrinea noddf e coaroyif g in
skandh(acso nstitoufae bnetisn gw)a se xplaiwnheidl teh e
samtee acwhaesrn owg iviannge xposiotfai s ounb tilnecn oceiv­
abldeh arma.
ThougSha ripuhtardia m plifcaiitit nhB uddhap'rso phecy,
stihlel r equesStaekdy asitroep xhpal awihnyf ormehrley i m­
parteadta llt het eachoifna gntil man( selfsl)se asnsdnn eirviir.za
toh idsi scilpilkheeis m .
Buddhar emovehdi sd oubtbsy tellhiinmga p arable,
whicihsa sf ollows:
Therwea sa f abuloruiscmlhay n w,h oh ada v erlya rhgoeu se,
whichho,w evwears,v eroyl df,u lolfr efuasnedws a st hhea unt
()fb irddso,g wso,r ms, repprteitlayesas,k, � aansd p isacIats .
bada totterroioonffgs traawn,dh ado nloyn deo ofro r eTxhiet .
housseu ddecnaluyg fihrte T.h eo wneorft hheo ushea da num­
bero fc hildprleany iwnigt htihne h ousHee. w asv ermyu ch
frightoenna ecdc ouonftt h efi rea sa lsooft hvee nomomuasn ­
killbienign egxsi stiintn hghe o usaen dt hougohfct a rrytihneg
childoruetbn y h iss troanrgm bsu tt hdei fficuwlatsyt hatth e
boywse ruen mindofftu hlfie r aen d wgeorienh igt haenrd thither
andc oulndo tb eb rougthotgt ehearn dw oulndo te velni sten
to theifra thewra'rsn inagb outt her aginfigr eT.h e
fathkenre wh icsh ildriennc'lsi naatnidso ohn esC ameo uto f
INTRODUCTION xiii
theh ousaen dc ollected beautifudlr atwonby y-b cualrltg,so at
andd eera ndt emptetdh eb oyst ot aket hem aftecro mingo ut
oft heb urninhgo useT.h e boyss trugglaemdo ngt hemselvteos
comeo utfi rsitn o rder to thhaevb ee stt oy-rcta.T he father
thenf elrte leiveda tt hes afetoyfh iss onsW.h en theb oysa sked
fort oyst,h ef atheri,m menselryi cha sh ew as,g avee acho f
themn ott hec heapt ypeosf t oy-cabrutts extremeexlpye nsive
(mahayana),
fastc arriages replewtiet ahl clo nceivable furnish­
ingsa,n dd rawnb yv erys turdbyu lls.
Buddhath en asked Sarwihpeuthterhrae w ouldc onsidtehre
fathegru iltoyft ellian lgi eW.h en Sariputarnas wereidn t he
negatiBvued, dhat oldh im thath eh imsemlifg htb e likened
tot her icfha thetrh,e h ouset ot hew orld( offi voer gansiecn se­
desireasn)dt hes ontso t hem en oft hew orldu nmindIfo uf t he
fireb urningt hew orldT.h enw oodne cheapt oy-carwtesr et he
varioudsi scipliannadr mye ditatiopnraalc ticperse scribed in
Sravaka-yanPar,a tyekabuddha-aynadn aB odhisattva-yana,
whichw ereh eldo uta st heb aifto rt hem en oft he world to
comeo uto ft het hree woorfle dxsi sten(ctei drh)a.tT hueb ait
wast hea ttainmeonfte ternhaalp piness thpreorufgehc tiionn
balab,o dhyadnhgy,aiiv ,ni amoks�aam,as dahmpiiia,t ettciS. o meo f
them en otfh ew orldw,h o reliuepdo nB uddha'wso rdsr,e tired
fromt hew orldllyi veOs.ft hema gains omeb ecamei nterested
ina ttainsianlgv ati(opna rinfiorrhv iiil:zmsae)oln fl yb yl istening
tot het eachinagnsd following prtachtei cerse latitnog t he
fouiir ryasaThteyy waesr.et heS ravakayanainsdtt sh eym ightb e
comparetdo t heb oyss eekintgo y-cadrrtasw nb yd eerT.h ere
wereo therwsh,o s ought self-wciotnhtoruaotnl y g uideb,u tw ho
alswoa ntetdh eiorw ns alvattiohnr ougthh ec omprehension of
thel awo fc ausati(ohn etuypa)r.aT hteyya weret heP ratyeka­
buddhayfmiasntdms ightb ec omparetdo t heb oysa skinfgo r
toy-cardtrsa wnb y goat( ajaTh)e.r ew erea lsot hose, who
aspirefdo ro mniscielnickete h ato ft heB uddhab ys elf-acquired
perfecktn owledgaen d wishedt o helpa llb eingtso attain
parrivniiialnJdea x ertetdo attaitnh eq ualitiwehsi,c hm adea
BuddhaT.h esew eret heM ahayanistsse,e kinegx itfr omt heJ
Tridhiiatnudm si ghtb e comparetdo the boyss eeikngc arts
drawnb yb ulls.
Thought hef athetre mptedt heb oys by showintgo t hem