[Buddha-l] Re: Emptiness

[Dan Lusthaus]

Richard and Curt,

> > I am not a Yogacara expert, not by a million miles.
>
> Nor am I.

Since I am supposed to be one, perhaps I can shed some light, or at least
mildly defend Yogacara from getting caught in this extremist snare between
the mentalists and the physicalists, since, in fact, Yogacara is neither (or
both, if prefer).

Discussions of the sort of issues Richard's reference to Griffith's book
deals with (nirodha-samaapatti, etc.) occurs numerous times in the Cheng
weishilun -- some of which I devoted a chapter to in my book. One of the
major discussions -- found at the tail-end of the CWSL's discussion of the
alaya-vijnana -- I did not address in the book, but since it is germane to
this dispute, I will briefly mention it here (if you can't read Chinese you
can look over the full discussion in the Vallee Poussin, Tat, or Cook
translations).

The arguments (and there are many, aimed, in turn, at a variety of
opponents) repeatedly revolve around the CWSL's contention that such things
as nirodha-samapatti, asamjni-samapatti, etc., are only satisfactorily
accounted for by the alaya-vijnana. Much hinges on a sutra passage CWSL
cites approvingly:

"Now, as the sutra says: "It is by the mutual support of life, heat and
consciousness that a continuous series [i.e., a being] abides." As the
argument unfolds CWSL makes it clear that all three are necessary and must
always be found together. Its relevance for nirodha-samapatti is, as CWSL
says: "We say that the eighth consciousness is the only consciousness
capable of serving as a support for life and heat" (VP's and Tat's loose
tr.).

Quite a ways further down the argument we find this (the part most germane):

"None of the dharmas such as rupa, etc., exist apart from consciousness...
However, as to nirodha-samapatti, etc., in these acitta stages, just as in
sacitta stages, there definitely is a real (dravya) consciousness which is
together with the life-capacity (jivitendriya), life, and heat. That is what
is classified as a sentient being. By this very reasoning one in
nirodha-samapatti definitely has a consciousness that is real and not apart
from the body."

In short -- and numerous additional passages of this sort, treating the body
as something distinct from but inseparable from consciousness, and vice
versa, could be provided -- the physical body (prior to reductionistically
converting it into either a mentalistic or materialistic theory) is an
essential component of any sentient being. That the physical and the mental
implicate each other is obvious in every act or what even Yogacaras refer to
as "external perception." Body and mind don't simply reduce to each other,
nor exclusively cause each other. They are "mutually dependent," i.e.,
pratitya-samutpada. As Richard pointed out, that makes them both "empty."

You might remember awhile back I posted a translation from the
Yogacarabhumi -- we got caught up in figuring out aama (food not fully
digested), but one of the main topics of that passage was the feeling of
cold that occurs as the alaya-vijnana recedes from the body. That is because
when consciousness leaves the body, so does heat and the life-force. What
remains is a corpse, no longer a sentient being. Check the archives...

Dan Lusthaus