[Buddha-l] Re: Emptiness

[Dante Rosati]

On 10/23/07, Bob Zeuschner <rbzeuschner at roadrunner.com> wrote:
> Dante Rosati wrote:
> >
> > "mind" and "body" are both designations. there must be something prior
> > to them that is able to designate both from a position that is
> > neither.
> >
>
> I've found this claim often but am puzzled by it.
> If the claim is epistemological, it seems to be assuming an _atman_
> which does the designating.
> "If there is perception, there must be a perceiver."
> "If there is thinking, there must be a thinker" (Descartes).

no, because both "subject" and "object" are dependent designations,
and "thoughts without a thinker" is easy.

> If I were a Madhyamika, I'd guess I'd answer _sunyata_ is the "prior."
> If I were a Yogacarin, I'd guess I'd answer _alayavijnana_ is the "prior."
> If I were a Christian, I'd guess I'd answer god is behind all designations.

since form is sunyata and sunyata is form, neither is prior.
alayvijnana is like epicyles trying to save the appearances contra Copernicus
if there was a god, id curse him for his cruelty and wantonness.

i dont mean temporally "prior", nor epistemologically "prior", but
rather hypostatically prior!

i think Longchenpa said it best:

cir yang ma grub cir yang 'char ba ste/

"it has never existed as anything whatsoever, yet arises as anything at all"
(chos dbyings mdzod I)

Dante