05.03.2013 Views

Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The ... - misterdanger.net

Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The ... - misterdanger.net

Metaphor and Literalism in Buddhism: The ... - misterdanger.net

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

THE DOCTRINAL DEVELOPMENT OF NIRVANA<br />

aspects by non-omniscient ones. For it is knowledge which is the power of<br />

the omniscient.’ 126 His uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty seems to come from the possible <strong>in</strong>terruption<br />

of a mental series, especially <strong>in</strong> nirodhasamApatti, 127 which will automatically<br />

halt the cont<strong>in</strong>uum of powers (Uakti) convey<strong>in</strong>g future results.<br />

This <strong>in</strong>terruption could be the reason why he <strong>in</strong> the KarmasiddhiprakaraOa<br />

<strong>in</strong>troduced latent consciousness (AlayavijñAna), 128 which will cont<strong>in</strong>ue un<strong>in</strong>terrupted<br />

even <strong>in</strong> nirodhasamApatti. In that text his uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty disappeared<br />

when he had expla<strong>in</strong>ed latent consciousness (AlayavijñAna). 129<br />

As we saw <strong>in</strong> ‘<strong>The</strong> Ch<strong>in</strong>ese abhidharma works’ <strong>in</strong> Chapter 3, nirvana for<br />

the Sarvastivada-Vaibhalikas is a real existent (dravya) to protect a series of<br />

aggregates perpetually from past, present <strong>and</strong> future defilements, <strong>and</strong> is<br />

clearly contradicted by the Sautrantika’s def<strong>in</strong>ition of nirvana seen above. 130<br />

In the second chapter of the AbhidharmakoUabhALya, the Sarvastivada-<br />

Vaibhalikas made the follow<strong>in</strong>g objection: 131<br />

<strong>The</strong>n if nirvana is only non-aris<strong>in</strong>g, how are we to <strong>in</strong>terpret this<br />

statement <strong>in</strong> the sEtra: 132 ‘these five faculties if practised, cultivated<br />

<strong>and</strong> developed conduce to the ab<strong>and</strong>onment of past, future <strong>and</strong><br />

present suffer<strong>in</strong>g (duPkha)’? As nirvana [for the Sautrantikas] is<br />

ab<strong>and</strong>onment <strong>and</strong> is the non-aris<strong>in</strong>g only of the future, it cannot be<br />

of past <strong>and</strong> present!<br />

For the Sautrantikas, there is noth<strong>in</strong>g to be done with past defilements<br />

because they cease automatically after awaken<strong>in</strong>g (paryavasthAna) <strong>and</strong> their<br />

efficacy cannot last any more. A present defilement cannot last more than a<br />

moment. All they need to do is to remove sleep<strong>in</strong>g defilements (anuUaya), <strong>in</strong><br />

the state of be<strong>in</strong>g seed (bCjabhAva), which had been planted <strong>in</strong> a series of<br />

aggregates (sk<strong>and</strong>hasaNtAna), have been susta<strong>in</strong>ed <strong>in</strong> that series through<br />

transformation <strong>and</strong> will be manifested by the special transformation of the<br />

series (saNtAnapariOAmaviUeLa). <strong>The</strong> answer given by Vasub<strong>and</strong>hu to the<br />

above objection was as follows:<br />

Further, ab<strong>and</strong>onment is the absolute non-aris<strong>in</strong>g of future suffer<strong>in</strong>g<br />

or defilement because of the absence of the state of be<strong>in</strong>g seed<br />

(bCjabhAva). Otherwise what of past <strong>and</strong> present defilement is there<br />

to be ab<strong>and</strong>oned? Indeed there is no profit <strong>in</strong> mak<strong>in</strong>g an effort<br />

concern<strong>in</strong>g what has already ceased <strong>and</strong> what is on the po<strong>in</strong>t of<br />

ceas<strong>in</strong>g. 133<br />

Once anuUaya, the state of be<strong>in</strong>g seed, was destroyed by the power of <strong>in</strong>tuition<br />

(darUana) <strong>and</strong> the noble path (mArga), name <strong>and</strong> form (nAmarEpa),<br />

which are the support (AUraya) for the anuUaya, become special (viUeLa); that<br />

is to say, move from a normal state of hav<strong>in</strong>g the power to produce a<br />

defilement to a special state of lack<strong>in</strong>g power to produce a defilement. 134<br />

96

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!