The Inner Science of Buddhist Practice - Khamkoo

6 ▶ The Inner Science of Buddhist Practice
philosophical thought, with some attention given to the unique tenets of
the Mind Only School. Thus, it provides a concise overview for those who
have only a limited opportunity to learn about the Abhidharma. However,
it can also be seen as a starting point for those who intend to pursue a more
extensive and wide-ranging study of Buddhist philosophy.
The great Indian scholar and teacher Vasubandhu is believed to have been
born in the early part of the fourth century in the city that is now called
Peshawar, the capital of the North-West Frontier Province in Pakistan.
What little is known about his life is based mainly on differing accounts
found in several Chinese and Tibetan sources. 6 One thing that can be said
with confidence is that, aside from his elder brother Asaṅga, he is the most
important proponent of the Buddhist Mind Only School. Tibetans refer to
him as a “second Buddha” and count him as one of six “ornaments” among
Indian Buddhist scholars.
Of his many writings, the Treasury of Higher Learning (S: Abhidharmakośaḥ,
T: Chos mngon pa’i mdzod ), a work that is written in verse, along with
its autocommentary have exerted a great influence on Tibetan Buddhism.
Considered one of his earlier works, the root text is essentially a compendium
of the Abhidharma views formulated by proponents of an early Buddhist
realist tradition known as the Vaibhāṣika School. Vasubandhu’s works on the
Mind Only School include commentaries to three of Maitreya’s Five Dharma
Teachings: The Ornament of Mahāyāna Sutras (S: Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāraḥ),
The Treatise That Distinguishes the Middle Way from Extreme Views (S:
Madhyāntavibhāgaḥ), and The Treatise That Distinguishes Phenomena and
Their Ultimate Nature (S: Dharmadharmatāvibhāgaḥ). In addition to the
Summary of the Five Heaps and a number of other original works, he also
wrote commentaries to Asaṅga’s Summary of the Mahāyāna Tradition (S:
Mahāyānasaṃgrahaḥ) and to such Mahāyāna sutras as the Diamond-cutter
(S: Vajracchedikā), the Teachings of Akṣayamati (S: Akṣayamatinirdeśaḥ), and
the Ten Levels [of an Ārya Bodhisattva] (S: Daśabhūmikā).
Even less is known about the life of Sthiramati than that of Vasubandhu.
The Tibetan scholars Butön Rinchen Drup and Taranatha give more or less
similar accounts; however, even Butön expresses some reservations about
their authenticity. Both writers cite the legend that in his previous life he
was a dove who listened to Vasubandhu recite the hundred-thousand-line
version of the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra, and indicate that he studied with
the Master at an early age. Other sources identify him as having mainly been
a disciple of Guṇamati. Modern scholars generally believe that he flourished
in the mid-sixth century.