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Non-Duality in Yogācāra Knowledge and Practice

Submitted to Program Units
1: Yogācāra Studies Unit

This panel explores how the Yogācāra articulations of knowledge and practice entail various versions of non-duality. Bringing together three papers that investigte Yogācāra thought in Indo-Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism, this panel intends to start a conversation on the interplay between Buddhist doctrines and practices. 

Jingjing Li, Leiden University, Presiding

Abstract for Online Program Book (maximum 150 words)

This panel explores how the Yogācāra articulations of knowledge and practice entail various versions of non-duality. Bringing together three papers that investigte Yogācāra thought in Indo-Tibetan and East Asian Buddhism, this panel intends to start a conversation on the interplay between Buddhist doctrines and practices. 

Papers

  • Jesse Berger, University of Chicago

    Dharmakīrti’s Sambandhaparīkṣā and its Yogācāra Reception

    Abstract

    Dharmakīrti’s Sambandhaparīkṣā [SP] (Analysis of Relation) and its principal vṛtti (Sambandhaparīkṣavṛtti) are not considered ‘Yogācāra’ texts. However, subsequent Yogācāra thinkers like Śaṅkaranandana interpreted the relational eliminativism of the SP to chiefly entail that cognition is devoid of subject-object duality, and hence ultimately implies a mind-only doctrine. This paper argues that, although the SP does not explicitly endorse any Yogācāra ideas,  Śaṅkaranandana’s commentary identifies important conceptual roots of Dharmakīrti’s rhetorical ‘slide’ from external realism to epistemic idealism. Namely, Dharmakīrti believes that the reality of both causal and conceptual relations is similarly vitiated due to the inherent incapacity of particular moments to instantiate any dyadic forms of necessary dependence. In this way, Dharmakīrti treats existential and semantic relations according to a univocal conception of ‘internal relatedness’—a potentially major error for later Hindu realists.

  • Ronald S. Green, Coastal Carolina University

    Kuiji's Reinterpretation of Amitabha's Physicality: Implications for Yogācāra and Pure Land

    Abstract

    This paper examines Kuiji's (632–682) reinterpretation of Amitabha Buddha within Yogācāra Buddhism, exploring its implications for Pure Land thought. Kuiji, a seminal figure in the Faxiang School, diverges from traditional views by conceptualizing Amitabha as sambhogakāya, accessible only through advanced meditative states. Utilizing a comparative textual analysis of Kuiji's "Forest of Meaning of the Three Bodies" and relevant Yogācāra and Pure Land texts, this study contrasts Kuiji's approach with mainstream Pure Land interpretations, particularly regarding the manifestation and accessibility of Amitabha Buddha. The paper aims to assess how Kuiji's unique perspective enriches understanding of Yogācāra and Pure Land traditions, offering a fresh lens on Mahāyāna Buddhist soteriology and cosmology. By bridging doctrinal gaps and challenging conventional narratives, this research contributes to broader discussions in contemporary Buddhist studies, highlighting Kuiji's role in shaping the philosophical landscape of East Asian Buddhism.

  • Piotr Pieścik, Jagiellonian University

    Ryōhen on bimba and pratibimba – an analysis of primary sources

    Abstract

    This paper aims to present an analysis of the concepts of bimba and pratibimba – central to the philosophical system of Yogâcāra Buddhism – as understood by Ryōhen (1194-1252), a monk of the Japanese Hossō tradition known for his reformatory tendencies. My research is centered around two volumes by the aforementioned author, the Hossō nikan shō and the Kanjin kakumu shō, and aims to answer the following questions:

    • How does Ryōhen’s explanation of bimba and pratibimba differ from those offered by other Yogâcāra scholars, if at all?
    • Is his commentary of this complex topic aimed at a less advanced student of the doctrine, as is the case with many other concepts he explains in his works?
    • Does he draw on the influence of other Buddhist schools of thought in his understanding of bimba and pratibimba?
Audiovisual Requirements

Resources

LCD Projector and Screen

Full Papers Available

No
Program Unit Options

Session Length

90 Minutes
Schedule Info

Wednesday, 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM (June Online Meeting)

Tags

#Buddhism
Yogācāra
Japanese Buddhism
Ryōhen
Kamakura Buddhism
Philosophy
Hossō

Session Identifier

AO26-202