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Status of Conventional Truth in Tsong khapa's Mādhyamika Philosophy

2007; Taylor & Francis; Volume: 8; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1080/14639940701295070

1476-7953

Sonam Thakchöe,

Indian and Buddhist Studies

Abstract This paper examines how and why conventional truth is, in Tsong khapa's view, false and deceptive yet indeed truth that stands shoulder to shoulder with ultimate truth. The first part of the paper establishes the complementary nature of the two truths by responding to the question ‘Why is conventional truth “truth” at all?’ The discussion in the second part examines the uses of conventional discourse within the Mādhyamika philosophical framework—partly by discussing Tsong khapa's response to the question ‘Why is conventional truth “false” and “deceptive”?’, and partly by considering his views on the application of the worldly convention within the Prāsangika Mādhyamika system. Notes 1. Myu gu'i chos nyid ni de'i rang gzhin yin pas de'i ngo bo zhes bya la myu gu'i kha dog dang dbyibs la sogs pa yang myu gu’ bdag nyid yin pas de'i ngo bo'o// 2. Tha snyad la ni ma brtan par/ /dam pa'i don ni bstan mi nus/ /dam pa'i don ni ma rtogs par/ /mya ngan ‘das pa thob m ‘gyur/24:10/ 3. Gang la stong pa nyid rung ba/ /de la thams cad rung bar ‘gyur/ /gang la stong nyid mi rung ba/ /de la thams cad rung mi ‘gyur/24:14/ 4. Gang la stong pa nyid srid pa/ /de la don rnams thams cad srid/ /gang la stong nyid mi srid pa/ /de la ci yang mi srid do/70/ 5. rTen cing ‘brel bar ‘byung ba gang/ /de ni stong pa nyid du bshad/ /de ni brten nas gdags pa ste/ /de nyid dbu ma'i lam yin no/24:18/ 6. Gang zhig stong dang rten ‘byung dag/ /dbu ma'i lam du don gcig par/ /gsungs mchog mtshungs pa med pa yi/ /sangs rgyas de la phyag ‘tshal lo/71/ 7. Gang phyir rten ‘byung ma yin pa'i/ /chos ‘ga’ yod pa ma yin pa/ /de phyir stong pa ma yin pa'i/ /chos ‘ga’ yod pa ma yin no/24:19/. Similarly, other notable verses in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā such as 24:10–11, 24:20, 24:36–37, 24:39–40 also reinforce Nāgārjuna's commitment to the mutually compatible relationship between the two truths. 8. dNgos po stong pa gzugs brnyan la sogs pa/ /tshogs la ltos nas ma grags pa yang min/ /ji ltar der ni gzugs brnyan sogs stong las/ /shes pa de yi rnam pa skye ‘gyur ltar/vi:37/ 9. De bzhin dngos po thams cad stong na yang/ stong nyid dag las rab tu skye bar ‘gyur// 10. bDen pa gnyis su'ang rang bzhin med pa'i phyir/ /de dag rtag pa ma yin chad pa'ang min/vi:38/ 11. Khyod ni nam gzhig stong pa nyid/ /rten ‘byung don do mthong pa na/ /rang bzhin gyis ni stong pa dang/ /bya byed ‘thad pa'ang mi ‘gal zhing/11/ de las bldog par mthong ba na/ stong la bya ba mi rung zhing/ /bya dang bcas la stong med pas/ mya ngan gyang du ltung bar bzhed/12/ 12. De phyir rten nas ‘byung ba las/ /ma gtogs chos ‘ga’ yod min pas/ /rang bzhin gyis ni stong pa las/ /ma gtogs chos ‘ga’ med par gsungs/14/ 13. Rang bzhin ‘ga’ yang med pa dang/ /’de la rten nas ‘de ‘byung pa/ /rnam gzhad thams cad ‘thad pa gnyis/ /mi ‘gal ‘du ba smos ci dgos/18/ 14. De phyir rten nas ‘byung ba gang/ /rang bzhin gyis ni gdod ma nas/ /rnam par dben yang der snang bas/ /’de kun sgyu ma bzhin du gsungs/27/ 15. gZhan yang snang bas yod mtha’ sel ba dang/ /stong pas med mtha’ sel zhing stong pa nyid/ /rgyu dang ‘bras bur ‘char ba'i tshul shes na/ /mthar ‘dzin lta bas ‘phrog par me ‘gyur ro/13/ 16. sNang ba rten ‘drel blu ba med pa dang/ /stong pa khas len dral ba'i go ba gnyis/ /ji srid so sor snang ba de srid du/ da dung thob pa'i dgongs pa rtogs pa med/11/ 17. Nam zhig ris ‘jog med par cig car du/ /rten ‘brel mi bslur mthong ba tsam nyid nas/ /nges shes yul gyi ‘dzin stangs kun zhig na/ de tshe lta ba'i dpyad pa rtogs pa lags/12/ 18. The twofold bodies of a buddha—namely, the rūpakāya (gzugs sku), literally ‘form body’, is accomplished as a result of the exhaustive accumulation of meritorious deeds (bsod nams kyi tshogs), and the dharmakāya (chos sku), literally ‘nature body’, or ‘truth body’ is accomplished as a result of the exhaustive accumulation of penetrative wisdom (yeshe kyi tshogs). 19. bDen pa gnyis la nye ring mi rig te/ bden pa gnyis gang las nyams na phung par yang ‘dra/ mthar ltong par ‘dra/ ma nyams na tshogs gnyis rdzogs pa dang sku gnyis thob pa'i bar ‘dra ba'i phyir te/ kun rdzob khas ma blangs par nyams na skur ‘debs kyi mthar ltong dge rtsa gcod ‘bras bu ngan ‘gror ltong/ gsugs sku sgrub byed dang de'i ‘bras bu las nyams par ‘gyur …// 20. The twofold accumulations include the meritorious deeds (bsod nams kyi tshogs) and the accumulation of penetrative wisdom (yeshe kyi tshogs). 21. Des na bden gnyis zung ‘brel gces te/ de la mthar mi ltong ba dang mi phung ba dang tshogs gnyis dang de'i sku gnyis thob pa'i bar yin phyir te…// 22. dGe ba ‘de yis skye bu kun/ /bsod nams yeshes tshogs bsags te/ /bsod nams yeshes las byung ba'i/ /dam pa gnyis ni thob par shog/60/ Cited in Candrakīrti's Yukti a ikāv tti (1997–1998, 59f). Also see Lindtner (Citation1986, 93) for a slightly different way of translating this verse. 23. The noble truth of suffering, the noble truth of origin of suffering, and the noble truth of path leading to the cessation of suffering come under the domain of conventional truth, while the noble truth of the cessation of suffering is comes under the ultimate truth. 24. Yeshes chos sku dang longs spyod rdzogs pa'i sku gnyis dngos rgyu tshogs pa'i tshar gcig la rags las kyi ‘brel pa grub pa yin la/ dus cig car du mngon du byed pa yin no/ /…des na gzhi'i bden pa gnyis zung du ‘jug pa dang/ /lam tshogs gnyis zung du ‘jug pa dang/ ‘bras bu cho gzugs gnyis zung du ‘jug pa rigs pa'i lam nas drangs…// 25. Sangs rgyas bcom ldan las rnams kyis chos bstan pa ni/ bden pa gnyis po ‘de la brten nas ‘jug pa yin no// 26. bDen pa bzhan gang cung zad cig yod pa de yang ci rigs par bden pa gnyis kyi khongs su gtogs pa kho nar nges par bya'o// 27. Don dam bden pa'i bden tshul ni/ mi slu ba yin la de yang gnas tshul gzhan du gnas shing snang tshul gzhan du snang nas ‘jig rten la mi slu ba'i phir// 28. Gal te de lta na'ang je ltar myang ngan las ‘das pa don dam pa'i bden par gsungs she na/ de'i bdag nyid du ‘jig rten la mi slu ba'i phir ‘jig rten gyi tha snyad kho nas de don dam pa'i bden par gsungs so// Also cited in Tsong khapa (Citation1992, 411). 29. bCom ldan ‘das kyi chos gang zhig/ slu ba de ni brdzun zhes gsungs/ /’du byed thams cad slu ba'i chos/ /de na de dag ‘rdzun pa yin/xiii:1/ I borrowed the translation from Garfield (Citation1995, 206). 30. Myang ngan ‘das pa bden gcig bu/ rgyal ba rnams kyis nam gsungs pa/ de tshe lhag ma log min zhes/ mkhas pa su zhig rtog par byed/35// 31. ‘o na bcom ldan ldas kyis/ dge slong dag bden pa dam pa ‘de ni gcig ste/ ‘de lta ste mi slu ba'i chos can mya ngan las ‘das pa'o/ /zhes gang gsungs pa de ji ltar zhe na/ /je ltar ‘dus byas log par snang bas byis pa rnams la slu bar byed pa yin pa de bzhin du/ /mya ngan las ‘das pa ni ma yin te/ rtag tu skye ba med par'i rang bzhin gyis ngo bo kho nar gnas pa nyid kyi phir ro/ /de ni byis pa rnams la yang ‘dus byas ltar skye ba'i ngo gor nam yang mi snang ngo/ /de'i phir mya ngan las ‘das pa ni rtag tu kho nar mya ngan las ‘das pa nyid du gnas pa'i phir jig rten gyi tha snyad kho nas bden pa dam par gsungs kyi…// Cited in Tsong khapa (Citation1992, 312); and mKhas grub rJe (see Cabezón Citation1992, 360).