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Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s6.t2: gZhung bkav pod lnga

Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s6.t2

Language
English

gZhung bkav pod lnga

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Gzhung bkav pod lnga (Wubu Dalun): The five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism which refer to *Hetuvidya*, *Prajna*, *Madhyamika*, *Abhidharmakosa-Sastra* and disciplines.

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**Hetuvidya:** One of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism, refers to Buddhist Logic. Buddhist Hetuvidya has many functional properties: it is a kind of instrumental and functional knowledge, a discipline that can be correctly reasoned and intellectually exercised, the methodology and epistemology for the seeking of the truth and is known as the golden key to open the treasure house of knowledge. Therefore, in all sects’ education of Tibetan Buddhism, Hetuvidya is relatively consistently learned first and is thought the eye for the study of Prajna. People study Madhyamika later because they think Madhyamika is result of the study of *Prajna*. Historically, Tibetan Buddhist monks applied and developed Dignaga’s Pramanasamuccaya and Dharmakirti’s *Seven Commentaries of Hetuvidya* and so on, all that got rid of the four Indian heretics’ thought and established the four Neidao’s thought, and ultimately established the Buddhist Prasangika Madhyamika. Hetuvidya not only plays the role of “breaking the evil theory and establishing the right thought” in the process of “breaking” and “establishing” Buddhism, but also becomes the arguing skill basis in texts for religious titles of Tibetan Buddhism.

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**Prajna:** One of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism and the early important Buddhist ideology and theory of Mahayana. Its fundamental classic is Prajnaparamita and also known as the mother of Buddha (Yum chen mo) because the reason for all Buddhas to become a Buddha is mainly that they depend on Buddhist scriptures of which the essence and realisation process (originating from sex empty theory and how to study Buddhist scriptures and to become a Buddha) are originated from Prajnaparamita. Therefore, Prajnaparamita is called the mother of Buddhist scriptures or the mother of all Buddhas. In addition, Prajnaparamita is thought the transcendent enlightenment intelligence namely Prajna is wisdom, based on which the truth -- true suchness, true essence, and false and sex empty theory are explored. Therefore Prajna is said to be

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*Research books on five sects of Tibetan Buddhism*

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the abstract theory of “the meditations of sunya”. Prajnaparamita has created the Mahayana Buddhism also known as Bodhisattvayana. Bodhisattva has the spirit of self-consciousness, being aware of others, self-interest and interesting others. Bodhisattva’s initial approach to become a Buddhist believer is six perfections including almsgiving, commandments observing, ksanti, virya, meditation practice and prajna. Having a Bodhicitta and studying six Paramita are the main characteristics of Mahayana Buddha and the motive power to contribute to the rise of Mahayana Buddhism. So Prajna thought refers to six Paramita. While Maitreya’s Abhisamayalankara is the argument, teaching or knack of Prajna Paramita Sutra and an outline comment on Mahavagga Prajnaparamita that gives the first place to the thoughts of Madhyamika, namely “all dharmas have no self-nature” and the second place to the thoughts of yoga and order. Therefore, Tibetan Buddhism takes *Abhisamayalankara* as the outline of the study of Prajna and incorporates it into one of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism, and which has become the most important content to know Buddhist Prajna empty wisdom and achieve the wisdom of Buddha.

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**Madhyamika:** one of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism and one of the four Buddhist sectarian doctrines. It occupies an important position in the entire history of Buddhist thought. It absorbed the thoughts of Agama and Prajna; then it created Madhyamika of Tibetan Buddhism that is greatly valued and vigorously carried forward. So Madhyamika flourished and was developed in Buddhism, and even the thoughts of Madhyamika became the main theoretical basis of Tibetan Buddhism, based on which their own views of Buddhism are established, for example, “the five important classics” took Madhyamika and Hetuvidya as two important theories to establish the Buddhist views of point. Hetuvidya is thought the eye for the study of Prajna so it is learned first. People study Madhyamika later because they think Madhyamika is result of the study of Prajna. That shows that the purpose of studying Madhyamika is darsana-marga and to get the kosher thoughts of Madhyamika. Tibetan Buddhism placed Madhyamika on an important position in the entire Buddhist system. Especially during the period of Houhong of Tibetan Buddhism, Chandrakirti's main works about Madhyamika were translated into Tibetan Language, and thus all thoughts of Madhyamika have been preserved in Tibetan Tripitaka and the authoritative status of Chandrakirti has been established in Tibetan Buddhism.

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**Abhidharmakosa**: One of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism and its full name is *Abhidharma Abhidharmakosa*, of which *Abhidharma* (mngon pa) refers to the abhisamaya doctrines and arguments, and the word *Abhidharmakosa* has the meaning of hiding Tibetan and treasure-house. Whether Han Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism or Southern Buddhism, they all have such *tripitakas* as *sutra-pitaka*, *vinaya-pitaka* and *Abhidhamma pitaka*, and all that have formed a complete theoretical system and practical method of all sects of Buddhism. And *Abhidharmakosa Sastra* belongs to *Abhidhamma pitaka* and is classified into the Tengyur in the Tibetan Tripitaka, which is the India monk Taetok's commentary on *sutra-pitaka* and *vinaya-pitaka* taught by the Buddha and the further explanation of “Four Noble Truths” in the first part of Dharma-chakra. As Theravada's view in *Abhidharmakosa Sastra* says, it is a kind of Buddhist theory with its content mainly about Theravada Buddhism and an indispensable and important part of Buddhist Tripitaka. As one of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism, *Abhidharmakosa Sastra* has become an important study content of Tibetan Buddhism.

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**Discipline**: One of the five important classics of Tibetan Buddhism, and it is the basis of Buddhism and Buddhist study, so it occupies a dominant position in the Tibetan Buddhist study system. The reason why Buddhism was able to flourish relies mainly on organisation of the sangha and the guarantee of discipline system. The Sangha compromises the monk and believers at home. In the strict sense, the monks and believers at home have some differences: bhikkhu (dge slong), the male monk over the age of 20 following 250 commandment; bhikshuni (dge slong ma), the female monk over the age of 20 following 300 to 500 commandments; acolyte (dge tshul), male monk under the age of 20 following 10 commandments; Samaneri (dge tshul ma), the female monks under the age of 20 following about 10 commandments; Sikkhamana (dge tshul ma), the female monk who is two years earlier to become the bhikshuni and follows six commandments; upasaka (dge bsnyen) or recluse, the male believers following “the three commandments and the five precepts”; Upasika (dge bsnyen ma) or recluse, the female followers at home following “the three commandments and five precepts”. The differentiation of these seven groups of people is on the basis of the discipline they comply respectively. Before nirvana, Shakyamuni has completed the formulation of doctrines for the seven kinds of sangha. Each of the seven kinds of sangha, such as bhikkhu or bhikkuni can form the sangha when the monks and believers gather to reach a certain number. Among the five kinds of monks, the acolyte belongs to the bhikkhu, the sikkhamana and the samaneri belong to the bhikkuni. The Sangha aims at serving all beings and making all beings conscious. In order to manage Sangha and make them to be engaged in the regular collective religious life, rules and regulations were formulated, especially for different believers, various discipline were formulated to follow. Since then the doctrines have been established. Just as Bkav-thang-sde-lngamonks said: Monks are the faithful practitioners or defenders of the doctrine, so it is said that monks are the foundation of Buddhism, and consequently a number of *Sangha* organisations are established.

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(*Kalsang gyal*)

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