Aspects of Mahayana Buddhism and its Relation to Hinayana c7.s4.t2: Reasons Adduced by the Mahāyānists for Including the Truths and the Causal Law in Their Doctrines
Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism and its Relation to Hīnayāna c7.s4.t2
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Reasons Adduced by the Mahāyānists for Including the Truths and the Causal Law in Their Doctrines
c7.s4.t2.1
The Mahāyānists highly appreciated the teaching conveyed by the formula of causation but were not interested in the significance of its links, as their cardinal tenet was dharma-śūnyatā or non-existence of everything worldly. Similarly for the āryasatyas, they appreciated the method of analysis of all worldly things as suggested by the four satyas but these in their view have existence similar to the objects in a dream or a mirage. Thus, if everything be non-existent, the examination of a non-existent thing is absurd; hence the Mahāyānists should by reasons justify the inclusion of the Āryasatyas and the Pratītyasamutpāda in their doctrines. Nāgārjuna and Śāntideva, Asaṅga and Vasubandhu therefore have shown by forcible and illuminating arguments that they were justified in including the Truths and the twelve-linked Law of Causation in their doctrines.
c7.s4.t2.2
nāmarūpa are shown as resting upon each other, i.e., one cannot remain without the other.