The Buddhist Philosophy of Universal Flux. An exposition of the philosophy of critical realism as expounded by the school of Dignāga

This is a free translation of two Buddhist texts on what is arguably the most popular of all Buddhist conceptions of an ideal world, the "Land of Bliss" of the Buddha Amitabha, the Buddha of Infinite Light. The two texts, known to Western students of Buddhism as the "Smaller" and "Larger" Sukhavatiyuha Sutra, explain the conditions that lead to rebirth in the Pure Land and the manner in which human beings are reborn there. The longer of the two texts also tells the story of how the Buddha of Infinite Light came to preside over this marvel-filled paradise. Both texts describe the layout and the wonders of the Pure Land, and the preconditions that lead to rebirth in this Buddhist paradise. they form the spiritual foundation of pure faith that pervades East Asian Buddhism, a doctrine of faith the parallels Western doctrines of grace while reflecting a complex historical and doctrinal cross-current of faith, effort, and visionary religion. At times solemn, fantastic, and humorous, the accounts reflect the rich literary and religious imagination of India, alternately expressing abstract conceptions and intense feeling deeply rooted in the culture and belief systems that gave birth to them. Each of the two sutras is translated from Sanskrit and Chinese versions to capture some of the nuances that separate South Asian and East Asian forms of Pure Land faith. The translator, a leading Buddhist scholar, seeks to make the sutras accessible to those only vaguely familiar with Buddhism and Buddhist ideas by paraphrasing his interpretation of the text instead of echoing the syntax and surface meanings of the source languages. Like the translations, the accompanying introductions are written for the nonspecialist. The present volume containing a free English rendering of both sutras will be followed by two forthcoming volumes that will contain the original texts with detailed scholarly translations and notes. The Land of Bliss, the Paradise of the Buddha of Measureless Light is the first English translation in a century of two great religious classics of India and the world. Preface......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 10 Contents......Page 12 Introduction......Page 35 PART I - METAPHYSICS......Page 48 CHAPTER I : The Nature of Existence......Page 49 Section 1......Page 68 Section 2 Concmintance of Existence with Flux......Page 72 CHAPTER III : Objectioins from the Point of View of Causation Explained......Page 87 CHAPTER IV : A Cristical Estimate of the Sautrantika Theory of Causation......Page 102 The Realist's Objections......Page 108 The Buddhist Position......Page 113 CHAPTER VI : A Buddhist Estimate of Universals......Page 135 The Sautrantika’ s Reply to the Realist's Charge.......Page 138 CHAPTER VII : The Doctrine of Apoha or the Import of Words......Page 155 CHAPTER VIII : The Soul-Theory of the Nyaya-Vaisesika School......Page 188 CHAPTER IX : The Mimamsa Theory of Soul......Page 202 The Buddhisr Position......Page 207 Concluding Remarks......Page 218 CHAPTER X : The Soul Theory of the Digambara Jainas......Page 221 CHAPTER XI : The Sankhaya Theory of Soul......Page 228 CHAPTER XII : The Soul-Theory of the Vatsiputriyas......Page 233 CHAPTER III : The Theory of Soul based on the Upanisads......Page 241 CHAPTER XIV : A Critical Estimate of the Non-Soul Theory of the Buddhist Philosophers......Page 243 CHAPTER XV : The Problem of After-Life or Immortality of Consciousness-Continuum......Page 250 CHAPTER XVI : Nirvansa......Page 285 II. The Conception of Nirvana According to the Saravastivadins or the Vaibhasikas......Page 292 III. The Conception of Nirvana According to the Sautrantikas......Page 302 Is aoidya a positive entity ?......Page 304 The Buddhist Conception of Avidyä.......Page 306 PART II - LOGIC AND EPISTEMOLOGY......Page 321 CHAPTER XVII : Perception in Dignaga's School of Philosophy......Page 322 Dignäga's definition of Pratyaksa......Page 324 Dharmakirti's definition of Pratyaksa......Page 325 Is the adjective ‘ abhränta ’ absolutely necessary evenfrom the Sauträntika standpoint ?......Page 327 Section B : Kalpanä— What is its meaning?......Page 331 Kalpanä— why shyuld it be unreliable ?......Page 333 Is all knowledge determinate and conceptual ?......Page 340 Classification of perception......Page 344 CHAPTER XVIII : Prapyakaritvavada or Relation of the Sense-Organ with the Object......Page 349 The Nyäya-Vaisesika and Mimämsä school......Page 350 The Nyäya position recapitulated......Page 353 The Buddhist Position fully Elucidated :the Jaina position......Page 354 CHAPTER XIX : Mano-Vijnana or Mental Perception......Page 360 The causal factors in perception......Page 365 CHAPTER XX : Self-Cognition (Svasamvedanam)......Page 368 Jayantabhatta’s explanation of the Naiyäyika position.......Page 384 CHAPTER XXI: The Theory of Perfection as Profounded by Dharmakirti and Dharmottara......Page 386 CHAPTER XXII ; Inference......Page 395 II The Subject-Matter of Interence or the Thesis or Conclution......Page 398 CHAPTER XXIII : Members of a Syllogism (Avayava)......Page 405 CHAPTER XXIV : Universal Concomitance (Vyapti)......Page 415 CHAPTER XXV : Prasanganumana......Page 450 CHAPTER XXVI : Negative Jugment......Page 458 Index......Page 491 The philosophy of the Medieval school of Buddhism was ushered into existence by Dignaga and Dharmakirti and later on systematised and developed by Santaraksita, kamalasila, Ratnakirti and others of repute. The metaphysical and epistemological sides of this school spread far and wide, even in remote days, for they influenced not only the Brahmanical thought but also the non-Brahmanical speculations in Indian philosophical systems from the third century A.D. to 1000 A.D. But a systematic presentation of the philosophy of this school had not been attempted so far Reprint of the 1935 ed. published by University of Calcutta, Calcutta. "Substantially based upon ... [the author's] thesis which was approved for the degree of doctorate in philosophy by the University of Calcutta in 1932." A Systematic And Clear Presentation Of The Philosophy Of Critical Realism As Expounded By Dignaga And His School. The Work Is Divided Into Two Parts Arranged Into 26 Chapters. Part I Discusses The Nature Of Existence, Logical Difficulties, Theory Of Causation, Universals, Doctrine Of Apoha, Theory Of Soul And Problem Of After-life. Part Ii Deals With The Organic And Inorganic Perception, Inference And Negative Judgement. The Two Parts Bound In One Volume Deal Also With Many Subsidiary Topics.