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 Preface......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 10 Contents......Page 12 Introduction......Page 36 PART I - METAPHYSICS......Page 50 Section 1......Page 71 Section 2 Concmintance of Existence with Flux......Page 75 CHAPTER III : Objectioins from the Point of View of Causation Explained......Page 90 CHAPTER IV : A Cristical Estimate of the Sautrantika Theory of Causation......Page 105 The Realist's Objections......Page 111 The Buddhist Position......Page 116 CHAPTER VI : A Buddhist Estimate of Universals......Page 138 The Sautrantika’ s Reply to the Realist's Charge.......Page 141 CHAPTER I : The Nature of Existence......Page 52 CHAPTER VII : The Doctrine of Apoha or the Import of Words......Page 158 CHAPTER VIII : The Soul-Theory of the Nyaya-Vaisesika School......Page 191 CHAPTER IX : The Mimamsa Theory of Soul......Page 205 The Buddhist Position......Page 208 Concluding Remarks......Page 221 CHAPTER X : The Soul Theory of the Digambara Jainas......Page 224 CHAPTER XI : The Sankhaya Theory of Soul......Page 231 CHAPTER XII : The Soul-Theory of the Vatsiputriyas......Page 236 CHAPTER III : The Theory of Soul based on the Upanisads......Page 244 CHAPTER XIV : A Critical Estimate of the Non-Soul Theory of the Buddhist Philosophers......Page 246 CHAPTER XV : The Problem of After-Life or Immortality of Consciousness-Continuum......Page 253 CHAPTER XVI : Nirvansa......Page 288 II. The Conception of Nirvana According to the Saravastivadins or the Vaibhasikas......Page 295 III. The Conception of Nirvana According to the Sautrantikas......Page 305 Is aoidya a positive entity ?......Page 307 The Buddhist Conception of Avidyä.......Page 309 PART II - LOGIC AND EPISTEMOLOGY......Page 0 CHAPTER XVII : Perception in Dignaga's School of Philosophy......Page 324 Dharmakirti's definition of Pratyaksa......Page 326 Is the adjective ‘ abhränta ’ absolutely necessary evenfrom the Sauträntika standpoint ?......Page 327 Section B : Kalpanä— What is its meaning?......Page 333 Kalpanä— why shyuld it be unreliable ?......Page 335 Is all knowledge determinate and conceptual ?......Page 342 Classification of perception......Page 346 CHAPTER XVIII : Prapyakaritvavada or Relation of the Sense-Organ with the Object......Page 348 The Nyäya-Vaisesika and Mimämsä school......Page 349 The Nyäya position recapitulated......Page 352 The Buddhist Position fully Elucidated :the Jaina position......Page 353 CHAPTER XIX : Mano-Vijnana or Mental Perception......Page 359 The causal factors in perception......Page 364 CHAPTER XX : Self-Cognition (Svasamvedanam)......Page 367 Jayantabhatta’s explanation of the Naiyäyika position.......Page 383 CHAPTER XXI: The Theory of Perfection as Profounded by Dharmakirti and Dharmottara......Page 385 CHAPTER XXII ; Inference......Page 394 II The Subject-Matter of Interence or the Thesis or Conclution......Page 397 CHAPTER XXIII : Members of a Syllogism (Avayava)......Page 404 CHAPTER XXIV : Universal Concomitance (Vyapti)......Page 414 CHAPTER XXV : Prasanganumana......Page 449 CHAPTER XXVI : Negative Jugment......Page 457 Index......Page 490 ex libris......Page 501