Summary |
The Consciousness-Only (vijñapti-mātra) School of Chinese
Buddhism is a transmission and development of the Consciousness-Only School of
Indian Buddhism. Controversies exist regarding to what extent the Indian
version was reshaped in China. Historically speaking, there were three major
phases of the transmission of Indian Consciousness-Only doctrines: (1) early 6th
century, represented by Bodhiruci; (2) mid-6th century, represented
by Paramārtha (499-569); (3) mid-7th century, represented by Xuanzang
(602?-664) and his disciples, who compiled the Cheng weishi lun (*Vijñapti-mātratā-siddhi) and were later regarded
as orthodox. One of the major differences between the Consciousness-Only
doctrine transmitted by Paramārtha and that by Xuanzang lies in their reception
of Tathāgatagarbha thought. According to Paramārtha, all sentient beings share
the Dharma-body of the Buddha and can be properly designated as
“Buddha-containing” (tathāgata-garbha), but Xuanzang recognizes the existence
of the icchantika-s, namely, a group of sentient beings who will never be
enlightened and become Buddhas. |