From: kish@charon.rutgers.edu (Kish)
Subject: Re: Wild attack on Nagarjuna
Organization: ----
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 19:33:01 GMT


[ ... prologue deleted ... ]

>  
> The basic question I raise is this: Is it beneficial or even necessary for 
> a practicing Buddhist to try to understand the doctrine of emptiness as 
> espoused by Nagarjuna and the Madhyamaka school he founded?  Or is such an 
> effort an utter waste of time?

Its important for any Buddhist to cultivate and deepen their experience and
understanding of emptiness.  For most people this is a gradual process 
preferably done under the guidance of a qualified teacher and in the company 
of a practicing sangha. The issue of Madhyamika vs. Yogacara vs. Other-schools
cannot be explored properly without first working through basic Hinayana and
Mahayana practices.

> Tibetan Buddhists say yes to the first question, although they may be the 
> only ones who say so.  For example, the Heart Sutra (... form is emptiness, 
> emptiness is form ...) is a key scripture in much of East Asian Buddhism, 
> and its central theme is the doctrine of emptiness but most everybody who 
> reads or chants it probably takes it as gibberish, nothing that needs to be 
> understood.  All schools of Tibetan Buddhism, however, and especially so 
> the Gelugpa, consider Madhyamaka to be an essential subject of study.  
> According to Tsongkhapa, the three pillars of Buddhist practice are: 1. 
> renunciation (of all involvement with samsara), 2. arousing of bodhicitta 
> (the intense desire to reach enlightenment solely for the sake of the 
> welfare of all beings), and 3. correct understanding of emptiness.  Every 
> Gelugpa commentator is adamant in saying that enlightenment is impossible 
> unless emptiness has been correctly understood.

To assert that everybody who recites and chants the Heart Sutra takes it as
gibberish is a little extreme.  Also, chanting the sutra is good practice 
regardless of how well you have connected with its contents !
	The "three pillars of Buddhist practice" you attribute to Tsongkhapa
are right on target.  And for most of us, things need to happen in that order.

[ ... lots of doubts about Tsonkhapa and Nagarjuna deleted ... ]

[ ... more doubts and skepticism deleted ... ]

> I think we can profitably study and perhaps retain the basic 
> epistemological techniques used by these pioneers but we need to do the 
> whole research project over again and describe our observations in a 
> modern, scientific language that can mesh with parallel research going on 
> in the cognitive and neurosciences.

Yes ! Modern man is perhaps now in a position to rework some of the metaphors
and conceptual models which are part of the Buddhist heritage.  But with 
respect to the methods and practices which Buddhists have developed in order 
to precipitate the awakened state, there is probably not much room for 
improvement.  The real issue here is that the experience of emptiness is 
dependent on the uprooting of self-cherishing attitudes and the development of 
bodhicitta.  The methods for doing this are not conceptually difficult, 
although they can be rather challenging to adhere to from time to time :),
especially if you are working in a competitive environment.

	If wrestling with Tsongkhapa and Nagarjuna is causing you exasperation 
and making your wheels spin, you are missing the point.  Put them aside for
now and let me ask you a few questions.  Are you convinced that self-cherishing
attitudes are the cause of suffering ?  If so, are you convinced that working 
for the benefit of others, alleviating the suffering of others, is the only way
take full advantage of your precious human birth ?  You need to be able to 
answer yes to both before your buddhist practice can take root.

	The following is an excerpt from a wonderful book by Bokar Rinpoche
called "Chenrezik, Lord of Love" (Chenrezik is Tibetan for Avalokitesvara).

<>
	Bodhicitta permeates all the practices of the mahayana and should be
regarded as an invaluable treasure.  Atisa was one of the greatest masters of
India who helped to propagate Buddhism in Tibet.  Every time he said the name
of one of his masters from whom he had received teachings he joined his hands
at the heart level as a sign of respect, devotion, and gratitude.  However,
when he said the name of Serlingpa - one of his teachers - he joined his hands
above his head.  Surprised by this difference, one day some disciples asked 
him the reason.  They asked him if he meant to signify by this that Serlingpa
was superior to the others.  Atisa explained, "This is not the reason; all the
masters from whom I received teachings were equally perfect, but it is because
of Serlingpa that bodhicitta was born in my mind.  It is a sign for this 
extraordinary gift that I join my hands above my head when I say his name."
	Many people in Tibet sought out Atisa to request teachings on the deep
meaning of emptiness, the theories of madhyamika, and the vajrayana.  He
invariably answered that it was not possible to understand emptiness or to 
practice vajrayana before one has developed bodhicitta.  Therefore he always
taught bodhicitta.
<>

[ ... more stuff deleted ... ]

> There may be more to come.

I hope so !

> Jochen Kleinschmidt
> 
> P.S. Funny, now that I'm reading over what I've written, my aversion 
> towards Nagarjuna is much weaker than it was at the outset (what do you 
> expect, you dummy, from ever-arising/ever-vanishing dharmas!).  I see a new 
> angle on this concept of emptiness now, a rather liberating angle.  Maybe 
> Buddhism works, after all!

Yes, these practices work !  But don't take my word for it !

-Bill Kish
-- 

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