the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, the Śravakabhūmi and the Venerable Revata sutra

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Leo Rivers
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the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, the Śravakabhūmi and the Venerable Revata sutra

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On the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, the Śravakabhūmi and the Venerable Revata sutra :thumbsup:

https://www.academia.edu/43310587/AN_EX ... o=download

《禪與人類文明研究》第 7 期(2020)
International Journal for the Study of Chan Buddhism and Human Civilization Issue 7 (2020)

AN EXAMINATION OF THE MEANING OF "MĀTRA" IN RELATION TO
BUDDHIST MEDITATION IN THE YOGĀCĀRA SCHOOL

Huimin Bhikshu (Taipei National University of the Arts)

ABSTRACT
"Vijñapti-mātra" (consciousness-only) is a well-known expression in the thought of the
Yogācāra school. However, there are many other expressions of "mātra (only) " related to Buddhist meditation in the Śravakabhūmi (the thirteenth stage in the Yogācārabhūmi) andMahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra, for example, jñāna-mātra, darśana-mātra, pratismṛta-mātra, and nāma-mātra etc. This paper examines the meaning of these terms from their role in the meditation process, and concluds by suggesting a possible relationship or linkage between the refrain section (ñāṇa-matta, paṭissati-matta) of the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta(《念處經》)and the "vijñapti-mātra" of the Yogācāra School from the viewpoint of the meditation process.

SAMPLE:

In December 2016, I presented an article entitled “On the Internal, External, Two Together Objectives and the Contemplation of Consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātra) of the Yogācāra School: An Exegesis and Inquiry of Verse 5 into Chapter 11 (dharmaparyeṣṭi, Investigation of the Dharma) of the Sanskrit Text Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra”.46 This study proposed that the “internal, external, two together” objectives and the contemplation of consciousness-only (vijñapti-mātra) might be related to the refrain section (contemplation and “ñāṇa-matta, paṭissati-matta”) of the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta(《念處經).

Recently, I realized that “ñāṇa-matta and paṭissati-matta” in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta are the
equivalent term for "jñāna-mātra" and "pratismṛta-mātra" in the Śravakabhūmi.47 Therefore, these terms are very likely to be forerunners of the "vijñapti-mātra" philosophy of the Yogācāra School.This paper investigates a linkage between the refrain section (ñāṇa-matta, paṭissati-matta) of the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta and the "vijñapti-mātra" of the Yogācāra School from the viewpoint of themeditation process.

2. “JÑĀNA-MĀTRA, DARŚANA-MĀTRA, AND PRATISMṚTA-MĀTRA” IN THE
ŚRBH
From the passage related to the description of the resembling (pratirūpa, 相似) meditative
objects (ālambana, 所緣) in the Śravakabhūmi, we find three compounds featuring the term with“-mātra” (唯), namely, "jñāna-mātra"(唯智), "darśana-mātra"(唯見), and "pratismṛta-mātra"(唯正憶念). This passage begins with the following dialogue between the Bhagavat and the Venerable Revata.

As it was said by the Bhagavat starting with the Venerable Revata, so it is repeatedly
handed down: The Venerable Revata questioned the Bhagavat: “O greatly revered one,
when a monk, practitioner of yoga, fastens his thought on a meditative object, [1] on what
meditative object does he fasten his thought? Also, [2] when his thought is fastened on the meditative object, how is it well fastened?” 48
Then, the Bhagavat replied:
Here, Revata! when a monk, practitioner of yoga, (1) wishes to purify the action (caritaṁ
vā viśodhayitukāmaḥ), or (2) wishes to act skillfully (kauśalyaṁ vā kartukāmaḥ), or (3)
wishes to liberate the mind from defilement (āsravebhyo vā cittaṁvimocayitukāmaḥ), [1]
on corresponding (anurūpa, 相稱) meditative object he fastens his thought. Also, [2] on the resembling (pratirūpa, 相似) and right (samyak) meditative object, there he has not beendeprived of the meditation (dhyāyin).49

It is worth noting that the phraseology of this passage is canonical, taken over as it is from the Smṛtyupasthānasūtra,2112 as is confirmed by a quotation, obviously from this sūtra,in theHsien yang sheng chiao lun (顯揚聖教論) .2113 ”

It seems that my paper (the refrain section in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta in [2.6] “ñāṇa-matta, paṭissati-matta” in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta, and 3. “nāma-mātra, vijñapti-mātra” in the MSA) could constribute the material in the Mahāyānasūtrālāṃkāra (MSA) for this topic.
:coffee:
Be well everybody!
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