Mahāyānasaṃgraha by Asaṅga (aka Summary of the Great Vehicle)

Discuss and learn about the traditional Mahayana scriptures, without assuming that any one school ‘owns’ the only correct interpretation.
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yokosukasailorboy
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Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2022 7:23 pm

Mahāyānasaṃgraha by Asaṅga (aka Summary of the Great Vehicle)

Post by yokosukasailorboy »

Hi again to all my Dharma brothers and sisters, I have just started reading Mahāyānasaṃgraha (Mahāyāna Compendium/Summary, also called "Summary of the Great Vehicle") by Asaṅga. I'm reading John P. Keenan's translation (in English). I have read that the Sanskrit is no longer extant, though there are apparently still extant Tibetan and Chinese manuscripts. And apparently there are a few other translations, including one in French (though I don't read French), not sure what the best translation is, though I currently only have access to Keenan's.

It seems to present the classic argument for the basic Yogācāra themes of conscious interiority, attempting to reinterpret within this context the general Mahayana teachings of emptiness and dependent co-arising. To be fair, it's not light reading, and I'd appreciate any other insights than anybody else may have gleaned from this work. As I mentioned in another recent topic I posted, I'm reading Vasubandhu's "A Mahayana Demonstration on the Theme of Action", and I'm trying to really understand these works, and I don't have anybody else to discuss them with. So anything that anybody would like to share would be deeply appreciated. I look forward to your responses, and best wishes to all.
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