Buddhist Omniscience

8/9/2019 Buddhist Omniscience

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Naughton, Alex. “Buddhist Omniscience.”

The Eastern Buddhist 24:1 (1991) pgs. 28-51


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Bdd

LEX

"Omnsence, at least for one who is no imsef omniscit ismeey an opion.

Nta Katz Buddhst Images ofHan Perecion, p

(ng Paseadi speking to Skamni): asked te od abou omscice nd e expain omcence

to me in a manne c p , sases and gaddens meL ts, Fu"hr Dou ofhe Buddha Vol. 70

Omnsiene n Indin nex

Te concept of omniscience has a og sto in Indian toght1e Vdas themsev do not contai te ord omcience bt aseal pots they ee o sar cncpts Te god o e Ag soe o e most po ges addsed in the Vedic hymns, and acmmon epitt for im is J c mns knoing

crated beings Hoeer the Veda eb a charactrisc knon askathenoteism, i consss of e tendency to addrs aiosdieen gods eac as spreme her ae a bedering iet of godsadessed te Vedic mns bt o one o tem is cea pe-eminnt Instead dpnding uon hc god te prticr ymn is addeed to tha god i be add it a coetion of speratiec are addrsed o a dieent od in another hymn s ighhnors or knoge are not xcie to Agn b ay m Vra

on as "cief of te gods o te natua and mo oder, s

B (f( e d Ram J SIDlh, Te Cor�pt /Orsknc i A-d" Hnu ug.


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BUDH M�CECE

supicated sayg: "Accordig his wsdom Vna kowth Iother ssage we d Prajai! thou oy comrehedest aths crated thigs, ad oe bse thee. With the deveomet ofthe Upnifds we are o rmer grod or hee the Sst wod ormisece doe aer2 The gerledecy of he Upnifds isto equate omisece th kowge o the mn or sou thoughthere is sti asctio of omiscee to the god Vu for xmee moemet from the Veds to the Upnifds thus rests a chge th t m Wh t d fr th d iw accssie to certai e as we, those who sek the mn Ytkowedge of the mn is ot what ormy take he word omis-

cice ma hs idictes tht omece has svera dierelmeigs witi di iosohy d reigio, of which the iter orcommo meg of kowig eethig is erhas the est i-tereslig We may comare omsciece to omvorous i-iatig that the atter certy does ot mea that oe has areadyeae eerthg but rather that oe s red to t yhig that isedibe wh excudes a rge um of thigs Aogousy omis-ciec may be regrded s a oteti rather th /i mpi the

aty ow eeryg that s owabe wthout hag areykow it a Ad the imitalio o ths kid of omisciee to thatwch is owabe is a imortat isctio, sic it woud ecude future ees at east as we as a arge rooio of ast eetsis kid of omsciec we may ca a gualie or metahorica om-iece, as oosed to the more ommo itera omsciec Thekd of omisciece that s referred t the Upn�ds s syoymouswith kowedge of te mn ma be desigated a sritua omis-cece, sice i kowig the mn s idetica wlh the udmetalUre of eaity oe kows uderyig feaure of seemgyserate heomea hes riou eret kids of omisciece a-ear wthi the Buddhist tradito we

Omniscen in s

Colemoaeous wth the deeomet of the Upn� there a-

er dia sver derel reis teachers who dey the ecacy

e d ; n a, vey dj eea ve c Ur En kn


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AU

o the Vas entirey he most mp of hese gur o ou pupses e Skymuni Buddha ad Mhlva, who foud he eiostrdiios o uddhism ad Jism. ana eigious schaoogy main

tned hat the sou had a inate cpaty o knowedge which wasobscued y ayes of kama or accumuated snfu actios Thoughreigious pacice gey cosisting auseitie he ayes ud ened o and once they wee gone the sou woud e ieatedHaving removed ostac to the onitio it wod naturyoOw hat the ou woud e oisciet he J caed thskowedge o he ieaed sou kea/-jna, nd thei isisence uponthe ey o ths aainent orms ne o he hamrks o ina doc

te his is consistet oth with aina souces th ves and wihpots o na doctes the Pi sciptures We nd Ahaya heLchav sang the Angutora Nikya: "i, NUha's son, hecoh, caim to e -kowin -seeig nd to have aomprsng knowedge d visio He sys Whethe I wak or snd orsp o wake my knowedge nd sion are aways nd without aeak pesent efoe me' ir in he Mahim Niky Whethis had en sad moks these ais spoke to me thus; Yourreveence, aputta the n is -owing, ·seeing he caims aemacing koweandsion sayig; Whethe I am wak orstndig st or seep o awake, kwedge-andsion is manetyad contiuousy efore me

Fiy the CD{Sakuludi·Su

cntas the oow h mpimentay psge n whichy add kymuni:

ome me ago eed si oe who w a-kowing

a

eeing aming a-macing knowedgeandvision, sdWhethe I am waking or staning sti o asp o awakeknowedge-nd·vision is nstnty and peptuay eoeme e o eng asked a quion y me conceg hep sheved the quion y (kng) another answered othe poin nd evinc emper nd iII·wi ad sukn [uddha nquies B who ws ts dn ha · know

P Jini, Th Jin Pt 0/ PurjC, "Alte omisiee is ihr I.aditio Ie fdetl criteo or io" Ao . N. Jytiee &1)Bddh :y 0/ Know quoig Jbi' Ja QN s t oi· ie W oe o the deta dgm! of te Jis

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BUD C

ig, -seg clamig ebrcig owlge-d-isio . o beig s quo by you tempr -wl d sukiss?' [di eple:) Reer sr, w Np the Ja"

Tere e oe imir psges te lOS bu to eure th Bst re o misrepeeig poio of e wemy tu o ei ow ouc, whee we : he i vew of omnscce my be ow ded s immdie d rec owdgeof the objts of the uee pt pet d futue ble deoe fr er, by igle ee-sig c of owledge rquii o itce from te eses e md· ii o scusses

th tue of a omsece i wy Suc owlege compre to mio i which eeyoe f te iumeble exte i quie moe imusy reHeced he owbls cogzd ito y olito woeer o the p of e htFeroe o ciity of te e o m i oe; tere oyt pecepto by he soL' ts a omsece would smto be ite id of omiscece wch outie of te ritio

ull reee for e t s utomtc d of owedge reqiig o olitio" d o ctiy of he sess o mi" I fcomiciet coitio eory cogitio e el to be mutllytithicl6 Th follows from e cocepio of e oulwch itely owig ity g remo obcutos te ue o te soul will mfe itsf compeey thouty poibe ice o mitto o ucl is his doce of omicece o e trdio t i is usd to le l othe i

echgs writes t he utoty of te tecg etultimely o the fct t tey wee peche by omicie beig7 whic ems ey im to th� ie of eeio ouce orou g

The Budst io fom icepio hs so me e of teccept of omcec but y eet mer I te dtil ccot of yu eheme, e co of i

R Jee n M C / 18 Jn p. t p 6 bd p 34-5 bd p 89


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GHTN

relizion is said o onsis of hree knds of knowledge: of s ownpevious eistences, irvoynce whch sees he rsmigraion of beins in accordance wih heir karma and desrucion of he ravas,

wic are said o consis of sensual desire desire for exsence and gnrance. Having aned enligenmen Skyamuni dede o eacohers how o acieve he same realizaon afer being requesed byBaM one o he mn diies in e ndu pneon. Learning a own fome eachers were dead he decded o ve s rs eacingo e group o ve monks w wm e had prevousy engaged nvarious c pacice While on hs way o mee em he encouneredan aceic name Upak. Upaka niced ha Skyamun didn' ook

ie an ordnary feow so e asked im"Wo s your eacher or wh>e damma do you profess?' When his had been said onks addessed Upaka eNaked Ascetic in verses

Vicorous ove all omniscen am I

Ta is o say on he basis of he prviously menoned re kinds ofkowlege Skyamuni here claims nscience for imself s s ob

viusly no mean as a eral omscience bu as a more spiriua kndsuch a in he Upan�a Wha is s remkable abou Ihis passagehoug s Upakas reacion o Skyamun's grand pronouncemenhereupon Upaka said Would a migh be so fend' shook hishad and wen o on a by-pa9 Tha s o say paka ehibis ahoroughly skepical aiude o Syamuni's claim o omnisciencead goes ounconvinc hs reacon seems a ver naual one o usad he fac a i porays Skauni n such an uncomplmenyway direcly afer hs enlighenmen is probably good evdence for isaheiciy. o laer edacor woud be likely o make up suc a soryEen houg Upaka recognizes a somehing abou Skyamuni issecal e does no beome e r Buddhis Te connecion beeen e hree kinds of knowledge nd omniscience is also menionedin he Tei a-VachagoUa Sutta where Skyamun mees ewnderer Vacchagoa who says ha he has heard Skymun

B. Hr ra The Middle Legth Syig, Vl 4 A Thse e oj Bddh eged d H. p 8

Th H


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BUDDHS OMISCIECE

cbe as omisciet, he maer of he Jaa sas.Rspodg oths epo SAkyamun eples hat he ha h koweges: he caea hs past is he s caivoya a he has beme berae byesoyg he "cakes These o cue ae he same hee ha costte hs eghtemet.Respog o bhaya the ccha's saem above, aa makes o meio o omisciece, b simpytes hm abo he basc B a o, mh aj ascostug he uhs pah o n{. O ohe occaso, wheSymu r pr h J i way

" o s aaka some ehe a-kowg, a-seeg,

cams a-embracg kowege·a-isio, sayg: Whhe I am wakg o sag st o asp o awake, kowegeaso s cosy a pepeuay beoe me Heees a empy pace a he oes o obt amsoo,a a og btes hm a he ecoes a ece eephaa he ecoues a ece hose, a he ecoues a ecebock a he asks a woma a ma her me a ca he asks he ame o a ae o a make tow a heway Wheepo aaka a ege peso .goes away eres.

a s to say, someoe who was u omse wou o ac i scha ay, he cms o be omiet yt acs he mae escbe aboe, s cut to ake s seosy geea we hat kymu sms o be ueese cams o omisece,pay bause hey ae ooious cu to ey, bu agey

bause they ae o hepu o oe who seeks beao Coug tak o aka qoe aboe, kyamui sigushs o typeso sasacoy bases o ego teachg.he s s he exampejU&1 ge of a eacher who c� o be omsce eo s aeache who oows ato h s a teache who oows easoa a s a eache who s stup a cous.hough he coesgess ha he s type was pay ece at he aas hepcipe se s epesse whot eeece to ay specc gue w kow om ohe souces hat MahAa was ot aoe camg

I. B Homer, Irans. Thf Mdlf & n Vol.


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NUHON

to ossess omnscence. At one o n the MahPanbbDna-SaSiuta addresses the Budha thus: "Lord! such fth have I n theExalte One, that mehnks there nver has ben, nor w thee be nor

s there now any othe, whether werer or brahmn who s reaterand wser than Ihe alted One, tht s o say, as erds the hgherwsdom Ths s qute a natura eprson of Sruta's aatonfo kyamun, but kyamun tkes h to task for t, nurnwether or nOI Srua has ersoally known the mnds of all othersae the ast, reet, d futue Sruta has to admt that hehs not, that he has n fa been seakn beyon hs own eerenceF Sutta to meanfuly rase kyamun as ben omcent

wul necesstate that Srua als be omnscent to verfy kyamns relzaton For kyamun ne of the root cause of humancnfuson an suern s tha ple tend to seak beyon theron eerence, t s for ths reson that he rebukes Srutta forsakn n such a way Ths ratoal an crtal atttude o kyam s what my eoe nd tracte n the l scrtues t scertanly a far cry from such statements as eulans famous bleve beause t s absur kyaun cnses that fath whch snt based on sound reasonn an ersonal eerence s a hndranceto srtua reazaton Ths ant-omatc attude s eemle n hefamous olsmth quote Just as e men (test a cam to be ol) bybrin, cutn ad ubbn on a touchstone, my statements 0mnks, should be acete after eamnaton d not UI of resectfor me· haths attude s st ustrate of the best of the Buddst taton s emonstrate n a rent quote from the Daa Lama

f theres oo, ston eence from scence that such a such s hece an ths s contray uhm, then we wll chaet woul be nce f we could leae the l lteratue at ts ont an

sml repo Sku l oil ril iutowads cms of omnscence, weher they were made about ohereache o adresse to hmsel, efern to lmt hs own clams tothe three ns of knowlede we he eoe Howeer, there aresome futher assaes whch rende such an nterretaon untenable

I Jaya p.391, nOls ta "ts veS( s n fod n th NikyS bu t il rc th attd of th Bua a oten re resme d in t Niklya s."

n h New York mes, O 8 99 i 4, .

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UDDHIS OMNISCIENCE

Cief amng tese s a passge in te Kaakathala Stta whc sworh qutg x:

"Te Kng Pead spke ts t the rd: 'I ave hea

ts abu yu, reveed s " ecluse Gtama speas thusTere s nethe a reluse a bam w all-wng,-seeng cm a1-embcig wedged-vsts stuati de n exst Reveed sr thse w speaus . hpe tat hee revr si sea wha ws sey the Lrd that he d t msepesen te d by whats nt act tha tey expan damma ardng t hamman hat n reae hes gs ccasn r ntempt?'

hse sre wh speak thu t speak as I spebU ae sepreetng me wit what s nt tue wth what sn act

Then ig enad spe tus the Lrd Cud t eevere sr that epe mig ave tasered t quteater tpc smethg (ray) sad y te r reeece t smeg else In egard t what evered sr

t Lor i o v sok he wdsI sre cm t have spn the wrds tus Thee sehe a rluse t a bahma w at ne a he same timecn w ca s ats tuan ds nOI est

Hee S yamu maes a dscti bewee w dert s nscence e wch s realzed cnsatly and perpeuay adthe her which s me e a petial tha a ully eazed cndtI u typgy ths s a guatve r metaphrcal mnscece as tepoteta t w aytng hat an e nw wtut havg atuaized tha ptena. Give he pcle staed abve, tat yamunctcized statemets whc g ynd persal exprence we areet wth the cncus tat Syu ths pssage w cmghe me mted m miscece r msel, abet drecy_Te cassc rmuati hs misece is t be u he Mna-paha, whc tere a eg separate reereces t Bud

das msece1 ng Ma s " Reveed Ngasea was the e Kwki ShijO "sce i Pli TeXI (in Japans) in Buddhm

an Is Rela/ion Or gons, p. 17-203 r dc thesepasages.


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AON

ddha omet?' [Ngena rees] Yes re the od wa omnient bt knowedgeadvio wa not contatly and continoulypeent to the Lord Te ord' oiciet knowledge wa depedent

on the adverting (of d); when e adveted it e knew whateve tpesed (m to kow) Here Samn' uppoed omncence qte clearly deed a a potential apacity, dependent pon hi inte-tin or mental "advertng.14 aena goe on to compae Skyamn' pured knowdge wth a harp aow "tted to a trdy bowad ot by a trong man whic wll ealy peerate any clothesmade of lnen lk or wool wch are n t path

" ire a man cod pt ito one hand anythig tat hadbeen he othe, could tter a pch throgh hi openmot could wallow food t w n hi mot opennghi eye could clos them o cloing h eye cod openhem, and cod tretch ot hi bent arm o bend n ottted am, ooner thn t e more ckly teLord omnicient knowldge ld fncton) more qcklyte adverting of i mind wen e had advered e kew

wv r i plcad (hi o kwSkyamn knowdge i o the ame nd a odnay knowege,bt mply heghtened to the nth deg f want to think of my nmethi eqires very little eo on my pat de to etenive pracice andfamiirty. Fo Skyamni oible object o knowledge aeiilarly familar ad hi metal tanng a honed intellect toch a degree that no obtacle ran ee agan we note that thi

concern pole obect of koedge and not tng wch areuknowable by their very natrehe Mda-pafha a fly lat tet and one can esly dcen

ome ana teni� in i p, bl in i ase simly workot the implcation of the Ka/aktthal llOS tatement gvenaove While we have no e way of datng te literatre oreparating it ito di erent tata d on the doctrinal developmentwe have noted, t not neaonal to ppoe that the compotion

" The pati word u iSW unu, whkh may alo b rado�rao.Jni u refec in Irlghi ae e.


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BDIT ONC

of the Kaakatthaa Stta occured at a later peiod thn that ofth other souces cit aboe t s ey possibe that Skyamusdnterested attude towads the ssue of omscence ects his felings and that at satements atbuted to hm where he appearsto cam some fom of omnsen for himself were intepoationscrated by dscipes who felt cofoable compang thr teachewth Mahra, who had clamed lteal kind of omnsence alng t seems that the id of omsence would nee hae becomea se n the Bdd3 r t n $ i fthe had not een other forces at wok competing with uddhsttechngs Unde pssue from rl scts, loyl uddhs dsed that

th gue of ther own founde not regaded infero, ad so theynturally wshed to paise hm as xtaagatly possbe afte themnne of rputta aboe. Howe, they wee stuck wih a peex-stng tetual traditon wheen Samuni displays a cticl atudetowads clms of omniscience mad by his contempoaes, ad so thecmples of the Ka'Jaahala Sa had to rentepre the dea ofonscience itself n ode to apply t to their eered founde As weshal see, n so doing they initated a ontroesy whc was to continue

o ong hee wee uddhst n ndia

Tasta stages

about the same tme he coposition of the Milindapaha orshoty theeafte, the uddst taon egan to poduce a new set ofsciptues known colectiey as th Pajam liteature hesesciptures mak he iception of the moement that came to be known

Mahyna Buddhsm whch spead fom India through betcenta Asa and Chna nto Jan The Paam1 SQthmsees come in ariou lengths f which the eson n 80 nes is r rr t odet, dting fm run b th Chista ea hs scpture cotnues to use the same wod, sava, to desgnate the uddha's omcience but the sense of ths wodhs chaged dramatically. Fo example:

When one tans oneself those stages, one transoneself n Buddhahood, o the state of knowedge andtheeby i the immeasuable and incalculabe Buddhadha-mas heey one tns oneself neithe fo the ncre of

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NAUGTO

form fling c, no y fo hir decras; nih o ap-propra fon c, nor o hm go.No do on ainonf o ge hold of y hr dharma, vn of all

knowg, nor o poduc , or mak on dsappar.Whn h rain hs a odhiva an n llknowdg,and h hall go forh o allkowldg

" is bcau h Lod h aind himsf n s hipfcon of widom ha ah4gaa ha acqud andknown fll nlghnmn or knowg hs allknowledg of h Tah4gaa h com forh from h pfc-on of wsdom

"h prfcion of wsdo 0 ord i h accomplh-m of h cognion of h lknowng h pfecon ofwsdom h a of allknowledg

Prfc wdom h sourc of h allknowldg of hddhas

Allknowldg mmarabl and unimd Wha mmaurab and unlimid a i no fom, or any ohskndha Tha i no anm, or nion or gg h

no h pah o is fi no cogniion or consciousns; nognsor dsrcion or procion or pasng away, osopping or dvlopmn o annhaion has no bnmad by anyhng, i has no co fom anywhr i do nogo o anywhi dos no san n any plac or po.On hconary i com o b y mmurabl, unlimid'From h mmaurablnes of pac s h immesurablnssof allknowldg u wha is imasuablns ha do nolnd isf o bng fully know by anhng b i form orany kandha or any of h si prfcions. ecaus fom illknowldg, and so a h ohr kandhas and h ixprfecons

I iv uch an xnsiv variy of uoe o dmona h problmfacd by commnaors on h PP crpure Wha ad pnly ino plac i conadicd in ohr ad y flng of "h now Iudrand do no la for vy ong h frang obcuy ofi x lads on o hav sympay for Poussinwho dnouncd "In-dan phphmno concocd cc ...mn haud by a

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I ON

sevee diet d oft stued by me practice of sy" Cozhself wo probably ws ore fiir ta y Wter (adost rets) t tis iteratue, ays, e PrajpArt sutrsi tr fasate d exsperate te stdet i tu aise i to teery eg!s of elato, ad te ag reduce i to a odtio ofbaed elpessess." Howeer we ay eture ake a few te-ae obseatios pg id tat woee wOe te Pa

jamUJ ptu woud pobaly eer agr wt ytg welO say au . T st poit is ligis, d s smpy a wod ee rasated a1·kowledge s dee va aabstract for of te se word sed te Pl lteate for te ois-

ciece of Budda ad MaATa e Budda ere reta s facutyof oisee bt bO udda ad oscece ae ey deetfr wat we foud i te i oure. Frteore tis ss to beoiscece te secodary sese ed aboe, ta s I a copepae kowledge of eeyi&, bt a kowlege of eftwso" wic is geeray desod to py a rio of ep-tis hs I of osciece s ts ot ery dieet fo teit r Q�Q type were t is egar th u

lln i edtate aayss e ere te pre wocsdee isoato s ot a bad oss of te literal eg of oiee, bt a uddist cotet, ad particlrly te a

jfpami scrptres, bot ts ts ae ey specc ticss wc e lte cotaOr deelop

e ote portt esio of te JamiJ ciptur s teesio 25,0 lie wic s sselly epaded erso of teealie oe oze dates te oly surg copete askt esioofs txt to te 5 cetuy ad cosides i as a ra o of aealier og t as bee eoga wit a iew to bgg ts co-teDS oe le wt te seqee of te AbhamaIQ1ka. t is ts text tat w e rst ecote te tree dieret kds of oscices wc re expie by te Aamaylaka aa sdote fro its posito Ie to of te Budda to tat ofTaya patoes wle te dda's osciece s degate

by a ew e sa�ka, o oval oisiece is a rater

uoed i Joi D" th BuddhQ p 1. o "O Onn n Gol n Md WY Vo 2, No 3 p 3


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NAUGH

clumy atempt t exalt the Bddha while denigrang HInayna, and

he awkwad En f "veall omncene s pped t mpy

mnicence nd jt a tange n Sankt. etwn hee twO

he bdhattva, whe ealzatn s caled mraa Hwve theage f thee tem nt flly content n th ex n t tet awl mncence ( veall m�ence) geneally ynym

wth enlghtenment ddahThe bet knwn cmmentat n the Prajprami Sra n-

dbtedy Ngna te fnde the Mahyamaka plphcalchl whe wtng n emptne epe the dre eplcit mean-

ng f the raramit tex gjna hmelf e te em m-

cient nly nce, t my knwlge n hi altatn vee at thebgnnng f h Ranva, bt wtt any attem t dene mean-g Th we hae n ea dea f what mnicience mean at thpd n Bddht ty althg we can be fy e ta t meannehe wat t meant bee f gaena and i pedece n

de t mean wat t ate cme t mean wtn ayna The wdelf eman te ame, bt t meang ndegng a tanma-

tn

We hd mentn hee that tee ante w attted tgna and xtan nly n Chne, he Maprajprami6padra PPS Thee mentn th arvaa and arvkra n w bt fllwg Hkata w may peme that the peence fte latte a wel a any dtnct bween thee tw tem pb-

ay me ppely attbted t Km!ajva athe than gjnaYet even n th tet althgh b tem ae ed, hee n cleadtinctn between tem wth dda acclamed mncent (arva a and arvkraa) while ch an attanmen i deed HInayna pactne h text pbably eale thn te

pram ra in Lin entned abve

mnicinc/r Vasbandu

Fllwng th tantnal phe we net cme that landmak fBdd lteate, the Abidarmaka. mpe and te md-

de f the 4t centy t wk eeent the clmnatn f ealeBddt actcs nt a phted phphca ytem Datngfm afe the tat f the ahyn te ne f te lat geat


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DD NICICE

works f ly Buddism t be mpsed in Inda. Its aut Vauban-dhu as te dstintin17 beng ne te ny Buddst autrs tacve enwn i bt banes Buddist pspy, te erHnayna a wel as te later Mayna Wtin te K tel,weve we nd nly sant eferees t te npt f se,wi ere retains its aly rm as ara Te dsussns f s-n ur wtin te amwrk searan disputatns ang tesveal gups (tradtnally gvenegteen) w ad asen by ts w r wn spial ys p Bu d-trne

We sart wt an bjetin rm a Vtputra standpint Ts set

eld tat tere must be an underlz bass ntinuty te psn,wi ey aled te pudgaa is rgaded by mst ter es aviualy dential t te Umn te putrya asein te

pdgoa wa te bet epeat and rule In ts nttte Vputra la tat te puaa must ave mre tan a -tary exstene n rd r Budda t knw everng A ere seres menal inants annt pssibly ave su knwledge Vasubandurpld tat Budda's mnisne s t be nsdered as a ptental

er tan an atuad state, dndent upn is attntin vltin Vasubandu ted te exale f a e w annt burnCeryting at ne, but a te abty t burn everyting sequntallySne Budda as te abity t knw everyting, e is aknwedgedt be mns. Tus Buddas knwledge was regard as avngte same essenal stutue as te kwlge rdnay peple

In ppsitn t ts was e pstn te Magka wld tat Buddas knwldge was ualtavely deent tat

day peple n te vew tyl te Hnayna sls n-scusness estd mment by ment, keng n and ke a

ve By te tie a send mmD arss, te st mmnt s m-pletely gne Hwever, tis ad t dult t estabs ausatyeratng ver any spae f te_ e Sorvd wse vewsVubandu gneray upds n te K assetd te estene

Sred wt Wttg whose on lphilbr W tt

\ l in te ver. I tr oe m� 10 �e mre wt eSUn ed S Ar v Wor of Vbnd, 1

4


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ATO

more tha one moment indeed, he cmed hat boh pas d futuresed just s much as the pren her view w as outlin above,smla to that of the Mlind-ph, whee Buddha's omscien,

functionig in much he same wa as ordinay knowedge is deendentuon voion for is activit.t s not automatic he Mgkad othes claimed that Buddha's omniscience was auomatic wasnt dependent upon volition or ay other factor but was simpy aresult of his extreme mental puri_ hs asserion s te smilat hat of the ealy Jna mentione above he Sstvajs main-taned that Buddha's omniscience occurred over a perod of two in-stants, one to cogze all phenomea and he other to rende that cog-

niion accsble Mgiks eected ths, and said tha sincensciousness tself is selflunous there s no n of a second mo-ment his posiion was to become sadad in late Maya discus-sins of this opic, and of he nature of the mind in general

As mentioned above, Vasubadh's career s a Buddhist piloso-pe sps the dvision betwee ay and ahyna, ad so wed fuher dsussions of omniscene in his ater wors f paticular neest in this conntion is the aya trlmk (MSA

which aog wih the Abmk (AA) belongs to what aekown as he ve texts of Maitreya But when we examine the MSAwe nd that its use of omniscence is qte deent fom tha of the which b itself would cast some serious doub on the tradtionalaciption of these two texts o the same author Le us proceed to therelevant textual citaons or the sake of analyss, we ma divide theminto two groups, rs those that mention (sj), and second

ose that mention sko saj ist we nd Vasubdhu'scommentary on MSA : the pah to omniscience [sj is exremelydicut penetrae Here is a tpical Buddhist or Upifc viewo omniscience as a meapho o enlihtenment Next is MSA IX.I2"After countess hundreds of ordeas, after countless haests ofbirths, and after counless destructon of blocs ove mmeasurabepriods of time, omniscience [saj] is atained, unspoed b theslghtest) bloclie a casket of jeels thrown open, it is celebrated s

Bddhahood. And in the commetary: "Buddhahood is presentedfom the point of view of achieveent nature and a sile tsnture is the atnmen of omnsciece sa unspoied by an blocHere agn omniscience is explitly idenied with Buddhahood or


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BUDDHS II

enghtement, s the removl o obstces o bocks to knowlge.Atoug te wod used s Ok, there is litte to dsingshit om the pevous ". Fo l instce we my te MSAXl

2:"In bref the U Vny nd Abdhm ve ourod

eymoogy Wen e knows them te sge obtins omnence (j)Ad ts ommenty: In bie, Su Vny nd Abdhm eech ouold n etymoogy; the bohisttv who knows th obtnsoniscene [s) Where te vse " Vsubdhu e-lns uu Ts s e ees evene we ve t emakes no signnt dstnon betwn these two key tems And themnng o omscience s ere educ to smpe mstey o the td-

inl divisons o Buddst tetur. ee e othe quots we couldbng out hee but they would not ae


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GO

There are man reerence o Bdd' omciece i hi a well,a he anr rveal ha h wor ed n h con i -j. We ha cie one ple, RY 11.42; he Omcience [

j o he Dne Tha wch i call he ae o he Bdha,Te Uae, Hihe ra, The ddha nconcevable inoec-i Hee agan omncence i £a o e fncoall eqae Bdhahoo a irial nd of omniece, whch no diihe from he wor for omnc whch wa in e in he Ppre hi frer evide ha he bean apon ofhee hee e he A MSA an RV) o he ame ahor hihqeoable. An oar a Ok i o fo in he V

appar ha he em of he wa nown o aho awll

mncnc n M

Followng Vaandh a few enrie he caee of he Bd- loician harmar whoe dcon of omicience apace pal n reoe o crcim rom noBddh oce, pn·

cipUy th of Kum4l, A3k.1' le wh fusaaio o he Bddha b Digna a he embodime of validowledge harmar' ra concern i eablh hecdbl of Bdha' eachi helie mo oher Bddh,i no cncerned wih lieral omnence, wh a mahorical or

. . enillr rs, li Sn of te Grea Vil to alva·tc" ACla rienala (1931), ; akaaki JkdO A Stu QI th Rat·otravibhga (UI/aantra) p. 326 Naara Zir The Ranagotvbha·M)noDD/DI/ra·5a,p 16 I qo rom em r «us pfe h. ak's veon Ls: a wc ed udhh s th mninof t Slf·born, T g va a convab Athip Wc r thrh seFintropcon.

" s ds$o a arady ev t aion of eerl schos .uc saka Mo e mniscie as t ounr o a Ro in NaW ND/andM�hQvh Rrch Publaion Vo 1 E olomon rolem of mncc arvajaa) dyDr LibrrBulen Vol. XVI at 1- an Kaakhinj "Proofs t istn of mnise Peon n apans) Ept/oand Lc Lc/ n MDhna Buddh Vo 9 Mypnation ofhi meril smp onsist of a apitlaton of tei por work


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UIT ON

spirita tye. Howeve, st t us lay OUI Kumia's agments aso pQa-po�a.

Kmia being am saka hods that a sit nowge isdeived fom te Vas xcsivey Ths any aims fo ote souceswi mt with is saov e sttes that a beef in n omscientrson is a mee suesttion not fonded on o ovabe by anyoica means ee is no means fo knowing spit tth ote thant Ved n the case of an exet ef, we may ase m by saying he is omniscient wt d t coo d Kum wi notobject Smiay n he cse of isohica systems which casifyeaty into a set nmber of categies ne who ha sted those

caegoies may f tat he nows evrything in a genea way Bt it isimpossibe that yone cod now lteay eveytng Even a singebody as moe atoms and pces n it tance nown by one per-son not to sea of the entie nese Frthemoe hman senseoans e estted to thei aticu obecs Cms of omnisciencea as absud as aiming ta one hea wth ones nose o s withone's es A eson such as o cf aove may be an exe hschsn ed b ths hdy imies that e nows ything at a out

se o s saty ee re cet ts to hma abty hougstruos tnng a m may e abe to m to a height of seven oeit fee but no matte how muc e pactics e w neve be abeto mp a mie hig iitua tths ae simy inaccssibe to umancgnion wiot the assistance of te Vedas hs the Buddhist con-ttion that th teace new sc tts is simy mistaen Any om-cit eson wod neessaiy know a numbe of pent nddisgsing thigs, whic any sane peon wod avoid aims of om-

nince re bd on tesimony m the individuas conceed ofm thei foowes t the mee setion does not mae it soMoeove sevea dieent teaces ave cimed (o been cmed) tobe omnisent yet tey are nae t agee amog themse Tis in-dates tat none of them ae ty omnisent ny an omniscet peson can vefy othes caim to e osent he peson w mn setic of a sch aims sence if it exists is impt-

and cannot be poved y a sysm Xase thee is no ogicasin of omniscence wich cod estabis ts existnce nfeence saways deendent on eception s the two main tyes of coowedge ae ed out No is thee anyhig sima to an omnist


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AU

rson so exstence canot be pov by nalogy. Even if terewere an omncient erson, e wold retan is omsien oly asong e wa ctly cogzing veryting, wc presumaby wo

be ome kin of medatve state Upon emergng fom suc a trance, would ose is omniscence ome pios Buddsts ae tatBda msef d not say ayhng bt s teacng procdeaomaty bse on te nees of ndvual foowers but ts isqite nbeevabe Te Budda d nee gve sprtu stconso s oowers, but s eacng ma be wrong Futer objtions aeaibt to Sma an Vaa oes an omnsen person knowe\'eryng simns o successvey? If te foe one cognton

w conain a mtitude of contaictoy quales wic s impossb (or at lt unpeceente) for uman cognon If te atter, itwoud take a vry on tme o know eveyng n te unvee, duringwc sc a son woud mos ky gow o an ie A knowgeof te gene naure o all peoena wi nO do snc t doentaly as a knowlge of evey pcula tng Aso, sc a knowlge oud be fls n en ft we tue wou rd prculadversity to an nistnuisabe uny n wc te would be nodstnctons suc s teace nd pup rg and wrong, etc t mayb sa tat te omnscent cognition s a specia c, naccessibe to ordnry peope but tis staement itsef s nproven and merey begs teeon

Te oregong argumens are to be fon in te T aBst wor of te egt nur wic epors Kmas vewsn s fry ad accaey However nsoa a e above ase

ons constte a Qk tey e ncomplete wtout teirreutaton Darmakt stats as mntone above by dyng leraonscence fo te Buda uas cique may ae someorce for Jn bt not aainst a ore mte fm f mi!:.Caims tat Ba ws omncet men tat wat e taugt isvably a more spcy tat e s expe we itcomes to aing iberaton n o engtenmet Knowgeo mndne etls suc a te numb o inscs in te word or te

nmbe of s in te oceans s levne power of i pysca v-

n s rmnd r e menn b Res Mecny-e He Usdw Knge


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8HS OISCIECE

sio s bde te poi Ee f he were be s ty obj wy, his wod ve o cto of hs bili s spiulteche. Ad if we mke f-sgeds iero fo god techele us go l fom theege! Buddh ws pefe teher hhe kew he dea cocerig lbto He hd o oly the person peee of hs ow elgee o fom the cotet of hisdourse bu lso the compsso for the suig of ohers to provde s moo I hs see h he s the perft he o bo s f eao o orne so hs hg is eped s thorte his cpty s thesueme teher Buddh must ao hecy hve cto mu

dane ifomo s we o be ued he cote of tchg hesitto demds. Ad whle my o be possbe o proe th suh omiset perso tully ests s o moe possible o poeh such estece s tsef impbe Dharm hed the dtio Budds opo ht ososess s lumous by tue dth he rou deeme d mpues whch dsh s cpye o e bu detous hus wh coous is puedof deee pty o kwedge shuld bee

Dakr' pio Ol s ue i re:a ma a h Md-po, d costues h hs beome the msemBddhs erpeto of Buddh's omsece

Strait d hs ommeto Kml ge wht s probblyth mos fmous dsusso of hs pobem i her Tg, meo boe I ddio to he peous sues by omoMokeree d ohers he eie ouo h b ledo Eglsh redrg hs disussi esbe to muh der u

dc e we shll ie oy few of the hghlghts of hs fs duss geer Str�t sys ht the questo of theexstce of omsce peso s ope o doubt d ot beolusiely pove ther wy. Thus he crzes he Mmokg: " you due he p of oher pesos i egrd o et et rom your ow Campe he you ld yousel isudties he iero of omece s sed Oe is bereogsed oscie oly whe he hs be foud to sfy

" oomon. p 67: The D_1Q' IrClcnl f th � h hl we fd i he hoe C o di hiShca rlu··


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NAUGHTON

tet and ros, d has bn fond to have the true kowlge ofal tig." Th est s rathe strnget and would eqre omsceneo he of the jdge as we Yt Sasa's man once s

dencal to hat of Dharmakrt: Whas

prmaly and drectydersood by s s that there s a Pson who kows the mns of attan Heave and Lbeao; -bt ot ths aloe; t s aso beleedt there s a Peson who also kos thngs s narakag byod hma's poso postulatng the se ofOn h a omnscnc s Bddhas sas as thepft tch s the ma sse, ad ewe d ha he dhs dotes e acceed ld oly after hey hae bee ctcy aa

Iyed ths conext the godsmth qote occs ag hs uddha'sdctes are sad to wthsad ratoal crtcsm and for ths reaoddha s haed as omnscet t s othewse the cas of eacherswo des ely o ther aegd omece The qaty of omnscne beg nonpetbe (a least to noomnscet ople) tsnonappreheson s o roof of ts onxstence s at mo a -sn fo dobt t se ddst doctnes are ad to be establshedby logica roofs, omniscience not g as Ihe exclusive proety

O $yam ther teachers proond dCres whch agree wthwa h been oen before or wthsad logc aalyss Staakta s wlng to ackowledge th omscence well nofa sthey ndesad the tue atre of y they ae uddh. mnsnce sults from the eimaton of a obscuratons and hndrato cogo a Jansm ts ay omcene s ot caused asmuch a t i reveal or ncovered taata says that an omsct erso peres eerythg dctly throgh hs md whch odary correlates the data fom the >s oeraes the mory andso foth hs hs kowedge s tae to be smla to ordarykowlege oly ced to ts t b the eaed practce of medtato For ntarakta as for hk conscosnss s umosby nare ad remon obscats eveals s mnoy and n ts poea a the way to ocenc As a matt of fachre s no to the kowledge of man assrtg tha a sngle

cla aearce of all thgs n a sge cogton s qte ossbeS4taakta blurs oe of the mar dstctons made by or foSkyamu the K;okoh% So The assero tha a snglecogto compreheds that s kowabe follows he poston of


23/25

UHST OMNISCE

te Mhhk I fact, Staaksita want to have both way:" Watver He wihe to know He e to kow it wiou fal; -uch H pwer a He ha hake o evi He know hg eithermultaneouly or ucco, jutHe wih thu coag thew kid of oiece whh ere o carefuly diguihed byyau for Kng Paeadi above.

e probe of ocience a a perenn cocer laerMyAa phoohy a evideced the wok of JA�rra,Rnak, ad Mo�Akaragupa, b ra fhs issu adsvy itle o tha of Kaa�a Two kd of oicence reditghed and ore iporat a pitua or gurative oi

cnce wh equated wih dhj epay owlge of hefou truh, and ony odaiy a tra kd of oicece, whch ich harder to prove, and recve y cuory treatet Te oer regarded the aura reut of dveopng oe' enta functiothough repeaed edtaon Bo Raak d Mok1kraguptau he ae exaple, hat of the ige of a gr which ceary appato her over baed on hi ite paio for h. ubtituig he uddhit four tru for the gr give u their dea of oiciece. at

de t kd o gurate oece a the cabty oa ena funcio o boe dit, oowig the expe of htecer JA�itra who dene a the kowedge of what i o beavoded and what to be obte which fuction cearly n a greatvaey o tuation2h idea i a g way fo tera oieceLiera oicece receiv cant atnio fro aak, athoughhe doe e a peruncory eort to prove it wel Here we wi giveOk$Akaagupta proof Wod areng with a proo ad havg a

dite obt preupoe direcy or drecy the kowedge intuiigth obet a eg the word e bu he wod producedthg ae oentary' ao agree th a proof ad have dite ob (therefore, the word preuoe the kowledge itug

Q by Rnki in Bjhnemn, D AwUde dd. Ei wu IdRi robm ki's Srv�ldd bz d komir. 2 _E. Sikll artil nL Lnse .•md fd Syrtm

)&7 (qing /nd); Thu t e u tain 5 poil f men unn whh i he y e n b v-e d he n b y m s fr the &ees numbe fy (ididal iitti Ol s we nsi msen

"


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NAUGHTON

hing, ie. ere must be an al-knowing erson.I" Ts so-calledpoof is ardly convinng and is y weakness is an indicaion of tereative nimpotance it was accored by Bddist piopers.

Grandiose te conepion of iea omnicience is i is no ye teat word in Bddist pilosopy n later MayAa ida o teBdda become even more faus sc at Bdda's eye ,nse tonge body and menta cnsciosnesses ar eac omniscients a single momen o any consciousness cogniz a penomena" Fr exape according to is ide Bddas nee is abe to earsee smell taste ad f all penena in te universe te timewc takes te conc of omnisiene about as fa as it can go By

tis time Budda as bome a god r e god aove te gods, and isflowers convenienty overookin is earier waings quite appiydescribe im n erms tat far srpass teir own epeiene.

Sr

We nd at e concept of omnisence in Buddist piosopygives us a way of understanding e deveopment o Bddsm witin

d Pm exii t issu c w h rm w cesily discern a tendency witn Bddism to ea e abstrat at teepense of te concree o begin wi Skyamuni was noticeably ncmfoae wit any caims for oniscience made abo eier imor otes His concern was muc more matter-of-fact deaing wit ordnary eperience and staemens ta cold be made on at basisaone oweve, soon afer is dea we nd tat statemens were abt to im wic ben to ope te door for caims by aer Bud

dists o e foowing an omscien eace is is te natra ocme ary Bddists wising 10 upod e superiority of teir owneacer and is doctrine in te fa of riva caims o omnisciencewic were qute spec Yet trgout te eay pod a eastBuddas omniscience do not go beyond te nature of ordinayknowedge aoug it does represe te deveopment of sc knowlge o its limit W te deveoent of te Mayna e gre

1 Sg ve nr g Hn giv e sre frh l qe.

Jerey , M;" Ep p.

O


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BDDHS OMISCIEC

f the human Skyamn s lst, rplaed by a divnz ad csmcBddha wh s vastly spe t he ceatues. Even Bddha'snscce mst bece a spe-omscece 10 be wrthy f ths

eed beng Bdgng Ihe gap bewee sch an absacty cncevedsuegdlke ge and he dny nvda s the ge f hebdhisava Ve hughu ths dvelpmen Buddhs phspherscnsstently maintan tha mnsce n Bddsm s nO bendesd lteally, r that a lea his s nt the pmy sense nwch Bu s sd o b o Bua s Ue b vuf hs pefet knwedge f he meds and techques f spialbeatn whch nd expesin n hs eachngs That ths s t be

dingshed frm ltea mnsence s als ndcaed by ,Cne z and he aslatrs as well wh rende srvUJ"not as "mnscence althgh this s he bvs chce bu by thesmewhat cmbesme "Anwldge hs may pehaps be due thei dere avd the theolgca vetnes f mnsencewtn Crstan cltures

V the later distnn bewn arv and rk cn be asefl ne f claifyng Buddhist cptes Wthut nwng p

cey when the ae em was t ntdc we c neverheessntce whch exts make use f t an whch d nt hs s a tsk frather ccan bt hee we can te that t has been usefl t s nctzng the Tbetan tadtn the ve Maeya texts ncevkj s an dd tem fn epecay n he PrpmitSu n 25,Lne ad the Abhmylmr, we can u i dtngsh whch tets ae ascate wth hem

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