ln compliance with the Canadian Privacy Legislation some supporting forms may have been removed from this dissertation. While these forms may be included in the document page count, their removal does not represent any loss of content from the dissertation. Meditation and the Concept ofInsight in KamalaSna's BhivanaJaamas Martin T. Adam Faculty ofReligious Studies McGill University, Montreal December, 2002 A thesis submitted to McGill University in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Copyright Martin T. Adam, 2003 1+1 National Library of Canada Bibliothque nationale du Canada Acquisitions and Bibliographie Services Acquisisitons et services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Canada The author has granted a non-exclusive licence allowing the National Library of Canada to reproduce, loan, distribute or sell copies of this thesis in microform, paper or electronic formats. The author retains ownership of the copyright in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Canada Your file Votre rfrence ISBN: 0-612-88405-8 Our file Notre rfrence ISBN: 0-612-88405-8 L'auteur a accord une licence non exclusive permettant la Bibliothque nationale du Canada de reproduire, prter, distribuer ou vendre des copies de cette thse sous la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format lectronique. L'auteur conserve la proprit du droit d'auteur qui protge cette thse. Ni la thse ni des extraits substantiels de celle-ci ne doivent tre imprims ou aturement reproduits sans son autorisation. Meditation and the Concept of Insight in Kamalala's Bhavaniikra.mas Martin T. Adam ABSTRACT Meditation and The Concept ofInsight in Kamalasila's Bbavaniktamas Martin T. Adam This thesis is composed of two parts, one a translation, the other a commentary on the material that has been translated -- a set oftbree well known identically entitled works by the famous Indian Buddhist scholar, Kamalasila (c. 740-795 C.E.). The Bbavan8kramasare here translated from both Sanskrit and Tibetan sources. The commentary takes the fonn of an extended critical Prologue to the texts and is centred around an examination of the notions of meditation and insight as found therein. The fust chapter of the commentary examines the various tenns for meditation found in the texts and argues for a specific way oftranslating them that regards as nonnative onlyone ofthese, that is, bhavana. The argument is made that if one is to take the basic Buddhist distinction between intellectual and experiential wisdom seriously, no other concept of meditation will prove satisfactory. The concept of bhavana is contrasted with that of and explained Jin light of other important tenns, notably Samatha and vipaSyana. Two different conceptions of satnadhi are identified as existing within the texts, one corresponding with dhyana and one wilth bhavana. The latter is identified as predominant. This conception holds that meditation is not to he: principa1ly identifiedas non-conceptual in nature, but rather encompasses both nonconceptual states and conceptual processes. These latter, however, are not to be identified with ordinary reasoning processes (cintamay prajna) but rather with a fonn of experiential knowing (bbavanamay prafoa, vipa.syana) that is conceptual in nature. It is in accordance with this conception that the actual translation of the texts has been undertaken. The second chapter of the commentary examines the concept of insight (vipa.syani) in light of the earlier findings. Here the text is analyzed for its explanations of its insight, understood in tenns of the important technical tenn bhtapratyavek$8. Here an argument is made for translating this tenn ml a particular manner consistent with the conception of meditation outlined in Chapter 1. The tenn is explored in light ofkey passages containing descriptions of the cultivation ofwisdom as well as in light of other important technical tenns appearing in the texts, notably dharmapravicaya, s111{ti and manasikara. Chapter 2 closes with a discussion ofKamalasila's ideas of Sravaka :insight meditation (vipaSyana) and how it differs from that of the Mahayana. Most notable in this regard is the suggestion that Kamalasila may have regarded sr3vaka insight practices (vipasyana) as instances of Samatha meditation. In the third chapter the suggestion is made that such considerations could lead to the development of an important area of future research into the differences among diverse Indian Buddhist traditions. The concluding section of Chapter 3 contains a summary of the concrete findings of this analysis. Rsum La mditation et le concept de l'intuition pntrante dans les Bhavanakramas de KamalaSTIa Martin T. Adam Cette thse comporte deux parties: une traduction et un commentaire sur le matrial traduit, trois oeuvres homonymes bien connues du clbre rudit bouddhiste indien, KamalasTIa (c. 740-795). La prsente traduction des Bhavan8kramas a t effectue a partir des textes sanskrit et tibetain. Le commentaire se prsente comme une prface labore au texte examinant les notions de mditation et d'intuition pntrante telles qu'elles y sont reprsentes. Le premier chapitre se penche sur les divers tennes employs dans les textes pour signifier la mditation et propose une une manire spcifique de les traduire en choisissant bhavanii comme seule expression nonnative. L'auteur dfend l'ide qu'aucun autre concept de mditation ne ressort comme satisfaisant si l'on prend au srieux la distinction bouddhiste entre la sagesse intellectuelle et de l'exprience. Le concept de bhavana est compar celui de dhyana et est expliqu en relation avec d'autres tennes importants, notamment samadhi, Samatha, et vipaSyana. On identifie ensuite deux conceptions diffrentes de satnadhi se retrouvant dans le texte, l'une correspondant dhyana et l'autre bhavana, et cette dernire est dcrite comme tant prdominante. Selon cette dernire conception, la mditation ne doit pas tre comprise comme tant principalement non-conceptuelle, mais comprend autant des tats non-conceptuels que des processus conceptuels. Ces derniers, cependant, ne doivent pas tre confondus avec des processus ordinaires de raisonnement ( cintamay pcajiia) mais plutt avec une fonne de connaissance base sur l'experince (bhavanamay prajDii, vipaSyan) mais de nature conceptuelle. L'auteur a traduit le texte en se basant sur cette conception. Le deuxime chapitre du commentaire examine le concept d'intuition pntrante (vipaSyani) en se basant sur les dcouvertes prcdentes. L'auteur analyse le texte est l'explication qu'on y trouve de l'intuition pntrante travers le tenne important bhtapratyavek$ii. lis soutient une traduction de ce tenne base sur la la conception de mditation dcrite dans le premier chapitre, particulirement partir de certains importants ,passages comportant des descriptions de la culture de la sagesse et d'autres importants lment de tenninologie dont dharmapravicaya, smrti and manasikiin.!. Ce chapitre se tennine par une discussion des ides de KamalasTIa sur la meditation sur l'intuition pntration (vipaSyani) des sravakas et sur comment cette dernire differe de celle du Mahayana. En particulier; l'auteur considre la possibilit que KamalaSTIa ait considr les pratiques d'intuition pntrante des sravakas comme des exemples de mditation Samatba. Au troisime chapitre l'auteur suggre que ces considrations pourraient mener au developpement d'une nouvelle aire de rechereche sur les diffrences entre les diffrentes traditions de bouddhisme indien. Ce chapitre: se tennine par un rsum des dcouvertes concrtes de la prsente recherche. Dedication This thesis is dedicated to Robert Carr-Wiggin (November 19, 1947 - June 18, 1989). Teacher, friend, and continuing inspiration. Meditation and The Concept of Insight in Kamalasila's Bhavanakra.m.as. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOVVLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................................. i LIST OF }\.BBREVIA TIONS USED ......................................................................................... iii INTRODUCTION A. Background ................................................................................................................... 1 B. Introducing the Bhavaniikramas................ ....... ... ........... ..... ..... .......... .......... ...... ..... ...... 6 C. A Note on Methodology .............................................................................................. 10 D. Outline of Chapters ...................................................................................................... Il CHAPTER 1: MEDITATION 1.1 OvelView of the Contents and Structure of the Bhavanakramas ........ .............. .......... 16 1.2 VipaSyaniiin Relation to Other Meditation Terminology ........................................... 21 1.2.1 On the Compound "bhiivanakramal:;1." .......................................................... 21 1.2.2 Three Kinds of Wisdom .............................................................................. 23 1.2.3 Processes and States .................................................................................... 31 1.2.4 Meditation Tennmology .............................................................................. 33 1.2.4.1 Dhyiina ......................................................................................... 34 1.2.4.1.1 Dhyiina as a Perfection .................................................. 36 1.2.4.2 Samiidhi ........................................................................................ 38 1.2.4.3 Bhavanii ........................................................................................ 40 1.2.4.3.1 Bhiivanii as a Path (bhavaniimiirga) ................................ 41 1.2.4.4. Samatha ....................................................................................... 47 1.2.4.5 Vipasyanii ..................................................................................... 48 1.2.4.6 Summary ofthis Analysis ............................................................ 50 1.3 Two Concepts of Samiidhi ......................................................................................... 52 1.3.1 Samiidhi Conceived as Divisible into Samatha and VipaSyanii ................... 52 1.3.2 Samiidhi Conceived as Samatha and/or Dhyiina .......................................... 61 1.3.2.1 Two Conceptions of Samiidhi Not Predominant in the Bhiivaniikramas .......... , ................................................................. 65 1.3.3 In Favour of Conception A ......................................................................... 67 1.4 Conclusions of Chapter 1 .......................................................................................... 70 CHAPTER 2: INSIGHT 2.1 On the Compound ...................................................................... 75 2.2 On That Which is Signified by .................................................... 80 2.2.1 On the ObselVational Aspect of .................................. 86 2.2.1.1 Dharmapravicaya ......................................................................... 90 2.2.1.2 SIn{ti and Manasikiira .................................................................. 94 2.2.2 Process and States Revisited ....................................................................... 98 2.2.3 Summary .................................................................................................... 99 2.3 Kamalasila's Conception ofSravaka Insight ............................................................ 101 CHAPTER 3: CLOSING CONSIDERATIONS 3.1 A Suggestion for Future Research ........................................................................... 108 3.2 Conclusions .............................................................................................................. 113 TEXTS: Bbavanak:ra.ma 1 English ...... ........ ...... ....... ... ... ..... .................... ... .......... ..... ....... ...... ... ... .... ............. 117 Sanskrit ........... ........... ... ....... ..... ...... ...... ..... ..... ...... ... ........ .... ....... ... .... ......... ........ 160 Bbavanak:ra.ma 2 Tibetan and English ............................................................................................ 178 Bbavanak:ra.ma 3 English ................................................................................................................ 230 Sanskrit ............................................................................................................... 261 BIBLIOG1RAPHY ..................................................................................................................... 281 Acknowledgments It is difficult to limit my expression ofthanks to just a few. My teachers have been many, both from within the Academe and from without. To begin at the beginning of my foray into Buddhist Studies 1 must thank Dr. Leslie Kawamura, whose lectures opened my mind to Buddhist possibilities and whose continuing encouragement over the years allowed me to return ''home'' to the University of Calgary to begin a Ph.D. after an extended period ofwork and travel in India and Nepal. Upon recommencing my studies 1 was fortunate to be able to receive instruction not only from Dr. Kawamura, but also from the Visiting Numata Chairs who taught at the U ofC while 1 was there. Dr. Tom Tillemans and Dr. Shoryu Katsura both provided me with profound instruction, a sense of personal encouragement and detinite concrete assistance when things became challenging for me at various points over the next few years. It was only on account of their efforts on my behalf, combined with those of Dr. Richard Hayes (who in a pinch agreed to be my Supervisor at McGiIl) that 1 have been able to survive in this field of Buddhist Studies. 1 feel myselfincredibly fortunate to have been able to rely on this powerful triple-form ofbehind the scenes assistance. 1 should also like to specifically acknowledge my debt to the Fonds du Elizabeth de Boer for a year of study at the Universit de Lausanne (1999-2000). Special thanks to Tom for all his flexibility during this time, and for agreeing to read the second Bhavanakrama with me. 1 mrived in Lausanne after a year of studying at the Central Institute ofHigher Tibetan Studies in Sarnath. 1 am grateful to the entire staff there and would like to express my appreciation of the openness of Samdhong Rinpoche to receiving visiting students like me. In this context, however, 1 have to especially thank Dr. K. N. Mishra who so freely and generously shared his time and knowledge with me. My study of Sanskrit really came into its own under his guidance, as we read the fust Bhavanakrama together over the course of a year (1998-1999). During this period when the heat arrived 1 was delighted to be forced to return to my "other home," Kathmandu. And at this time 1 was further delighted to find that the learned scholar Mahesh Raj Pant was willing to carry on my instruction in Sanskrit. There were other teachers too and special mention must be made of OIlle ofthem. Throughout my time in Samath, and later in Dharamsala, 1 read portions of the fust and second Bhavanakramaswith the inimitable Mr. G. Raj ofno fixed address, India. To this wandering skeptic, seeker, and fellow student oflife 1 feel a deep gratitude and gladness that we happened to cross paths. 1 learned as much Sanskrit (and Tibetan) from this natural-bom, one of a kind teacher as 1 did from any other officially planted prof essor or pundit. Thanks are owed to Barb Clayton for making the introduction, and for letting me follow in her shadow aIl these years. T h ~ : time 1 spent in India was made possible through a Language Training Fellowship provided by the amazingly still-existent Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, as was an earlier Summer Language Training Fellowship that allowed to begin seriously studying Sanskrit with Dr. Ashok Aklujkar at the University of British Columbia. To the latter 1 owe thanks for giving me the confidence to learn Sanskrit as well as the best of all possible flying starts. Portions of my translation were supported in part by a Facu1ty ofHumanities Student Research Assistantship funded by Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and made available to me through the University of Calgary Philology Group. The: Faculty ofReligious Studies at McGi11 University has proven itselfto be a most agreeable place to complete my studies. 1 was especially fortunate to have been twice given the opportunity to teach the Bh8.vanakramas in the Advanced Sanskrit course offered by the Faculty. 1 In this cOIlnection 1 especially want to acknowledge my students for sharing their many insights regarcling the texts -- and also for bearing with me as 1 struggled to complete the Ph.D. There is no doubt in my mind that their input has made my translation much stronger than it would otherwise have been. Thanks to Christine Fillion, Lisa Janz, Christoph Sprecher and Philippe Turenne (2001-02) and to Alex Kennan, Bruce Smith and Chung Whan Sung (2002-03). Thanks are also owed to both Philippe and Carrina for helping me out with my French. A repeated "Thank Y ou" is owed to Richard Hayes for a11 his instruction throughout this period, for turning me on to the Bhivanakramas in the fust place, and for encouraging me through to the end of the process. Last and deepest thanks have to go Carrina and Junan, who teach me about reallife. 11 LIST OF.ABBREVIATIONS USED: Abhk - Abhidharmakosa Bdp - Bodhisattvapitaka Bhk - Bhiivanakrama CIHTS - Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies MS - manuscript O.E.D. - Oxford English Dictionary (on-line) P. - Piili VSM- Vissuddhimagga RGV - Ratnagoravibhiiga Skt. - Sanskrit T. - Tibetan Editions of the Tibetan bsTan gyur. C Co ne edition D .. sDe dge edition N sNar thang edition P - Peldng edition ID INTRODUCTION A. Background Most of the wo:rld's religions are today well passed the stage ofhaving met and mingled--even if only in the halls of the academe. For the most part and happily, they remain on speaking terms, if not mutual comprehension. It might he suggested that among the many areas of contemponny interreligious dialogue the topic of spiritual practice potentially holds a special place. While theologies may not he shared, it is perhaps easier to find common points of reference in the sphere of Pl:'actical religious life. In the domain of religious ethics, for example, one may discover similar values being promulgated in different faiths. Yet when it comes to the field of meditative practices, such points of comparison may seem harder to come by. Indeed it might well he 1 suggested that dialogue in the area of "meditation" has only added to the collective confusion. Such confusion has, in fact, resulted from the repeated encounter of European and Asian traditions. Many different conceptions ofmeditation have emerged. And while these may be loosely linked together by family resemblance, given the size of the family and the largely introspective, uncommunicative character of its members, their actual natures have not always been c1ear. Thus the notion of "meditation" has come to mean many things to many people. To some, it mainly signifies a process of pondering, ruminating over or contemplating some topic -- often one considered to have deep existential or religious import. Thus meditation is a term for "seriously thinking ahout." For others, Meditation is exclusively identified with states that are said to be "free froni thought." 1 For others yet, it is identified with anyone of a myriad of techniques designed to 1 Meditation is sometimes spoken of in such a way as to rule out analytic, discursive modes of consciousness. Psychological studies sometimes adopt such working de finitions ofmeditation, implying that 'analytic meditation' is somewhat of an oxymoron. One researcher in the field recently characterized meditation as "mental processes of focussing attention in a non-analytic manner, combined with an attempt to he non-discursive." 2 induce unusual, usually positively considered states or frames of mind, inc1uding various affective states. As well, it would seem that both these states as well as the processes leading up to them are thought of as "meditation. ,,2 This variety makes for a confused state of affairs and this is often reflected in modern translations of ancient texts dealing with this topic. It is my hope that the present translation of a weIl known Indian Buddhist meditation manual might he not be considered in this category, and that my thesis will in sorne small way help to dispel confusion regarding Buddhist meditation -- rather than muddy the picture any further. In 1hs thesis, which focusses upon an Indian Buddhist tradition, we shall see that there are many Sanskrit words that have been legitimately translated as "meditation." But before discussing these, it would perhaps be helpful to examine the English word a bit more closely. The verb "to meditate" is derived from the latin root "'md, "to think about" about or "to care for." The Online Oxford English Dictionary provides many attested meanings for the verb inc1uding both transitive and intransitive employments. In short, we find the following senses: la. transitive: To muse over or reflect upon; to consider, study, ponder. b. To fix one's attention upon; to observe with interest or intentness. c. to meditate the Muse: to occupy oneself in song or poetry. 2a. To plan by revolving in the mind; to conceive or design mentally (e.g. 1651 Hobbes' Leviathan.!. xv: It is also a law of nature, that all men that meditate peace, be allowed safe conduct). b. const. with inf. as obj. -- From notes taken at: KristeIler, Jean (2001). A Multimodal DevelopmentaJ Model of Meditation Effects. A paper presented to Conference on Neuroscience and the Person, Montreal. 2 E.:g. "Meditation is not an escape from the world; it is not an isolating self-enclosing activity, but rather the comprehension of the world and its ways. The world has little to offer apart from food, clothes and shelter, and pleasure with its great sorrows. Meditation is a wandering away from this world; one has to be a total outsider. Then the world has a meaning, and the beauty of the heavens and the earth is constant. Then love is not pleasure. From this aIl action begins that is not the outcome of tension, contradiction, the search for self-fulfillment or the conceit of power." J. Krishnamurti (1970: 9) 3 (e.g. 1794 Godwin Cal. Williams 283: 1 meditated to do you good). 3. To entertain as an opinion, think. (e.g. 1609 Bible, Douay, Pret:, What shal we therefore meditate of the especial prerogative ofEnglish Catholiques at this time?) Of intransitive employments we find: 4. "To exercise the mental faculties in thought or contemplation; spec. in religious use. (e.g. 1847 Tennyson Princess 1. 95 While 1 meditated, A wind arose). b. const. on, upon, over, of, in. (e.g. 1560 Bible, Geneva, Ps. i. 2 In his Law doeth he meditate day and night). Thus according to the O.E.D. the derived noun "meditation" can have the following senses: 1. The action, or an act, of meditating; continuous thought or musing upon one subject or series of subjects; sm"ous and sustained retlection or mental contemplation of something. 2. in religious use: That kind ofprivate devotional exercise which consists in the continuous application of the mind to the contemplation of sorne religious truth, mystery, or object of reverence, in order that the souI may increase in love of God and holiness oflife. b. Used for: The theme of one's meditation. 3. A discourse, written or spoken, in which a subject (usually religious) is treated in a meditative manner, or which is designed to guide the reader or hearer in meditation. With regard to this last meaning one thinks, most famously perhaps, of Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy. The texts 1 translate here, commonly referred to in the singular as The Bhavanakrama1;J, might also he considered a meditation of this sort -- a meditation on first principles, in this case the :first principles of Mahayana Buddhist meditation. In point of fact there are three separate texts entitled BhlivanaJeramal) written by the great Indian Buddhist scholar KamalaSUa (c. 740-795 C.E.) and together they may he considered a set. 1 shalI refer to them collectively as the Bhavan8k:ramas. Individually 1 shall refer to them as Bhk 1, Bhk 2 or Bhk 3 or altemately as the first, second or third Bhavan8krama. These three texts were probably composed hetween 792-794 C.E. in what is presently the occupied country of Tibet. 3 In their own way they may be considered every bit as foundational as Descartes' Meditations. 4 It is not clear why Kamalasila wrote three identically entitled Bbavan8kramas. In this connectiolll Edward Conze describes their contents as follows: "The fust explains the doctrine of the Mahayana, the second how it can be meditated upon, and the third what is the result of meditation" (Conze 1975: 177). In making this assertion Conze is following a description contained in one Tibetan record cited in Tucci (1958: 40-41). The account has it that the Tibetan king, Khri Sroft Ide btsan, requested these explanations in turn, following Kamalasila's pivotai victory in debate over a Chinese Ch'an rival. (We will come to this debate shortly). The "doctrine" ofBhk 1 is described as that of the three kinds ofwisdom (Srutamayi, cintimayi, and bbavanimayi prajii). The way of meditation of Bhk 2 is explained in light of the realization that there is only one vehicle; it is the result of this meditation that Bhk 3 is said to explain. In point of fact, such categorical statements are best made with caution; all three texts contain discussions of doctrine, meditation and its result. There is considerable overlap between them, and not infrequently repetition. They cover an extraordinary range of subjects, all united around the ,central purpose of providing guidance to new (presumably Tibetan) practitioners of the teachings of the Mahayana stTas. Meditation, is of course, a central element of these teachings - if not their solle content. In any case, historically, the account of meditation contained in these texts has been en.onn.ously influential. Paul Williams has referred t.o the Bh.avanakramas as "the principal systematic Indian sources for the integration of emptiness teachings into madhyamaka meditation practice" (Williams 1989: 72). Taniguchi describes them as "the origin of Tibetan tradition ofhow 3 However see Taniguchi (1992) for an argument that Bhk 1 was likely composed in India. 5 to meditat