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66-588: The AAN is only extant in the Chinese translation (Ch. Fóshūo bù zēng bù jiǎn jīng, 佛説不増不減經, Taisho no. 16) produced by Bodhiruci (6th century) at Luoyang circa 520 CE. The Tibetan tradition is unaware of this sutra. The sutra does not survive in Sanskrit in full, however many passages from it survive as quotations in the Ratnagotravibhāga . The AAN is also quoted in another independent Indian source,

132-503: A buddha). The buddha-nature is the common element shared by sentient beings, bodhisattvas and buddhas and as the RGV states "all corporeal beings are said to contain a Buddha" (Sanskrit: sarve dehino buddhagarbhāḥ ). The RGV verses describe buddha nature as follows: Always, by nature, unafflicted; like a clear jewel, the sky, or water; it follows from faith in the dharma, superior insight, concentration and compassion (30); [its] results are

198-677: A conditioned dharma, an idea that deeply influenced later understanding of Buddha-nature in East Asian Buddhism." Takasaki holds the Tibetan Tanjur to retain two versions of the RGV: Both of these versions were translated in Srinagar ( Kashmir ) by Matiprajña (Sanskrit, 1059–1109, also known as Ngok Loden Sherab ) under the guidance of Kashmiri Pandits 'Ratnavajra' (Wylie: Rin-chen rdo-rje ) and Sajjana, towards

264-507: A continuity through many lives and into Buddhahood. A Sanskrit RGVV was brought to China by Ratnamati (勒那摩提) in 508 CE where he translated the text to Chinese. This shows the whole text was available in India in the early 6th century. According to Kazuo Kano, no Indian texts quote the RGVV from the 7th to the 10th century, but it is cited in a significant number of Indian texts from the 11th to

330-418: A tathāgata. It is like a lamp, Śāriputra, whose brightness, color and tactile sensation are inseparable and indivisible [from the lamp itself]. Again, it is like a maṇi gem whose characteristics of brightness, color and form are inseparable and indivisible [from the gem itself]. (Silk, 2015, pp. 96-98 §11, 12) This idea is an important source for the Ratnagotravibhāga 's fifth vajra point, and this text quotes

396-475: Is "the fundamental, unitary ground of all existence, in which ordinary beings then appear as the defiled, transient aspect of the unitary and real existence." According to Silk, the view that "all of reality is unitary" is the key to the vision of the AAN. While there are three different aspects or modalities of this unitary reality, they are all one realm, a single essence, which is the common ground for all things. It

462-516: Is a serious misconception that leads sentient beings to continue to wander in samsara. As Karl Burnnholzl explains: the root of such misconceptions is their lack of understanding the oneness of the nondual dharmadhātu. This dharmadhātu is the sphere and the great nirvāṇa of buddhas, which cannot be perceived even by śrāvakas and pratyekabuddhas , let alone ordinary beings. Still, buddhas, bodhisattvas , and sentient beings are not different in essence since they are nothing but three different states of

528-455: Is also said to be endowed with the wisdom and qualities of the buddhas. The Sutra of Non-increase and Non-decrease states: As I have expounded, Śāriputra, the meaning of the dharma-body is inseparable from, indivisible from, not cut-off from, not different from the inconceivable qualities definitive of a buddha, greater in number than the sands of the Ganges, [namely,] the merits and insight of

594-491: Is because there is only a one realm or domain, a single element of beings, the ekadhātu (Ch: 一界), also termed the *ekadharmadhātu (一法界). This one domain is identical to both Buddhahood (i.e. the nirvāṇa-dhātu) and saṃsāra (the realm of cyclical suffering, i.e. sattvadhātu), both which are non-dual and indivisible. The sutra plays on the different meanings of the term dhātu , which can mean ‘realm’, ‘element,’ ‘quintessence,’ ‘essential core’ and even 'cause'. According to Silk, in

660-463: Is explained in RGV I.3: From the Buddha [comes] the dharma and from the dharma, the noble saṃgha. Within the saṃgha, the [tathāgata] heart leads to the attainment of wisdom. The attainment of that wisdom is the supreme awakening that is endowed with the attributes such as the powers that promote the welfare of all sentient beings. (RGV I.3) The Ratnagotravibhāga is notable for its exploration of

726-468: Is it taught that this womb/chamber for a victor exists in sentient beings (sattveṣu jinagarbho ’yaṃ) (45); [depending on whether this reality is] impure, impure yet pure or perfectly pure, it refers to the realm of sentient beings, the bodhisattva or the Tathāgata [respectively] (47). (RGV 1.30, 35, 42, 45, 47). According to the RGV, this essence or basic element ( dhātu ) is always present in all beings and

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792-523: Is only due to the adventitious defilements that this inherent unity is not seen by some. This "cosmic unity" which holds that there is one single reality has been termed a type of monism by Jonathan Silk. Christopher Jones similarly writes that this sutra is defending an "absolute principle," which is the dharmakāya filled with buddha qualities. All living beings, and all of reality, are merely modes of this absolute reality which also represents "the common nature possessed by all beings". Jones also adds that for

858-487: Is the dharmakāya; it is the Tathāgata; it is the truth of the noble ones; it is the ultimate liberation (paramārthanivṛtti). Hence, it not being separate from its qualities—in the manner of the sun and its rays—there is no liberation apart from buddhahood. (RGV 1.84) Thus, in the Ratnagotravibhāga, buddha-nature is ultimately the same as the dharmakāya (the ultimate buddha body, the 'body' of ultimate reality). While

924-405: Is the true essence of every living being and the source of all virtuous qualities, including Buddhahood. The RGV states: This [dhātu] is of unchanging character, due to its conjunction with inexhaustible qualities; it is the refuge of the world, due to it having no limit ahead of it; it is always non-dual, due to being without discrimination; it is also characterized as indestructible, as its nature

990-528: Is the unchanging buddha-nature that is present in all beings. A secondary title for this work is Uttaratantraśāstra ( The Treatise on the Ultimate Teaching ) or Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra (The Treatise on the Ultimate Teaching of the Mahāyāna ), indicating how it considers itself to be the highest and ultimate teaching of Mahayana Buddhism . This title has also been translated as Treatise on

1056-451: Is uncreated. (RGV 1.79). The RGV teaches that buddha nature has three main characteristics: (1) dharmakaya, (2) suchness, and (3) disposition, as well as the general characteristic (4) non-conceptuality. Regarding the main function of buddha nature, the RGV states that it is what causes sentient beings to seek an escape from samsara, and to aspire to nirvana . The RGV also describes buddha nature as “the intrinsically stainless nature of

1122-467: The Chinese Canon retains one translation of the RGVV, which is titled Jiūjìng yìchéng bǎoxìng lùn (究竟一乘寶性論, which can be back-translated into Sanskrit as: Uttara-ekayāna-ratnagotra-śāstra ). Its Taisho Daizokyo canon location is No. 1611, Vol.31. The work was translated by Ratnamati at Luoyang in 511 CE. According to Zijie Li, "there are major differences" between the Chinese version of

1188-537: The Ratnagotra , there are three reasons why it can be said that all sentient beings have buddha nature: (1) the Buddha's dharmakāya permeates all sentient beings; (2) the Buddha's thusness ( tathatā ) is omnipresent ( avyatibheda ); (3) the Buddha's gotra (lineage/disposition) is in all sentient beings. The RGV equates buddha nature with dharmakāya, liberation and with the Buddha (the Tathāgata ): Hence [the dhātu]

1254-568: The Sutra of Non-increase and Non-decrease on this topic. Thus, the buddha qualities (gunas) and wisdom (jñana) and the buddha-nature - dharmakaya are inseparable. This inseparability is exemplified in the sutra with the examples of a light (aloka) and a precious gem (mani), both of which became influential similes in the Mahayana tradition. In Chinese Buddhism, this doctrine was interpreted in terms of essence-function (ti 體 and yong 用). According to

1320-469: The Sutra of Non-increase and Non-decrease, the buddha-nature - dharmakaya is also the eternal ground or basis of all things or dharmas (phenomena). The dharmakaya is also described by the sutra as "being unborn [anutpada] and unperishing", "free from a time of birth", "free from a time of perishing", "permanent" (nityo), "immutable" (dhruvo), "inexhaustible", "constant", "tranquil" (śivo), "non-dual", "uncreated", and "unchangeable" (śāśvato). The dharma-body,

1386-655: The Tathāgatagarbha-sūtra and Śrīmālādevī ." According to Karl Brunnholzl, this sutra is notable for its doctrinal similarity to the Śrīmālādevī Sutra. Other scholars also note a close relationship between the teachings of the Anūnatvāpurnatvanirdeśa and other buddha-nature sutras like the Mahāparinirvāṇasūtra and the Tathāgatagarbhasūtra . Three Chinese commentaries were written on

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1452-456: The dharmakāya as “supreme self” ( paramātman ), is not the self of the non-buddhists or a self amid the five aggregates , but rather is something that is realized after understanding the absence of self in all phenomena (dharmanairātmya). The RGVV echoes the Prajñāpāramitā sutras by stating that the right view is to let go of all views and it even states that all affirmative statements about

1518-490: The * Mahāyānadharmadhātunirviśeṣa ( Dasheng fajie wuchabie lun 大乘法界無差別論, T. 1626 and T. 1627). This treatise may have been another work of *Sāramati (the author of the Ratnagotravibhāga according to the Chinese tradition). According to Silk, the AAN, while difficult to date, "must be older than the early fifth century" since it "clearly predates the Ratnagotravibhāga ". He also argues that "given its doctrinal standpoint and style of presentation, I believe that it post-dates

1584-528: The 13th century. According to Brunnhölzl, "the text known as RGVV consists of three parts: (1) basic verses, (2) commentarial verses, and (3) prose commentary." Brunnhölzl also notes that most scholars agree that the text is "a compilation of different elements" and they have "made attempts to identify the “original” core verses of the text". In certain textual transmissions, the Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā (RGVV) commentary has become integrated with

1650-511: The 9th century by Kazuo Kano) which mentions Maitreya bodhisattva as the author of the 'root' (mūla) verses also shows that Central Asian Buddhists also attributed the work to bodhisattva Maitreya. Meanwhile, the Sanskrit manuscript found in Tibet contains no attribution. Several scholars have suggested that the Chinese and Tibetan traditions may be reconciled if perhaps Sāramati was also given

1716-433: The AAN (by Saichō , Wŏnhyo , and 榮業 (unknown author)), but none of them survive. An English translation and analysis of the AAN was published by Jonathan Silk in 2015. The first part of the AAN outlines various wrong views (mithyā- dr̥ṣṭi ) which prevent sentient beings from obtaining knowledge of the ultimate truth. The second part of the text discusses the ultimate truth, the most important doctrinal element here being

1782-736: The AAN, the single dharma realm is explained "both in the sense of a common nature shared by all sentient beings, and in the sense of a single realm of existence to which all sentient beings belong." Taish%C5%8D Tripi%E1%B9%ADaka Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.133 via cp1102 cp1102, Varnish XID 545384491 Upstream caches: cp1102 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 05:53:01 GMT Ratnagotravibh%C4%81ga The Ratnagotravibhāga (Sanskrit, abbreviated as RGV, meaning: Analysis of

1848-408: The AAN, the term dhātu has at least a bivalent sense, referring to both a "realm" (i.e. the cosmos ) and a "quintessence" (the intrinsic or central constituent of something). According to the AAN, neither sentient beings, disciples or solitary Buddhas can know this ultimate reality directly, they can only access it through faith . As the sutra states: This extremely profound purport is exactly

1914-467: The AAN, there are three ways the single reality manifests, which according to Silk are "nothing more than modalities of the embryo of the tathāgatas, variously related to ultimate Reality": As such, buddhas, bodhisattvas and sentient beings are not different in terms of their essential nature (their only difference is in the relative state of the covering defilements) and are all therefore not ultimately subject to increase or decrease. The sutra also stresses

1980-429: The Buddha to a supreme status that is worthy of extensive devotion . An important schema in which the RGVV (as well as buddha nature sutras like the Śrīmālādevī Siṃhanāda ) present the dharmakāya (the buddha nature freed of defilement) is through its four perfected qualities (guṇapāramitā) of eternity (nitya), bliss ( sukha ), Self ( ātman ) and purity ( śuddha ). These qualities are described as results (phala) of

2046-540: The Buddha’s self ultimately refer to the absence of self. However, as Jones notes, the earlier Chinese version of the RGVV instead states that ātman as "absence of self" means absence of "erroneous notions of selfhood to which non-Buddhists remain attached" and it also states that ātman can refer "to the achievement of a “powerful” or “sovereign” self ( zizaiwo 自在我)." According to RGV (RGV 1.24, 1.25) there are four points about buddha nature which are inconceivable: The RGVV

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2112-538: The Chinese. Extensive analysis of the critical Sanskrit text edited by Johnston (1950) with the Tibetan and Chinese versions, identified that the verses actually comprise two separate groups: a core set of 27 ślokas and 405 additional or supplementary verses of explication (Skt. kārikā ). The work of Takasaki and Johnston has been critiqued by the extensive reviews of such scholars as De Jong and Lambert Schmithausen . Schmithausen disagrees with Takasaki's opinion that

2178-677: The Jeweled Lineage, Investigating the Jewel Disposition ) and its vyākhyā commentary (abbreviated RGVV to refer to the RGV verses along with the embedded commentary), is an influential Mahāyāna Buddhist treatise on buddha-nature (a.k.a. tathāgatagarbha). The text is also known as the Mahāyānottaratantraśāstra (The Ultimate Teaching of the Mahāyāna). The RGVV was originally composed in Sanskrit , likely between

2244-406: The RGV verses through the passage of time, even though there are also distinct standalone editions of the RGV and RGVV. Takasaki provided a valuable textual analysis of the Sanskrit critical edition edited by Johnston with those versions preserved in certain editions of the Chinese and Tibetan canon. Takasaki identified a textual core of the RGV with the most ancient verses of this core being extant in

2310-552: The RGV, RGVV and/or their extracts, since it is quoted and paraphrased in Jñanasrimitra's Sākārasiddhiśāstra and Sākārasamgraha , as well as in Ratnākaraśānti's Sūtrasamuccayabhāṣya . Tsering Wangchuk has examined the intellectual history of the RGV in Tibet from the 12th century to the early 15th century. Eugène Obermiller (1901–1935) pioneered the research into the Ratnagotra literature through his translation of

2376-453: The RGVV and the Sanskrit version. Li writes that "in comparison to the surviving Sanskrit text, the Chinese version of the Ratnagotravibhāga downplays the significance of the expression gotra and instead reflects a strong interest in zhenru 真如 (Skt. tathatā ) and foxing 佛性 (Buddha-nature) – for instance, 'zhenru foxing' becomes the foundation or reason for transmigration in the world. In this context, reality (Skt. tathatā ) acts like

2442-491: The Supreme Continuum . Tantra can mean both "doctrine" or "teaching" as well as "continuum". The second way of interpreting the title refers to the fact that buddha-nature is an "everlasting continuum of the mind" (as noted by The 14th Dalai Lama ) or a "continuous flow" (as Rongtön Sheja Kunrig and Go Lotsawa gloss the title). This pure continuum may be covered over by fleeting stains, but nevertheless remains as

2508-515: The Tathāgatha’s sphere of insight and it is the range of the Tathāgata’s mind. Śāriputra, such a profound purport as this cannot be known by the insight of all the auditors and lone buddhas, cannot be seen, cannot be examined. Still how much less could all foolish common people fathom it. It is indeed only the insight of the buddhas and tathāgatas which can examine, know and see this purport. [Despite]

2574-603: The Tibetan RGVV under the name of the Uttara-tantra-shastra in 1931. Obermiller interpreted the text as an example of monism . The verse portion of the RGV has been translated several times into English, including by E. Obermiller (1931) and Rosemary Fuchs (2000). The English translations by Takasaki Jikido (1966, from Sanskrit, with reference to the Chinese) and Karl Brunnhölzl (2015, from Tibetan) are

2640-483: The absence of "decrease or increase" in the "realm of sentient beings" (Sanskrit: sattvadhātu, which is defined in the sutra as "the mass of beings, the ocean of beings"). This means that the overall number of living beings never increases nor decrease, despite all the things which happen and despite the fact that some sentient beings attain Buddhahood . The Sutra of Non-increase and Non-decrease explains that this

2706-604: The close of the 11th century CE. Shenpen Hookham affirms that there are precious few records of the RGV or RGVV in India and that their traditional recorded history commences with their 'rediscovery' by the 11th century yogin Maitripa (who was also named Maitreyanātha). According to Hookam, there is no evidence that the work was associated with the bodhisattva Maitreya before the time of Maitripa. However, Klaus-Dieter Mathes has shown that Maitripa's teachers, Jñanasrimitra (980-1040) and Ratnākaraśānti , must have had access to

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2772-401: The complete extant Sanskrit [Johnston, et al. (1950) ], Tibetan and Chinese manuscript versions, recension or interpolations of the text (according to perspective), Takasaki (1966) considered the Chinese translation of a no longer extant Sanskrit text to be the oldest manuscript in existence, though it may not represent the original Sanskrit perfectly. According to Takasaki (1966: p. 7),

2838-405: The dharma-body (法身; dharmakāya). (Silk, 2015, p. 65). These teachings are an important source for the fourth vajra topic of the Ratnagotravibhāga , which quotes the Sutra of Non-increase and Non-decrease . Furthermore, according to the sutra, thinking that there is increase or decrease in the dhātu (domain, element, realm) of sentient beings (as well as thinking that nirvana is annihilation)

2904-410: The dharmakāya in terms of its being more or less unobscured by adventitious stains. The dhātu of sentient beings is ultimate reality and the tathāgata heart , which is also identified as the dharmakāya, fully endowed with the inseparable, innumerable, and inconceivable qualities of a buddha, just as the radiance, color, and shape of a jewel are inseparable. As such, in this sutra, the Buddha states that

2970-406: The doctrine of the buddhadhātu ("buddha nature", "buddha source" or "buddha essence", Chinese: 佛性, pinyin: fóxìng), also called buddhagarbha, jinagarbha and tathāgatagarbha ( Wylie : 'de bzhin gshegs pa'i snying po; Chinese: 如来藏 rúláizàng). According to the RGV, all sentient beings have this permanent Buddha element within even though it is covered over by defilements (which are fully absent in

3036-471: The earliest core of the RGV consists of 27 verses and instead opines that "the original RGV is constituted by the totality of basic verses. But this original RGV seems to have made use of several (perhaps only partly remodelIed) older materials." The text is attributed to the Indian Jianyi (賢慧, Sanskrit reconstruction: *Sāramati or *Sthiramati) in the earlier Chinese tradition, a claim first found in

3102-463: The epithet of "Maitreya" (or if, vice versa, Sāramati was an epithet of the bodhisattva Maitreya), but Kazuo Kano notes that there is no evidence to support this . According to Karl Brunnhölzl, modern scholars have varying opinions on the authorship of the RGV: "the main positions include a total denial of a historic person named Maitreya , the author of these texts being someone called Maitreya but not

3168-507: The great bodhisattva Maitreya, and these works being com posed by Asanga or other persons" The Japanese scholar Takasaki Jikido is certain that the author of the commentary is Sāramati through his comparison of the RGVV with the Chinese translation of the Dharmadhātvaviśeṣaśāstra ( Dasheng fajie wuchabie lun 大乘法界無差別論) which is also said to have been authored by the same figure. Jonathan Silk also argues that both texts were by

3234-436: The ideas of increase or decrease in the number of beings in the cosmos are both ill-conceived. If the number of sentient beings decrease (when someone attains nirvana), then this indicates nirvana is a kind of annihilation that leads to non-existence. Meanwhile, if the number of sentient beings increases, this would mean that beings or nirvana can arise (utpāda) without a cause or can be created. Both of these views are rejected by

3300-523: The insight possessed by all auditors and lone buddhas, Śāriputra, with respect to this purport, they can only have faith; they are not able to know, see or examine it in accord with reality. (Silk, 2015, pp. 89-92) The sutra goes on to equate this single reality with the ultimate truth (paramārtha-satya), with buddha-nature (tathāgatagarbha), with the Dharmakaya ( Dharma body of the Buddha) and with

3366-424: The meaning of certain "dispositions" or "innate potential for spiritual achievement" that sentient beings have and which place them in five "families" corresponding to the three vehicles , undefined and icchantikas (deluded hedonists). The Ratnagotravibhāga focuses on the family lineage and inner disposition (gotra) which allows all beings to become Buddhas, and thus is compared to a precious jewel (ratna). This

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3432-407: The middle of the third century and no later than 433 CE. The text and its commentary are also preserved in Tibetan and Chinese translations . The Ratnagotra focuses on the buddha nature present in all sentient beings, which is eternal, blissful, unconditioned and originally pure. This buddha nature is obscured by defilements , but when they are removed, the buddha nature is termed dharmakaya ,

3498-444: The mind” ( cittaprakṛtivaimalya ). The RGV thus equates the tathāgatagarbha with the luminous mind , stating: "the luminous nature of the mind Is unchanging, just like space." It also describes it as the pure Buddha wisdom ( buddhajñāna ) which is said to be all pervasive. This all pervasiveness is compared to space that is the same everywhere, whether it is the space within an ugly vase or a beautiful one. Furthermore, according to

3564-405: The non-duality of the ultimate reality (the dharmakāya) and the world of sentient beings (the sattvadhātu) when it states: "not separate from the sattvadhātu is the dharmakāya, not separate from the dharmakāya is the sattvadhātu. The sattvadhātu of beings is precisely the dharmakāya, the dharmakāya is precisely the sattvadhātu." (Silk, 2015, p. 112 (§15ii)). As Silk writes, for the AAN, the dharmakaya

3630-556: The only English translations of the complete RGVV, which includes the commentary. The text consists of about 430 Sanskrit verses with a prose commentary ( vyākhyā ) that includes substantial quotations from tathāgatagarbha oriented sutras (amounting to up to one third of the RGVV). The RGV structures its doctrinal content through seven main topics, which it calls the seven " vajra points" or " adamantine topics". These seven topics are: The basic relationship among these topics

3696-499: The perfected qualities of purity, selfhood, bliss, and permanence, with the functions that are aversion to suffering and the appetite and aspiration for the achievement of peace (35); like the ocean, being an inexhaustible store of treasured qualities, and like a lamp, being naturally conjoined with qualities that are inseparable from it (42). What is taught by those who perceive reality is the distinction between ordinary persons, noble persons and Buddhas in terms of reality (tathatā): hence

3762-523: The same author. Peter Harvey also finds the attribution to Maitreya / Asanga less plausible than the Chinese attribution. According to Shenpen Hookam , most modern scholars favor Sāramati (c. 3rd-4th century CE) as the author. The critical edition of the RGVV in Sanskrit was first published by Johnston, et al. (1950). This critical edition of Johnston is founded on two manuscripts discovered by Rev. Rāhula Sāñkṛtyāyana (1893–1963) in Tibet . Of

3828-509: The sutra. According to the Buddha in this sutra, if one understands the true nature of the one realm, the ultimate reality, then neither of these wrongs views of increase or decrease would arise. According to this sutra, nirvana is not utter vacuity or the cessation of being, but is the realm of the Tathāgatagarbha (i.e. buddha-nature), the unfabricated, utterly pure and everlasting essence of all beings. This ultimate reality (paramartha)

3894-464: The tathāgatagarbha is enclosed in the defilements, the dharmakāya is the same phenomenon free of the defilements. This is compared to how the sun (dharmakāya) is not tainted by clouds (defilements), only obscured by them. The dharmakāya is held to be originally pure (prakṛtipariśuddha), unconditioned (asaṃskṛta), unborn (ajāta), unarisen ( anutpanna ), eternal (nitya), changeless (dhruva), and permanent (śāśvata). These elevated qualities make also elevate

3960-488: The tathāgatagarbha. The four qualities are also explained as being reversals of the four misperceptions (viparyāsā), that is, perceiving samsaric phenomena as being pure, self, blissful and unchanging. The RGVV explains that when applied to samsaric phenomena, these are indeed misperceptions, but when applied to the dharmakaya, they are actually correct perceptions. The four perfect qualities are said to be revealed through four “causes of purification” (śuddhihetu). These are

4026-607: The ultimate Buddha body . The buddha nature is what is referred to as the "jewel disposition" or "jeweled lineage" ( ratnagotra ) of the Buddhas. The RGVV often quotes from various tathāgatagarbha sutras and comments on them. The Ratnagotravibhāga is an important and influential text in Tibetan Buddhism and was also important for the Huayan school. The authorship is of the text is uncertain. Chinese sources state it

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4092-471: The ultimate reality, is also said to be that which is “hidden within a sheath of countless defilements ” and which undergoes rebirth in saṃsāra. As such, the Tathāgatagarbha or the naturally pure mind, while covered in a cocoon of adventitious defilements ( āgantukakleśa ), is primordially linked with all awakened qualities (buddha-guṇa) and remains permanently untainted by the defilements. According to

4158-444: The ways in which the tathāgatagarbha can be “cleansed” to reveal the dharmakāya, and they are: (1) faith in the dharma (dharmādhimukti), (2) superior insight ( adhiprajñā ), (3) concentration ( samādhi ), and (4) compassion ( karuṇā ). Furthermore, the RGVV also lists various obstructions to the path, such as hostility to the dharma, false views of the self (ātmadarśana) and indifference to sentient beings. The RGVV makes it clear that

4224-474: The work of the sixth century scholar Zhiyi . The Tibetan tradition considers the verse portion to have been composed by the bodhisattva Maitreya and the prose commentary by Asanga . The attribution of both the root verses and commentary to bodhisattva Maitreya is found in some late Indian sources (post 11th century) . The discovery of a Sanskrit fragment of the Ratnagotravibhāga in Saka script (dated to

4290-403: The “originally pure mind” (prakṛtipariśuddhacitta). This is the principal doctrine of the sutra, which states: The extremely profound purport, Śāriputra, is precisely the supreme truth. The supreme truth is precisely the quintessence of beings (衆生界; sattvadhātu). The quintessence of beings is precisely the embryo of the tathāgatas (如來藏; tathāgatagarbha). The embryo of the tathāgatagas is precisely

4356-517: Was written by a certain Indian named Suoluomodi 娑囉末底 (or Jianyi 賢慧, Sanskrit reconstruction: *Sāramati) while Tibetan tradition (as well as later Indian sources) state that it was taught by the bodhisattva Maitreya and transmitted via Asanga . Modern scholarship favors the Chinese attribution. The Sanskrit gotra is a figurative term for family or lineage, while ratna means jewel or precious stone . In Yogacara Buddhism, gotra has

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