Two traditions of Mahayana commentary

Two traditions of Mahayana commentary. In Tibetan Buddhism, there are two traditions (or lineages) of commentary on the Mahayana teachings. These are:

• the tradition of the Profound View (zab mo lta brgyud), transmitted through Nagarjuna
• the tradition of the Vast Conduct (rgya chen spyod brgyud), transmitted through Asanga

Origin of each tradition

The "two traditions of commentary" (T. grel lugs gnyis འགྲེལ་ལུགས་གཉིས་) are associated with the teachings of the Second and Third Turning.

• The tradition of Profound View (zab mo lta brgyud) was inspired by the bodhisattva Manjushri, and was transmitted through Nagarjuna. Nagarjuna's works laid the foundation for the Madhyamika School.
• The tradition of Vast Conduct (rgya chen spyod brgyud), originated with the bodhisattva Maitreya. Maitreya transmitted the root teachings to Asanga, who transcribed them as the Five Treatises of Maitreya. Together with Asanga's own commentaries, these texts became the basis for the Yogacara tradition. A third master, Dignaga, developed the tools of logic and epistemology, protecting the teachings against misunderstanding and misinterpretations by Buddhists and non-Buddhists. These three masters each had an outstanding commentator: Aryadeva, disciple of Nagarjuna; Vasubandhu, brother and disciple of Asanga; and Dharmakirti, holder of Dignaga's teachings. Together these six masters are known as the Six ornaments.

Distinctions on the bodhicitta of aspiration and action

Bokar Rinpoche states:

Relative Bodhicitta itself is made of two phases, aspiring bodhicitta and realizing bodhicitta. These are envisioned in slightly different ways in various traditions.

In the tradition of the Profound View of Nagarjuna, the thought, "I will attain Buddhahood to benefit all beings," is aspiring Bodhicitta. Then acting on this thought, that is, treading the path leading to Awakening, constitutes realizing Bodhicitta. To make a comparison, the thought of "I want to go to Bodhgaya" is the equivalent of aspiring Bodhicitta whereas treading the path that actually leads to Bodhgaya corresponds to realizing Bodhicitta.

In the tradition of the Vast Action of Asanga, the thought, "I will commit myself to attaining Buddhahood for the benefit of all beings," the reference to the goal (Buddhahood) constitutes aspiring Bodhicitta. Then, the thought "I commit to put into practice the means to attain this goal" (that is, the six paramitas), which refers to the cause that allows us to attain the result, constitutes realizing Bodhicitta. In this case, to follow the previous comparison, the decision to go to Bodhgaya is still aspiring Bodhicitta, however, realizing Bodhicitta, is not actually treading the path, but rather a second decision to begin treading the path with the understanding that the goal cannot otherwise be attained.

In the tradition of Nagarjuna, realizing Bodhicitta refers therefore to the actual practicing of the means, whereas in the tradition of Asanga, it refers to the commitment to put them into practice. The first of these two traditions distinguishes aspiring from realizing, whereas the latter distinguishes aspiration for the goal from aspiration for the means.

Distinctions on the bodhisattva vow

Prerequisites

Bokar Rinpoche states:

Asanga's tradition of the Vast Action insists, furthermore, on the importance of having taken some vows of individual liberation (lay practitioner vows, minor and major ordination) [prior to receiving] the Bodhisattva vow. In Nagarjuna's tradition of the Profound View, it is said that it is sufficient to renounce negative acts and observe correct ethic. To take the Bodhisattva vow, it is therefore not only necessary to avoid all that is harmful to others in the activity of our body, speech, and mind, we must also strive to accomplish what is beneficial for others, whether or not we have taken the vows of individual liberation.

Ceremony

The two traditions present different versions of the ceremony for taking a bodhisattva vow.

Precepts

The two traditions also present different versions of the bodhisattva precepts associated with the bodhisattva vow.

Sources

• Bokar Rinpoche (1997), Taking the Bodhisattva Vow, San Francisco: ClearPoint Press