Vikalpa
Vikalpa (P. vikappa; T. rnam par rtog pa རྣམ་པར་རྟོག་པ་; C. fenbie 分別) has the meaning conceptualization, conceptual thinking, conceptual thought, discrimination, etc. According to the Princeton Dictionary, vikalpa refers to conceptual activities of the mental consciousness (manovijnana).[1] The Princeton Dictionary also states:
- In the Yogacara school, vikalpa is described specfically as the "discriminative conception of apprehended and apprehender"...[1]
The Rangjung Yeshe Wiki also describes vikalpa as "forming concepts of subject and object."[2]
The Yogacara school makes a distinction between vikalpa (conceptual thought) and nirvikalpa (non-conceptual thought).
Within the Bodhisattvabhumi
Vikalpa is discussed in the "Tattvārtha" chapter of the Bodhisattvabhūmi. In her commentary on this chapter, Jan Willis writes:
- Here Asanga discusses the faults of "discursive," undisciplined thought (vikalpa) and the means of coming to thoroughly comprehend its workings. Because discursive thought and conceptualization of all kinds cloud our view of ultimate reality, Asanga here takes pains to delineate and analyze such thought.[3]
Eight types of vikalpa
The Bodhisattvabhūmi identifies eight types of vikalpa:[4]
- vikalpa concerning essential nature
- vikalpa concerning particularity
- vikalpa concerning grasping whole shapes
- vikalpa concerning "I"
- vikalpa concerning "mine"
- vikalpa concerning the agreeable
- vikalpa concerning the disagreeable
- vikalpa which is contrary to both the agreeable and the disagreeable
Alternate translations
Alternate translations for this term are:
- conceptual thought (RY)
- discursive thought (Berzin, Jim Valby, et al)
- conceptual process
- [false] discrimination (Buswell)
- discriminating activities of the mind
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr., The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (Princeton: 2014), s.v. vikalpa
- ↑
rnam_par_rtog_pa, Rangjung Yeshe Wiki
- ↑ Janice Dean Willis, On Knowing Reality, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers (2002), p. 40
- ↑ Janice Dean Willis, On Knowing Reality, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers (2002), p. 168-169
Sources
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University- Willis, Janice Dean (2002), On Knowing Reality, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers
Further reading
- Hamlin, Edward (1983). "Discourse in the Lankavatara Sutra". Journal of Indian Philosophy. 11 (3): 267–313.
- Kramer, Jowita (April 2018). "Conceptuality and Non-conceptuality in Yogācāra Sources". Journal of Indian Philosophy. 46: 321–338.
- rnam_par_rtog_pa, Rangjung Yeshe Wiki