Soh



If you’ve ever tried recommending awakening or mindfulness material to friends, you know the pain. What feels profoundly direct to you often feels "too slow," "too abstract," or simply "too boring" to them.

That’s exactly why I recommend Roshi Philip Kapleau’s classic, The Three Pillars of Zen.

Right now, the Kindle edition is $1.99 (price can change anytime), making it a low-risk, high-upside buy.

Get the deal here.


The "Nafis" Success Rate

A friend (Nafis) mentioned recently that out of all the resources he shares, he has had the most success introducing people to Dharma with this specific book.

Why does this one work when others fail?

  • It cuts through the noise: Most people are trained by hyper-fast media and have zero tolerance for dry, abstract philosophy.

  • It avoids the "Sleep Factor": Even great spiritual books can feel artificial or sleep-inducing to a beginner.

  • The "Hook": Three Pillars is gripping because it focuses on the raw, human struggle for realization. It holds the reader's attention not by being short, but by being real.


1. The "Angelo DiLullo" Factor: It’s Lived Experience, Not Philosophy

There is a reason this book stayed iconic: it doesn’t just talk about awakening; it proves it.

Angelo DiLullo (author of Awake: It's Your Turn) frequently cites this as the book that triggered his own search for awakening. Why? Because of Part 2: The Enlightenment Accounts.

Before this book, "enlightenment" felt like a mythical status reserved for monks in robes on mountain peaks. Kapleau changed the game by publishing the raw, first-person accounts of ordinary laypeople—housewives, businessmen, and schoolteachers—breaking through to realization.

As Angelo has pointed out, reading these accounts destroys the excuse "I can't do this because I have a job/family." It validates that deep realization is accessible to normal people, right here, right now.

2. It Respects Your Intelligence

A lot of "accessible" mindfulness stays on the surface: calming, soothing, helpful... but it rarely presses into the root question of "Who/what am I?"

Three Pillars gives enough structure and grounding to keep a skeptical reader moving, while still pointing beyond self-improvement into direct realization. It respects the paradox that you must often strive intensely to realize there was nowhere to go.


How to Read It (The "Serious" Entry Plan)

If you are going to do this, do it properly. Don't treat this book like homework; treat it like a doorway.

  • Day 1–2: Read the Introductory Lectures (Part 1). Highlight anything that feels "too real" or uncomfortable.

  • Day 3–4: Skip to the Enlightenment Accounts (Part 2). Read one slowly. Stop when you feel moved.

  • Day 5: The Inquiry Sit (30 Minutes).

  • Setup: Sit on a cushion or a straight-backed chair. Keep your spine straight.

  • The Technique: Keep eyes lowered but open. Choose one method:

  • Option A ("Who am I?"): Drop the question "Who am I?" into the silence. Do not answer it with a thought. Look for the source of the "I" feeling.

  • Option B ("Mu"): On every exhalation, silently intone the word "Mu" (No/Null) into your belly. Use it like a sword to cut through thinking.

  • The Goal: Enough thinking. The purpose is to inquire into the Source and awaken the Source. The first 10 minutes are for settling; the next 20 are where the self-structure gets uncomfortable—stay with it.

  • Day 6: Write 5 lines: "What am I seeking, really?"

  • (Note: This is to stop you from lying to yourself. Are you here for stress relief or Truth? Aim the arrow.)

  • Day 7: Re-read a key passage you highlighted—then sit 30 minutes again.


A Critical Note: Do Not Go It Alone

While books are powerful, self-deception is the biggest trap on this path. We often think we have "gotten it" when we have merely conceptualized it.

This is why finding a qualified guide is essential. You need someone who has walked the territory to spot where you are stuck.

For a guide on how to navigate this, read this article: Finding an Awakened Spiritual Teacher.


The Verdict

Trends come and go. If you want a resource that is grounded, time-tested, and practical enough to start today, this is it.

And at $1.99, it’s one of the cheapest serious "wake-up calls" you can buy.

Grab the Kindle Edition on Amazon

(Note: Prices on Amazon change frequently, so double-check before clicking buy!)


A Practical Option: Sanbō Zen (Harada–Yasutani / Sanbō Kyōdan)

If The Three Pillars of Zen resonates with you, you may want to look into the broader practice stream it emerged from: the Harada–Yasutani approach (often associated with Sanbō Kyōdan, now commonly presented as Sanbō Zen International).

One reason this lineage “clicks” for many modern practitioners is that it combines steady sitting (zazen) with direct inquiry / koan practice—a blend that Kapleau trained in and helped introduce to Western readers. (Historically, this stream draws from both Sōtō and Rinzai influences.)

The useful part is simple: they maintain an international network and publicly list teachers and locations, so you can explore whether there’s someone legitimate near you:

Important: a directory is only a starting point. Take your time—attend a few sits, ask how they train students, and trust your common sense around transparency, ethics, and healthy boundaries. The point isn’t to “collect teachers,” but to find a setting where practice becomes real.

Soh

English Original: https://www.awakeningtoreality.com/2019/02/angelo-gerangelos-writings-on-anatta.html

中文翻译:

Angelo 写道:关于初醒的探究

通往初醒的探究是一件奇妙的事。我们想要知道究竟如何进行这种探究,这是完全可以理解的。问题在于,这并不是通过描述某种特定技巧就能完全传达的。

实际上,这是关于找到那个让臣服意图相遇的契合点。我会在这里描述一种方法,但重要的是要记住,最终,你(作为你所认为的自己)并没有力量唤醒你自己。只有生命拥有这种力量。

因此,当我们投身于某种探究或修习时,保持开放是至关重要的。我们必须让通往奥秘与可能性的门户保持敞开。我们必须认识到,那种不断下结论说不,这不是,不,这也还不是……”的过程,仅仅是头脑的活动。

那些都是念头。如果我们相信了一个念头,我们就会相信下一个,如此循环往复。然而,如果我们能认出噢,那个怀疑只是此刻生起的一个念头,那么我们就有机会认识到那个念头会自行平息……而作为那个念头之知者的依然在这里!

一旦那个念头(或任何念头)平息,我们可以开始对此时此地留存的事物感到着迷。在这念头之间的间隙中是什么?这种纯粹的感、纯粹的感、纯粹的存在感是什么?

这种能够照亮并显明一个念头(正如它每天数千次所做的那样),而在没有念头时依然照耀的光是什么?它是自明的。那个觉察到念头,在念头之前、之中和之后都保持清醒和觉知,且不被任何念头以任何方式改变的那一位,其本质是什么?

请理解,当你问这些问题时,你寻找的不是一个思维层面的答案,答案是体验本身。

当我们开始允许注意力放松进入这个更宽广的视角时,我们开始从念头中解缚。我们开始凭感觉、凭本能去认出无缚意识的本质。这就是契入之路。

起初,我们可能会下结论说这个间隙,这个无念的意识是无趣的、不重要的。感觉它相当中性,而忙碌的头脑对中性的事物无从下手,所以我们可能会倾向于再次有意地去接触念头。

如果我们认识到无趣、不重要、没有价值都只是念头,并单纯地回到这个流动的意识,它就会开始扩展。但不需要去思考扩展或等待它。如果我们与它同在,它自然会这样做。

如果你愿意将头脑中的每一个念头和影像都认作是念头和影像,并保持注意力警觉但放松地融入那些与感相续的念头内容中,一切自然会自行运作。只要愿意悬置评判。

愿意放弃下结论。愿意放下对你进度的所有监控,因为这些全都是念头。对纯粹的体验保持开放。只是不断地回到这个没有对象的意识之地,或纯粹的我是之感。如果你愿意这样做,它会以一种我和我见过的任何人都无法解释的方式将它自己教导给你,但这比真实更真实。

旅途愉快。


Angelo 2019 年写道:

🙂 我前阵子写了这个。可能有帮助,也可能没有。我觉得太长了,所以我会分两部分发。

我不知道谁会觉得这有用或想读它。你可以说我实际上找不到任何人,正如我在显现的流动之外找不到一个我的自我

当自我让位时,现象活动的场域便会自行告知其自身。只有光明自显的临在。这种显现为颜色、运动、声音、身体觉受、质地、味道和气味的全方位三昧absorption),没有外部。就其本身而言,它是完整的、自明的、自发的且不可否认的。它也全无实质、身份、坚实性、连续性、目的或意义。

这就是道元所说的一方明时一方暗的意思。

对于沉溺于内容的头脑来说,这听起来可能没有吸引力。然而,在直接体验中,这是极乐的、深刻宁静的,并且在某种程度上是的,是那个由概念认同构成的我、我的生活、我的问题、我的过去和我的未来的世界甚至无法企及的。

它也是无状态的、自然的,且不属时间的,意味着它没有来去、生灭的表象。有一种深刻的直觉认为就是这个,然而不再有人去持有那个直觉。

例如,对单一颜色的直接体验,是万有all that Is)及其潜在未显潜能的顶点,在此以该颜色的形式显现出来。在这之中,对互即互入(interconnectedness)的直觉性了知作为一种本能生起。这个颜色事件是独特的、原本清净的,且无余。是颜色本身所固有的,因此不能说颜色是的对象。

上述情况适用于所有感官模式(五门)。

这种鲜活的生命力被体验为宇宙为了带来这确切的量子事件而做出的全机maximum exertion)。这是进入存在的狂喜,不是作为一个独立的实体去体验现象世界,而是作为现象本身。

这正是第九幅牧牛图中所说的水流宁静,花朵嫣红,以及水绿山青的确切含义……

从一个主体、观察者或体验者的重担中释放出来,现象被视为在本质上是绝对自由的。在这种自由中,显现的流动在程度、品质和潜能上都是无限的。

这种自由的标志是无常(transience)。这正是描述真正失效的地方。没有任何关于无常的概念范式能传达无常。

概念主要是关于描述,也就是参照某人先前的经验并说它像那个,或它像那个,只是有这样那样的不同

无常的本质在每一个当下都与这种概念化倾向相悖。不仅没有以前可用来比较现在的体验,甚至没有一个背景可以用来对比体验。

事实上,这里所讨论的并不在体验的领域内,而是无体验的。简单地说,这不像任何东西,它就是它原本的样子。这就是为什么会使用诸如是性is-ness)和如是such-ness)这样的术语。

即使指向不断的流变、无尽的变化也不完全正确。要注意到不断的变化,必须有一个背景或比较的立足点,而这是找不到的。

因此,使用概念、指向、描述来触及无常本质是非常棘手的事。以下内容可能有帮助,也可能没有。

意识最基本的运作是简单的反射(reflection),就像用相机拍下感官世界中似乎正在发生的事情的照片。这是前概念的,并在非常基础的处理层面上运作,但如果它可以被做成一个陈述,这个快照会说类似噢,就是这样,这就是实相的本质。我会将此称为框架知见的基本单位。

只有在框架崩塌之后,无常本质才会被体验为自然的,并表达为无限度的自由。

在此必须澄清,在这个语境下的知见或框架并非指单纯的意见或信念。意见或信念可以在概念层面上被审视。在我是谁?的早期觉悟阶段,这确实可能相当有益。

然而,在更深层的觉悟阶段,这种根本的框架倾向能够——且经常——完全被忽视。它是我们最基本的倾向、动机和假设的基础。它是整个身份建构赖以建立的基础。这包括个人身份(在见性或某些人所谓的我是觉醒之前),以及觉醒后几乎总是发生的、更为微细的对意识、普遍性、前概念体验的认同。

挑战在于,概念认同(觉醒前)与对无缚意识、普遍性、绝对的微细认同(觉醒后)之间的对比通常非常剧烈,以至于它会被误认为是解脱(无我),而残留的认同可能会被完全忽略。这表现为一种信念:所有的存在只是觉知,就像一种没有观察者的持续观察状态。我们可能会在表面上或潜意识里确信我们已经到达了终点。

让问题更复杂的是,我们可能会在初步觉醒之后有进一步的领悟,即能/所(主体/客体)划分的错觉崩塌了,然而框架依然完好无损。这可能会变成一种伪圆满,并导致各种微细但深刻的扭曲。

更常见的是,我们隐约怀疑觉悟的过程尚未完成,但完全不知道该如何继续。我们经常发现,许多最初驱使我们觉醒的动力已经消退。我们也经常发现,以前行之有效的修习方法似乎不再具有同样的效力,或者突然感觉不像以前那样相关了。

那么该做什么呢?既然作为一个观察者、作者和意志主体的感觉是建立在框架之上的,因此也是框架的产物,我们必须以一种特定的方式进行探究,以免在不知不觉中停留在微细的观察者/作者框架中。

首先,探究框架的本质和功能会有所帮助。这种探究应该尽可能以直接的方式进行。我的意思是,框架的运作永远不会仅仅通过理解、概念化等方式停止。拥有一个概念框架可以是一个很好的出发点,但探究必须是非概念的、直接的,并带着孩童般纯真的好奇心。正如基督所说:我实在告诉你们,你们若不回转,变成小孩子的样式,断不得进天国。

回到快照的比喻,反思性头脑(意识)持续不断地对感官输入进行快照,并利用这些快照构建一个框架,用作事物是如何的基础。这种通过框架构建和维持客观现实的倾向具有巨大的惯性。

它始于孩提时代,当我们在生命的一到两岁之间以最根本的方式开始有了自我意识。在童年早期,这种框架倾向是间歇性的,但随着时间推移,它开始感觉相当坚实。这种坚实性被体验为连续性(时间中的自我和世界)。

这种连续性对于我们认为自己是谁以及我们认为世界是怎样的至关重要。到成年早期,它通常变得如此坚固,以至于大多数人会认为去质疑它都是荒谬的。在我们认为的正常人类经验的背景下,去质疑我是一个在一个叫我的生活的世界中移动的选择者,我在其中解决问题,并且我有一个独特的过去和一个我正在创造的未来这一假设,无异于疯癫。

即使在觉悟的后期阶段,在它止息(无我)之前,我们也无法体会框架那种束缚性质的广度和量级。

因此,要潜入框架之下,我们必须非常清楚其构建的基本单位。这必须仅在直接体验中进行。仅仅概念上的理解往好了说是无用的,往坏了说是一种分心和障碍。

所以,开始熟悉这些快照。要做到这一点,我们必须花时间直接探究感官现象。有很多方法可以做到这一点,但关键是要直接、近距离、真诚且重复地看。

例如:当感知到一种颜色、形状或运动(视觉现象)时,我们应该在没有念头的情况下直接探究其本质。当我们认真地这样做时,我们将开始看到快照被拍摄的那个点。

我们将看到对那颜色的直接体验在何处变成了红色红衬衫。我们将看到那个对红色的直接体验,在闭上眼睛时何处变成了先前所见事物的心理影像。这是思维反射(快照)的两个例子。一个是概念性的(语言/文字/标签),另一个是非概念性的(视觉/图像)。

开始以这种方式清晰地感知直接感官体验与反思性意识之间的区别。不要排斥任何一种体验,只是看清它们的本质。

同样地,当听到声音时,只需直接体验它。注意直接体验与随之而来标记该体验的念头之间的区别。此外,要认出只有在对声音的直接体验之后的念头才能陈述或暗示有一个听到该声音的人的存在。

以这种方式,我们开始感知声音的本来面目。我们开始体验它的无物性no-thingness)(你永远无法在实时中找到它,因为它一出现就消失了)。同时,我们开始体验它的非二元(无能所)面向。这是直接的、包罗万象的、只是这个的面向。

当你厘清直接感官现象的这两面时,将会有越来越清晰的直接了知:没有看者,没有听者,没有感知者,只有听、看、感知。此外,每一个感官事件都将被清晰地体认为互即互入、完整、鲜活且三昧with maximum absorption)。

随着这一点被一遍又一遍地厘清,作者、看者、听者、感知者的感觉将开始消退,因为它只在念头中被发现,从未在现象中被发现。

正如我的禅师多年前常说的,在某个点,山河大地花草便直接取代了你。


John Tan 回复:

Angelo,这是你现在的日常体验吗?

Angelo 回复:

把它称为一种体验感觉很奇怪,但我会说是的。它更简单地是一种指向,指向通过//作为感官所体验到的自然现象世界。对一切事物也有一种完全不可描述的感觉。我能说的最好方式是,不存在事物是怎样的方式。恒常的流变,所以我描述任何事物的瞬间,它已经消失了。

甚至这种想要描述一切的感觉也是短暂的,是基于因缘(这次对话)的,并且在它形成的同时就在消解。没有一种已经抵达的感觉,事实上,那个可以说已经抵达或离开的容器本身只是一个短暂的显现。

无常的本质再次拒绝解释,但我可以将它比作这个。就像一个人走在一条灯火通明的走廊里,只有你所在的走廊部分被照亮了。就像灯光在你走过时亮起又熄灭。

只是没有你在走,也没有走廊,只有灯光在那一部分创造出运动和现象的显现。那个比喻中的灯光就是感官现象。只是鲜活的直接体验在自我体验。

此外,它似乎相当矛盾地变得越来越坚实/物理化。身体/世界的物理性被体验为与领悟相互渗透。就像一座空性的山,宇宙在行走、说话、坐着、工作。我写得越多,越意识到这无法描述。

在描述觉悟阶段等方面,描述/语言的精确性是有价值的。就个人而言,我只在它能帮助那些真正想要觉醒于最深真理的人时才对它感兴趣。

话虽如此,也可能存在对描述精确性等的微细执着。当然,觉悟还有完全另一面,是完全本能的、神秘的、不可知的。这种纯真、脆弱、惊奇和敬畏不容忽视,特别是如果我们要将其带入如常的日常生活中。

我绝不会说这里有什么是完成的,我时刻处于敬畏之中,向每个人和每件事学习。实际上完全不可能产生我解脱了但其他人没有的感觉。在一种非常真实的意义上,所见的一切都是佛性。

所以如果我与正在觉醒过程中的人交谈,这就是我看待他们的方式。他们既是觉醒的过程,也是佛性。这两者无法分割。不确定这是否有帮助。

免责声明——我不对我说的任何话负责,它一到达就消失了 🤣

John Tan 回复:

是的 Angelo全机total exertion)!

我喜欢你关于走在灯光走廊的描述。

就像在购物中心行走时,没有自我,只有完全流变的觉受形成了购物中心的显现。然后当进入停车场时,整个流变的觉受变成了停车场。这种奇妙流变显现的滋味是无法描述的。

至于物理性和感官,它们只是假名施设。在全机total exertion)中,所有设定的界限消融,六根无缝地相互渗透,成为一种妙用。

例如在全机运作中,不仅是眼睛在看;耳朵在看;鼻子在看,颜色在看。整个身心宇宙奇妙地生起为这此刻鲜活的风光。在此时刻,没有看者也没有看,只有美丽的风景。

去看,去欣赏,并在非二元中深深地安住于其中,然后问:

这风景在哪里?

不像声音、味道、念头和气味那样如逝去的薄雾般消失,风景鲜活且明显地在那里,但它在哪里?

强力临在,却如倒影般空性。

整合这两种滋味,旅途愉快!


Angelo 也在 2020 年写道:

我不知道谁会觉得这有用或想读它。你可以说我实际上找不到任何人,正如我在显现的流动之外找不到一个我的自我

当自我让位时,现象活动的场域便会自行告知其自身。只有光明自显的临在。这种显现为颜色、运动、声音、身体觉受、质地、味道和气味的全方位三昧,没有外部。就其本身而言,它是完整的、自明的、自发的且不可否认的。它也全无实质、身份、坚实性、连续性、目的或意义。

这就是道元所说的一方明时一方暗的意思。

对于沉溺于内容的头脑来说,这听起来可能没有吸引力。然而,在直接体验中,这是极乐的、深刻宁静的,并且在某种程度上是的,是那个由概念认同构成的我、我的生活、我的问题、我的过去和我的未来的世界甚至无法企及的。

它也是无状态的、自然的,且不属时间的,意味着它没有来去、生灭的表象。有一种深刻的直觉认为就是这个,然而不再有人去持有那个直觉。

例如,对单一颜色的直接体验,是万有及其潜在未显潜能(盘硅的不生)的顶点,在此以该颜色的形式显现出来。在这之中,对互即互入的直觉性了知作为一种本能生起。

这个颜色事件是独特的、原本清净的,且无余。是颜色本身所固有的,因此不能说颜色是的对象。

上述情况适用于所有感官模式(五门)。

这种鲜活的生命力被体验为宇宙为了带来这确切的量子事件而做出的全机。这是进入存在的狂喜,不是作为一个独立的实体去体验现象世界,而是作为现象本身。

这正是第九幅牧牛图中所说的水流宁静,花朵嫣红,以及水绿山青”……

从一个主体、观察者或体验者的重担中释放出来,现象被视为在本质上是绝对自由的。在这种自由中,显现的流动在程度、品质和潜能上都是无限的。

这种自由的标志是无常。这正是描述真正失效的地方。没有任何关于无常的概念范式能传达无常。

 


Soh

Kyle Dixon (Krodha) 分享道:

以下是關于大圓滿如何將其知見與唯識(Yogācāra)的實體化非二元論區分開來的一些例子,唯識在某些方面可以被論證為類似于不二吠檀多:

例如,《鑲嵌寶珠續》(Inlaid Jewels Tantra)拒絕了唯識的定義,指出:

“無垢之明(vidyā)是本初覺智(jñāna, tib. ye shes)之身(kāya)。由于自證(svasaṃvedana, rang gyis rig pa 或 ‘rang rig’)離于覺悟的真實相狀,它根本不是明之本初覺智(rig pa'i ye shes)。”

Ju Mipham(麥彭仁波切)在《流金》(Liquid Gold)中關于實體論的唯識知見指出:

“唯識宗(Cittamatrin Yogācārins)將主體和客體都解構為僅僅是空性、本質上能知的本初覺智。”

唯識的這種自證與阿底瑜伽(ati)的自然本智(svayaṃbhūjñāna)的區別,正如他所說:

“當界(dhātu)與明的配令人被解構時,便沒有可抓取的焦點。一旦理解了‘這是究竟’這一最終前提在不可言說的空性狀態中被解構,行者便進入了非二元的本初覺智,即二諦無別的一切現象皆為同一味。”

龍欽巴(Longchenpa)在談到唯識知見時寫道,大圓滿甚至拒絕承認法性(dharmatā)是“非二元”的,他說:

།གང་ལ་གཟུང་བ་དང་འཛིན་པ་མེད་པར་རྟོགས་པའི་རིག་པ་དེའི་ངོ་བོ་ལ་ནི་རང་བྱུང་གི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སུ་ཐ་སྙད་བཏགས་ཀྱང༌། རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་ལོ་ཞེས་རྣལ་འབྱོར་སེམས་ཙམ་པ་ལྟར་མི་འདོད་དེ། ཕྱི་ནང་མེད་པས་ནང་གི་སེམས་སུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། རང་གཞན་མེད་པས་རང་གི་རིག་པ་ཁོ་ནར་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། གཟུང་འཛིན་ཡོད་མ་མྱོང་བས་དེ་གཉིས་དང་བྲལ་བར་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། ཚོར་རིག་གི་ཡུལ་ན་མེད་པས་མྱོང་བ་གཉིས་མེད་དུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། སེམས་དང་སེམས་བྱུང་མེད་པས་རང་གི་སེམས་སུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། གསལ་མི་གསལ་དུ་མེད་པས་རང་གསལ་དུ་མ་གྲུབ་པའི་ཕྱིར་རོ། །རིག་མ་རིག་ལས་འདས་པས་རིག་པ་ཙམ་དུའང་གདགས་སུ་མེད་པ་འདི་ནི། མཐའ་བྲལ་ཡོངས་སུ་རྫོགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་སྟེ། མཚོན་ཚིག་གི་ཐ་སྙད་རང་བྱུང་གི་ཡེ་ཤེས་དང༌། བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སེམས་དང༌། ཆོས་སྐུ་དང༌། དབྱིངས་ལྷུན་གྲུབ་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། རིག་པ་རང་གསལ་རྗེན་པ་ཞེས་བརྗོད་ཀྱང༌། བརྡ་ཤེས་པའི་ཕྱིར་བཏགས་པ་ཙམ་ལས་རང་ངོ་བརྗོད་མེད་ཆེན་པོར་རྟོགས་པར་བྱའོ། །དེ་ལྟར་མ་ཡིན་པར་མིང་ལ་དོན་དུ་ཞེན་ནས་སེམས་ཙམ་པའི་རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་གཟུང་འཛིན་གཉིས་མེད་ཀྱི་ཤེས་པ་དང་ཁྱད་པར་མི་རྙེད་དོ།

“雖然證悟了無能取所取之明(rig pa)的體(essence)在名言上被安立為‘自然本智’(self-originated pristine consciousness),但‘rang rig rang gsal’(自證自明)并不像唯識宗那樣被承許,因為(1)由于沒有內或外,內在的心無法成立;(2)由于既無自也無他,反身性的能知(reflexive knowing, skt. svasaṃvedana, tib. rang gyi rig pa)根本無法成立;(3)由于沒有所取之境或能取之主體,離于二元無法成立;(4)由于沒有可經驗的對象,經驗無法成立為非二元;由于沒有心和心所,自己的心無法成立;(5)由于既非明(gsal ba)也非不明(mi gsal ba),本性之明(intrinsic clarity, rang gsal)無法成立。(6)由于超越了知與不知,甚至‘知’(knowing)作為一種施設也不存在——這被稱為‘超越邊見的完全大圓滿(mtha’ bral yongs su rdzogs pa chen pa)’。雖然使用了諸如‘自然本智’、‘菩提心(bodhicitta)’、‘法身(dharmakāya)’、‘自然圓滿之大界(the great naturally perfected dhātu)’以及‘赤裸、本性自明之明(naked, intrinsically clear cognizance, rig pa rang gsal)’等指示性的名言,但除了作為理解象征的僅僅假名之外,必須證悟真實本性為‘大不可言說性’。

否則,如果執著于名相的意義,這與唯識宗那種通過名言意義上的執著而建立的、離于能取主體和所取客體的自證自明之識(consciousness)毫無區別。”

Lopön Tenzin Namdak(洛本·丹增南達)解釋了稱為 gcig pu 的基(basis)的三昧耶,它代表一種總相(samanyalakṣaṇa):

“那就是 Chigpu (gcig pu) —— 沒有任何分割。意思是每個個體眾生都有一個心,而其本性具有非常相似的特質。

不要認為(對所有人來說)只有一個本性。不要認為它像太陽那樣,只有一個太陽但它的光芒覆蓋各處。每個眾生都有心,哪里有心,哪里就有本性——它不離于心,但本性并不僅僅是同一個(one)。每個個體眾生都有本性,這個本性由個體去修持和證悟;是這個個體獲得果位。

當文本說‘唯一明點’(Thigle Nyagchig)時,它意味著相似的特質;空性、明晰和統一在到處都是一樣的。

例如,如果你砍倒一根竹子,你可以看到它是中空的,所以你不需要砍倒所有的竹子。以類似的方式,如果你證悟了(你心的本性),那就是你的心解脫進入本性。所有具有心的有情眾生都與本性融合。這就是唯一明點。這就是‘單一’的意思。

如果你依賴于識,那就是違犯大圓滿誓言(damstig)。這是主要的事情。”

[...]

“如果你不清楚地理解這一點,而是認為一個心遍及一切,那就是吠檀多(Vedanta)所持守和學習的;那是他們非常強烈的知見。如果你相信這一點,那么你的誓言就破損了,你就違背了大圓滿的知見。清楚了嗎?你必須確定(這一點)。如果你認為(本性)是帶有這種個體分割的‘一’,而這個‘一’遍及一切,那就是違犯你的大圓滿誓言,并違背大圓滿知見。希望你們已經清楚地理解了。”

在世俗意義上,每一尊世俗的佛都有他們自己的心(citta),而每一個心都有其原本要被認出的本性(citta dharmatā)。法身是佛之心之法性,或 cittatā。這意味著法身是一尊佛的心之法性。法身是一尊佛的本初覺智。

我們可以說,每一尊世俗的佛都有他們自己的世俗本初覺智,因為在究竟上沒有本初覺智,也沒有法身。本初覺智的特征(characteristic)是一尊佛對空性的了知。法身是一尊佛對空性的證悟,這是個體地被了知的。

在對空性的瑜伽現量(yogapratyakṣa)中,現象個體之間沒有區別,因為個體是不可得的,因此正如《勝鬘經》(Śrīmāladevi)所說,法身是“如來如虛空般的本初覺智”。

普遍基(spyi gzhi)只是一組普遍的特質,即體(essence, ngo bo)和性(nature, rang bzhin),這是所有心都擁有的特征。

理解這個主題的基礎結構有些復雜,無法在一個簡短的帖子中傳達——甚至無法在一個單獨的帖子中傳達,因為有許多因素需要被考慮進去。然而,當“個體與普遍”被理解為是對所謂“總相”的描述時,它們被發現是互補的。法身是一個心的本性。那個本性,或法性,是一個總相,它是一種抽象概念。

你會經常看到這樣的陳述,如法身是“非一非多”,這很容易被誤解。然而,其意指的含義是,作為一個總相,法身不是“一”,因為它存在于無數個別的心中,無論這些心在哪里被發現;它也不是“多”,因為無論在哪里發現它,其表現(expression)都是相同的。類似于火的熱度。熱度也是“非一非多”,它不是“一”,因為它存在于無數個別的火的實例中,無論火在哪里被發現;它不是“多”,因為無論在哪里發現熱度,其表現都是相同的。法身也是一樣的,例如,《攝大乘論》(Mahāyānasaṃgraha)說:

“同樣地,法身具有一異非二的特征 [它非一非多],因為如來藏沒有差別 [在表現上],而無量的相續心流 [個體地] 證得圓滿正覺。”

法身是一個個體之心的總相。例如在大圓滿教法中,本初清凈(ka dag)和自然圓滿(lhun grub)的本初覺智(jñānas)被稱為“普遍基”或 spyi gzhi,因為它們是大悲(thugs rje)的體(ngo bo)和性(rang bzhin),而大悲是個體之識的實例化。這意味著本初清凈和自然圓滿是總相,因此基并不是一個真實的實體(real essence)。它實際上不以任何方式成立。

在大圓滿教法中,我們并不真正談論有為法(conditioned phenomena)和無為法(unconditioned phenomena),但這個原則仍然適用。本質上所說的是,法身,即無為法,是有為法(即某人的心)的總相。

這里指出的要點是,某人的心從無始以來就一直是所謂的“無為”法性,即法身,然而由于妄想,這一點未被認出,我們錯誤地構想出一個個體的心,即使并沒有這樣的東西。

因此,心從無始以來就是非真實的,但由于我們的迷惑,我們錯誤地構想出一個心,結果,我們必須努力去認出心實際上是無實體的,且不以任何方式成立。我們稱那種無實體的本性為心的法性,即法身,但既然沒有一個實際的心去擁有一個本性,也就沒有一個實際的本性。心的法性只是關于心的一些需要去認出的東西,一旦我們認出了這一點,就會看到根本從來就沒有一個心去擁有本性。

諸佛和已證悟的眾生不將所謂的有為之心視為有為的“心”,因為他們知道我們錯誤構想為“心”者的真實本性。正如《持世請問經》(Lokadharaparipṛcchā)所說:

“持世,非離有為法而有無為法,亦非離無為法而有有為法,以有為法之真如相(characteristic of the suchness)即無為故。何以故?有為法中無有為,無為法中無無為。”

這個主題在大圓滿中也可見到,其中在所謂的有為法中實際上沒有任何有為的東西,既然有為法無法成立,無為法也無法成立,正如龍樹(Nāgārjuna)所說。

《六界續》(The Six Dimensions)說:

“離戲論之法性即本初清凈;它是本性清凈之基;它離于詞語和音節;它無法通過表達來確認;它離于一切世俗的實執;它沒有所取之境和能取之心的概念;它沒有佛也沒有眾生;它沒有現象也沒有對現象的感知;沒有人,沒有物,什么都沒有。當此種無(med pa)的體(essence)用某些詞語來確認時:體(ngo bo)是本初清凈,性(rang bzhin)是自然圓滿。”

《自生明續》(Rig pa rang shar)拒絕了不二吠檀多,并點名提到了商羯羅阿阇梨(Ādi Śaṅkara)。

無垢友(Vimalamitra)指出:

“基,那最初的本初清凈狀態,是解脫的,因為其體根本不成立。”

《普賢明鏡續》(The Mind Mirror of Samantabhadra):

“既然沒有勝義,‘世俗’之名也不存在。”

還有所有這些上師指出大圓滿與中觀知見是相容的,并強調空性,這顯然削弱了像不二吠檀多那樣的東西。

引自堪布竹清嘉措(Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso):

“此外,既然必須依靠龍樹的理路才能證悟大圓滿的體,大手印(Mahamudra)也是如此。那些在西藏佛學院(shedra)學習的人,花費多年時間研習《中論》(The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way)和月稱(Chandrakirti)的《入中論》(Entering the Middle Way)及其他類似文本。然而,他們并沒有學習大手印和大圓滿,因為正是中觀文本充滿了如此大量不同的論證和邏輯理路,使人們能夠以既微細又深刻的方式去研習它們。在大手印教法中,我們也能找到這樣的陳述,例如來自噶瑪巴讓迥多杰(Karmapa Rangjung Dorje)的《大手印愿文》(Mahamudra Aspiration Prayer):‘心者,無心!心之體本空。’如果你通過分析破除四邊生起的理路以及其他理路,對心的體之空性獲得定解,那么你對大手印的理解將變得深刻。否則,你可以念誦這句經文,但在你心中,它不過是一個觀點或猜測。

如果你研習了《中論》中提出的這些理路,當你接受大手印和大圓滿關于空性和無自性的解釋時,你將已經熟悉所教導的內容,因此你不需要學習任何新東西。麥彭仁波切(Mipham Rinpoche)撰寫了一部簡短的論著叫《定解寶燈》(The Beacon of Certainty),他在其中指出:‘為了對本初清凈有完美的定解,必須對應成派(Consequence or Prasangika school)的知見有完美的理解。’本初清凈,或原始、本初的清凈,是大圓滿的知見,為了圓滿那個知見,必須圓滿對應成派或月稱應成派知見的理解。這意味著大圓滿本初清凈的知見與月稱學派的應成派知見是相同的。”

引自圖古·楚洛(Tulku Tsullo)關于大圓滿知見的教授:

“因此,無論是顯宗還是密宗,都有一個共識,即對執著事物為實有的無明(這位于我們業力和煩惱的根源)的唯一直接對治,是證悟空性的智慧。所以對于大圓滿修行者來說,證悟空性也是極其重要的。”

《聲應成續》(sgra thal gyur tantra)指出:

“無故顯現,顯現故空。顯現與空性之無別雙運及其分支。”

齊農·哲帕·察(Zilnon Zhepa Tsal)說:

“如果不證悟空性,怎能獲得解脫?而如果不修大圓滿,怎能證悟空性?除了我,誰還會給予這樣的贊嘆?”

達賴喇嘛指出:

“我們需要一種特殊的智慧——證悟空性的智慧——作為所知障的直接對治。沒有這種智慧(它可以通過大圓滿而證得)……我們將沒有所知障的直接對治。所以這一點是結論性的。”

堪千·雷金·多杰(Khenchen Rigdzin Dorje)[夏扎仁波切的心子] 指出:

“中觀派認為應成派是完美的‘自空’(Rangtong)知見。大圓滿立斷(trekcho)的知見即本初清凈,這與應成派的知見是相同的。空性是相同的,沒有區別……理解這一點很重要,即‘本初清凈’這個詞是應成派空性的大圓滿術語。[古代的寧瑪派大師如龍欽巴、吉美林巴、麥彭,都是] 應成派……應成中觀的空性(sunyata [tongpanyid])和大圓滿的空性完全相同。沒有區別。百分之百相同。”

龍欽巴說:

“這個自然大圓滿的體系,與應成中觀派通常考慮離于邊見等的方式是等同的。然而,中觀里的空性是被算作類似于虛空的空性,被作為基;在這里 [大圓滿中],從本初以來清凈、不成立的赤裸澄澈之明;那個,僅僅是不滅的,被作為基。—— 從基顯現的現象被領悟為離于邊見,如虛空一般。”

David Germano:

“雖然對這些古典大圓滿文本與中觀應成派傳統關系的詳細分析超出了我目前討論的范圍,但在這一點上我只想指出,即使在《十七續》(即不考慮龍欽巴的著作集)中也非常清楚,該傳統體現了對應成派空性概念的一種創新性的辯證重新詮釋,而不是像 Karmay 所暗示的那樣僅僅是‘截然對立’。”

麥彭仁波切在他對《中觀莊嚴論》(Madhyamakālaṃkāra)的注釋 dbu ma rgyan gyi rnam bshad 'jam dbyangs bla ma dgyes pa'i zhal lung 中指出:

“如果在沒有對本初清凈獲得定解的情況下,僅僅反復思量某種‘非有非無的基’,將讓你一無所獲。如果你將這個空掉了有和無的空性之基執取為某種通過其體 [與萬法] 分離而成立的東西,無論你如何稱呼它(例如不可思議的‘我’、梵天 [Brahmā]、遍入天 [Viṣṇu]、自在天 [Īśvara] 或智慧),除了僅僅是名稱不同外,其意義是相同的。既然離于四邊戲論的基礎本性,即大圓滿(需要親身體驗的光明)根本不是那樣的,那么依靠正確的道路和上師是很重要的。因此,你可以宣稱‘如幻’、‘無實’、‘離戲論’等詞匯僅僅作為口頭禪,但如果你不能通過理路引發的決定性定解,了知超越了外道(tīrthikas)[所主張的] 局限 [種類] 空性的如來空性的 [實際] 存在方式,這對你沒有任何利益。”

南開諾布法王(Chögyal Namkhai Norbu)指出:

“中觀用四個‘超越概念’來解釋,即某物既非有,也非無,也非既有又無,也非超越了既有又無。這就是四種可能性。剩下了什么?什么也沒有。雖然我們只是在理智層面上運作,但這可以被認為是中觀的究竟結論。作為一種分析方法,這對大圓滿也是正確的。龍樹的理路是至高無上的。

我們需要依靠個人的知識能力和名言,在意識上建立那個理智上建立的知見。建立這一點的方式是由偉大的圣者龍樹及其追隨者所評注的應成中觀體系。沒有比那更好的知見體系了。”

引自吉美林巴(Jigme Lingpa):

“我主張‘為了領悟無生、無基、無根之法身的意義,雖然達成以及達成此當前結論‘既然我無立宗,我即無過’的方式(如在中觀應成派體系中那樣)并不是通過理智上的思量(如堅持某種信念)而確立的,而是通過現見自然大圓滿的究竟實相之義而達到的。”

Chokyi Dragpa(確吉·扎巴)指出:

“在立斷的道上,心中所有執著于在無‘我’處有‘我’、在無自性處有自性的僵化,都被中觀應成派的理路以及由此產生的對‘我’或‘自性’不存在的堅信所斬斷。然后,通過審視心在哪里生起、安住和滅去,你對沒有任何真實實相變得確定。”

再次引自堪布竹清嘉措:

“偉大的學者和大師,麥彭·秋列·南嘉(Mipham Chokle Namgyal)說:‘如果一個人尋求通達本初清凈或 kadak 的基礎本性,就有必要圓滿對應成派或‘后果派’知見的理解。’本初清凈描述了如大圓滿描述中所表達的心之基礎本性。如果一個人希望證悟大圓滿、本初清凈或立斷,那么他必須圓滿對應成派的理解。也就是說,必須證悟實相的本性超越一切概念戲論;它無法用任何概念性術語來描述。這就是‘界’的面向。如果一個人認出了這一點,那么很容易證悟大手印,因為正如密勒日巴(Milarepa)所唱:見:是空性的本初智慧。修:離于執著的明光。行:無貪的相續之流。果:剝去一切染污的赤裸。”

引自阿阇梨達摩巴扎(Acarya Dharmavajra Mr. Sridhar Rana):

“在顯宗、密宗、大圓滿或大手印中發現的空性(Shunyata)的意義,與月稱的應成派空性是相同的,即任何真實存在的不可得(unfindability),或僅僅是不可得。一些大圓滿和大手印或密宗的作者認為龍樹的空性與這些體系中發現的空性不同。但我想問他們,他們的空性是可得的還是不可得的;在這些體系中空性的意義是否不也是不可得的事實——也可以表述為無所見(no seeing)。此外,一些他空見(Shentong)學者似乎暗示他空體系在談論一種不同的空性。他們說佛性不是空于功德的,因此,佛性不通過是空的,它也有功德。首先,整個陳述是不相關的。功德不是問題,佛性是否空于功德也不是議題。佛性是空于自性(Svabhava,真實存在)的。因為它空于真實存在,它才有功德。正如圣龍樹在他的《中論》(Mula Madhyamika Karika)中所說:‘以有空義故,一切法得成(包括功德)。’因此,整個他空/自空(Shentong/Rangtong)的問題是多余的。然而,在他空見中,佛性也是空的,而空意味著不可得。簡而言之,任何真實存在的不可得是佛教中的勝義(skt. paramartha),這與被稱為‘梵’(印度教中的勝義諦)的真實存在之物的概念截然對立。”

引自竹慶本樂仁波切(Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche):

“當涉及到證悟心和現象的本初清凈本性時,立斷的修持是必不可少的。這個本性是空性,即大圓滿的基礎狀態。正因如此,在接受立斷的指引時,在中觀知見上有透徹的基礎會有很大幫助。有了正確的空性知見,一個人就可以有效地修習本初清凈。”

以及來自堪布竹清嘉措的最后警告:

“如果我們仍然相信存在,如果我們對某種實體性的東西有某種類型的信念,如果我們認為有某種真實存在的東西,無論它可能是什么,我們就被稱為落入了叫常見或恒常性的邊見。而如果我們落入那個邊見,我們將無法證悟實相的真實本性。”

這是關於大圓滿和不二吠檀多的一篇帖子:

此外,在比較諸如心的本性或法身等佛教原則與像吠檀多的“梵”之類的東西時,有顯著的差異。一方面,梵是一個超個人的、本體論的、真實成立的究竟(truly established ultimate)。而法身則是一尊佛對空性(śūnyatā)的證悟,在成佛時達到圓滿,這是通過修習本初覺智,即一種對空性的直接非概念的、瑜伽的感知而產生的。法身是個體心相續的本性,是認識論的(epistemic)且是個體性的(personal),并非一個真實成立的究竟本性。

空性實際上是不二吠檀多之“神我”(puruṣa)所代表之物的對立面;它是自性(svabhāva)或體的缺席,而神我實際上是一個體。與不二吠檀多的神我不同,空性是對一切有為法和無為法的非還原性和無遮(prasajya-pratiṣedha)。這種知見不被不二吠檀多所共享,盡管它試圖將其神我分類為一種微細的本性,甚至在無屬性梵(nirguṇabrahman)的情況下離于特征,但它仍主張梵仍然是一個擁有“離于特征”(nirguṇa)之品質的體,這正是清辨(Bhāviveka)對不二吠檀多提出的批評。清辨生活在印度許多不同傳統之間存在大量論戰和互動的時代,他在他的許多論述中處理了這些區別。這段來自他的《中觀心論注》(Tarkajvālā)的摘錄特別切題,并處理了關于不二吠檀多的神我擁有特征的問題:

“如果問這法身與以無概念、常和不變等方式所主張的勝我 [bdag pa dam pa](paramātma,與梵同義)有什么區別,他們解釋那個 [勝我] 是微細的,因為它擁有微細的品質;被解釋為粗大的,因為它擁有粗大的品質;是唯一的,因為它擁有唯一的品質;是遍及遠近的,因為它去往各處。另一方面,法身既非微細也非粗大,不是唯一的,不近也不遠,因為它不是上述品質的擁有者,也因為它不存在于一個地方。”

因此我們看到,法身并不是一個像實體一樣的品質“擁有者”。相反,作為本體論實體的梵,確實擁有特征和品質。

法身根本不是一個實體,而是一個總相。正如佛陀在《解深密經》(Saṃdhinirmocana)中所說,佛教中的勝義是世俗的總相。法身,作為空性,是心的世俗總相,因為它是心的空性之法性,即其原本要被認出的實際本性。解脫源于對現象本性無明所導致的束縛的釋放,這就是法身作為一種非還原性和無實體本性的方式。

梵作為一個實體與法身作為一個總相的區別,足以證明這些原則之間顯著的對比方面。法身是關于現象本性的認識論發現,即現象缺乏一種本質的本性或自性。或者說,梵是一個其自身的究竟本體論本性。法身意味著我們證悟了諸如梵之類的個體是不可能存在的,正如安慧(Sthiramati)所解釋的,個體通常是站不住腳的:

“佛是法身。既然法身是空性,因為在空性中不僅沒有可安立的人格個體,也沒有可安立的現象個體,因此根本沒有個體。”

這是另一段來自《中觀心論注》的簡潔且切題的摘錄,關于佛法和外道(tīrthika,非佛教)體系知見之間的區別:

“既然 [外道的立場] 我、常、遍和一與它們的對立面相矛盾,而 [佛教的立場是] 無我、無常、非遍和多,它們是完全不同的。”

不二吠檀多主張一種非二元的、單一的、究竟的神我,而佛教知見涉及認出無數且離散的、世俗的個體本身被賦予一種在名言層面被說為‘非二元’的體性/本質(essence),因為它們在究竟上根本沒有體。

《明之杜鵑》(Rig pa khyu byug)的第一句指出了這一點:

“種種顯現之本性(prakṛti)即非二元。”

如果沒有多樣性,你就不能有多樣性的非二元本性。不二吠檀多指出只有單一的神我是非二元本性的。

此外,不二吠檀多的神我涉及一種本體論的非二元論。一種本體論的非二元論(advaita)在性質上是一元論的。佛教擁護一種不同類型的非二元(advāya),它是認識論的而非本體論的。

一種本體論的非二元論是萬法被還原為一個單獨存在的單一實體(Substance),這是一元論的定義。例如,如果主體和客體合并,然后我們持有一種知見,認為兩者合一作為一個單一的 X 是真實實體的和有效的。

另一方面,一種認識論的非二元僅僅是認出現象的本性離于有和無的二元邊見,因此是“非二元”。這是一種非還原性的非二元,因為它不在其尾流中留下任何東西,一旦現象的本性被認出,就沒有 X 遺留下來。因此有標志性的“空性之空性”。

在認識論的非二元中,有為法(dharma)的本性與其無生本性(dharmatā)在究竟上既非相同也非不同,因此它們是“非二元”的,因為對有為個體的錯誤概念是無明的副產品,因此該個體從一開始就從未真正生起過。這意味著所謂的有為個體從一開始就真的是無為的。而證悟這一事實只需要息滅導致有為個體錯誤概念生起的因,即息滅無明。如果有法(dharmins)和法性不是非二元的,那么就不可能認出現象的無生本性,因為那個本性將變成另一個有為個體。

這意味著一般的佛法實際上并不提出一個真實的法性或究竟本性。這直接反駁了像不二吠檀多那樣的教導。

此外,不二吠檀多植根于數論派(Sāṃkhya)的世界觀,這與佛教所基于的阿毗達磨(Abhidharma)框架不同,那恰恰就在這兩個體系運作和看待世界的大體方式上創造了一個穩固的區別。

然而,除了不二吠檀多是“永恒法”(sanatanadharmic)知見而相對于佛法之外,根據諸如大圓滿等佛教體系,不二吠檀多是一種無法產生一般佛法所定義的解脫的邪見。例如,《自生明續》(Rigpa Rangshar)將不二吠檀多列在各種邪見之下,甚至點名提到了商羯羅阿阇梨(Ādi Śaṅkarācārya)來針對不二吠檀多。

對于不二吠檀多的其他駁斥,你可以閱讀寂護(Śāntarakṣita)的《攝真實論》(Tattvasaṃgraha),或清辨的《中觀心論注》,這是兩部主要的顯宗層面的著作,專門對此類體系的對比給予了一些關注。有人可能會反對說,在釋迦牟尼佛時代沒有不二吠檀多,所以佛陀從未直接針對不二吠檀多,然而數論瑜伽(Sāṃkhya yoga)在佛陀時代是存在的,鑒于佛陀將他的法與這些其他知見如數論派區分開來,而數論派是不二吠檀多所基于的基礎世界觀,我們可以知道(或自信地推斷)佛陀也會反對不二吠檀多。

有時人們會對這些比較畏縮,說這太籠統了,不二吠檀多是一個多樣化的體系,有 Sṛīṣṭīdṛīṣṭivāda、Dṛīṣṭisṛīṣṭīvāda、Māyāvāda 或 Vivartavāda 和 Ajātivāda,當然這很公平,佛法也是一樣的,然而在究竟上,就像佛教的情況一樣,盡管有這些不同的子系統,其基礎框架在本質上是普遍和統一的。盡管系統內存在不同的方法論或知見,我們并不偏離那個框架,不二吠檀多也不例外。即使是備受推崇的無生論(Ajātivāda,它本質上是不二吠檀多版本的無生,抄襲了佛教的無生 [anutpāda] 概念)也無法逃脫不二吠檀多常見的后果和含義。出于這個原因,佛法也會指出無生論與其知見不相容。

我們可以查閱《中觀莊嚴論》中關于佛教對不二吠檀多無生論的駁斥:

“因此,諸如來宣說‘一切法不生’,因為這符合勝義。這個‘勝義’在實相中,離于一切戲論。因為沒有生等,無生等也不可能,因為其體(entity)已被否定。”

上述摘錄也例證了為什么空性本身是空的,以及為什么空性是非還原性的。不二吠檀多無法對其神我正當地做出同樣的主張。

它們在某些方面相似嗎?當然。按照不二吠檀多自己的術語理解它是否有利益?當然。佛教修行者能否通過理解不二吠檀多的知見和細微差別來潛在地更好地理解佛教?絕對可以。我自己的上師為了這個明確的目的系統地學習了不二吠檀多。但歸根結底,它們是兩個不同的體系,有不同的基、道和果。

Soh

Kyle Dixon (Krodha) 分享道:

以下是关于大圆满如何将其知见与唯识(Yogācāra)的实体化非二元论区分开来的一些例子,唯识在某些方面可以被论证为类似于不二吠檀多:

例如,《镶嵌宝珠续》(Inlaid Jewels Tantra)拒绝了唯识的定义,指出:

“无垢之明(vidyā)是本初觉智(jñāna, tib. ye shes)之身(kāya)。由于自证(svasaṃvedana, rang gyis rig pa 或 ‘rang rig’)离于觉悟的真实相状,它根本不是明之本初觉智(rig pa'i ye shes)。”

Ju Mipham(麦彭仁波切)在《流金》(Liquid Gold)中关于实体论的唯识知见指出:

“唯识宗(Cittamatrin Yogācārins)将主体和客体都解构为仅仅是空性、本质上能知的本初觉智。”

唯识的这种自证与阿底瑜伽(ati)的自然本智(svayaṃbhūjñāna)的区别,正如他所说:

“当界(dhātu)与明的配令人被解构时,便没有可抓取的焦点。一旦理解了‘这是究竟’这一最终前提在不可言说的空性状态中被解构,行者便进入了非二元的本初觉智,即二谛无别的一切现象皆为同一味。”

龙钦巴(Longchenpa)在谈到唯识知见时写道,大圆满甚至拒绝承认法性(dharmatā)是“非二元”的,他说:

།གང་ལ་གཟུང་བ་དང་འཛིན་པ་མེད་པར་རྟོགས་པའི་རིག་པ་དེའི་ངོ་བོ་ལ་ནི་རང་བྱུང་གི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སུ་ཐ་སྙད་བཏགས་ཀྱང༌། རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་ལོ་ཞེས་རྣལ་འབྱོར་སེམས་ཙམ་པ་ལྟར་མི་འདོད་དེ། ཕྱི་ནང་མེད་པས་ནང་གི་སེམས་སུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། རང་གཞན་མེད་པས་རང་གི་རིག་པ་ཁོ་ནར་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། གཟུང་འཛིན་ཡོད་མ་མྱོང་བས་དེ་གཉིས་དང་བྲལ་བར་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། ཚོར་རིག་གི་ཡུལ་ན་མེད་པས་མྱོང་བ་གཉིས་མེད་དུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། སེམས་དང་སེམས་བྱུང་མེད་པས་རང་གི་སེམས་སུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། གསལ་མི་གསལ་དུ་མེད་པས་རང་གསལ་དུ་མ་གྲུབ་པའི་ཕྱིར་རོ། །རིག་མ་རིག་ལས་འདས་པས་རིག་པ་ཙམ་དུའང་གདགས་སུ་མེད་པ་འདི་ནི། མཐའ་བྲལ་ཡོངས་སུ་རྫོགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་སྟེ། མཚོན་ཚིག་གི་ཐ་སྙད་རང་བྱུང་གི་ཡེ་ཤེས་དང༌། བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སེམས་དང༌། ཆོས་སྐུ་དང༌། དབྱིངས་ལྷུན་གྲུབ་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། རིག་པ་རང་གསལ་རྗེན་པ་ཞེས་བརྗོད་ཀྱང༌། བརྡ་ཤེས་པའི་ཕྱིར་བཏགས་པ་ཙམ་ལས་རང་ངོ་བརྗོད་མེད་ཆེན་པོར་རྟོགས་པར་བྱའོ། །དེ་ལྟར་མ་ཡིན་པར་མིང་ལ་དོན་དུ་ཞེན་ནས་སེམས་ཙམ་པའི་རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་གཟུང་འཛིན་གཉིས་མེད་ཀྱི་ཤེས་པ་དང་ཁྱད་པར་མི་རྙེད་དོ།

“虽然证悟了无能取所取之明(rig pa)的体(essence)在名言上被安立为‘自然本智’(self-originated pristine consciousness),但‘rang rig rang gsal’(自证自明)并不像唯识宗那样被承许,因为(1)由于没有内或外,内在的心无法成立;(2)由于既无自也无他,反身性的能知(reflexive knowing, skt. svasaṃvedana, tib. rang gyi rig pa)根本无法成立;(3)由于没有所取之境或能取之主体,离于二元无法成立;(4)由于没有可经验的对象,经验无法成立为非二元;由于没有心和心所,自己的心无法成立;(5)由于既非明(gsal ba)也非不明(mi gsal ba),本性之明(intrinsic clarity, rang gsal)无法成立。(6)由于超越了知与不知,甚至‘知’(knowing)作为一种施设也不存在——这被称为‘超越边见的完全大圆满(mtha’ bral yongs su rdzogs pa chen pa)’。虽然使用了诸如‘自然本智’、‘菩提心(bodhicitta)’、‘法身(dharmakāya)’、‘自然圆满之大界(the great naturally perfected dhātu)’以及‘赤裸、本性自明之明(naked, intrinsically clear cognizance, rig pa rang gsal)’等指示性的名言,但除了作为理解象征的仅仅假名之外,必须证悟真实本性为‘大不可言说性’。

否则,如果执着于名相的意义,这与唯识宗那种通过名言意义上的执着而建立的、离于能取主体和所取客体的自证自明之识(consciousness)毫无区别。”

Lopön Tenzin Namdak(洛本·丹增南达)解释了称为 gcig pu 的基(basis)的三昧耶,它代表一种总相(samanyalakṣaṇa):

“那就是 Chigpu (gcig pu) —— 没有任何分割。意思是每个个体众生都有一个心,而其本性具有非常相似的特质。

不要认为(对所有人来说)只有一个本性。不要认为它像太阳那样,只有一个太阳但它的光芒覆盖各处。每个众生都有心,哪里有心,哪里就有本性——它不离于心,但本性并不仅仅是同一个(one)。每个个体众生都有本性,这个本性由个体去修持和证悟;是这个个体获得果位。

当文本说‘唯一明点’(Thigle Nyagchig)时,它意味着相似的特质;空性、明晰和统一在到处都是一样的。

例如,如果你砍倒一根竹子,你可以看到它是中空的,所以你不需要砍倒所有的竹子。以类似的方式,如果你证悟了(你心的本性),那就是你的心解脱进入本性。所有具有心的有情众生都与本性融合。这就是唯一明点。这就是‘单一’的意思。

如果你依赖于识,那就是违犯大圆满誓言(damstig)。这是主要的事情。”

[...]

“如果你不清楚地理解这一点,而是认为一个心遍及一切,那就是吠檀多(Vedanta)所持守和学习的;那是他们非常强烈的知见。如果你相信这一点,那么你的誓言就破损了,你就违背了大圆满的知见。清楚了吗?你必须确定(这一点)。如果你认为(本性)是带有这种个体分割的‘一’,而这个‘一’遍及一切,那就是违犯你的大圆满誓言,并违背大圆满知见。希望你们已经清楚地理解了。”

在世俗意义上,每一尊世俗的佛都有他们自己的心(citta),而每一个心都有其原本要被认出的本性(citta dharmatā)。法身是佛之心之法性,或 cittatā。这意味着法身是一尊佛的心之法性。法身是一尊佛的本初觉智。

我们可以说,每一尊世俗的佛都有他们自己的世俗本初觉智,因为在究竟上没有本初觉智,也没有法身。本初觉智的特征(characteristic)是一尊佛对空性的了知。法身是一尊佛对空性的证悟,这是个体地被了知的。

在对空性的瑜伽现量(yogapratyakṣa)中,现象个体之间没有区别,因为个体是不可得的,因此正如《胜鬘经》(Śrīmāladevi)所说,法身是“如来如虚空般的本初觉智”。

普遍基(spyi gzhi)只是一组普遍的特质,即体(essence, ngo bo)和性(nature, rang bzhin),这是所有心都拥有的特征。

理解这个主题的基础结构有些复杂,无法在一个简短的帖子中传达——甚至无法在一个单独的帖子中传达,因为有许多因素需要被考虑进去。然而,当“个体与普遍”被理解为是对所谓“总相”的描述时,它们被发现是互补的。法身是一个心的本性。那个本性,或法性,是一个总相,它是一种抽象概念。

你会经常看到这样的陈述,如法身是“非一非多”,这很容易被误解。然而,其意指的含义是,作为一个总相,法身不是“一”,因为它存在于无数个别的心中,无论这些心在哪里被发现;它也不是“多”,因为无论在哪里发现它,其表现(expression)都是相同的。类似于火的热度。热度也是“非一非多”,它不是“一”,因为它存在于无数个别的火的实例中,无论火在哪里被发现;它不是“多”,因为无论在哪里发现热度,其表现都是相同的。法身也是一样的,例如,《摄大乘论》(Mahāyānasaṃgraha)说:

“同样地,法身具有一异非二的特征 [它非一非多],因为如来藏没有差别 [在表现上],而无量的相续心流 [个体地] 证得圆满正觉。”

法身是一个个体之心的总相。例如在大圆满教法中,本初清净(ka dag)和自然圆满(lhun grub)的本初觉智(jñānas)被称为“普遍基”或 spyi gzhi,因为它们是大悲(thugs rje)的体(ngo bo)和性(rang bzhin),而大悲是个体之识的实例化。这意味着本初清净和自然圆满是总相,因此基并不是一个真实的实体(real essence)。它实际上不以任何方式成立。

在大圆满教法中,我们并不真正谈论有为法(conditioned phenomena)和无为法(unconditioned phenomena),但这个原则仍然适用。本质上所说的是,法身,即无为法,是有为法(即某人的心)的总相。

这里指出的要点是,某人的心从无始以来就一直是所谓的“无为”法性,即法身,然而由于妄想,这一点未被认出,我们错误地构想出一个个体的心,即使并没有这样的东西。

因此,心从无始以来就是非真实的,但由于我们的迷惑,我们错误地构想出一个心,结果,我们必须努力去认出心实际上是无实体的,且不以任何方式成立。我们称那种无实体的本性为心的法性,即法身,但既然没有一个实际的心去拥有一个本性,也就没有一个实际的本性。心的法性只是关于心的一些需要去认出的东西,一旦我们认出了这一点,就会看到根本从来就没有一个心去拥有本性。

诸佛和已证悟的众生不将所谓的有为之心视为有为的“心”,因为他们知道我们错误构想为“心”者的真实本性。正如《持世请问经》(Lokadharaparipṛcchā)所说:

“持世,非离有为法而有无为法,亦非离无为法而有有为法,以有为法之真如相(characteristic of the suchness)即无为故。何以故?有为法中无有为,无为法中无无为。”

这个主题在大圆满中也可见到,其中在所谓的有为法中实际上没有任何有为的东西,既然有为法无法成立,无为法也无法成立,正如龙树(Nāgārjuna)所说。

《六界续》(The Six Dimensions)说:

“离戏论之法性即本初清净;它是本性清净之基;它离于词语和音节;它无法通过表达来确认;它离于一切世俗的实执;它没有所取之境和能取之心的概念;它没有佛也没有众生;它没有现象也没有对现象的感知;没有人,没有物,什么都没有。当此种无(med pa)的体(essence)用某些词语来确认时:体(ngo bo)是本初清净,性(rang bzhin)是自然圆满。”

《自生明续》(Rig pa rang shar)拒绝了不二吠檀多,并点名提到了商羯罗阿阇梨(Ādi Śaṅkara)。

无垢友(Vimalamitra)指出:

“基,那最初的本初清净状态,是解脱的,因为其体根本不成立。”

《普贤明镜续》(The Mind Mirror of Samantabhadra):

“既然没有胜义,‘世俗’之名也不存在。”

还有所有这些上师指出大圆满与中观知见是相容的,并强调空性,这显然削弱了像不二吠檀多那样的东西。

引自堪布竹清嘉措(Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso):

“此外,既然必须依靠龙树的理路才能证悟大圆满的体,大手印(Mahamudra)也是如此。那些在西藏佛学院(shedra)学习的人,花费多年时间研习《中论》(The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way)和月称(Chandrakirti)的《入中论》(Entering the Middle Way)及其他类似文本。然而,他们并没有学习大手印和大圆满,因为正是中观文本充满了如此大量不同的论证和逻辑理路,使人们能够以既微细又深刻的方式去研习它们。在大手印教法中,我们也能找到这样的陈述,例如来自噶玛巴让迥多杰(Karmapa Rangjung Dorje)的《大手印愿文》(Mahamudra Aspiration Prayer):‘心者,无心!心之体本空。’如果你通过分析破除四边生起的理路以及其他理路,对心的体之空性获得定解,那么你对大手印的理解将变得深刻。否则,你可以念诵这句经文,但在你心中,它不过是一个观点或猜测。

如果你研习了《中论》中提出的这些理路,当你接受大手印和大圆满关于空性和无自性的解释时,你将已经熟悉所教导的内容,因此你不需要学习任何新东西。麦彭仁波切(Mipham Rinpoche)撰写了一部简短的论著叫《定解宝灯》(The Beacon of Certainty),他在其中指出:‘为了对本初清净有完美的定解,必须对应成派(Consequence or Prasangika school)的知见有完美的理解。’本初清净,或原始、本初的清净,是大圆满的知见,为了圆满那个知见,必须圆满对应成派或月称应成派知见的理解。这意味着大圆满本初清净的知见与月称学派的应成派知见是相同的。”

引自图古·楚洛(Tulku Tsullo)关于大圆满知见的教授:

“因此,无论是显宗还是密宗,都有一个共识,即对执着事物为实有的无明(这位于我们业力和烦恼的根源)的唯一直接对治,是证悟空性的智慧。所以对于大圆满修行者来说,证悟空性也是极其重要的。”

《声应成续》(sgra thal gyur tantra)指出:

“无故显现,显现故空。显现与空性之无别双运及其分支。”

齐农·哲帕·察(Zilnon Zhepa Tsal)说:

“如果不证悟空性,怎能获得解脱?而如果不修大圆满,怎能证悟空性?除了我,谁还会给予这样的赞叹?”

达赖喇嘛指出:

“我们需要一种特殊的智慧——证悟空性的智慧——作为所知障的直接对治。没有这种智慧(它可以通过大圆满而证得)……我们将没有所知障的直接对治。所以这一点是结论性的。”

堪千·雷金·多杰(Khenchen Rigdzin Dorje)[夏扎仁波切的心子] 指出:

“中观派认为应成派是完美的‘自空’(Rangtong)知见。大圆满立断(trekcho)的知见即本初清净,这与应成派的知见是相同的。空性是相同的,没有区别……理解这一点很重要,即‘本初清净’这个词是应成派空性的大圆满术语。[古代的宁玛派大师如龙钦巴、吉美林巴、麦彭,都是] 应成派……应成中观的空性(sunyata [tongpanyid])和大圆满的空性完全相同。没有区别。百分之百相同。”

龙钦巴说:

“这个自然大圆满的体系,与应成中观派通常考虑离于边见等的方式是等同的。然而,中观里的空性是被算作类似于虚空的空性,被作为基;在这里 [大圆满中],从本初以来清净、不成立的赤裸澄澈之明;那个,仅仅是不灭的,被作为基。—— 从基显现的现象被领悟为离于边见,如虚空一般。”

David Germano:

“虽然对这些古典大圆满文本与中观应成派传统关系的详细分析超出了我目前讨论的范围,但在这一点上我只想指出,即使在《十七续》(即不考虑龙钦巴的著作集)中也非常清楚,该传统体现了对应成派空性概念的一种创新性的辩证重新诠释,而不是像 Karmay 所暗示的那样仅仅是‘截然对立’。”

麦彭仁波切在他对《中观庄严论》(Madhyamakālaṃkāra)的注释 dbu ma rgyan gyi rnam bshad 'jam dbyangs bla ma dgyes pa'i zhal lung 中指出:

“如果在没有对本初清净获得定解的情况下,仅仅反复思量某种‘非有非无的基’,将让你一无所获。如果你将这个空掉了有和无的空性之基执取为某种通过其体 [与万法] 分离而成立的东西,无论你如何称呼它(例如不可思议的‘我’、梵天 [Brahmā]、遍入天 [Viṣṇu]、自在天 [Īśvara] 或智慧),除了仅仅是名称不同外,其意义是相同的。既然离于四边戏论的基础本性,即大圆满(需要亲身体验的光明)根本不是那样的,那么依靠正确的道路和上师是很重要的。因此,你可以宣称‘如幻’、‘无实’、‘离戏论’等词汇仅仅作为口头禅,但如果你不能通过理路引发的决定性定解,了知超越了外道(tīrthikas)[所主张的] 局限 [种类] 空性的如来空性的 [实际] 存在方式,这对你没有任何利益。”

南开诺布法王(Chögyal Namkhai Norbu)指出:

“中观用四个‘超越概念’来解释,即某物既非有,也非无,也非既有又无,也非超越了既有又无。这就是四种可能性。剩下了什么?什么也没有。虽然我们只是在理智层面上运作,但这可以被认为是中观的究竟结论。作为一种分析方法,这对大圆满也是正确的。龙树的理路是至高无上的。

我们需要依靠个人的知识能力和名言,在意识上建立那个理智上建立的知见。建立这一点的方式是由伟大的圣者龙树及其追随者所评注的应成中观体系。没有比那更好的知见体系了。”

引自吉美林巴(Jigme Lingpa):

“我主张‘为了领悟无生、无基、无根之法身的意义,虽然达成以及达成此当前结论‘既然我无立宗,我即无过’的方式(如在中观应成派体系中那样)并不是通过理智上的思量(如坚持某种信念)而确立的,而是通过现见自然大圆满的究竟实相之义而达到的。”

Chokyi Dragpa(确吉·扎巴)指出:

“在立断的道上,心中所有执着于在无‘我’处有‘我’、在无自性处有自性的僵化,都被中观应成派的理路以及由此产生的对‘我’或‘自性’不存在的坚信所斩断。然后,通过审视心在哪里生起、安住和灭去,你对没有任何真实实相变得确定。”

再次引自堪布竹清嘉措:

“伟大的学者和大师,麦彭·秋列·南嘉(Mipham Chokle Namgyal)说:‘如果一个人寻求通达本初清净或 kadak 的基础本性,就有必要圆满对应成派或‘后果派’知见的理解。’本初清净描述了如大圆满描述中所表达的心之基础本性。如果一个人希望证悟大圆满、本初清净或立断,那么他必须圆满对应成派的理解。也就是说,必须证悟实相的本性超越一切概念戏论;它无法用任何概念性术语来描述。这就是‘界’的面向。如果一个人认出了这一点,那么很容易证悟大手印,因为正如密勒日巴(Milarepa)所唱:见:是空性的本初智慧。修:离于执着的明光。行:无贪的相续之流。果:剥去一切染污的赤裸。”

引自阿阇梨达摩巴扎(Acarya Dharmavajra Mr. Sridhar Rana):

“在显宗、密宗、大圆满或大手印中发现的空性(Shunyata)的意义,与月称的应成派空性是相同的,即任何真实存在的不可得(unfindability),或仅仅是不可得。一些大圆满和大手印或密宗的作者认为龙树的空性与这些体系中发现的空性不同。但我想问他们,他们的空性是可得的还是不可得的;在这些体系中空性的意义是否不也是不可得的事实——也可以表述为无所见(no seeing)。此外,一些他空见(Shentong)学者似乎暗示他空体系在谈论一种不同的空性。他们说佛性不是空于功德的,因此,佛性不通过是空的,它也有功德。首先,整个陈述是不相关的。功德不是问题,佛性是否空于功德也不是议题。佛性是空于自性(Svabhava,真实存在)的。因为它空于真实存在,它才有功德。正如圣龙树在他的《中论》(Mula Madhyamika Karika)中所说:‘以有空义故,一切法得成(包括功德)。’因此,整个他空/自空(Shentong/Rangtong)的问题是多余的。然而,在他空见中,佛性也是空的,而空意味着不可得。简而言之,任何真实存在的不可得是佛教中的胜义(skt. paramartha),这与被称为‘梵’(印度教中的胜义谛)的真实存在之物的概念截然对立。”

引自竹庆本乐仁波切(Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche):

“当涉及到证悟心和现象的本初清净本性时,立断的修持是必不可少的。这个本性是空性,即大圆满的基础状态。正因如此,在接受立断的指引时,在中观知见上有透彻的基础会有很大帮助。有了正确的空性知见,一个人就可以有效地修习本初清净。”

以及来自堪布竹清嘉措的最后警告:

“如果我们仍然相信存在,如果我们对某种实体性的东西有某种类型的信念,如果我们认为有某种真实存在的东西,无论它可能是什么,我们就被称为落入了叫常见或恒常性的边见。而如果我们落入那个边见,我们将无法证悟实相的真实本性。”

這是關於大圓滿和不二吠檀多的一篇帖子:

此外,在比较诸如心的本性或法身等佛教原则与像吠檀多的“梵”之类的东西时,有显著的差异。一方面,梵是一个超个人的、本体论的、真实成立的究竟(truly established ultimate)。而法身则是一尊佛对空性(śūnyatā)的证悟,在成佛时达到圆满,这是通过修习本初觉智,即一种对空性的直接非概念的、瑜伽的感知而产生的。法身是个体心相续的本性,是认识论的(epistemic)且是个体性的(personal),并非一个真实成立的究竟本性。

空性实际上是不二吠檀多之“神我”(puruṣa)所代表之物的对立面;它是自性(svabhāva)或体的缺席,而神我实际上是一个体。与不二吠檀多的神我不同,空性是对一切有为法和无为法的非还原性和无遮(prasajya-pratiṣedha)。这种知见不被不二吠檀多所共享,尽管它试图将其神我分类为一种微细的本性,甚至在无属性梵(nirguṇabrahman)的情况下离于特征,但它仍主张梵仍然是一个拥有“离于特征”(nirguṇa)之品质的体,这正是清辨(Bhāviveka)对不二吠檀多提出的批评。清辨生活在印度许多不同传统之间存在大量论战和互动的时代,他在他的许多论述中处理了这些区别。这段来自他的《中观心论注》(Tarkajvālā)的摘录特别切题,并处理了关于不二吠檀多的神我拥有特征的问题:

“如果问这法身与以无概念、常和不变等方式所主张的胜我 [bdag pa dam pa](paramātma,与梵同义)有什么区别,他们解释那个 [胜我] 是微细的,因为它拥有微细的品质;被解释为粗大的,因为它拥有粗大的品质;是唯一的,因为它拥有唯一的品质;是遍及远近的,因为它去往各处。另一方面,法身既非微细也非粗大,不是唯一的,不近也不远,因为它不是上述品质的拥有者,也因为它不存在于一个地方。”

因此我们看到,法身并不是一个像实体一样的品质“拥有者”。相反,作为本体论实体的梵,确实拥有特征和品质。

法身根本不是一个实体,而是一个总相。正如佛陀在《解深密经》(Saṃdhinirmocana)中所说,佛教中的胜义是世俗的总相。法身,作为空性,是心的世俗总相,因为它是心的空性之法性,即其原本要被认出的实际本性。解脱源于对现象本性无明所导致的束缚的释放,这就是法身作为一种非还原性和无实体本性的方式。

梵作为一个实体与法身作为一个总相的区别,足以证明这些原则之间显著的对比方面。法身是关于现象本性的认识论发现,即现象缺乏一种本质的本性或自性。或者说,梵是一个其自身的究竟本体论本性。法身意味着我们证悟了诸如梵之类的个体是不可能存在的,正如安慧(Sthiramati)所解释的,个体通常是站不住脚的:

“佛是法身。既然法身是空性,因为在空性中不仅没有可安立的人格个体,也没有可安立的现象个体,因此根本没有个体。”

这是另一段来自《中观心论注》的简洁且切题的摘录,关于佛法和外道(tīrthika,非佛教)体系知见之间的区别:

“既然 [外道的立场] 我、常、遍和一与它们的对立面相矛盾,而 [佛教的立场是] 无我、无常、非遍和多,它们是完全不同的。”

不二吠檀多主张一种非二元的、单一的、究竟的神我,而佛教知见涉及认出无数且离散的、世俗的个体本身被赋予一种在名言层面被说为‘非二元’的体性/本质(essence),因为它们在究竟上根本没有体。

《明之杜鹃》(Rig pa khyu byug)的第一句指出了这一点:

“种种显现之本性(prakṛti)即非二元。”

如果没有多样性,你就不能有多样性的非二元本性。不二吠檀多指出只有单一的神我是非二元本性的。

此外,不二吠檀多的神我涉及一种本体论的非二元论。一种本体论的非二元论(advaita)在性质上是一元论的。佛教拥护一种不同类型的非二元(advāya),它是认识论的而非本体论的。

一种本体论的非二元论是万法被还原为一个单独存在的单一实体(Substance),这是一元论的定义。例如,如果主体和客体合并,然后我们持有一种知见,认为两者合一作为一个单一的 X 是真实实体的和有效的。

另一方面,一种认识论的非二元仅仅是认出现象的本性离于有和无的二元边见,因此是“非二元”。这是一种非还原性的非二元,因为它不在其尾流中留下任何东西,一旦现象的本性被认出,就没有 X 遗留下来。因此有标志性的“空性之空性”。

在认识论的非二元中,有为法(dharma)的本性与其无生本性(dharmatā)在究竟上既非相同也非不同,因此它们是“非二元”的,因为对有为个体的错误概念是无明的副产品,因此该个体从一开始就从未真正生起过。这意味着所谓的有为个体从一开始就真的是无为的。而证悟这一事实只需要息灭导致有为个体错误概念生起的因,即息灭无明。如果有法(dharmins)和法性不是非二元的,那么就不可能认出现象的无生本性,因为那个本性将变成另一个有为个体。

这意味着一般的佛法实际上并不提出一个真实的法性或究竟本性。这直接反驳了像不二吠檀多那样的教导。

此外,不二吠檀多植根于数论派(Sāṃkhya)的世界观,这与佛教所基于的阿毗达磨(Abhidharma)框架不同,那恰恰就在这两个体系运作和看待世界的大体方式上创造了一个稳固的区别。

然而,除了不二吠檀多是“永恒法”(sanatanadharmic)知见而相对于佛法之外,根据诸如大圆满等佛教体系,不二吠檀多是一种无法产生一般佛法所定义的解脱的邪见。例如,《自生明续》(Rigpa Rangshar)将不二吠檀多列在各种邪见之下,甚至点名提到了商羯罗阿阇梨(Ādi Śaṅkarācārya)来针对不二吠檀多。

对于不二吠檀多的其他驳斥,你可以阅读寂护(Śāntarakṣita)的《摄真实论》(Tattvasaṃgraha),或清辨的《中观心论注》,这是两部主要的显宗层面的著作,专门对此类体系的对比给予了一些关注。有人可能会反对说,在释迦牟尼佛时代没有不二吠檀多,所以佛陀从未直接针对不二吠檀多,然而数论瑜伽(Sāṃkhya yoga)在佛陀时代是存在的,鉴于佛陀将他的法与这些其他知见如数论派区分开来,而数论派是不二吠檀多所基于的基础世界观,我们可以知道(或自信地推断)佛陀也会反对不二吠檀多。

有时人们会对这些比较畏缩,说这太笼统了,不二吠檀多是一个多样化的体系,有 Sṛīṣṭīdṛīṣṭivāda、Dṛīṣṭisṛīṣṭīvāda、Māyāvāda 或 Vivartavāda 和 Ajātivāda,当然这很公平,佛法也是一样的,然而在究竟上,就像佛教的情况一样,尽管有这些不同的子系统,其基础框架在本质上是普遍和统一的。尽管系统内存在不同的方法论或知见,我们并不偏离那个框架,不二吠檀多也不例外。即使是备受推崇的无生论(Ajātivāda,它本质上是不二吠檀多版本的无生,抄袭了佛教的无生 [anutpāda] 概念)也无法逃脱不二吠檀多常见的后果和含义。出于这个原因,佛法也会指出无生论与其知见不相容。

我们可以查阅《中观庄严论》中关于佛教对不二吠檀多无生论的驳斥:

“因此,诸如来宣说‘一切法不生’,因为这符合胜义。这个‘胜义’在实相中,离于一切戏论。因为没有生等,无生等也不可能,因为其体(entity)已被否定。”

上述摘录也例证了为什么空性本身是空的,以及为什么空性是非还原性的。不二吠檀多无法对其神我正当地做出同样的主张。

它们在某些方面相似吗?当然。按照不二吠檀多自己的术语理解它是否有利益?当然。佛教修行者能否通过理解不二吠檀多的知见和细微差别来潜在地更好地理解佛教?绝对可以。我自己的上师为了这个明确的目的系统地学习了不二吠檀多。但归根结底,它们是两个不同的体系,有不同的基、道和果。

Soh

Kyle Dixon (Krodha) shared:

Here are some examples of Dzogchen differing its view from the substantialist nonduality of Yogācāra, which could be argued as an analogue to something like Advaita Vedanta in certain ways:

The Inlaid Jewels Tantra, for example, rejects the Yogācāra definition, stating:

"Untainted vidyā is the kāya of jñāna (tib. ye shes). Since svasaṃvedana (rang gyis rig pa or 'rang rig') is devoid of actual signs of awakening, it is not at all the jñāna of vidyā (rig pa'i ye shes)."

Ju Mipham states regarding the substantialist Yogācāra view in Liquid Gold:

"The Cittamatrin Yogācārins deconstruct both subject and object in a mere empty intrinsically knowing gnosis (jñāna)."

The difference between that svasaṃvedana of Yogācāra and the svayaṃbhūjñāna of ati is, as he says:

"When the pairing of the dhātu and vidyā is deconstructed, there is no focal point upon which to grasp. Once it is understood that the final premise, “this is ultimate,” is deconstructed in the state of inexpressible emptiness, one enters into the nondual jñāna (tib. ye shes) that all phenomena of the inseparable two truths are of the same taste."

Longchenpa writes regarding the Yogācāra view that Dzogchen even rejects that dharmatā is "nondual," he says:

།གང་ལ་གཟུང་བ་དང་འཛིན་པ་མེད་པར་རྟོགས་པའི་རིག་པ་དེའི་ངོ་བོ་ལ་ནི་རང་བྱུང་གི་ཡེ་ཤེས་སུ་ཐ་སྙད་བཏགས་ཀྱང༌། རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་ལོ་ཞེས་རྣལ་འབྱོར་སེམས་ཙམ་པ་ལྟར་མི་འདོད་དེ། ཕྱི་ནང་མེད་པས་ནང་གི་སེམས་སུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། རང་གཞན་མེད་པས་རང་གི་རིག་པ་ཁོ་ནར་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། གཟུང་འཛིན་ཡོད་མ་མྱོང་བས་དེ་གཉིས་དང་བྲལ་བར་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། ཚོར་རིག་གི་ཡུལ་ན་མེད་པས་མྱོང་བ་གཉིས་མེད་དུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། སེམས་དང་སེམས་བྱུང་མེད་པས་རང་གི་སེམས་སུ་མ་གྲུབ་པ་དང༌། གསལ་མི་གསལ་དུ་མེད་པས་རང་གསལ་དུ་མ་གྲུབ་པའི་ཕྱིར་རོ། །རིག་མ་རིག་ལས་འདས་པས་རིག་པ་ཙམ་དུའང་གདགས་སུ་མེད་པ་འདི་ནི། མཐའ་བྲལ་ཡོངས་སུ་རྫོགས་པ་ཆེན་པོ་ཞེས་བྱ་སྟེ། མཚོན་ཚིག་གི་ཐ་སྙད་རང་བྱུང་གི་ཡེ་ཤེས་དང༌། བྱང་ཆུབ་ཀྱི་སེམས་དང༌། ཆོས་སྐུ་དང༌། དབྱིངས་ལྷུན་གྲུབ་ཆེན་པོ་དང༌། རིག་པ་རང་གསལ་རྗེན་པ་ཞེས་བརྗོད་ཀྱང༌། བརྡ་ཤེས་པའི་ཕྱིར་བཏགས་པ་ཙམ་ལས་རང་ངོ་བརྗོད་མེད་ཆེན་པོར་རྟོགས་པར་བྱའོ། །དེ་ལྟར་མ་ཡིན་པར་མིང་ལ་དོན་དུ་ཞེན་ནས་སེམས་ཙམ་པའི་རང་རིག་རང་གསལ་གཟུང་འཛིན་གཉིས་མེད་ཀྱི་ཤེས་པ་དང་ཁྱད་པར་མི་རྙེད་དོ།

"Though the essence of knowledge (rig pa) that realizes there is nothing apprehended or apprehending is conventionally designated “self-originated pristine consciousness,” rang rig rang gsal is not asserted in the way of the Cittamatrin Yogacārins [svasaṃvedana] because (1) since there is no inside or outside, the inner mind is not established; (2) since there is neither self nor other, a reflexive knowing (skt. svasaṃvedana, tib. rang gyi rig pa) is not established at all; (3) since there is no apprehended object or apprehending subject, freedom from duality is not established; (4) since there is no object to experience, experience is not established as nondual; since there are no minds and mental factors, one’s mind is not established; (5) since there is neither clarity (gsal ba) nor absence of clarity (mi gsal ba), intrinsic clarity (rang gsal) is not established. (6) Because of being beyond knowing or unknowing, even knowing does not exist as a designation—this is called “the great total perfection beyond extremes (mtha’ bral yongs su rdzogs pa chen pa).” Though illustrative conventions are expressed such as “self-originated pristine consciousness,” “bodhicitta,” “dharmakāya,” “the great naturally perfected dhātu,” and “naked, intrinsically clear cognizance (rig pa rang gsal),” other than being mere terms for understanding symbols, the real nature must be realized as a great inexpressibility.

Otherwise, there is no difference at all with the Cittamatrin’s self-knowing and self-illuminating consciousness devoid of an apprehending subject and an apprehending object through clinging to meaning in a name."

Lopön Tenzin Namdak explains the samaya of the basis called gcig pu which represents a generic characteristic (samanyalakṣaṇa):

"That is Chigpu (gcig pu) - without any partition. It means that each individual being has a mind and the nature is of a very similar quality.

Don't think that there is just one nature (for everyone). Don't think it is like the sun, that there is just one sun but its rays cover everywhere. Each being has mind and wherever there is mind, there is nature - it is not separate from mind but nature is not just the same (one). Each individual being has nature and this nature is practiced and realized by the individual; it is the individual who takes the result.

When the text says Thigle Nyagchig, it means similar quality; emptiness, clarity and unification are the same everywhere.

For example, if you cut down one stick of bamboo you can see it is hollow and so you don't need to cut down all the bamboo. In a similar way, if you realize (the nature of your mind) it is your mind which liberates in to nature. All sentient beings who have mind are integrated with nature. That is Thigle Nyagchig. That is what single means.

If you depend on consciousness, that is breaking the Dzogchen vow (damstig). That is the main thing."

[...]

"If you don't understand this clearly but think that one mind pervades everything, then that is what is kept and learned in Vedanta; that is their very strong view. If you believe this then your damstig is broken and you go against the meaning of Dzogchen. Is that clear? You must make sure (of this point). If you think that (nature) is one with individual partitions, that this "one" pervades everything, then that is breaking your Dzogchen damstig and goes against the Dzogchen view. Hopefully you have understood clearly."

In a conventional sense, each conventional Buddha has their own mind (citta), and each mind has its own nature (citta dharmatā) that is intended to be recognized. Dharmakāya is a buddha's citta dharmatā, or *cittatā.* Which means dharmakāya is the dharmatā of a buddha’s mind. The dharmakāya is a buddha's jñāna.

We can say that each conventional buddha has their own conventional gnosis (jñāna), because ultimately there is no jñāna, and no dharmakāya. The characteristic of jñāna is a buddha's knowledge of emptiness. The dharmakāya is a buddha's realization of emptiness, which is known individually.

In the yogic direct perception (yogapratyakṣa) of emptiness, there are no distinctions between phenomenal entities because entities cannot be found, hence like the Śrīmāladevi says, the dharmakāya is the "space-like gnosis of the tathāgatas."

The generic basis (spyi gzhi) is just a generic set of qualities, essence (ngo bo) and nature (rang bzhin), which are characteristics that all minds possess.

The foundational structure for understanding this topic is somewhat elaborate, and can't be communicated in a brief post - or even a single post since there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration. However, the "individual and universal" are found to be complimentary when understood to be descriptions of what is called a "generic characteristic" (samanyalakṣaṇa). The dharmakāya is the nature (dharmatā) of a mind. That nature, or dharmatā is a generic characteristic, which is an abstraction.

You'll often see statements such as the dharmakāya is "neither one nor many," and this is easily misunderstood. The intended meaning however is that as a generic characteristic, the dharmakāya is not "one," because it is present in countless individual minds wherever those minds are found, and it is not "many," because wherever it is found, it is identical in expression. Similar to the heat of fire. Heat is also "neither one nor many," it is not "one," because it is present in countless individual instances of fire wherever fire is found, and it is not "many," because wherever heat is found, it is identical in expression. The dharmakāya is the same, for example, the *Mahāyānasaṃgraha* says:

"Likewise, the dharmakāya has the characteristic of the nonduality of oneness and difference [it is not one nor many] because the tathāgatagarbha is not different [in expression], while innumerable mind streams reach fully perfect awakening [individually]."

The dharmakāya is the generic characteristic of an individual mind. In Dzogchen teachings for example, the jñānas of ka dag and lhun grub are called the "generic basis" or spyi gzhi because they are the essence (ngo bo) and nature (rang bzhin) of thugs rje, which is the instantiation of an individual consciousness. This means that ka dag and lhun grub are generic characteristics, and the basis is therefore not a real essence. Not actually established in any way.

In Dzogchen teachings we don't really speak of conditioned and unconditioned phenomena, but the principle still applies. What is essentially being said, is that the dharmakāya, which is unconditioned, is the generic characteristic (samanyalakṣaṇa) of the conditioned, one's mind.

The point being made here is that one's mind has always been so-called “unconditioned” dharmatā, the dharmakāya, from the very beginning, however due to delusion, this is not recognized, and we mistakenly conceive of an individual mind even though there is no such thing.

The mind is therefore unreal from the very beginning, but due to our confusion, we mistakenly conceive of a mind, and as a result, we must endeavor to recognize that the mind is actually insubstantial and not established in any way. We call that essenceless nature, the mind's dharmatā, the dharmakāya, but since there is no actual mind to have a nature, there also is no actual nature. The dharmatā of the mind is simply something to recognize about the mind, and once we recognize this, then it is seen that there never was a mind in the first place to even possess a nature.

Buddhas and realized beings do not see the allegedly conditioned mind as a conditioned "mind," because they know the true nature of what we mistakenly conceive of as "mind." As the Lokadharaparipṛcchā says:

"Lokadhara, it is not the case that unconditioned phenomena exist separate from conditioned phenomena, or that conditioned phenomena exist separate from unconditioned phenomena, for the characteristic of the suchness of the conditioned is the unconditioned. Why is this? There is nothing conditioned within the conditioned, and nothing unconditioned within the unconditioned."

This theme is also found in Dzogchen wherein there is actually nothing conditioned in the allegedly conditioned, and since the conditioned cannot be established, the unconditioned cannot be established, like Nāgārjuna says.

The Six Dimensions says:

"Dharmatā free from proliferation is originally pure; it is the basis of an intrinsically pure nature; it is free from words and syllables; it cannot be confirmed through expression; it is free from all conventional reification; it is without concepts of apprehended objects and apprehending subjects; it is without buddhas and without sentient beings; it is without phenomena and without perception of phenomena; no one, no thing, nothing at all. When the essence of such nonexistence (med pa) is confirmed with some words: the essence (ngo bo) is original purity (ka dag) and the nature (rang bzhin) is natural perfection (lhun grub)."

The Rig pa rang shar rejects Advaita Vedanta, mentioning Ādi Śaṅkara by name.

Vimalamitra states:

"The basis, the state of initial original purity, is liberated because its essence is not established at all."

The Mind Mirror of Samantabhadra:

"Since there is no ultimate, also the name “relative” does not exist."

And then all of these teachers stating that Dzogchen is compatible with the Madhyamaka view and emphasizes emptiness, which obviously undermines something like Advaita Vedanta.

From Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso:

"Furthermore, since one must rely on Nagarjuna’s reasonings in order to realize the essence of Dzogchen, it is the same for Mahamudra. Those who studied at the shedras (philosophical universities) in Tibet studied *The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way* and Chandrakirti’s *Entering the Middle Way* and other similar texts over the course of many years. Mahamudra and Dzogchen were not studied, however, because it is the Middle Way texts that are filled with such a vast array of different arguments and logical reasonings that one can pursue the study of them in a manner that is both subtle and profound. In the Mahamudra teachings as well, we find statements such as this one from Karmapa Rangjung Dorje’s Mahamudra Aspiration Prayer:

'As for mind, there is no mind! Mind is empty of essence.'

If you gain certainty in mind’s emptiness of essence by analyzing it with the reasoning that refutes arising from the four extremes and with others as well, then your understanding of Mahamudra will become profound. Otherwise, you could recite this line, but in your mind it would be nothing more than an opinion or a guess.

If you study these reasonings presented in 'The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way', when you receive Mahamudra and Dzogchen explanations of emptiness and lack of inherent reality, you will already be familiar with what is being taught and so you will not need to learn anything new. Mipham Rinpoche composed a brief text called 'The Beacon of Certainty', in which he states: 'In order to have perfect certainty in "kadag" (primordial purity) one must have perfect understanding of the view of the Consequence or Prasangika school. Kadag, or original, primordial purity, is the view of Dzogchen, and in order to perfect that view, one must perfect one’s understanding of the Middle Way Consequence or Prasangika school’s view. What this implies is that the view of Dzogchen kadag and the view of the Consequence or Prasangika of Chandrakirti's school are the same."

From Tulku Tsullo's instruction on the view of Dzogchen:

"Therefore, whether in sutra or in tantra, there is consensus that the only direct antidote to the ignorance of clinging to things as real - which lies at the root of our karma and disturbing emotions - is the wisdom that realizes emptiness. So for Dzogchen practitioners, too, it is extremely important to realize emptiness."

The sgra thal gyur tantra states:

"Nonexistent therefore appearing, appearing therefore empty. The inseparable union of appearance and emptiness with its branches."

Zilnon Zhepa Tsal said:

"How could liberation be attained without realizing emptiness? And how could emptiness be realized without the Great Perfection [Dzogchen]? Who but I offers praise such as this?"

The Dalai Lama states:

"We need a special form of wisdom - the wisdom that realizes emptiness - to act as the direct antidote to the cognitive obscurations. Without this wisdom, which can be realized through the Great Perfection... we will not have the direct antidote to the cognitive obscurations. So this point is conclusive."

Khenchen Rigdzin Dorje [Chatral Rinpoche's heart disciple] states:

"The Madhyamika consider the Prasangik as the perfect Rangtong view. The Dzogchen trekcho view as Kadag (primordially pure view) and the Prasangik view is the same. The emptiness is the same, there is no difference... It is important to understand that the words primordially pure [kadag] is the Dzogchen terminology for the Prasangic Emptiness. [The ancient Nyingmapa Masters like Long Chenpa, Jigme Lingpa, Mipham, were] Prasangikas [Thalgyurpas]... the Prasangika Madhyamika sunyata [tongpanyid] and the Dzogchen sunyata are exactly the same. There is no difference. One hundred percent [the] same."

Longchenpa says:

"This system of the natural great perfection is equivalent with the Consequentialist [Prasangika] Madhyamaka’s usual way of considering freedom from extremes and so on. However, emptiness in Madhymaka is an emptiness counted as similar to space, made into the basis; here [in Dzogchen] naked pellucid vidyā pure from the beginning that is not established; that, merely unceasing, is made into the basis. - The phenomena that arise from the basis are apprehended as being free from extremes, like space."

David Germano:

"While a detailed analysis of the relationship of these classical Great Perfection texts to the Madhyamaka Prasangika tradition is quite beyond the scope of my present discussion, at this point I would merely like to indicate that even in The Seventeen Tantras (i.e. without considering Longchenpa's corpus) it is very clear that the tradition embodies an innovative dialectical reinterpretation of the Prasangika notions of emptiness, rather than a mere sterile 'diametric opposition' to them that Karmay suggests."

Ju Mipham Rinpoche states in his commentary on the Madhyamakālaṃkāra, the dbu ma rgyan gyi rnam bshad 'jam dbyangs bla ma dgyes pa'i zhal lung:

"Without finding certainty in primordial purity (ka dag), just mulling over some 'ground that is neither existent nor nonexistent' will get you nowhere. If you apprehend this basis of emptiness that is empty of both existence and nonexistence as something that is established by its essence separately [from everything else], no matter how you label it (such as an inconceivable self, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Īśvara, or wisdom) except for the mere name, the meaning is the same. Since the basic nature free from the reference points of the four extremes, that is, Dzogchen (the luminosity that is to be personally experienced) is not at all like that, it is important to rely on the correct path and teacher. Therefore, you may pronounce 'illusionlike,' 'nonentity,' 'freedom from reference points,' and the like as mere verbiage, but this is of no benefit whatsoever, if you do not know the [actual] way of being of the Tathāgata’s emptiness (which surpasses the limited [kinds of] emptiness [asserted] by the tīrthikas) through the decisive certainty that is induced by reasoning."

Chögyal Namkhai Norbu states:

"Madhyamaka explains with the four 'beyond concepts,' which are that something neither exists, nor does not exist, nor both exists and does not exist, nor is beyond both existing and not existing together. These are the four possibilities. What remains? Nothing. Although we are working only in an intellectual way, this can be considered the ultimate conclusion in Madhyamaka. As an analytical method, this is also correct for Dzogchen. Nagarjuna's reasoning is supreme."

and,

"That view established intellectually we need to establish consciously in dependence upon one’s capacity of knowledge and on convention. The way of establishing that is the system of Prasanga Madhyamaka commented upon by the great being Nāgārjuna and his followers. There is no system of view better than that."

From Jigme Lingpa:

"I myself argue ‘To comprehend the meaning of the non-arising baseless, rootless dharmakāya, although reaching and the way of reaching this present conclusion 'Since I have no thesis, I alone am without a fault', as in the Prasanga Madhyamaka system, is not established by an intellectual consideration such as a belief to which one adheres, but is reached by seeing the meaning of ultimate reality of the natural great completion."

Chokyi Dragpa states:

"On the path of trekchö, all the rigidity of mind's clinging to an "I" where there is no "I", and a self where there is no self, is cut through with Madhyamika Prasangika reasoning and the resulting conviction that an "I" or a "self" does not exist. Then, by examining where mind arises, dwells and ceases, you become certain of the absence of any true reality."

Again from Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso:

"The great scholar and master, Mipham Chokle Namgyal, said, “If one seeks to master the basic nature of alpha purity, or kadak, it is necessary to perfect one’s understanding of the view of the Prasangika, or the Consequence School.” Alpha purity describes the basic nature of mind as it is expressed in the dzogchen descriptions. If one wishes to realize dzogchen, alpha purity, or trekcho, as it is also called, then one must perfect one’s understanding of the Consequence School. That is, one must realize that the nature of reality transcends all conceptual fabrications; it cannot be described by any conceptual terms. This is the aspect of the 'expanse.' If one recognizes this, then it is easy to realize the mahamudra because, as Milarepa sang:

The view: is original wisdom which is empty. Meditation: clear light free of fixation. Conduct: continual flow without attachment. Fruition: is nakedness stripped of every stain."

From Acarya Dharmavajra Mr. Sridhar Rana:

"The meaning of Shunyata found in Sutra, Tantra, Dzogchen, or Mahamudra is the same as the Prasangic emptiness of Chandrakirti, i. e. unfindability of any true existence or simply unfindability. Some writers of Dzogchen and Mahamudra or Tantra think that the emptiness of Nagarjuna is different from the emptiness found in these systems. But I would like to ask them whether their emptiness is findable or unfindable; whether or not the significance of emptiness in these systems is also not the fact of unfindability- no seeing as it could also be expressed. Also some Shentong scholars seem to imply that the Shentong system is talking about a different emptiness. They say Buddha nature is not empty of qualities therefore, Buddha nature is not merely empty, it also has qualities. First of all the whole statement is irrelevant. Qualities are not the question and Buddha nature being empty of quality or not is not the issue. The Buddha nature is empty of Svabhava (real existence). Because it is empty of real existence, it has qualities. As Arya Nagarjuna has said in his Mula Madhyamika Karika: “All things are possible (including qualities) because they are empty.” Therefore the whole Shentong/ Rangtong issue is superfluous. However, in Shentong, Buddha nature is also empty and emptiness means unfindable. In short, the unfindability of any true existence is the ultimate (skt. paramartha) in Buddhism, and is diametrically opposed to the concept of a truly existing thing called Brahman, the ultimate truth in Hinduism."

from Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche:

"The practice of tregcho is essential when it comes to realizing the originally pure nature of mind and phenomena. This nature is emptiness, the basic state of the Great Perfection. For this reason, a thorough grounding in the view of Madhyamaka can be a great help when receiving instructions on tregcho. With the correct view of emptiness, one can meditate effectively on original purity [ka dag]."

and a final warning from Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso:

"If we still believe in existence, if we have some type of belief in something substantial, if we think that there is something that truly exists, whatever it might be, then we are said to fall into the extreme called eternalism or permanence. And if we fall into that extreme, we will not realize the true nature of reality."

Here is a post I made on Dzogchen and Advaita:

Moreover, in comparing Buddhist principles such as the nature of mind, or dharmakāya with something like the Brahman of Vedanta, there are distinct differences. Brahman on the one hand is a transpersonal, ontological, truly established ultimate. Whereas dharmakāya is a buddha’s realization of śūnyatā, emptiness, brought to its full measure at the time of buddhahood, which results from the cultivation of jñāna, or a direct non-conceptual, yogic perception of emptiness. Dharmakāya is the nature of a personal continuum of mind, is epistemic and personal in nature, and is not a truly established ultimate nature.

Emptiness is actually the antithesis of that which the puruṣa of Advaita represents; it is the absence of a svabhāva, or an essence, whereas puruṣa is actually an essence. Unlike the puruṣa of Advaita, emptiness is a non-reductive and non-affirming negation (prasajya-pratiṣedha) of all phenomena both compounded and uncompounded. Such a view is not shared by Advaita, which despite its attempts to classify its puruṣa as a subtle nature, even free of characteristics in the case of nirguṇabrahman, posits that brahman is still an essence that possesses the quality of being free of characteristics (nirguṇa), and this is the critique that Bhāviveka levels at Advaita. Bhāviveka lived during a time in India where there were many polemical debates and interactions between different traditions, addresses the distinctions in many of his expositions. This excerpt from his Tarkajvālā is especially pertinent and addresses this issue of Advaita's puruṣa possessing characteristics:

"If it is asked what is difference between this dharmakāya and the paramātma [bdag pa dam pa] (synonymous with Brahman) asserted in such ways as nonconceptual, permanent and unchanging, that [paramātma] they explain as subtle because it possesses the quality of subtlety, is explained as gross because it possesses the quality of grossness, as unique because it possess the quality of uniqueness and as pervading near and far because it goes everywhere. The dharmakāya on the other hand is neither subtle nor gross, is not unique, is not near and is not far because it is not a possessor of said qualities and because it does not exist in a place."

Thus we see that that dharmakāya is not an entity-like "possessor" of qualities. Conversely, brahman which is an ontological entity, does possess characteristics and qualities.

Dharmakāya is not an entity at all, but rather a generic characteristic (samanyalakṣana). As the Buddha says in the Saṃdhinirmocana, the ultimate in Buddhism is the general characteristic of the relative. The dharmakāya, as emptiness, is the conventional, generic characteristic of the mind, as it is the mind’s dharmatā of emptiness, its actual nature that is to be recognized. Liberation results from the release of the fetters that result from an ignorance of the nature of phenomena, and this is how dharmakāya is a non-reductive and insubstantial nature.

The differentiation of brahman as an entity versus dharmakāya as a generic characteristic is enough to demonstrate the salient contrasting aspects of these principles. Dharmakāya is an epistemological discovery about the nature of phenomena, that phenomena lack an essential nature or svabhāva. Alternatively, brahman is an ultimate ontological nature unto itself. Dharmakāya means we realize that entities such as brahman are impossibilities, as Sthiramati explains, entities in general are untenable:

"The Buddha is the dharmakāya. Since the dharmakāya is emptiness, because there are not only no imputable personal entities in emptiness, there are also no imputable phenomenal entities, there are therefore no entities at all."

Here is another succinct and pertinent excerpt from the Tarkajvālā, regarding the difference between the view of the buddhadharma and tīrthika (non-Buddhist) systems:

"Since [the tīrthika position of] self, permanence, all pervasivness and oneness contradict their opposite, [the Buddhist position of] no-self, impermanence, non-pervasiveness and multiplicity, they are completely different."

Advaita posits a nondual, singular, ultimate puruṣa, whereas the Buddhist view involves recognition that the diversity of countless and discrete, conventional individual entities are themselves endowed with a conventional nondual essence because they ultimately do not have an essence at all.

The first verse of the Rig pa khyu byug points this:

"The primal nature (prakṛti) of diversity is nondual."

You cannot have a nondual nature of diversity if there is no diversity. Advaita Vedanta states that only the singular puruṣa is nondual in nature.

Further, the puruṣa of Advaita involves an ontological nonduality. An ontological nonduality (advaita) is monistic in nature. Buddhism champions a different type of nonduality (advāya), which is epistemic instead of ontological.

An ontological nonduality is where everything is reduced to a single substance that exists alone by itself, which is the definition of monism. For example if subject and object were merged and we then held a view that the union of the two as a single X is truly substantial and valid.

On the other hand, an epistemological nonduality is simply a recognition that the nature of phenomena is free from the dual extremes of existence and nonexistence, hence "nondual". This is a non-reductive nonduality because it does not leave anything in its wake, there is no X left over once the nature of phenomena is recognized. Hence the iconic “emptiness of emptiness.”

In epistemic nonduality the nature of a conditioned phenomenon (dharma) and its nonarisen nature (dharmatā) are ultimately neither the same nor different, hence they are "nondual", because the misconception of a conditioned entity is a byproduct of ignorance, and therefore said entity has never truly come into existence in the first place. This means that the allegedly conditioned entity has truly been unconditioned from the very beginning. And to realize this fact only requires a cessation of cause for the arising of the misconception of a conditioned entity, i.e., a cessation of ignorance. If dharmins and dharmatā were not nondual then it would be impossible to recognize the unborn nature of phenomena because that nature would be rendered another conditioned entity.

The implications of this means that buddhadharma in general are not actually proposing a real dharmatā or ultimate nature. Which directly contradicts a teaching like Advaita Vedanta.

Further, Advaita Vedanta is rooted in a Sāṃkhya worldview, which differs from the Abhidharma framework that Buddhism is based on, that right there creates a firm distinction in the overall way these two systems function and view the world.

However beyond the fact that Advaita Vedanta is a sanatanadharmic view as opposed to buddhadharma, according to Buddhist systems such as Dzogchen, Advaita is a false view that is incapable of producing liberation as defined by buddhadharma in general. The *Rigpa Rangshar* for example lists Advaita Vedanta under various wrong views, and even mentions Ādi Śaṅkarācārya by name in addressing Advaita.

For other refutations of Advaita Vedanta you can read Śāntarakṣita‘s Tattvasaṃgraha, or Bhāviveka’s Tarkajvālā, which are two main sūtrayāna level writings which dedicate some attention to contrasting these systems. One might object and say during the time of Buddha Śākyamuni there was no Advaita Vedanta so the Buddha never addressed Advaita directly, however Sāṃkhya yoga was around during the Buddha’s time, and given the Buddha separated and distinguished his dharma from these other views such as Sāṃkhya, and Sāṃkhya is the underlying worldview that Advaita is based on, we can know (or confidently infer) that the Buddha would have also objected to Advaita Vedanta.

Sometimes people balk at these comparisons and say this is too much of a generalization, Advaita Vedanta is a variegated system, there is Sṛīṣṭīdṛīṣṭivāda, Dṛīṣṭisṛīṣṭīvāda, Māyāvāda or Vivartavāda and Ajātivāda, and of course that is fair, buddhadharma is the same way, however ultimately, just as it is the case with Buddhism, despite these diverse subsystems, the underlying framework is in essence ubiquitous and uniform. We do not deviate from that framework despite the presence of varying methodologies or views within the system, and Advaita is no different. Even the much vaunted Ajātivāda which essentially an Advaita rendition of nonarising which cribs the Buddhist notion of nonarising, anutpāda, does not escape the consequences and implications of Advaita’s eternalist view. And for this reason buddhadharma would also state that Ajātivāda is incompatible with its view.

We can look to the Madhyamakālaṃkāra for the buddhist refutation of Advaita’s Ajātivāda:

"Therefore, the tathāgatas have said 'all phenomena do not arise' because this conforms with the ultimate. This "ultimate" in reality, is free from all proliferation. Because there is no arising and so on, nonarising and so on isn't possible, because its entity has been negated."

The above excerpt also exemplifies why emptiness is itself empty, and why emptiness is non-reductive. Advaita Vedanta cannot justifiably make the same claim about its puruṣa.

Are they similar in some ways? Sure. Is there benefit to be derived from understanding Advaita Vedanta on its own terms? Certainly. Can a practitioner of Buddhism potentially understand Buddhism better by understanding the views and nuances of Advaita Vedanta? Absolutely. My own teacher studied Advaita Vedanta systematically for this express purpose. But at the end of the day they are two different systems, with different bases, paths and results.