Rong-zom-pa's discourses on Buddhology

Abstract

The study consists of three parts. Part one, a lengthy introduction, has four chapters. In chapter one, "Rong-zom-pa's Discussion of the Controversy surrounding the Constituents of Buddhahood: An Overview," I first present the main positions discussed by Rong-zom-pa in the Sangs sa chen rna and then contrast them with the positions named in the dKon cog 'grel, his lengthy commentary on the *Guhyagarbhatantra. In the following section I outline the conceptions of Buddhahood contained in various scriptural connection. In both the Sangs sa chen ma and the dKon cog 'grel, Rong-zom-pa identifies a multiplicity of buddhological concepts employed in various scriptural systems. He does so, however, very briefly, merely mentioning the general features of each of the buddhological concepts, such as the number of buddha-Bodies and gnoses posited, and specifies the scriptural systems in which the concepts occur. In chapter two, "Buddhology in Its Historical and Philosophical Context; Chapter three, "The Controversy surrounding the Existence of Gnosis at the Stage of a Buddha," is devoted to the controversy over whether a buddha possesses gnosis, which is the focus of Rong-zom-pa's iscourses on the conceptions of Buddhahood. In chapter four, "Rong-zom-pa's Position on Whether Gnosis Exists at the Stage. of a Buddha," I first identify Tibetan scholars who claimed that Rong-zom-pa denied the existence of gnosis at the stage of a buddha, and then discuss Mi-pham's treatment of the issue in his catalogue to Rong-zom-pa's collected works, while also providing a translation of the pertinent text. Part two consists of four sections containing annotated translations of (i) Rongzom- pa's Sangs sa chen rna, (ii) the ertinent passage from his dKon cog 'grel, and passages dealing with the debate over the existence of gnosis as reflected in (iii) Indian and (iv) Tibetan sources up until the eleventh or early twelfth century (by authors, that is, who lived prior to or contemporary with Rong-zom-pa). Part three comprises critical editions of the texts ranslated in part two and of longer passages cited in chapters two and four of part one (the Tibetan texts of short passages cited in part one are found in footnotes). The philological methods employed in the editions of the Tibetan text are described in introductory remarks to them. Finally, as an appendix, I have included a short discussion and a translation of a passage from Klong-chen-pa's Yid kyi mun sel, a general outline of the * Guhyagarbhatantra, which contains a presentation of various buddhological concepts, obviously inspired by Rong-zom-pa.