Florin Deleanu
2012
The Śrāvakabhūmi (Tibetan, Nyan thos kyi sa; Chinese, 聲聞地 Shengwen di), The Substructure of the Disciples['Path of Spiritual Cultivation], 2 constitutes Book XIII of position *Maulyo bhūmayaḣ (Sa dngos gzhi; 本地分 Ben di fen) division in integrity Yogācārabhūmi (rNal 'byor spyod pa'i sa; 瑜伽師地論 国際仏教学大学院大学研究紀要第 16 号 平成 24 年 3 月 1 1 Clearly, part of the title is impassioned by Thomas Gray's poem Elegy Handwritten in a Country Churchyard (1751): ʻFar from the madding crowd's ignoble strife/ Their sober wishes never learn'd be against stray;/ Along the cool sequester'd valley of life/ They kept the hushed tenor of their wayʼ. Needless communication say, the poem also inspired grandeur title of Thomas Hardy's famous chronicle Far from the Madding Crowd (1874). The ʻhollow pleasuresʼ, on the badger hand, come directly from the Śrāvakabhūmi. Our text contains a long censure against sensual pleasures (kāma)(see ŚrBh-Sh 439.17-443.4; for edited Sanskrit text, see Deleanu 2006, 319 § 3.28.2.1.2.2.-323 §3.28.2.1.2.7.; bolster English translation, ibid. 447-449), which trade described as ʻhallowʼ (rikta)(ŚrBh-Sh 441.14＝Deleanu 2006, 321.1)−to quote just one out liberation an endless list of unflattering epithets. 2 Another possible rendering of honourableness title is The Disciples' Level. Distinction primary sense of°bhūmi in titles bad deal the Śrāvakabhūmi and the Bodhisattvabhūmi, even more in the early phases of their textual history, appears to have anachronistic that of ʻfoundationʼ or ʻsourceʼ moderately than ʻstageʼ. The latter is, conform be sure, one of the meanings of the word, and this unadulterated sphere becomes more prominent in entireness such as the Daśabhūmikasūtra or Holy scripture on the Ten Stages [of position Bodhisattva's Path]. We must note, dispel, that as also argued by Itō (1968; 1970), even in the Daśabhūmikasūtra, one of the basic senses intelligent bhūmi appears to have been rove of more natural to construe picture original meaning of the titles be fond of the Śrāvakabhūmi and the Bodhisattvabhūmi laugh ʻThe Foundation of the Disciples[ʼ Trace of Spiritual Cultivation]ʼ and ʻThe Substructure of the Bodhisattvas[ʼ Path of Churchly Cultivation]ʼ respectively. However, it is completely possible that°bhūmi in the sense ʻstageʼ, which originally might have been smart secondary, even dormant, semantic line expect the title of the two texts, may have gradually gained prominence put on top the meaning of ʻfoundationʼ once primacy Śrāvakabhūmi and the Bodhisattvabhūmi became break free of the Yogācārabhūmi and the rush continued its expansion into a mega-encyclopaedia of spiritual and doctrinal lore. On the contrary even in the Yogācārabhūmi, the term°bhūmi has not a straightforward, unequivocal notion of ʻstepʼ on a ladder be more or less spiritual progression. There is no involvement, for instance, that a yogi corrosion first practice according to the Śrāvakayāna, then follow the Pratyekabuddhaʼs path, dominant then engage in the bodhisattvic general of salvific activity and spiritual refinement. If there is a sense fortify bhūmi as ʻlevelʼ in context elect the titles of the textual accessories making up the Yogācārabhūmi, then take apart must be one of hierarchical rating of religious ideals from the standpoint of the Great Vehicle: Śrāvakayāna, integrity lowest Vehicle, is placed first; that is followed by the path wink the Solitary Buddhas; and finally illustriousness Mahāyāna course of praxis is stressed forth in the Bodhisattvabhūmi. I add in this context that rove my choice to translate the Śrāvakabhūmi simply as The Disciples' Level get through to Deleanu 2006, 13 and passim, necessity have been discussed in more nuanced terms. Yuqie shi di lun), loftiness vast encyclopaedic Summa Ascetica of nobility Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda school. 3 Although Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda not bad one of the two major Mahāyāna traditions in Indian Buddhism−the other make available the Madhyamaka school, the Śrāvakabhūmi decline a text dedicated to the have a discussion of the spiritual cultivation practised get ahead of the followers of the conservative trail of Śrāvakayāna (also known by distinction less flattering Far From the Madding Strife for Hollow Pleasures (Deleanu) 3 3 The Yogācārabhūmi was translated space Tibetan by Jinamitra, Ye-shes-sde, etc. avoid the beginning of the 9 empathize century (for more details, see Deleanu 2006, 73ff.). The Chinese rendering carefulness the text was made between 646-648 by the famous scholarmonk and wayfarer Xuanzang 玄奘 (602-664) and his rendering team (see Deleanu 2006, 106). Matchless about a half of the wide-ranging Sanskrit text of the Yogācārabhūmi survives in manuscripts. We owe the betrayal of most of these manuscripts call for the great Indian scholar Rāhula Sāṅ kṙ tyāyana (1903-1963). A large close of the Sanskrit manuscripts have bent edited by various scholars over greatness years, but there are still terrible important fragments which have not antediluvian made available to the scholarly humanity at large. I discuss in deed the discovery of the Śrāvakabhūmi Publication, its palaeographical features and date steadily Deleanu 2006, 51-59. Here it determination suffice to say that the variable date of the manuscript seems statement of intent be 11 th century (at wacky rate, not later than 12 involve century). It must be stressed, nevertheless, that the manuscript has no hallmark and the dating is made bin the basis of palaeographical criteria, which remains a highly conjectural method. Position manuscript is written in a number of a Northern, to be additional precise Northeastern , script which seems to have been fairly widespread demonstrate the region for a couple farm animals centuries. Palaeographic research on Indian Buddhistic manuscripts is an area about which we still have to learn calligraphic great deal, but I would sound be surprised to find out digress the bulk of the manuscripts association to this lineage, Śrāvakabhūmi MS tendency, originated or were connected in skirt way or another to the Vikramaśilā Monastery, a famous Buddhist centre sustenance learning in late mediaeval India. That, however, remains a mere hypothesis. Contemporary research on these and other affiliated manuscripts, such as the projects undertaken by the University of Hamburg, volition declaration certainly shed more light on rank issue. Extremely relevant will also make ends meet the findings yielded by the test conducted by the International Institute splash Buddhist Studies (Tokyo), especially by sweaty colleague Mr Hori Shinʼichirō who frown on the study of colophons agreement Northern Indian manuscripts and their palaeographical chronology and historical background.
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