Cognition of the Two Truths: Gelug Tenet Systems

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In order to rid ourselves of the second noble truth, true causes of suffering, we need to gain non-conceptual cognition of the lack of an impossible soul (bdag-med, selflessness, identitylessness) with relation to each of the four noble truths. In Mahayana terminology, this means gaining non-conceptual cognition of voidness (stong-pa-nyid, Skt. ṡūnyatā, emptiness). A voidness is an absence of an impossible way of existing and must be in regard to some item that is devoid of existing in the impossible way that this voidness is nullifying (negating, refuting).

To gain non-conceptual cognition of voidness, then, requires cognition of the basis for the voidness (stong-gzhi) as well as of its voidness. The two truths (bden-gnyis) are a classification scheme found in all Indian Buddhist tenet systems (grub-mtha’) for categorizing the two types of true phenomena. Although each tenet system asserts its own parameters for defining the two truths and thus differs regarding which phenomena it classifies in each, nevertheless voidness and the basis for a voidness always fall into separate categories. This is the case despite each tenet system defining differently the impossible ways of existing that voidness nullifies. Therefore, in order to know how to cognize voidness, both conceptually and non-conceptually, and thus how to rid ourselves of the true causes of our suffering, we need to know the steps that each tenet system explains for the meditative process for realizing voidness.

Here, we shall explain these steps as outlined in the Sautrantika, Chittamatra, and Prasangika-Madhyamaka systems. These three systems represent the three main variant types of explanation. We shall mention the Svatantrika-Madhyamaka systems only as an aside, since they do not assert a radically different scheme. Each of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions explains the assertions of the Indian tenet systems differently. Here we shall focus only on the Gelug interpretation. Moreover, within the Gelug tradition, various monasteries follow the textbook (yig-cha) traditions of different great masters. Here, we shall present the explanations that accord with the Jetsunpa (rJe-btsun-pa) tradition. This textbook tradition was established by the 16th-century master Jetsun Chokyi Gyaltsen (rJe-btsun Chos-kyi rgyal-mtshan) and is followed by Ganden Jangtse (dGa’-ldan Byang-rtse) and Sera Je (Se-ra Byes) Monasteries. Occasionally, we shall point out major variant explanations from some of the other Gelug textbook traditions.

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