陳那=Dignāga; 《圓集要義論》=Prajñāpāramitāpiṇḍārthaḥsaṃgraha; 十種分別心散亂=Ten Distracted Mental-Discriminations; 有與無=existence and non-existence; 唯識三性說=theory of Three Natures in Yogacara Buddhism
Dignāga's treatise, Prajñāpāramitāpiṇḍārthaḥsaṃgraha contains a total of 58 verses, compiling and categorizing the contents of the Aṣṭasāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra into thirty-two fundamental teachings, in which the Sixteen Emptinesses (śūnyatā) and the Ten Distracted Mental-Discriminations (daśa-saṃkalpa-vikṣepa) that a Bodhisattva should realize take up a large part of this treatise. The Sixteen Emptinesses are the realities that a Bodhisattva should contemplate when facing various states during specific practices, while the Ten Distracted Mental-Discriminations are classified as the specific obstacles that a Bodhisattva should counter against. The Ten Distracted Mental-Discriminations are divided into five pairs. The first pair is Distraction of Mental-Discrimination on Non-Existence (abhāva-vikalpa) and Distraction of Mental-Discrimination on Existence (bhāva-vikalpa), which are, accordingly the wrong attachments to non-existence (abhāva) and existence (bhāva). The Distraction of Mental-Discrimination on Non-Existence falls into the denigrating error (apavāda), which not only denies the existence of the five aggregates in Conventional Truth (saṃvṛti-satya), but also denies the existence of pure non-discriminating wisdom in Ultimate Truth (paramārtha-satya). The Distraction of Mental-Discrimination on Existence falls into affirming error (samāropaṇa), convinced that there is an individual existing apart from the five aggregates. Dignāga believes that the phrases “the Bodhisattva exists” and “I don’t see any Bodhisattva” mentioned by The Noble One in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtra are to deal with these two kinds of distractions respectively. This paper mainly focuses on how Dignāga’s treatise explains that “the Bodhisattva exists” is not a phrase that directly affirms the fact like the argument of cause and effect, rather, it only signifies the dharmas that a Bodhisattva should practice. On the other hand, “I don't see any Bodhisattva” means that a Bodhisattva's name, realm, and functions are unreal, and that one would no longer fall into the attachment for “non-existence”. From this perspective, we explore how Dignāga uses the theory of Three Natures in Yogacara Buddhism to explain that what is to be denied belongs to Imagined Nature, while what needs to be affirmed belong to the Dependent Nature and the Consummate Nature. If we have a correct grasp of the first pair of the Ten Distracted Mental-Discriminations, we will gain a better understanding of the doctrinal structure of the other four pairs.
