Buddha-nature; Presence; Absence; Ju Mipham Rgya Mtsho; Two truths
摘要
This dissertation addresses the relationship between metaphysical presence and absence (emptiness) in Buddhism through a focus on the Nying-ma tradition as articulated in the works of Mi-pham (' ju mi pham rgya mtsho , 1846-1912), a great synthesizer of Buddhist doctrine and Nying-ma philosophy. I draw widely from his writings on Yogacara, Madhyamaka, and tantra to discuss the significance of an ontological "ground" ( gzhi ), or Buddha-nature, as the central theme in his overall interpretative scheme. Mi-pham was a prolific writer on a variety of topics, and had a remarkable ability to synthesize diverse strands of thought. The tradition of the Nying-ma is a complex one, and there are many divergent and competing voices that lay claim to the tradition. I will try to present important facets of this central theme in Mi-pham's philosophy of Nying-ma, and show how he uses a dialectic of presence and absence around which he discusses a unified ground.
