This work aims to establish the distinctiveness of the two schools of Mahayana Buddhism, the Madhyamaka and Yogacara (or Cittamatra) through their disputes over the nature of consciousness. Using a key section of the system of tenets (siddhanta) composed by lCang skya II, the authoritative Madhyamaka scholar and "Great Preceptor" of the Manchu empire of Chi'en Lung, as our focus.
A chapter on methodology initiates this dissertation. It aims to present an understanding of a theory of religion which is consistent with the schools which are also the very object of investigation. It is argued that by understanding religious traditions as ultimately "essenceless," and "co-originatively interrelated" one can best account for their evolution and mutual formation. The two schools and their mutual refutations shaped and formed each other and set the continuing basis for future discussion.
While primarily this study is concerned with the two Mahayana schools, lCang skya offers Yogacara critiques of a third group of school, the more conservative Sravakayana doctrines, in particular, those of the Sautratika school. The Yogacarin categorization of all three schools within the "three cycles" doctrine is the subject of the second chapter.
The next three chapters are dedicated to establishing the "Mind-only" school as the middle path according to lCang skya's exposition, relying as he does, on Asanga. Chapter three is devoted to presenting the Madhyamaka school as a type of nihilism. Chapter four, the pivotal Yogacarin doctrine of "self-awareness" is defended. The fifth chapter refutes the "positivism" of the Sautrantika school. Each chapter concludes with preliminary Madhyamika responses, primarily those of Bhavaviveka, Candrakirti and Tsong kha pa.
The sixth chapter concludes this work with lCang skya's presentation of the Mind-only school of thought in a positive light, distinguishing it as the true middle path, free from the extremes of nihilism or positivism. Appendices examine how the two Mahayana schools contended over the doctrine of Buddha-nature (tathagatagarbha), and a glossary is provided.
