The theme of this essay is to explore the meaning and value of Tathagatagarbha in " Mahāyānottaratantra Śāstra " .
Among all the Abhidharma which introduce the Tathagatagarbha, Mahāyānottaratantra Śāstra "is the earliest and most significant one. It combines and concludes the content of Tathagatagarbha sutra, Anunatvapurnatvanirdesa and Arya Srimaladevi simhanada nama Mahayana sutra.
Jikido Takasaki, the Japanese scholar who firstly published the idea of "three sutras and one Abhidharma for Tathagatagarbha "in history and the “one Abhidharma” mentioned in this idea is actually Mahāyānottaratantra Śāstra ". This fact no doubtedly reflects its importance and core value.
“Mahāyānottaratantra Śāstra " is one of the highly regarded Abhidharmas in Tibetan Buddhism. It was regarded as the highest view of Mahayana as well as the perception foundation of Vajrayana. We can also find its influence at the perception and the practicing method of each schools and linages of Tibetan Buddhism.
The idea of Tathagatagarbha has profound influence on both Chinese Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism.
Yet in the Chinese-speaking areas, the academic study toward the Mahāyānottaratantra Śāstrai s relatively rare. Which reflects the significant difference of the point of view toward this Abhidharma between these two areas. As a Chinese speaking researcher, I think it could be an interesting angle to discuss the idea of Tathagatagarbha in the “ Mahāyānottaratantra Śāstra "through Tibetan Buddhism’s point of view.
