This article explores Candrakīrti’s thought of bodhisattva-yogācāra from the concept of the middle way regarding dependent-arising which is emptiness of Mādhyamika. Firstly, in terms of conventional existence of the dependent-arising, Candrakīrti regards the conventional truth as the foundation for all virtues of bodhisattva. The meaning of the term “saṃvṛti”(convention) as interpreted by Candrakīrti implies conventional knowledge and moral, which in turn demonstrates the importance of the accumulation of conventional good deeds. Among the three vehicles of salvation in Buddhism, Candrakīrti believes that the altruistic bodhisattva vehicle bears priority to the other self-interested smaller vehicles; that is to say, the altruistic bodhisattva vehicle marks the supreme state in which self-interest is achieved by means of altruism. However, Candrakīrti thinks that the conventional truth is simply convenient in the two-truths of Buddhism. He maintains that the Buddhist disciples should have the insight into the emptiness of all phenomena as the ultimate truth, after acting on the accumulation of worldly good deeds as prescribed by the conventional truth. In other words, Buddhist disciples need to contemplate non-self/ selflessness, and practice yogācāra of “calm abiding” (śamatha) and “special insight”(vipaśyanā) in emptiness to acquire merits of wisdom. While the bodhisattva practices yogācāra in emptiness, it is still necessary to include compassion; otherwise the practitioner will aim for nirvana by means of meditating on non-self and selflessness, thus become the inferior self-interested smaller vehicle. Therefore, the supreme bodhisattva conveys a mixture of emptiness and compassion, in order to refrain from the attainment of nirvana while implementing virtues of the bodhisattva in the cycle of existence to benefit all beings. To sum up, the bodhisattva will be one who excels in two-truths and reaches bodhisattva-yogācāra through two means broad and deep. This is crucial to become a Buddha.
