The present thesis investigates Candrakirti's concept of dependent-arising on the basis of the critique, given in his Madhyamakavatara, regarding the Yogacara concept of “dependent-arising regarding the mind-basis-of-all”. The approaches taken are Buddhist intellectual history in general, Candrakirti's interpretation of the term “pratityasamutpada”, and the methodology of the Prasavgika-Madhyamika. In the Madhyamakavatara, Candrakirti criticized the vijbanavadin theory of “dependent- arising regarding self-existence” mainly on the basis of his view that “dependent- arising is without self-existence” while in the Prasannapada he interpreted the term “pratitya” as “apeksa” (relativity), i.e the reason for conditioned phenomena to be without self-existence lies in the fact that every dharma arisen by causes and conditions is dependent and therefore empty of self-existence. In other words, Candrakirti criticized the Yogacara theory of “dependent-arising regarding self- existence” in view of his understanding of the “relativity” of dependent-arising. For Candrakirti, “apeksa” does not only indicate the meaning of “pratitya”, but it is also in harmony with “idajpratyayata” (conditionality) and “wunyata” (emptiness). Thus Candrakirti''''s understanding of dependent-arising comprises the three aspects of “relativity,” “conditionality,” and “emptiness”. His criticism of the Yogacara, therefore, is based on the above-mentioned threefold meaning of dependent-arising and attacked the Yogacara positions that “a connection of action-cause with action-effect depends on the mind-basis-of-all,” “mind-only is without object” and “other powered dependent phenomena possess self-existence”. This demonstrates that Candrakirti's concept of dependent-arising included the ideas of “dependent-arising regarding action-capability,” “dependent-arising regarding relativity,” and“dependent- arising regarding emptiness”. The present thesis, moreover, discusses the logic behind the Yogacara concept of “dependent-arising regarding the mind-basis-of-all” and Candrakirti's ideas concerning dependent-arising by way of teaching-argument and reason-argument. Through the specific arguments which differentiate Prasavgika- Madhyamika from Svatantrika and Yogacara, the Prasavgika method of prasavga- anumana and Candrakirti's logic of argument are demonstrated. Then an evaluation of Candrakirti's criticism of the Yogacara is given. In view of the development of the Buddhist concept of dependent-arising, it is believed that Candrakirti's understanding derived from the theory of personal selflessness and phenomenal selflessness as expounded by Wakyamuni and Nagarjuna, and in turn made the vigorous development of Madhyamika studies in the Tibetan tradition possible. Finally, an attempt is made to appreciate Candrakirti's concept of dependent-arising from the viewpoint of the two truths and the three kinds of meaning of “sajvrti” (convention) as they were interpreted by Candrakirti.
