The Buddhist Concept of Reality from the Madhyamaka Perspective: An Analysis

माध्यमिक के दृष्टिकोण से सत्ता की बौद्ध अवधारणा मैं एक विश्लेषण

Abstract

According to the Madhyamaka standpoint, the terms dependent origination (pratītyasamutpāda) and emptiness (śūnyatā) are synonymous. According to this view, no phenomenon (dharma) can exist in the world without dependent origination. Likewise, no phenomenon can exist without emptiness. Whatever phenomenon is dependently originated is empty, and whatever phenomenon is empty is dependently originated.

The Prajñāpāramitāhṛdaya Sūtra states: “Form is emptiness; emptiness itself is form. Emptiness is not separate from form, and form is not separate from emptiness.” Nāgārjuna likewise says in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā:

“There is no phenomenon whatsoever that has not arisen dependently;
therefore, there is no phenomenon whatsoever that is not empty.”
—24.19

Nāgārjuna was neither an atheist nor a theist. This is because, according to Madhyamaka philosophy, both theistic and atheistic conceptions are regarded as conceptual positions contained within saṃsāra. Nāgārjuna stood above both kinds of conceptualism. In the fundamental conception of emptiness that he presented, form, feeling, perception, and so forth are never defined as ultimately real. Nevertheless, the conventional reality of these phenomena is accepted from the worldly or conventional standpoint. Therefore, Madhyamaka philosophy does not fall into the extremes of eternalism and annihilationism; rather, it remains in the middle. Otherwise, the cycle of karma and its results would become meaningless.

For this reason, the Tathāgata Buddha said in the Śālistamba Sūtra: “One who sees dependent origination sees the Dharma, and one who sees the Dharma sees the Buddha.” (Yaḥ pratītyasamutpādaṃ paśyati, sa dharmaṃ paśyati; yo dharmaṃ paśyati, sa Buddhaṃ paśyati.)