The Ten Essential Components in Zhiyan’s Kongmu zhang and the Consciousness-Only Tradition of Chinese Buddhism

Abstract

This paper explores the origins and transformation of Zhiyan’s 智儼 hermeneutical categorization known as the Ten Essential Components 十義門,and considers its relationship to the doctrinal exegesis developed by Ji 基 of the Consciousness-Only school. The paper concludes that 1) the origin of Zhiyan’s categorization can be traced back to the doctrinal thought of the Dilun 地論 and Shelun 摂論 schools; 2) in his later work the Kongmu zhang 孔目章,Zhiyan gives more importance to the Ten Essential Components than in the earlier Souxuan ji 捜玄記; 3) Ji also applied the same concepts of Dilun and Shelun origin in order to formulate his central doctrinal positions. Finally, the paper points out that there has been a common doctrinal background to the various stands of early Tang Consciousness-Only thought.