On the Acceptance of Yoga Practice in Chinese Yogācāra: Chapter V of the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra

Abstract

What kind of yoga practice did Xuanzang 玄奘 introduce to China? The clue to solving this question can be found in Chapter V “Discrimination of Yoga” 分別瑜伽品 of the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra 解深密經 translated by Xuanzang. This is because it describes the specific details of the “yoga practice based on Yogācāra thought” developed by the Indian Yogācāra. Its characteristics are as follows.

1. Chapter V says: The bodhisattva practices śamatha 止 and vipaśyanā 観 based on the Dharma （the teaching of Buddha expressed in words）, and understands that the image is a manifestation of his own mind, and then realizes the true nature （tathatā） of consciousness only.

2. It is said the object of vipaśyanā is the image （the teaching of Buddha expressed in words） and the object of śamatha is the mind that recognizes the image. By practicing śamatha and vipaśyanā together, the bodhisattva realizes the true nature （tathatā） of consciousness-only.

3. The “yogic experience” that the image （the teaching of Buddha expressed in words） will disappear but the teaching of Buddha will not disappear is explained by the “three natures 三性” ―that parikalpita will disappear but paratantra and pariniṣpanna will not disappear.

Thus, Chapter V of the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra implies that this new practice of śamatha and vipaśyanā is associated with Yogācāra thought. It is quite possible that this “yoga practice based on Yogācāra thought,” which was transmitted by Xuanzang, might have been practiced by the Chinese Yogācāra school.