The author of the article has been investigating the two doxographical positions within the Ratnagotravibhāga interpretation lineages which developed in the latter diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet, based on the two types of negation in the Mādhyamika logic discourses in relation to emptiness and Buddha-nature. This issue is taken up in the Eighth Si tu Paṇ chen （1699/1700–1777） in his Dri lan nor bu’i me long （DL）. Referring to the tradition of the Kālacakratantra, Si tu Paṇ chen allocates the Logic Tradition’s med dgag to ‘lifeless matter’ （bem stong） and the Meditation Tradition’s ma yin dgag to ‘mirror divination’ （pra phab）. The definition of emptiness is crucial to understand the relationship between the mind and Buddha-nature as exemplified in the Meditation Tradition that carries the doctrine of ‘the Buddhahood of one’s own mind’ （rang sems sangs rgyas 自心仏） taught in the tradition of the Mahāvairocanasūtra dating to the early diffusion of Buddhism in Tibet. DL reflects the surrounding environments in eastern Tibet in the eighteenth century, in which doctrinal confusions occurred in Si tu Paṇ chen’s Karma bKa’ brgyud school to the extent that one member of his school made a request for permission to convert to the dGe lugs on account of its positions on negation. Si tu Paṇ chen points out the two positions held by Tsong kha pa’s disciples regarding negation; mKhas ’grub rje held med dgag, while Gung ru rgyal mtshan bzang po agreed with the rNying ma and bKa’ brgyud position, which resulted in Gung ru’s demotion. In DL, having cancelled his earlier statement made in his Catalogue to the sDe dge bKa’ ’gyur in which he took the Middle Turning of the Wheel of Doctrine as belonging to the category of definitive meaning, Si tu Paṇchen confirms the Third Turning of the Wheel as belonging to the category of definitive meaning for the Karma bKa’ brgyud’s orthodox position, excusing himself that his former position was due to circumstances of the time. Based on scriptures and treatises belonging to the Last Turning of the Wheel, Si tu Paṇchen affirms the existence of the Buddha-nature on the ultimate level. DL proves that in the eighteenth century the rNying ma and bKa’ brgyud shared the same doctrinal position called Great Madhyamaka of Extrinsic Emptiness, based on the Last Turning of the Wheel, in whose tradition the nature of mind （sems nyid） and the Buddha-nature （bde gshegs snying po） have the same meaning. He introduced the nature of mind/Buddha-nature to Mahāmudrā and rDzogs chen practices.
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