Treatise on the Establishment of Truth (Satyasiddhi-shastra)

A work by Harivarman of India ( around the third or fourth century) translated into Chinese by Kumarajiva in
the early fifth century. It is the primary text of the Establishment of Truth school, the work consists of five
sections, which respectively cover the following topics:
(1) The Three treasures of the Buddha, the Law, and the Samgha, or Buddhist Order.
(2) The Four noble truths The work also gives a brief explanation of the four noble truths and asserts that one can
attain nirvana by discarding three kinds of attachment: attachment to the self, attachment to the dharmas
(elements of existence), and attachment to emptiness.
(3) Two kinds of emptiness: the teaching of dharma-nyat, the emptiness of phenomena and anatman
(4) Two doors ( Divimukham): Loka mukham and Paramartha mukham, the other names of Samvrti and
paramattha satya (ultimate truth). On a samvrti level ( common principles) atman exists.
(5) Nature of mind and mental factors
Besides, the contents of Satyasiddhi contained both arguments and rejoinders from teachers with different
opinions regarding the issues disputed. The texts quoted in Satyasiddhi also include early sutra materials as well
as references to positions that can be traced in various Abhidharma treaties of different teachers and schools, so it
can be a rich source of early Buddhist textual materials and philological investigations.
The nature of mind is one of the central topics discussed in this work. From the beg., Buddhism considered mind
plays a central role in the suffering of human beings and proposed some applications of practices for taming the
mind, for being free from the defilements with the purpose of getting liberation. However, the sutras never clarify
clearly the nature of positive and negative mental qualities. Regarding to this issue, there have been two
proposals: some teachers propose that mind consists of consciousness itself and number of entities as mental
factors, other teachers consider that the so-called mental factors are nothing but consciousness itself in
different modes.

The Awakening Of Faith In Mahyna (Mahyna -Sraddhotpada Sastra)

Avaghoa

In the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, the discourse on the Awakening of Faith in Mahayana is a treatise of central
importance. It is most important for developing the Indian Buddhist doctrine of an inherent potentiality for
Buddhahood (tathgatagarbha) into a monistic ontology based on the mind as the ultimate ground of all
experience.
The Awakening of Faith is predicated on the notion of a single unconditional Absolute, referred to by various
terms including "suchness" and "Buddha-nature", that beyond description or conceptualization. This Absolute is
seen as true reality while the world of the senses is an illusion. The word is sometimes used interchangeably with
sunyata, or emptiness.
Awakening of Faith proposes that tathata is not some pure realm separate from the phenomenal world, but
expresses itself as phenomena. Original enlightenment or Buddha Nature was the natural state even before people
were born. Ordinary human beings do not realize this. But in this life people may cultivate an initial
enlightenment that is the basis of a final enlightenment.
So, the main content of the work is nothing other than the Absolute itself the Great Vehicle on which all beings
are capable of riding to enlightenment. There is a teaching (dharma) which can awaken in us the root of faith in
the Mahayana. The teaching of the text is traditionally summarized as "One Mind Two Aspects, Three
Greatnesses, Four Faiths, Five Practices.
One Mind and Its Two Aspects
- The Mind in terms of the Absolute (tathata; Suchness), is the one World of Reality (dharmadhatu) It is called
"the essential nature of the Mind" which is unborn and is imperishable.
- The Mind in Terms of Phenomena (samsara-birth and death) is reflected in the Storehouse Consciousness
which is "neither birth nor death (nirvana)", staying harmoniously with "birth and death (samsara)". Both are
neither identical nor different.
So, mind is simultaneously empty and non empty. The mind prior to perception, the alaya consciousness without
content is empty but non empty in itself. From the beginning it has never been related to any defilements, it is
trully empty. But when it gone through illusions it becomes non empty.
The Essence Itself and the Attributes of Suchness
The essence of Suchness knows no increase or decrease in ordinary men, the Hinayanists, the Bodhisattvas, or
the Buddhas. It is eternal.
From the beginning, Suchness in its nature is fully provided with all excellent qualities; namely, it is endowed
with the light of great wisdom, the qualities of illuminating the entire universe, of true cognition and mind pure in
its self-nature; of eternity, bliss, Self, and purity; of refreshing coolness, immutability, and freedom.
The influences of Suchness are of two kinds.
-

The first is conceived by the mind of ordinary men and the followers of Hinayana in the "objectdiscriminating consciousness". This is called the influence of Suchness in the form of the
"Transformation-body" (Nirmanakaya).

The second is conceived by the mind of the Bodhisattvas, from the first stage of aspiration to the highest
stage, in the mentality which regards external objects as unreal. This is called the influence of Suchness
in the form of the "Bliss-body" (Sambhogakaya).

I.

The Correction of Evil Attachments

All evil attachments originate from biased views; if a man is free from bias, he will be free from evil attachments.
There are two kinds of biased view: one is the biased view held by those who are not free from the belief in
atman [i.e., ordinary men]; the other is the biased view held by those who believe that the components of the
world are real [i.e., the Hinayanists].
II.

Analysis of the Types of Aspiration for

All Bodhisattvas aspire to the enlightenment (bodhi) realized by all the Buddhas, disciplining themselves to this
end, and advancing toward it. Briefly, three types of aspiration for enlightenment can be distinguished. The first
is the aspiration for enlightenment through the perfection of faith. The second is the aspiration for enlightenment
through understanding and through deeds. The third is the aspiration for enlightenment through insight.
III.

On Faith and Practice

On Four Faiths
The first is the faith in the Ultimate Source. A man comes to meditate with joy on the principle of Suchness.
The second is the faith in the numberless excellent qualities of the Buddhas.
The third is the faith in the great benefits of the Dharma (Teaching). A man comes constantly to remember and
practice various disciplines leading to enlightenment.
The fourth is the faith in the Sangha (Buddhist Community) whose members are able to devote themselves to the
practice of benefiting both themselves and others.

On Five Practices
There are five ways of practice which will enable a man to perfect his faith. They are the practices of charity,
observance of precepts, patience, zeal, and cessation of illusions and clear observation.

IV.

Encouragement of Practice and the Benefits Thereof

A man who wishes to obtain correct faith in the profound Realm of the Tathagata and to enter the path of
Mahayana, he should practice this treatise to reach the unsurpassed enlightenment.
The summary of the 4 stages of enlightenment (suchness) :
The first three are collected as "nonfinal enlightenment" covering states said "not to be enlightened to the
fountain head of the mind":
1) The ability to prevent incorrect (wrong) thought from arising
2) Enlightenment in appearance: aware of the changing nature of thought but free from thoughts subject to
change
3) Approximate enlightenment: those aware of the temporary abiding state of thoughts
4) Final enlightenment: to be fully enlightened to have reached the fountainhead of the mind