<密意解明(dGongs pa rab gsal)>에 나타난 중관학파의 부정대상(dgag bya)

Abstract

This paper aims at the investigation of the object of negation that is explained in Tsong-kha-pa’s Extensive Explanation of “Supplement to(Nāgārjuna’s) ‘Treatise on the Middle’”(Illumination of the Thought, dGongs pa rab gsal). The dGongs pa rab gsal is the commentary of Candrakīrti’s Supplement to (Nāgārjuna’s) Treatise on the Middle(Madhyamakāvatāra, dbu ma la 'jug pa). Tsong-kha-pa emposized first on the importance of indentifying what is negated in proving the emptiness. Because one can achieve the exact view of emptiness through understanding of the object of negation. It implies that without understanding what true establishment is, as well as how phenomena are apprehended as truly existent, the view of emptiness will definitely fall into fallacy. Furthermore, Tsong-kha-pa tried to get an exact idea of the object of negation by comparing the Consequence School(Prāsaṅgika, dbu ma thal 'gyur pa)’s to the Autonomy School(Svātantrika, dbu ma rang rgyud pa)’s. As a result, the Autonomy School asserts that to exist in the manner of an objective mode of abiding without being posited through appearing to an awareness, or through the force of an awareness is to truly exist, or to be negated. On the other hand, the Consequence School claims that inherent existence that is an entity of phenomena not depending on or not posited through the force of another ― a subjective terminological conceptual consciousness ― is called the self that is the object of negation. These two schools’ opinions are similar in that the object of negation is established independently with no relation to the subjective perceiver and the emptiness can be achieved by negating it. But in the manner of establishment of conventional entities, these two school show different views. The Consequence School holds that phenomena do not inherently exist even conventionally and therefore, they negate inherent existence(rang bzhin gyis yod pa) or existence from the object's own side(rang ngo bos yod pa) or something exists by way of its own character(rang gi mtshan nyid kyis grub pa). They claim that existence by way of the object's own character, existence from the object's side, inherent exisence, ultimate existence(don dam par grub pa), true existence(yang dag par grub pa), and real existence(bden par grub pa) are synonymous and refute them all. Whereas the Autonomy School asserts that phenomena exist by way of their own character, exist from their own side, and inherently exist conventionally while negating true existence, ultimate existence, and real existence. Presenting two different views on conventional entities, these two Mādhyamika Schools coincide in trying to acquire emptiness through refuting the object of negation, that is, real existence.