Zhēn wéishí liàng lüè jiě 真唯識量略解
Brief Explanation of the True Consciousness-Only Syllogism by 智旭 (Zhìxù, 略解)
About the work
A short late-Míng / early-Qīng one-juǎn commentary by 智旭 (Zhìxù / Ǒuyì 蕅益, 1599–1655) on 玄奘 (Xuánzàng)‘s famous Zhēn-wéishí liàng 真唯識量 — the syllogism by which Xuánzàng is said to have established the Yogācāra thesis at the eighteen-day council of Kanyākubja under Harṣa. Like Míngyù’s Sān zhī bǐ liàng yì chāo KR6o0035, Zhìxù starts from the passage in Yánshòu’s Zōngjìng lù and offers a careful philosophical exposition; but he goes further than Míngyù in providing a structural outline (序述, 正明, 結歎) and treating the syllogism as an exemplar of the entire Cí’ēn / Fǎxiàng yīnmíng method.
Structural Division
The Xuzangjing recension is not in CANWWW.
Abstract
The colophon “唐奘師真唯識量略解 / 宋永明壽禪師宗鏡錄中節出 / 明藕益釋智旭略解” identifies the three layers: Xuánzàng’s original (Táng), Yánshòu’s Zōngjìng lù excerpt (Sòng), and Zhìxù’s commentary (Míng). The structure is in three parts: (1) 敘述 (narrative — the historical setting at Kanyākubja); (2) 正明 (proper exposition — the syllogism analysed as 宗-因-喻); (3) 結歎 (concluding praise). Zhìxù treats the syllogism as a paradigm case of how the Cí’ēn / Fǎxiàng method must use the very precise restrictions on parārthaanumāna (other-directed inference), and especially the zìxǔ 自許 (self-conceded) and biǎnshì 遍是 conventions, to prevent the syllogism from collapsing into self-contradiction. Composition is in Zhìxù’s mature period at Línshān 靈山 in Zhèjiāng, c. 1635–1655. The work is a much shorter and more accessible companion to his Yīnmíng rù zhèng lǐ lùn zhí jiě KR6o0029 and was used as introductory teaching material in early-Qīng Buddhist seminaries.
Translations and research
- See KR6o0035 for the parallel Míngyù treatment.
- Foulks McGuire, Beverly. Living Karma: The Religious Practices of Ouyi Zhixu. New York: Columbia University Press, 2014.
- Lusthaus, Dan. “Zhìxù on Buddhist Logic.” In Buddhist Logic: A Festschrift for Shōryū Katsura. Tokyo, 2014.