A Study on ‘Consciousness’ with Special Reference to Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi and Lankavatārasūtra

• Dr. Kuheli Biswas

  University of Kalyani

  Author

This paper tries to explore a comparative study on consciousness (vijñāna) between the two texts of Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi and Laṅkāvatārasūtra regarding the concept of ultimate truth. According to Yogacāra, consciousness (vijñāna) is the only reality, which designates the basic phenomenon of conscious experience, denying the relation between the concept of subject and object. According to Viṁsśatikā, the universe is the manifestation of consciousness (vijñāna), and it is equated with mind (mana), citta, and vijñapti, which is a momentary dharma. In Laṅkāvatārasūtra, it designates the mind only (cittamātra). Vasubandhu, in his commentary Vijñaptimātratāsiddhi Triṁśikā, admits that pure consciousness is the Reality. He denies the existence of external thought. Both texts consider that pure consciousness is the highest reality. 

1. Dr. Kuheli Biswas, University of Kalyani

   Working as a Professor at the  Department of Philosophy.

Chandrkaew, C. (1982). The Ultimate Truth of Buddhism. Bangkok: Mahachula Buddhist University Press.

Singh, J. (2009). Introduction of The Conception of Buddhist Nirvāṅa by Th.Stcherbatsky. Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass Publishers Pvt.Ltd.

Mohanta, D. (Ed.). (2006). Understanding Mādhyamika Śūnyatā. Vishveshvaranand Delhi: Vedic Research Institute.

Mādhyamikaśūnyatā, A. (2001). A Reappraisal. New Delhi: Indian Council of Philosophical Research.

Huntington, C. W. (Ed.). (1992). The Emptiness of Emptiness, An Introduction to Early Indian Mādhyamika. New Delhi: Motilal Banarasidass Publishers Pvt.Ltd.

• PDF

Copyright (c) 2025 Dr. Kuheli Biswas (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.