Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies ISSN:1598-0642(Print) 불교학연구

Buddhism in Tibet was transmitted from India around the seventh century, was suppressed around the ninth century, and was resurrected in the late tenth century. Therefore, the eleventh century is considered as a comparatively early period in the history of Tibetan Buddhism. In this period, many buddhist tantra texts were introduced, and attempts to organize buddhist texts with various historical and philosophical strata in a systematic way were made, which triggered the generation of different Buddhist sects in Tibet. Also, various debates on the establishment of canons within each sect contributed to the establishment of the identity of each individual tradition. After the fourteenth century, commentarial traditions blossomed on the basis of the sectarian philosophies which had been more or less formalized by that time. In this academic atmosphere, the text showing the sectarian basis of the Jo nang pa school is Nya dbon Kun dga' dpal’s (1285~1379) Dispelling Darkness, Response to queries on the Problem of the Ground, Path, and Fruition (Gzhi lam 'bras gsum las brtsams pa'i dris lan yid kyi mun sel). It investigates philosophical and religious debates in fourteenth century Tibet, based on the Jo nang pa philosophical and religious stance. Two main points in this text epitomize the main issues of the time. The first is the realist interpretation of emptiness supported by Jo nang pa. The second is Nya dbon’s criticism on Rnying ma pa tantra. These two interrelated issues indicate that various thoughts and criticisms pertaining to the establishment of the authenticity of Indian Buddhism in Tibet functioned in the 14th century in multifaceted ways. They also demonstrate Nya dbon’s criticital and intellectual ability to interpret the Jo nang pa tradition which he was a part of, and ultimately place him as a giant in the history of Tibetan intellectual history.