Korea Journal of Buddhist StudiesISSN:1598-0642(Print)불교학연구회

Previous studies on Fazang’s 法藏 theory of the ten-foldConsciousness-only 十重唯識說 state that Fazang’s theory wasinfluenced by Ji's 基 theory of the Five-fold Consciousnessonly五重唯識說. Although they are similar in pattern andname, the meaning of Fazang’s and Ji’s theories do not agreewith one another. Fazang disparages Faxiangzong’s 法相宗theory of Consciousness-only in his Classifications of BuddhistTeachings 敎相判釋. Fazang deconstructs accepted notions ofConsciousness-only and overlays his own ten-stage mind-onlytheories on top of this foundation. Fazang’s theory of the tenfoldConsciousness-only is an analysis on the ‘one-mind’ 一心that the triloka is but one-mind ‘三界虛妄 但是一心作’ cited froma verse of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra 華嚴經. Fazang considers mindas vijñāna 識, not citta 心. This is a reflection of his intention toprove the superiority of Faxingzong 法性宗 over Faxiangzong 法相宗. There is also a semantic change in the general meaning ofConsciousness-only 唯識. Fazang substantially equates mindonly唯心 with Consciousness-only 唯識. Seen from a differentperspective, Fazang’s theory of the ten-fold Consciousness-onlyis a well-structured Consciousness-only theory which is graduallydeveloped according to his Classifications of Buddhist Teachings. In Fazang’s theory of Mind-Consciousness 心識說, thisSubsume-transcendency relation is established: ‘the Ālayavijñāna阿賴耶識 of Mahāyāna-beginning-teaching 大乘始敎 ⊂ theTathāgatagarbha 如來藏 of Mahāyāna-final-teaching 大乘終敎 ⊂the one-mind 一心 of the distinct-one-vehicle-teaching 別敎一乘.’ Huayan thought is a distinct teaching 别敎 which engagesall others, and all Buddhist teachings flow from it in Fazang’sClassifications. Simultaneously, from another perspective,all teachings can be grouped into a common doctrine inConsciousness-only. Consciousness-only is a common-teaching同敎 in ten different levels. This is Fazang’s interpretation on theone-mind from a verse of the Avataṃsaka Sūtra. With regardto Fazang’s argument on Mind-Consciousness in the ten-foldConsciousness-only, by his logic it is possible to embrace theclassifications of all Buddhist teachings. He intends to prove thatHuayan doctrine is the most developed theory that covers anyother teachings. Fazang's thought is based on the theory of Mindonly唯心論, and the one-mind is the matrix on which his thoughtis founded. Notably, his philosophy demonstrates characteristicsof thought unique to Chinese Buddhism.