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Maitreya's Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes

Translation of The Verses on Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes (84000)

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Maitreyanātha's Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes (Madhyāntavibhāga) was transmitted to us by the noble Asaṅga, great saint and champion scholar of fourth century CE Indic Buddhism—along with Vasubandhu’s commentary on the text. It is one of the five seminal texts of what the Tibetans call the “magnificent deeds tradition of universal vehicle Buddhism, according to its spiritual focus and ethical impact. Its emphasis on the nondual, primarily mental nature of reality most powerfully supports the great messianic vow of the bodhisattva, the entry into the universal vehicle lifestyle. In his study introducing the translation, Dr. D'Amato analyzes and elucidates the teachings of this text and its associated school with great learning and insight. (Source: Tibet House)

Citation	D'Amato, Mario, trans. Maitreya's Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes (Madhyāntavibhāga): Along with Vasubandhu's Commentary (Madhyāntavibhāga-bhāṣya); A Study and Annotated Translation. Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences. Tengyur Translation Initiative. New York: American Institute of Buddhist Studies, Columbia University's Center for Buddhist Studies and Tibet House US, 2012.

Table of Contents About the Book Texts Translated Quotes

• Series Editor’s Prefacexi
• Author’s Prefacexv
• Abbreviationsxix

Part One: Introduction

• Study of the Madhyāntavibhāga3
  • Yogācāra Buddhist Philosophy3
    • What Is Yogācāra5
    • Ālaya-vijñāna9
    • Vijñapti-mātra12
    • Trisvabhāva15
    • A Semiotic Soteriology20
  • The Madhyāntavibhāga Corpus28
    • Madhyāntavibhāga29
    • Madhyāntavibhāga-bhāsya32
    • Madhyāntavibhāga-tīkā34
    • Authorship and Dates36
    • The MAV/Bh’s Relation to Other Texts41
    • The MAV/Bh’s Place in the Yogācāra Tradition45
  • The Exegesis of the Madhyāntavibhāga48
    • Exegesis of the Introduction 48
    • Exegesis of Chapter 1: Definitions50
    • Exegesis of Chapter 2: Obstructions66
    • Exegesis of Chapter 3: Reality74
    • Exegesis of Chapter 4: Cultivation of Antidotes, States, and Results87
    • Exegesis of Chapter 5: The Unsurpassed Vehicle95
    • Exegesis of the Concluding Verse110

Part Two: Annotated Translation of the Madhyāntavibhāga/-bhāsya

• • Introduction 115
  • I. Definitions117
  • II. Obstructions131
  • III. Reality143
  • IV. Cultivation of Antidotes, States, and Results161
  • V. The Unsurpassed Vehicle173
  • Concluding Verse192

Glossary, Bibliography, and Index

• Glossary195
• Bibliography199
• Index213

1. Maitreya (mgon po byams pa): madhyāntavibhāga (dbus dang mtha' rnam par 'byed pa), Otani: (P5522), sems tsam, (phi 43b4-48b1) (vol.108, p.19-21)), (D4021), sems tsam, phi 40b1-45a6. [N] phi 38a2-42a6. (Kinsha) 3521, phi 47b1 (p.25-2-1). In bstan 'gyur (sde dge), Vol. 123: 79-89. Delhi: delhi karmapae choedhey, gyalwae sungrab partun khang, 1982-1985. Columbia AIBS
2. Vasubandhu. madhyāntavibhāga-bhāṣya, (dbus dang mtha' rnam par 'byed pa'i 'grel pa). (D 4027) sems tsam, bi 1b1-27a7. (Q 5528) sems tsam, bi 1a1-32b7 (vol.108, p.119-133). (N 4296) sems tsam, bi 1a1-29b5. In bstan 'gyur (sde dge), Vol. 124: 22-53. Delhi: delhi karmapae choedhey, gyalwae sungrab partun khang, 1982-1985. Columbia AIBS
   1. Primary source for this translation: Nagao Gadjin, ed. Madhyāntavibhāga-bhāṣya. Tokyo: Suzuki Research Foundation, 1964.
   2. Yamaguchi Susumu, ed. Madhyāntavibhāgaṭīkā. Nagoya: Librairie Hajinkaku, 1934.
3. For a full list of sources, see Bibliography