The paper analyzes three key concepts in Buddhist philosophy of consciousness—citta, manas, and vijñāna—and examines challenges in translating them into Ukrainian. It argues that adequate translation requires comparing terms across Pali, Sanskrit, Chinese, and other traditions, and translating the entire system of Buddhist terminology rather than isolated terms, to avoid incompatibility. The author applies an original approach to Buddhist "philosophy of emptiness," interpreting it broadly as a union of three constituents: emptiness of things, emptiness of concepts, and emptiness of consciousness. An analysis of a passage from Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa (II.34) illustrates the need for systematic translation.
Douglas Duckworth's book examines Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, focusing on the Nyingma and Dge-lugs-pa schools, particularly their views on the nature of mind and reality. The review highlights Duckworth's analysis of the distinction between conventional and ultimate truth, the role of emptiness, and the concept of buddha-nature. It emphasizes how Tibetan thinkers, especially from the Nyingma tradition, articulate a non-dualistic understanding of consciousness and its relationship to the external world, engaging with the hard problem of consciousness through a Buddhist lens. The work situates these philosophical debates within the broader context of Tibetan scholasticism and contemplative practice.
The Bhāgavata-purāṇa's dominant version of yoga is theistic bhakti-yoga, a modification of Vedānta, Sāṁkhya, and Yoga teachings. When yoga other than bhakti is mentioned, polemical motifs appear. Yogins are depicted as able to communicate with non-human worlds while realizing the ultimate soteriological ideal. The text also describes yogic practice in supermundane realities and presents yoga not as a human creation but as an eternal cosmic archetype.