Cultivating the Meditative Mind: The Philosophical Integration of Śamatha and Vipaśyanā in Early Yogācāra Thought

The paper examines how the Yogācāra tradition systematically developed and philosophically finalized the practices of śamatha (tranquility) and vipaśyanā (insight). It focuses on two key texts: the Śrāvakabhūmi, which presents śamatha as a rigorous psychological system outlining a cognitive progression from worldly practices like impurities meditation to the nine stages of mental abiding, facilitating a metacognitive transition from distraction to absorption and the eradication of afflictions; and the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra, which provides the ultimate philosophical synthesis by framing these practices within the Consciousness-Only (vijñaptimātratā) framework, finalizing the meaning of training in higher mind. The analysis clarifies the evolution of Buddhist bhāvanā by bridging technical rigor with Mahāyāna ontological depth.

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Abstract

This study examines the systematic development and philosophical “finalization” of śamatha (止 tranquility) and vipaśyanā (觀 insight) within the foundational texts of the Yogācāra tradition. Central to the transmission of Buddhism to East Asia was the categorization of practice (修行 caryā) through the lenses of concentration (三摩地 samādhi) and wisdom (般若 prajñā). This paper focuses on two pivotal canons: the Śrāvakabhūmi 聲聞地 section of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra 瑜伽師地論 and the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra 解深密經. In the Śrāvakabhūmi, Śamatha is presented as a rigorous, self-contained psychological system. The text outlines a cognitive progression from “worldly common paths”—including impurities meditation (不淨觀 aśubhabhāvanā) and the eight liberations (八解脫 aṣṭau vimokṣāḥ)—to the sophisticated “nine stages of mental abiding” (九住心 navākārā citta-sthitiḥ). This research analyzes the psychological mechanisms of these stages, illustrating how they facilitate a metacognitive transition from distraction (散亂 vikṣepa) to absorption (禪那 dhyāna), culminating in the eradication of afflictions (煩惱 kleśa). Furthermore, the paper explores how the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra provides the ultimate philosophical synthesis of these practices. By framing śamatha and vipaśyanā within the Consciousness-Only (唯識 vijñaptimātratā) framework, the sūtra finalizes the meaning of Adhicitta-śikṣā (增上心學 training in higher mind). By bridging the technical rigor of the Śrāvakabhūmi with the Mahāyāna ontological depth of the Saṃdhinirmocana-sūtra, this study clarifies the evolution of buddhist bhāvanā.