From Mind Only to Buddha Only: Shakya Chokden's Interpretation of Tathāgatagarbha in Tantric Philosophy and Practice

Shakya Chokden's philosophical approach reduces all phenomena to mind and its appearances, then negates dualistic minds as illusory and nonexistent. He establishes non-dual jñāna (primordial awareness) as the only truly existent phenomenon—the primordial tathāgatagarbha (buddha-nature) complete with all buddha-qualities. This interpretation of tathāgatagarbha is essential for tantric contemplative practice, explaining how and why such practice works. Initially identifying tathāgatagarbha as primordially existent jñāna provides the foundation for conceptually envisioning deities of the ultimate body-maṇḍala, eventually leading to direct perception by jñāna itself. Cultivating this self-cognizing jñāna displaying the Cakrasaṃvara maṇḍala guides practitioners through tantric stages toward buddhahood, characterized by full manifestation and vision of buddha-qualities from within and by jñāna.

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Abstract

Abstract: Shakya Chokden's approach consists of reducing all phenomena to mind and its appearances, and then negating dualistic minds as illusory and nonexistent and establishing the non-dual jñāna transcending them as the only phenomenon existent in reality—the primordial tathāgatagarbha with all buddha-qualities complete. For him, this interpretation of tathāgatagarbha is indispensable for tantric contemplative practice and for explaining how and why that practice works. The initial identification of tathāgatagarbha as the primordially existent jñāna endowed with buddhaqualities serves as the foundation for conceptually envisioning deities of the ultimate body-maṇḍala and eventually, when enough clarity is achieved, directly perceiving them by jñāna itself. Further cultivation of that self-cognizing jñāna displaying Cakrasaṃvara maṇḍala takes the practitioner through the stages of the tantric path to the eventual achievement of buddhahood qualified by the full manifestation and vision of buddha-qualities from within and by jñāna .