The two truths in the Cittamatra system

Part of a series of teachings given from March 6-11, 2010, at Sravasti Abbey.

  • Ways of approaching inter-religious harmony and applying that to inter-tenet system harmony
  • In Mahayana tenet systems ultimate truths and conventional truths are two aspects of the same entity whereas in the Fundamental Vehicle tenet systems the two truths are entirely different entities
  • Cittamatra tenet system asserts there is no external world; everything exists as one entity with mind in the sense that both the one perceiving and the object perceived arise from the same karmic seed
  • Cittamatra is helpful because it loosens our attachment to the idea of an external world and is a stepping stone to the Prasangika view

Guy Newland on the Two Truths 09: The Cittamatra tenet system (download)

Dr. Guy Newland

Guy Newland, a student of Jeffrey Hopkins, is a scholar of Tibetan Buddhism who has been a professor at Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, Michigan since 1988. He served as Chairperson of Central Michigan University's Department of Philosophy and Religion during the periods 2000-2003 and 2006-2009. He was elected to the Mount Pleasant Board of Education in July 2003 and served until December 2007, including six months as President of the Board and one year as Secretary.

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