Affirmations, Negations, and Denumerable and Nondenumerable Ultimate Phenomena

Alexander Berzin January 2002, revised July 2006

Existents and Nonexistents

Existents (yod-pa) are defined in Buddhism as what are validly knowable (shes-bya) Nonexistents (med-pa) are what !annot be validly known, !onventionally (tha-snyad) or ultimately (mthar-thug) "he word turtle-hair exists, made by !ombinin# the words turtle and hair, and !an be validly known $evertheless, %turtle&hair' !annot be validly known, be!ause there is no su!h thin# (n other words, we may !on!e)tualize %turtle&hair,' but the !on!e)tualization does not refer to anythin# existent

Affirmation Phenomena and Negation Phenomena

*xistents in!lude affirmation )henomena (sgrub-pa, affirmin#ly known )henomenon, affirmation) and ne#ation )henomena (dgag-pa, ne#atin#ly known )henomenon, ne#ation, refutation) An affirmation phenomenon is an item, or a truth about an item, defined in terms of the establishment (sgrub-pa) of somethin#, without an ob+e!t to be ne#ated (dgag-bya, ob+e!t to be refuted) bein# ex)li!itly )re!luded by the sounds that ex)ress it An exam)le of an affirmation )henomenon is %a))le ' "he sounds that ex)ress the word %a))le' do not ne#ate anythin# A negation phenomenon is an item, or a truth about an item, defined in terms of the ex!lusion of somethin# else (gzhan-sel, elimination of other), in whi!h an ob+e!t to be ne#ated is ex)li!itly )re!luded by the !on!e)tual !o#nition that !o#nizes the )henomenon An exam)le of a ne#ation )henomenon is % not an a))le ' (n order to !on!e)tualize %not an a))le,' one needs )reviously to have known %a))le' (the ob+e!t to be ne#ated here) ,-or more detail, see. /elu# 0efinitions of Affirmation and $e#ation 1henomena 2

Implicative and Nonimplicative Negation Phenomena

(tems that fulfill the above definition of bein# a ne#ation )henomena are of two ty)es, im)li!ative and nonim)li!ative An implicative negation phenomenon (ma-yin dgag, affirmin# ne#ation) is an ex!lusion of somethin# else in whi!h, after the sounds of the words that ex!lude the ob+e!t to be ne#ated have ne#ated that ob+e!t, they leave behind in their wake, ex)li!itly or im)li!itly, somethin# else

3onsider the exam)le, %a table without a table!loth ' 4n!e the sounds of the words %a table without a table!loth' have ex!luded %a table!loth' (the ob+e!t to be ne#ated here), they ex)li!itly leave behind %a table ' A nonimplicative negation phenomenon (med-dgag, nonaffirmin# ne#ation) is an ex!lusion of somethin# else in whi!h, after the sounds of the words that ex!lude the ob+e!t to be ne#ated have ne#ated that ob+e!t, they do not leave behind in their wake, ex)li!itly or im)li!itly, somethin# else 3onsider the exam)le, %the absen!e of a table!loth' or %there is no table!loth ' 4n!e the sounds of the words %the absen!e of a table!loth' or %there is no table!loth' have ex!luded %a table!loth' (the ob+e!t to be ne#ated here), they do not ex)li!itly or im)li!itly leave behind anythin# "here are two ty)es of nonim)li!ative ne#ation )henomenon. the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of somethin# existent and the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of somethin# totally nonexistent An exam)le of the former is %the absen!e of a table!loth'5 an exam)le of the latter is %the absen!e of turtle&hair ' *ven thou#h a table!loth may be absent here, it !ould be )resent elsewhere 6owever, when it is the !ase that turtle&hair is absent here, it !annot be )resent anywhere else either, sin!e turtle&hair has never existed, doesn7t exist now, and never will exist "here are also two ty)es of nonim)li!ative ne#ation of somethin# totally nonexistent. the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of a totally nonexistent item and the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of a totally nonexistent mode of existen!e An exam)le of the former is %the absen!e of turtle&hair'5 an exam)le of the latter is %the absen!e of im)ossible existen!e ' *a!h (ndian s!hool of Buddhist tenets asserts voidness (stong-pa-nyid, em)tiness) as a nonim)li!ative ne#ation of a totally nonexistent mode of existen!e, but defines the im)ossible mode of existen!e differently

Objects o !e Negated, !ases for Negation, and Objects "eft !ehind in the #a$e of a Negation
4ne must differentiate an ob+e!t to be ne#ated from its basis for negation (dgag-gzhi) 8 the item devoid of the ob+e!t to be ne#ated -or %a table without a table!loth,' the ob+e!t to be ne#ated is %a table!loth' and the basis for the ne#ation is %the table ' -or %the absen!e of a table!loth on the table,' the ob+e!t to be ne#ated is %a table!loth on the table' and the basis for the ne#ation is %the table ' -or %a turtle without turtle&hair,' the ob+e!t to be ne#ated is %turtle&hair' and the basis for the ne#ation is %the turtle ' -or %the absen!e of the im)ossible existen!e of a table!loth,' the ob+e!t to be ne#ated is %the im)ossible existen!e of a table!loth' and the basis for the ne#ation is %a table!loth ' 4ne must also be !lear about what is an ob+e!t left behind in the wake of a negation (bkag-shul), like an oil sli!k left behind in the wake of a movin# motorboat $onim)li!ative ne#ation )henomena do not leave anythin# behind in the wake of their ne#ations5 im)li!ative ones do

-or exam)le, in a nonim)li!ative ne#ation of an im)ossible mode of existen!e, su!h as %the absen!e of the im)ossible existen!e of a table!loth,' nothin# is left behind in the wake of the ne#ation, not even the basis for the ne#ation, namely %a table!loth ' $ote that here the ob+e!t to be ne#ated is %the im)ossible existen!e of a table!loth ' *ven in the !ase of %the absen!e of the im)ossible existen!e of a table!loth on the table,' nothin# is left in the wake of the ne#ation "here, the %table' is merely the lo!ation of the basis for the ne#ation, whi!h in this !ase is %a table!loth on the table ' (n the !ase of the im)li!ative ne#ation %a table!loth devoid of im)ossible existen!e,' %a table!loth' is the ob+e!t left behind in the wake of the ne#ation (n this !ase, %a table!loth' is also the basis for the ne#ation

Denumerable and Nondenumerable Ultimate Phenomena

(n the !ontext of 9adhyamaka in #eneral, ultimate )henomena (don-dam-pa) refer to voidnesses, whi!h are of two ty)es.

denumerable ultimate )henomena (rnam-grangs-pai don-dam), nondenumerable ultimate )henomena (rnam-grangs ma-yin-pai don-dam)

Denumerable ultimate phenomena are voidnesses that are validly !o#nized !on!e)tually "hey are %denumerable' in the sense that they !an be !ounted amon# what a))ears to minds validly !o#nizin# )henomena throu#h mentally labelin# them with words and !on!e)ts Nondenumerable ultimate phenomena are voidnesses that are validly !o#nized non!on!e)tually "hey are %nondenumerable' in the sense that they !annot be !ounted amon# what a))ears to minds validly !o#nizin# )henomena throu#h mentally labelin# them with words and !on!e)ts

%elug &vatantri$a Assertion

A!!ordin# to the /elu# ex)lanation of the assertions of the :vatantrika division of 9adhyamaka, the su)erfi!ial truth (kun-rdzob bden-pa, relative truth, !onventional truth) of anythin# refers to its a))earan!e 8 the a))earan!e of what it is "he dee)est truth (don-dam bden-pa, ultimate truth) of anythin# refers to its voidness of truly established existen!e (bden-par grub-pa, true existen!e) 8 in other words, how it exists "his voidness, whether !o#nized !on!e)tually or non!on!e)tually, is the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of truly established existen!e. it is the ty)e of ne#ation that merely ne#ates that there is any su!h thin# -rom the )oint of view of su)erfi!ial truth, )henomena have existen!e established by their self& nature (rang-bzhin-gyis grub-pa) "his means that when valid !o#nition s!rutinizes the su)erfi!ial truth of somethin#, it finds, on the side of the s!rutinized )henomena, the referent %thin#' (btags-don) !orres)ondin# to the name or label for the )henomenon "his is e;uivalent to sayin# that )henomena have their existen!e established by individual definin# !hara!teristi! marks (rang-mtshan-gyis grub-pa), whi!h are findable on the side of the )henomena 6owever, these individual definin# !hara!teristi! marks la!k, on their own, the )ower to establish the existen!e of )henomena "hey !an only do so in !on+un!tion with mental labelin# "hus, from

the )oint of view of dee)est truth, no )henomenon exists inde)endently from bein# what the word or label for it refers to (n other words, no )henomenon has truly established existen!e 8 existen!e established truly from the side of the )henomenon, inde)endently of mental labelin# <hen voidness is !o#nized !on!e)tually, its su)erfi!ial truth a))ears "his means that an individual !hara!teristi! mark, findable on the side of the nonim)li!ative ne#ation )henomenon voidness of true existence, a))ears to the mind that !on!e)tually !o#nizes this voidness 4n the basis of this findable mark, the !on!e)tual mind !o#nizes the voidness by mentally labelin# it throu#h the meanin#=ob+e!t !ate#ory (don-spyi, meanin# universal) voidness of true existence :u!h a voidness, with an individual definin# !hara!teristi! mark findable on its own side, is a denumerable ultimate )henomenon (t !an be !ounted amon# what a))ears to minds validly !o#nizin# )henomena throu#h mentally labelin# them with words and !on!e)ts <hen voidness is !o#nized non!on!e)tually, its su)erfi!ial truth does not a))ear $o findable individual !hara!teristi! mark a))ears All that a))ears is a absolute absen!e of truly established existen!e 9ental labelin# o!!urs only with !on!e)tual !o#nition "hus, the voidness that is !o#nized non!on!e)tually is a nondenumerable ultimate )henomenon (t !annot be !ounted amon# what a))ears to minds validly !o#nizin# )henomena throu#h mentally labelin# them with words and !on!e)ts (n short, /elu# :vatantrika asserts that %denumerable' and %nondenumerable voidnesses' 8 if we may !oin these two terms 8 are the same voidnesses "he only differen!e is that the mind that !on!e)tually !o#nizes denumerable voidness !o#nizes the su)erfi!ial truth of voidness, whi!h has existen!e established by a findable individual !hara!teristi! mark5 while the mind that non!on!e)tually !o#nizes nondenumerable voidness !o#nizes the dee)est truth of voidness

&a$'a and N'ingma (adh'ama$a Assertion

A!!ordin# to the ex)lanation of 9adhyamaka by many of masters from the :akya and $yin#ma traditions of "ibetan Buddhism, denumerable and nondenumerable voidnesses are different voidnesses 0enumerable voidness is sim)ly the nonim)li!ative ne#ation )henomenon the absolute absence of truly established existence $ondenumerable voidness is the voidness that is beyond words and !on!e)ts (br od-dang rtog-pa-las !das-pa) A!!ordin# to :akya and $yin#ma 9adhyamaka, %ne#ation )henomenon' is merely a !on!e)tual !ate#ory (spyi, universal), merely a mental fabri!ation (spros-pa, mental !onstru!t) As su!h, ne#ation )henomena, in!ludin# voidness as a ne#ation )henomenon, !an only be validly !o#nized !on!e)tually "his means that when validly !o#nized !on!e)tually, the mind not only makes ne#ation )henomena a))ear to be truly existent, it also #ras)s for them a!tually to exist in that im)ossible manner 9ore )re!isely, the mind that !on!e)tually validly !o#nizes voidness makes an a))earan!e of a truly existent absolute absen!e of true existen!e and #ras)s for that

absen!e to exist in this manner Be!ause of these )oints, voidness, as a nonim)li!ative ne#ation )henomenon, !an only be validly !o#nized !on!e)tually "o #ain non!on!e)tual !o#nition of voidness, one must #o beyond !o#nizin# voidness throu#h words and !on!e)ts "herefore, the voidness validly !o#nized non!on!e)tually (nondenumerable voidness) is not the same voidness as the voidness validly !o#nized !on!e)tually (denumerable voidness) $ondenumerable voidness is a voidness that is beyond the !on!e)tual !ate#ory of a ne#ation )henomenon (n fa!t, nondenumerable voidness is beyond all !on!e)tual !ate#ories of affirmation or ne#ation )henomena, or both, or neither (n other words, it is beyond the !on!e)tual !ate#ories of the four extremes. (>) an affirmation of true existen!e, (2) a ne#ation of true existen!e, (?) from the )oint of view of su)erfi!ial truth, an affirmation of true existen!e and from the )oint of view of dee)est truth, a ne#ation of true existen!e, or (@) neither an affirmation nor a ne#ation of true existen!e

%elug Prasangi$a Assertion

A!!ordin# to the /elu# ex)lanation of the 1rasan#ika 9adhyamaka assertions, denumerable and nondenumerable voidnesses are the same voidness Both are voidness as the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of truly established existen!e 8 similar to the /elu# :vatantrika assertion /elu# 1rasan#ika also a#rees with :vatantrika, here, that valid !on!e)tual !o#nition of denumerable voidness !o#nizes the su)erfi!ial truth of voidness and that this su)erfi!ial truth a))ears to have its existen!e established by a findable individual definin# !hara!teristi! mark 6owever, unlike the /elu# :vatantrika assertion, 1rasan#ika asserts that even when s!rutinized from the )oint of view of su)erfi!ial truth, no su!h !hara!teristi! mark !an be found Aoidness of truly established existen!e is e;uivalent to voidness of existen!e established by individual definin# !hara!teristi! marks "hus, althou#h denumerable voidness a))ears to be truly existent and nondenumerable voidness does not a))ear to be truly existent5 nevertheless, both denumerable and nondenumerable voidnesses exist in exa!tly the same manner $ote that /elu# does not assert that any validly knowable )henomenon is beyond words and !on!e)ts in the non&/elu# sense that it !annot be validly !o#nized !on!e)tually A!!ordin# to /elu#, if somethin# exists, it is validly knowable by !on!e)tual !o#nition "his does not mean, however, that if somethin# exists, it is validly knowable only by !on!e)tual !o#nition 9any )henomena are also validly knowable by non!on!e)tual !o#nition 6owever, there are only two )ossibilities. )henomena validly knowable by

only !on!e)tual !o#nition, su!h as !ate#ories, both !on!e)tual and non!on!e)tual !o#nition, su!h as a vase, an#er, or voidness as an absolute absen!e

"here are no validly knowable )henomena that

!an be validly !o#nized only by non!on!e)tual !o#nition, or !annot be validly !o#nized either by !on!e)tual or non!on!e)tual !o#nition

/elu# 1rasan#ika defines validly knowable )henomena, in fa!t, in terms of the !on!e)tual !o#nition of them Aalidly knowable )henomena are merely what the words and !on!e)ts for them refer to, validly labeled (im)uted) on bases for labelin# (gdag-gzhi, bases for im)utation) Althou#h the a!t of mental labelin# o!!urs only with !on!e)tual !o#nition5 nevertheless, all existent )henomena, whether !o#nized !on!e)tually or non!on!e)tually, have their existen!e established merely in terms of the mental labels for them A!!ordin# to /elu# 1rasan#ika, sin!e the referent ob+e!ts (btags-chos) of words and !on!e)ts !annot be found as some sort of referent %thin#s' (btags-don), either !onventionally or ultimately, we !annot s)e!ify what a word or !on!e)t refers to by )ointin# to it <e !an only s)e!ify what a word or !on!e)t refers to by the ex!lusion of somethin# else 8 namely, by the ex!lusion of everythin# else that is not what the word or !on!e)t refers to, and this is )urely a !on!e)tual !onstru!t (n other words, we !an only s)e!ify validly knowable )henomena in terms of !on!e)tually isolated items (ldog-pa, distin#uishers, isolates), validly knowable only by !on!e)tual !o#nition "he !on!e)tually isolated item an apple is that ob+e!t or set of ob+e!ts that is ex!luded from the set of everythin# %not an a))le' (the set of %everythin# other than an a))le') "hus, the !on!e)tually s)e!ified item an apple redu!es to %nothin# other than an a))le ' "he %ex!lusion of somethin# else,' however, does not mean a!tively ex!ludin# everythin# %not an a))le,' one by one (t is merely an o)eration of lo#i! :in!e everythin# validly knowable must be s)e!ifiable, /elu# asserts that everythin# knowable must be validly knowable by !on!e)tual !o#nition, even dee)est truths -urthermore, even if denumerable voidness, as the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of a totally nonexistent mode of existen!e, does not leave any ob+e!t behind in the wake of its ne#ation, this does not mean that the view of denumerable voidness redu!es to the extreme of nihilism, as some advo!ates of nondenumerable voidness would assert "he nonim)li!ative ne#ation does not ne#ate the basis for its ne#ation (!onventional ob+e!ts, su!h as a))les and table!loths), only its ob+e!t to be ne#ated (im)ossible modes of existen!e of !onventional ob+e!ts)

)arma )ag'u (adh'ama$a Assertion

-rom the time of the *i#ht Barma)a ("ar-ma-pa #i-bskyod rdo-r e), the Barma Ba#yu tradition, for the most )art, a!!e)ts the /elu# inter)retation of the :vatantrika and 1rasan#ika )resentations of denumerable and nondenumerable voidnesses Barma Ba#yu, however, em)hasizes that denumerable voidness is the nonim)li!ative ne#ation (absolute absen!e) merely of the first of the four extremes. truly established existen!e $ondenumerable voidness is the nonim)li!ative ne#ation of all four extremes Barma Ba#yu asserts nondenumerable voidness as a voidness beyond words and !on!e)ts only in its )resentation of 9aha&9adhyamaka and its other&voidness (gzhan-stong) view (n this view, voidness beyond words and !on!e)ts is not an ontolo#i!al state, but rather is a level of mind

)adam &ources of the Above *ie+s

"he two streams of inter)retation of nondenumerable voidness bein# either beyond words and !on!e)ts or a nonim)li!ative ne#ation )henomenon tra!e in "ibet from two of the early masters of the Badam tradition "he earlier of the two was $#o# Cotsawa (rNgog $o-tsa-ba %lo-ldan shes-rab) 6e )ro)a#ated the tradition that nondenumerable voidness is beyond words and !on!e)ts 6e ex)lained that it is not fit to be either the dire!t ob+e!t (dngos-yul) or even the !on!e)tually im)lied ob+e!t (zhenyul) of words or !on!e)ts "he later of the two was 3ha)a (&hyva-pa 'hos-kyi seng-ge) 6e tau#ht that nondenumerable voidness is a nonim)li!ative ne#ation and is fit to be the !on!e)tually im)lied ob+e!t of words and !on!e)ts