Tenet Svatantrika (conciousness/object of the path/what has to be abandoned/nature of the both)

Question 1

What is conciousness for Svatantrika Madhyamaka?

Answer 1

1. Valid cognition [prime cognition]
   a. direct valid cognition
   b. sense direct perceiver,
   c. mental direct perceiver,
   d. self-cognizant direct perceiver,
   e. yogic direct perceiver

(direct perceivers [self cognizant direct perceiver and yogic direct perceiver] are always non-mistaken consciousness. Since they do not accept things existing as external, they accept that blue and the direct perceiver apprehending blue are substantially one)

• inferential valid cognition.

2. non-prime cognition.

Question 2

What is the object of the path for Svatantrika Madhyamaka?

Answer 2

1.emptiness of permanent, unitary and independent self = gross selflessness of person
Gross selflessness of phenomena:
The emptiness of the form and the valid cognition apprehending form are substantially separate

2. emptiness of autonomous substantial self = subtle selflessness of person
   Subtle selflessness of phenomena:
   The emptiness of true existence of all phenomena

Question 3

What is object to be abandoned for Svatantrika Madhyamaka?

Answer 3

They accept that the mind grasping at the selfhood of person is afflictive obscuration, and the mind grasping at the selfhood of phenomena is cognitive obscuration.

Question 4

What is cognitive and subtle cognitive obscurations for Svatantrika Madhyamaka?

Answer 4

Cognitive obscurations:
Instances such as grasping at the form and its apprehender as substantially separate, are a gross cognitive obscurations.
Subtle cognitive obscurations:
Instances such as grasping at aggregates and so on as truly existent

Question 5

What is the nature of the path for Svatantrika Madhyamaka?

Answer 5

[Like other schools, this school]

The fifteen paths, five each with the three [vehicles].

The difference lays in the fact that they accept that the uninterrupted path and the path of release of Pratyekabuddhas have the aspect of emptiness [of subject-object duality].

Question 6

What is specific about Svatantrika Madhyamaka concerning interpretative and definitive teachings?

Answer 6

Sutra[s] which have [either] conventional truth as the primary and explicit content of the Sutra, or the Sutra[s] which cannot be accepted literally are interpretable sutras.
Sutras, which can be accepted literally, whose primary and explicit subject matter is ultimate truth, are the definitive Sutras.

They maintain that the first wheel [of Dharma] as indicated in Samdhinirmochana Sutra is interpretable [sutra] whereas the second and the final [wheel of Dharma] have both interpretable and definitive sutras.