Tenets Cittamatra (objects to be abandoned, classifications, nature of the path/ultimate yanas, nirvanas)

Question 1

Which objects have to be abandoned (Cittamatra)

Answer 1

Afflictive obscurations:
- the gross and the subtle self grasping of the person along with their seeds, - - - the six root afflictions, and the twenty secondary afflictions.

Cognitive obscurations:
- [obscuration to omniscience] consists of instances such as the self grasping of phenomena along with its latencies.

Bodhisattvas take cognitive obscurations as the primary objects to be abandoned, and not the afflictive obscurations.

(The learner Hinayanists take afflictive obscurations as the primary objects to be abandoned and not the cognitive obscurations).

Question 2

What is the nature of the paths? Cittamatra

Answer 2

Each of the three vehicles have:
the path of accumulation
the path of preparation
the path of seeing
the path of meditation,
the path of no more learning.
the concept of ten Bhumis

Question 3

What are the 2 Nirvanas in Cittamatra?

Answer 3

There are 2 Nirvana (Buddhahood):
1. Shravakas
2. Pratyekabuddhas (personal liberation seekers) = They seek personal Nirvana.

Question 4

What are the 2 personal liberations in Cittamatra?

Answer 4

There are 2 personal liberations:

Personal Nirvana of Shravakas (gross, easy to attain) Intelligent people attain it in 3 lives/ Genius people in 2 lives

2. Personal Nirvana of Pratyekabuddhas (less gross, not so easy to attain) It takes 100 eons

Question 5

What are the 2 traditions in Cittamatra?

Answer 5

Cittamatrens following scriptures
Cittamatrens followings reason

Question 6

What do the Cittamatrens following scripture say about the ultimate yanas (vehicles)?

Answer 6

Cittamatrens following scriptures say that there’re 3 Ultimate yanas.
If one attains the Nirvana of Sharvakas one stays there and that is it, it is ultimate.
Same for the Pratyekabuddha Nirvana and Mahayana. So there are 3 ultimate yanas:
Shravaka, Pratyekabuddha and Mahayana.

Question 7

What do the Cittamatrens following reason say about the ultimate yanas (vehicles)?

Answer 7

Cittamatrens followings reason say that finally the Shravaka - and Pratyekabuddhas have to join the Mahayana path.
So Shravaka Nirvana and pratyekabuddha Nirvana is a temporary rest, which is called
one ultimate yana“
Both Madhyamakas accept that one ultimate yana!

Question 8

Svatantrika Madhyamaka and Prasangika Madhyamaka accept how many final ultimate yanas?

Answer 8

one single final ultimate vehicle

Question 9

For Cittamatra on which of the 5 path is pain for the Bodhisattvas?

Answer 9

On the Bodhisattva path only on the first 2 path (accumulation and preparation) is pain. When reaching the path of seeing, there is no more pain