轉換の論理

Abstract

As one of the main characteristics of Buddhism, much attention has hitherto been paid to the so-called logic of ‘self-identity (卽)'. The present article intends to propound the view that the logic which might rightly be accorded such importance should rather be that of ‘convertibility', especially when the practical side of Buddhism is held in view. The idea of ‘self-identity' may well represent the intuitional standpoint of Madhyamika Philosophy, while ‘convertibility' would manifest its full significance especially as the offspring of the thought of the Yogācāra-Vijñānavāda School. Three main terms are thus dealt with, which constitute, when considered in connection with one another, the fundamental tenets of this logic of convertibility : (1) parināma (trans-formation, evolution), (2) paryāya (revolving, being synonymous), (3) parāvrtti (turning round, interchange). (1) Parināma, famous in association with Sāmkhaya, is also important in revealing the doctrinal basis of the Vijñāna-vāda, which consists in vijñāna-parināma, viz. the ideation in which our consciousness constructs or transforms the whole world. We may note that this concept as well as its principle are discussed with precision in Sthiramati's Commentary on “Trimśikā-kārikā”. (2) Paryāya is expounded in Asanga's “Mahāyānasamgraha”, Chapt. III (the Jñeya-laksana). The so-called three aspects : paratantra, parikalpita and parinispanna are, it is observed, merely the paryāyas (or the three convertibles) revolving from the one world of paratantra-svabhāva. The term paryāya thus means ‘being synonymous', ‘interchangeable'; hence the oneness of pluralities and vice versa. (3) Parāvrtti (or, to be more exact, āśrayasya parāvrttih) means ‘turning' our world from its natural basis of impurities into purity, thus to obtain the ultimate emancipation, which is the final aim of Buddhism. Now, this parāvrtti will only be possible on the structural basis of convertibility, which consists in the paryāya where paratantra turns into parinispanna (2), and which lies also in the parināma where the whole world is evolved through ideation (1). The paper ends with the remark that the term parināma should also be considered in reference to the practice of Bodhisattvas, i.e. ‘merittransference (囘向)', 'turning one's own merits towards the highest Bodhi, culminating in others ‘welfare', an idea widely discussed in the later developments of Buddhism. How is it possible to turn the merits of one's own towards others where there is to be found no reason for that? Only the logic of convertibility seems to afford the task of explaining this transference, since in accordance with this logic the enlightenment of oneself is in the same instant turned into the salvation of others.