“All Phenomena Are Conditioned and Depend on Intention”: the Role of Aspiration in Mahāyāna Buddhism
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.71294/ers.2024.03Keywords:
aspiration, praṇidhāna, bodhisattva path, Mahāyāna BuddhismAbstract
Abstract. This article examines the concept, place, and role of praṇidhāna (Skt., Tib. smon lam) – aspiration – within Mahāyāna Buddhism. The analysis draws upon canonical sūtras and philosophical treatises that present this practice as a fundamental method of the bodhisattva path for attaining awakening for the benefit of all beings. The foundational aspiration of Mahāyāna Buddhism is bodhicitta: the resolve to attain awakening for the purpose of leading all beings to this supreme state. Buddhist aspiration practice is grounded in the principle of dependent origination (Skt. pratītyasamutpāda, Tib. rten 'brel du 'byung ba), which teaches that all phenomena arise interdependently and that effects correspond to their causes. Accordingly, bodhisattvas deliberately cultivate specific causes to achieve desired spiritual outcomes. This study proposes a comprehensive typology of praṇidhānas, categorizing them according to the stage of the bodhisattva path at which they originate, the practitioners who carry out their cultivation, and the nature and content of the aspirations themselves. The significance of this practice is paramount in Mahāyāna soteriology, as all the qualities ultimately attained by buddhas are understood to result from the aspirations they cultivated on the bodhisattva path.
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