We continue to follow a dialogue as it might occur between Chittamatra and Madhyamaka philosophers, investigating whether the mind is dependently arising and separate from the object of experience. This discussion examines the possibility of mind and its arisings or radiations (thoughts and experiences), as being either the same, or independent of, the mind. Then, if mind and thoughts are both illusory, what is there to discuss? If mind and thought are one and the same, what is there to discuss? If mind and thought are not the same, do they exist dependent of each other? An object that truly exists separate to the mind cannot change, so cannot be illusory, so are thoughts illusory? It is said the two must be the same, yet they are not the same.
These subjects of debate are argued in different ways by different teachers and Buddhism invites questions and debate at every level. The Buddha himself taught through the sutras always according to who he was with, so that each person was given what they needed to hear to come to an understanding of the nature of things and become highly a realised being.
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Question: I understand that Buddhist philosophical schools express the same truth in different ways, just like in modern science we have several levels of teaching for the same theory. However, sometimes a position is really incorrect, like believing in a dogma for example, and I feel there is no problem to say: ‘I am right, he is her is wrong’, without making the other person my enemy. What is the difference between being sectarian and simply being right about something? Is criticizing sectarian people being sectarian? Louis