Editing Tibetan Buddhism (section)

===Philosophy===
[[File:Narajuna Samye ling 09.jpg|upright|thumb|A statue of one of the most important Buddhist philosophers for Tibetan Buddhist thought, [[Nagarjuna]], at [[Samye Ling]] (Scotland)]]
The Indian Buddhist [[Madhyamaka]] ("Middle Way" or "Centrism") philosophy, also called ''Śūnyavāda'' (the emptiness doctrine) is the dominant [[Buddhist philosophy]] in Tibetan Buddhism. In Madhyamaka, the true nature of reality is referred to as ''[[Śūnyatā]]'', which is the fact that all phenomena are empty of [[Svabhava|inherent existence]] or essence (''svabhava''). Madhyamaka is generally seen as the highest philosophical view by most Tibetan philosophers, but it is interpreted in numerous different ways.{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

The other main Mahayana philosophical school, [[Yogacara|Yogācāra]] has also been very influential in Tibetan Buddhism, but there is more disagreement among the various schools and philosophers regarding its status. While the Gelug school generally sees Yogācāra views as either false or provisional (i.e. only pertaining to conventional truth), philosophers in the other three main schools, such as [[Jamgön Ju Mipham Gyatso|Ju Mipham]] and [[Sakya Chokden]], hold that Yogācāra ideas are as important as Madhyamaka views.{{sfnp|Shantarakshita|Mipham|2005|pp=117–122}}

{{anchor|Study of tenet systems}} <!-- Tibetan Buddhism sidebar ("Teachings" list) links here -->
In Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism, Buddhist philosophy is traditionally propounded according to a [[hierarchical classification]] of four classical Indian philosophical schools, known as the "four tenets" (Tib. ''drubta shyi'', Sanskrit: [[Siddhanta|siddhānta]]).{{sfnp|Shantarakshita|Mipham|2005|p=26}} While the classical tenets-system is limited to four tenets (Vaibhāṣika, Sautrāntika, Yogācāra, and Madhyamaka), there are further sub-classifications within these different tenets (see below).{{sfnp|Cornu|2001|p=145, 150}}  This classification does not include [[Theravada]], the only surviving of the 18 classical [[schools of Buddhism]]. It also does not include other Indian Buddhist schools, such as [[Mahāsāṃghika|Mahasamghika]] and [[Pudgalavada]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2023}}

Two tenets belong to the path referred to as the [[Hinayana]] ("lesser vehicle") or [[Śrāvakayāna|Sravakayana]] ("the disciples' vehicle"), and are both related to the north Indian [[Sarvastivada]] tradition:{{sfnp|Cornu|2001|p=135}}
* [[Vaibhāṣika]] ({{bo|w=bye brag smra ba}}). The primary source for the Vaibhāṣika in Tibetan Buddhism is the ''[[Abhidharma-kosa|Abhidharma-kośa]]'' of [[Vasubandhu]] and its commentaries. This [[Abhidharma]] system affirms an atomistic view of reality which states ultimate reality is made up of a series of impermanent phenomena called ''[[Dharma theory|dharmas]]''. It also defends [[Eternalism (philosophy of time)|eternalism]] regarding the [[Philosophy of space and time|philosophy of time]], as well the view that perception directly experiences external objects.<ref name="Kapstein 67">{{harvp|Kapstein|2014|p=67}}.</ref>
* [[Sautrāntika]] ({{bo|w=mdo sde pa}}). The main sources for this view is the ''Abhidharmakośa'', as well as the work of [[Dignāga]] and [[Dharmakirti|Dharmakīrti]]. As opposed to Vaibhāṣika, this view holds that only the present moment exists ([[Philosophical presentism|presentism]]), as well as the view that we do not directly perceive the external world only the mental images caused by objects and our sense faculties.<ref name="Kapstein 67"/>

The other two tenets are the two major Indian [[Mahayana]] philosophies:
* [[Yogacara|Yogācāra]], also called ''Vijñānavāda'' (the doctrine of consciousness) and ''Cittamātra'' ("Mind-Only", {{bo|w=sems-tsam-pa}}). Yogacārins base their views on texts from [[Maitreya]], [[Asanga|Asaṅga]] and [[Vasubandhu]]. Yogacara is often interpreted as a form of [[Idealism]] due to its main doctrine, the view that only ideas or mental images exist (''vijñapti-mātra'').<ref name="Kapstein 67"/> Some Tibetan philosophers interpret Yogācāra as the view that the mind (''citta'') exists in an ultimate sense, because of this, it is often seen as inferior to Madhyamaka. However, other Tibetan thinkers deny that the Indian Yogacāra masters held the view of the ultimate existence of the mind, and thus, they place Yogācāra on a level comparable to Madhyamaka. This perspective is common in the Nyingma school, as well as in the work of the [[Rangjung Dorje, 3rd Karmapa Lama|Third Karmapa]], the [[Chödrak Gyatso, 7th Karmapa Lama|Seventh Karmapa]] and [[Jamgon Kongtrul]].{{sfnp|Shantarakshita|Mipham|2005|pp=27–28}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Asanga |last2=Brunnholzl |first2=Karl |year=2019 |title=A Compendium of the Mahayana: Asanga's Mahayanasamgraha and Its Indian and Tibetan Commentaries |volume=I |chapter=Preface |publisher=Shambhala Publications}}</ref>
* [[Madhyamaka]] ({{bo|w=dbu-ma-pa}}) – The philosophy of [[Nagarjuna|Nāgārjuna]] and [[Aryadeva|Āryadeva]], which affirms that everything is empty of essence (''[[svabhava]]'') and is ultimately beyond concepts.<ref name="Kapstein 67"/> There are various further classifications, sub-schools and interpretations of Madhymaka in Tibetan Buddhism and numerous debates about various key disagreements remain a part of Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism today. One of the key debates is that between the [[Rangtong-Shentong|rangtong (self-empty) interpretation and the shentong (other empty) interpretation]].{{sfnp|Cornu|2001|p=146-147}} Another major disagreement is the debate on the [[Svatantrika|Svātantrika Madhyamaka]] method and the [[Prasaṅgika]] method.{{sfnp|Cornu|2001|p=138}} There are further disagreements regarding just how useful an intellectual understanding of emptiness can be and whether emptiness should only be described as an absolute negation (the view of [[Je Tsongkhapa|Tsongkhapa]]).{{sfnp|Cornu|2001|p=145}}[[File:Monks_debating_at_Sera_monastery,_2013.webm|thumb|Monks debating at [[Sera monastery]], Tibet, 2013. Debate is seen as an important practice in Tibetan Buddhist education. ]]

The tenet systems are used in monasteries and colleges to teach Buddhist philosophy in a systematic and progressive fashion, each philosophical view being seen as more subtle than its predecessor. Therefore, the four tenets can be seen as a gradual path from a rather easy-to-grasp, "realistic" philosophical point of view, to more and more complex and subtle views on the ultimate nature of reality, culminating in the philosophy of the Mādhyamikas, which is widely believed to present the most sophisticated point of view.<ref>{{harvp|Sopa|Hopkins|1977|pp=67–69}}; {{harvp|Hopkins|1996|p={{page needed|date=March 2024}}}}.</ref> Non-Tibetan scholars point out that historically, Madhyamaka predates Yogacara, however.<ref>Cf. {{harvp|Conze|1993}}.</ref>