Editing Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra (section)

=== Svacittamātra ===
{{MahayanaBuddhism}}
The ''Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra'' often presents a mind-only philosophy influenced by the idealistic thought of the [[Yogachara|Yogacara]] school. According to the ''Laṅkāvatāra Sūtra'' "all things are only manifestations of the mind itself" i.e. all phenomena are "mind-only" (''cittamātra'') or "ideation-only" (''vijñaptimatra'').<ref name=":4">Goddard, Dwight  (1932). A Buddhist Bible ([http://www.sacred-texts.com/bud/bb/bb14.htm Lankavatara sutra, chapter VII]), 1st edition; pp.110–111</ref> This idealistic view is explained by the ''Lanka'' as the view that "what is seen as something external is nothing but one's own mind" (''svacitta-drsya-mātram'')."<ref name=":6">Gishin Tokiwa. ''Lankavatara Sutram. A Jewel Scripture of Mahayana Thought and Practice. A study of the Four-Fascicle Lankavatara Ratna Sutram'', p. xl. [[Hanazono University]], Kyoto. Printed by the Meibunsha Printing Co. Lts., Kyoto, Japan, 2003.</ref> According to Gishin Tokiwa, this is not to say that there are no independent external beings conventionally, but rather what it means is that true insight into the nature of reality goes beyond all concepts of internal and external.<ref name=":6" /> Gishin Tokiwa sees the theory of ''svacittamātra'' as the central message of the sutra.<ref name=":9">Gishin Tokiwa, "Svacittamatra, the basic standpoint of the Lankavatara Sutra." Journal of Indian and Buddhist Studies 26.1, 1977, 34-39 137.1.34.</ref> 

The sutra often presents Yogacara theories of consciousness, like the eight consciousnesses and the three natures, as well as the "five dharmas".<ref name=":13">Ehman, Mark A. ''The Lankavatara Sutra'' in Charles S. Prebish (ed.) Buddhism: A Modern Perspective, Penn State Press, pp. 112-114, 2010.</ref> Furthermore, since, as the sutra states, the whole world "is nothing but a complex manifestation of one's mental activities," all phenomena are empty of self (''[[Anattā|anatman]]'') and illusory (''[[Maya (religion)|maya]]'') - "to be regarded as forms seen in a vision and a dream, empty of substance, unborn and without self-nature."<ref name=":4" />

Tokiwa further writes that the ''Laṅkāvatāra,'' being closely influenced by [[Prajnaparamita|Prajñaparamita]] thought, also tempers this idealistic mind-only view with the idea that ultimate reality transcends being and non-being (bhāvābhāva), and is beyond all views and concepts, even that of "mind" ([[Chitta (Buddhism)|citta]]) itself. Thus, even though the Lanka presents a "mind-only" view in some passages, other sections state that the [[Paramārtha-satya|ultimate truth]] or [[Tathātā|Suchness]] transcends even mind, thought, discrimination and subjectivity itself.<ref name=":9" /> Furthermore, the reason why all things are beyond being and non-being is closely connected to the idea that all experiences are mind only.<ref name=":9" /> It is because all experiences are just reflections of the mind of those deluded beings which experience them that we can say that phenomena have no single characteristic or way of existing. All things are experienced (or not experienced) in various ways (vaicitryam) by different types of living beings, but none of these experiences are fixed or ultimately true, each one is mistaken (bhranti) in some way.<ref name=":9" /> At the same time, we can say that this ultimate nature of the emptiness of all characteristics is something that does not change.<ref name=":9" /> This ultimate reality, the [[Dharmakāya|dharmakaya]], is also free from arising, abiding and cessation while also being the ground for the illusory manifestation of the world.<ref name=":9" /> 

In spite of this however, the view of "mind-only" is still seen as an important way to transcend our current deluded state, as the Lanka sutra states:<blockquote>Through attaining the reality as nothing but our own mind, which is the Self free from manifestation, we return to abiding in the final attainment of [[Prajñā (Buddhism)|prajña]].<ref name=":9" /> </blockquote>In turn, the view that the world and phenomena exist "externally", outside of mind, is seen as a serious error that leads to delusion and suffering. The Lanka sutra specifically cites the [[Mind–body dualism|dualistic]] view of [[Samkhya]] philosophy for criticism.<ref name=":9" />