Individualitatea ca „rău fundamental”, în budhismul Yogācāra
Ovidiu Cristian Nedu
The Annals of "Dunărea de Jos" University of Galaţi. Fascicle XVIII, Philosophy July 2, 2026 DOI: doi.org/10.35219/philosophy.2023.07 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism |
| Keywords | Vijñnavda Yogācāra Individuality Personhood Mind |
| Key points | Argues that in Yogācāra Buddhism, human suffering originates from the mind's projection of individuality and pride onto the calm cosmic consciousness, altering reality into an afflicted experience. |
Abstract
According to the Idealistic school of Mahāyāna Buddhism, Yogācāra, human existence is not as much the condition of a “being”, of an entity, but a mere experience projected by the cosmic consciousness, by the so-called “store-house consciousness” (ālayavijñāna). Nevertheless, human existence has some special features; it doesn’t represent a simple cosmic experience but rather an “alteration” of the normal condition of reality. The peaceful and homogenous state of reality gets altered when human mind starts developping experiences of self-“elevation” (unnatti), of “pride” (māna) towards what it appropriates as its own identity. The natural calm of reality gets disturbed, and the experience projected by the mind becomes an afflicted (klia) one; this is the beginning of suffering (du1kha) and of bondage (sasāra). Thus, the projection of individuality upon the calm cosmic level can be considered as the “fall” of Yogācāra Buddhism.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on buddhism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mental balance and well-being: Building bridges between Buddhism and Western psychology. | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist Modernism and the Rhetoric of Meditative Experience | 1995 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Buddhist and Psychological Perspectives on Emotions and Well-Being | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Too Early to Tell: The Potential Impact and Challenges—Ethical and Otherwise—Inherent in the Mainstreaming of Dharma in an Increasingly Dystopian World | 2017 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| From self to nonself: The Nonself Theory | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |