Upaya-kaushalya
Upaya-kaushalya (Skt. upāyakauśalya; P. upāyakosalla; T. thabs mkhas; C. fangbian shanqiao; J. hōbenzengyō; K. pangpy’ŏn sŏn’gyo 方便善巧) is translated as “skillful means,” “skill-in-means,” “expedient means,” etc.[1] The term refers to the extraordinary skill of the buddhas and arya bodhisattvas in adapting their teachings and behavior in order to meet the unique needs of a variety of sentient beings.[1]
One Teacher, Many Traditions states:
- Skillful means indicates the way in which buddhas and bodhisattvas, motivated by compassion, explain the teachings and adapt their behavior to best communicate with sentient beings, who have unique needs and capacities. Skillful means also includes bodhisattvas’ ability to see all phenomena as empty without abandoning sentient beings, and to their ability to abide in deep states of concentration without being hindered by attachment to rebirth in the material and immaterial realms.[2]
Two aspects of skillful means
The Sanskrit tradition identifies two different aspects of skillful means. One Teacher, Many Traditions states:
- The Bodhisattvabhūmi describes two sets of skillful means. Regarding the first, accomplishing all the qualities of a buddha within themselves, bodhisattvas practice looking upon all sentient beings with compassion, taking rebirth in saṃsāra due to compassion and wisdom, knowing the ultimate nature of phenomena, not abandoning beings in saṃsāra, desiring the exalted wisdom of unsurpassed awakening, and spurring their enthusiasm with bodhicitta.
- Regarding the second, ripening all other living beings, bodhisattvas cultivate the ability to teach sentient beings how to transform small actions into great virtue, cause them to accomplish great roots of virtue without hardship, eliminate anger in those who dislike the Buddha’s doctrine, encourage those with a neutral attitude to enter into the Buddha’s doctrine, ripen the mindstreams of those who have entered into the Dharma, and cause mature sentient beings to attain liberation.[2]
Teaching and acting according to the needs of beings
Skillful means (upaya-kaushalya) refers to the capacity of a buddha or arya bodhisattva to teach and act according to the needs of beings of different capacity. For example, a buddha or arya bodhisattva teaches higher level teachings to those capable of understanding them, and more simple teachings to those with lesser capacity. Hence, the Buddha is compared to a doctor who prescribes a treatment based on the needs of the patient.[1]
Skillful means (upaya-kaushalya) also refers to the skillful behaviour of a buddhas and arya bodhisattvas. In this context, a bodhisattva may use any expedient method in order to help ease the suffering of people, introduce them to the dharma, or help them on their road to awakening. For example, in chapter 25 of the Lotus Sutra, the Buddha describes how the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara changes his form to meet the needs of the student. For example, if a monk is needed, the Bodhisattva becomes a monk.
Edward Conze states: "'Skill in means' is the ability to bring out the spiritual potentialities of different people by statements or actions which are adjusted to their needs and adapted to their capacity for comprehension."[3]
One vehicle doctrine
The concept of upaya-kaushalya is used as the basis for the Mahayana doctrine of one vehicle (ekayana). In this context, the teachings on the three vehicles of the bodhisattva path are said to be expedient means, used to help people who are not yet ready to comprehend the higher truth of the "One Vehicle".
The concept of One Vehicle is described using the parable of the burning house.
Justification for bodhisattva's to perform prohibited acts
The concept of upaya-kaushalya has also been used to justify the ability of arya bodhisattva's to perform actions that are prohibited to ordinary beings. This aspect of upaya-kaushalya is presented in the Upaya-kaushalya Sutra.
Classification of teachings in East Asian Buddhism
The concept of upaya-kaushalya played an important role in the classification of teachings within East Asian Buddhism. Contemporary scholar Peter Gregory states:
The doctrine of expedient means provided the main hermeneutical device by which Chinese Buddhists systematically ordered the Buddha's teachings in their classificatory schemes. It enabled them to arrange the teachings in such a way that each teaching served as an expedient measure to overcome the particular shortcoming of the teaching that preceded it while, at the same time, pointing to the teaching that was to supersede it. In this fashion a hierarchical progression of teachings could be constructed, starting with the most elementary and leading to the most profound.[4]
Simile of the raft
All of the Buddha's teachings can be considered as skillful means that can be discarded when the dharma practitioner attains enlightenment (bodhi). This view is presented in the Simile of the Snake Sutta, in which the Buddha uses the metaphor of a raft to describe his teachings.[1] In this context, the Buddha states that his teachings are like a raft that can be used to cross a river; once the practitioner has crossed the river, the raft is no longer needed.
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Buswell & Lopez 2014, s.v. upāyakauśalya.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Dalai Lama & Thubten Chodron 2014, s.v. Chapter 13, section "Perfections of Skillful Means, Power, and Exalted Wisdom".
- ↑ Conze, Edward. A Short History Of Buddhism.
- ↑ Gregory, Peter N. (1999) Chinese Cultural Studies: Doctrinal Classification. Source: [1] (unpaginated), accessed: January 28, 2008
Sources
Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University- Conze, Edward (2007). A Short History Of Buddhism. Oneworld Publications.
- Gregory, Peter N. (1999). Chinese Cultural Studies: Doctrinal Classification. Source: [2] (unpaginated), accessed: January 28, 2008
Further reading
- Snellgrove, David (1987). Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: Indian Buddhists & Their Tibetan Successors (2 volumes). Boston, Massachusetts, USA: Shambhala Publications, Inc. ISBN 0-87773-311-2 (v. 1) & ISBN 0-87773-379-1 (v. 2)
- Matsunaga, Daigan and Alicia (1974). The concept of upāya in Mahāyāna Buddhist philosophy, Japanese Journal of Buddhist Studies 1 (1), 51–72
- Pye, Michael (1978). Skilful Means - A concept in Mahayana Buddhism. London: Gerald Duckworth & Co. Ltd. ISBN 0-7156-1266-2
- Schroeder, John (2001) Skillful Means: The Heart of Buddhist Compassion. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 0-8248-2442-3
External links
- Upāyakauśalya, Encyclopedia.com
- The Origins of ‘Skilful Means’ in Early Buddhism, buddhanet.net
thabs_mkhas_pa, Rangjung Yeshe Wiki