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Work #1854

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

Wonhyo
c. 660 CE · Classical Chinese (composed in Silla Korea)
Exegetical commentary (so) on the Awakening of Faith treatise · Mahayana Buddhist (Korean / East Asian)

One Mind, two aspects — tathagatagarbha and alayavijnana are not two but one, and all beings can awaken

Attribute Fingerprint

Rows where works disagree are highlighted in gold. The full ontology grid is shown.

Attribute Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith
Time · Extent Infinite
Time · Ontological Status Emergent
Time · Grain Continuous
Time · Freedom Non-Deterministic
Time · Traversability Cyclical
Time · Dimensionality One
Time · Direction Non-directional
Space · Extent Infinite
Space · Ontological Status Emergent
Space · Curvature not engaged
Space · Dimensionality Three
Space · Locality Non-local
Matter · Extent Finite
Matter · Ontological Status Emergent
Matter · Conservation Variable
Matter · Dimensionality Three
Matter · Locality Non-local
Observer · Time Instance Multiple
Observer · Space Instance Multiple
Observer · Knowledge Extent Total
Observer · Knowledge Retainment Total
Observer · Physicality Both
Observer · Agency Active
Observer · Number Plural
Observer · Metaphysical Agency Cosmic-ordering
Observer · Moral Authority Experience
Observer · Theological Method
Energy · Extent Infinite
Energy · Ontological Status Emergent
Energy · Conservation Variable
Energy · Dispersibility Reversible
Information · Ontological Status Emergent
Information · Cosmic Conservation Conserved
Information · Personal Conservation Variable
Information · Granularity Continuous

Dimension-by-Dimension Evidence

What each work's passages reveal about its stance on each of the six dimensions.

Time

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

Infinite and cyclical. Time is emergent from the One Mind — when the mind is stirred by ignorance, temporal succession appears; in suchness, there is no before or after. Non-directional: no fixed cosmic end-point; beings cycle until awakening. Non-deterministic: the choice to practise is genuine.

Space

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

Infinite and emergent. Like time, space arises with the discriminating mind. The One Mind is non-spatial; its "two aspects" are not spatially separated. Non-local: Buddha-nature pervades all beings everywhere.

Matter

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

Emergent and variable. Material phenomena arise through dependent origination; they are not ultimately substantial but are functionally real. Matter arises and dissolves according to karmic conditions.

Observer

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

The observer is the One Mind. In its suchness-aspect, it is omniscient, trans-temporal, and trans-spatial; in its arising-ceasing aspect, it is deluded, embodied, and plural. Wonhyo's key claim: these are one mind. Agency is cosmic-ordering: the dharmadhatu self-organises through interdependent arising.

Energy

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

Infinite, emergent, and variable. Karmic energy arises and dissolves; defilements can be transformed into wisdom. All energy is ultimately mind-derived and reversible through practice.

Information

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

The dharma (teaching) is the supreme information, conserved through the appearance of Buddhas. Personal information (karma) is variable — exhaustible through practice. The commentary itself is an information-integration exercise: showing diverse teachings as aspects of one truth.

Internal Tensions

Where each work's argument pulls against itself.

Commentary on the Awakening of Mahayana Faith

The commentary's harmonising strategy raises the question: does "One Mind" actually resolve the Yogacara/Madhyamaka disagreement, or does it privilege the tathagatagarbha position (mind is inherently pure) over the Yogacara claim (consciousness is constructed) and the Madhyamaka claim (nothing has inherent nature at all)? Critics from all three schools could argue that Wonhyo's synthesis smooths over genuine philosophical incompatibilities.