Jinsub Song, who graduated this summer with his PhD from EALC, won the Percy Buchanan Graduate Prize for the China and Inner Asian Region at the 2024 Midwest Conference on Asian Affairs. His paper is titled “The Divergence of Self in the Dasheng Qixin Lun and True Self as A Priori Foundation” and a description of his research is shared below. Jinsub has also been nominated to present this paper to the Council of Conferences at AAS in 2025. Congratulations, Dr. Song!

Paper Abstract

This research investigates the divergence of the idea of self from the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna, elucidating the role of Tathāgatagarbha in shaping the idea of True Self. In this treatise, the notion of Tathāgatagarbha is portrayed as a foundation for both forms of conscious activity, providing the basis for all empirical conscious activities and reflective conscious activities on the constitutive relationships with phenomena. From this perspective, there are two types of self: the empirical self and the true self.

The empirical self can be considered the person in the general sense, which is defined by the contaminated cognition and its resulting experiences. This self, influenced by karma and delusion, is inherently empty. However, in the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna, not all empirical elements are consequences of defilements and transmigration. Regarding this point, this treatise introduces the three excellent aspects of Tathāgatagarbha (三大), which include the aspect of the Dharma Body (體大), the aspect of the Dharma Nature (相大), and the aspect of the Dharma Function (用大). These aspects, grounded in the pure merits of the true dharma, signify the pure and impure aspects of the true self. The true self serves as the a priori foundation for the empirical self, characterized by spiritual wisdom and innate reflective consciousness, representing universal subjectivity. The spiritual wisdom of Tathāgatagarbha is often emphasized in Mahāyāna traditions as the "lamp," which illuminates surrounding objects without needing another lamp to illuminate itself. This metaphor of the lamp demonstrates the ontological position of the true self in the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna. Through this analysis, various misconceptions about the ideas of self in Tathāgatagarbha thought can be clarified.

By exploring the divergence of the idea of self in the Awakening of Faith in Mahāyāna, this research highlights the role of Tathāgatagarbha in shaping the understanding of the true self. Furthermore, it provides a comprehensive account of the two types of self, the empirical and the true self, and their interrelationships in Tathāgatagarbha thought. By examining these ideas and their implications, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of self within the Tathāgatagarbha tradition and the broader context of Mahāyāna Buddhism.