Abstract:

In modem times there emerged a stream of thought both in the Chinese Buddhist circle and the Japanese Buddhist circle which were critical of the thought of Tathāgata-garbha that had profound influence on Chinese Buddhism. On the Chinese side, the representatives were Ouyang Jingwu and Lvcheng in Nanjing, and Master Yinshun in Taiwan. On the Japanese side, it began with an examination of the texts of Da Cheng Qi Xin lun and Leng Yah Jing, and finally reached its pinnacle as "critical Buddhism" in 1990's. In fact, all theses proposed by this stream of thought that Tathāgata-garbha is "substance" or "locus", and that the thought of Tathāgata-garbha is influenced by "Brahman" and "aatman'" are untenable. Further, the claim that the thought of Tathāgata-garbha was an independent "third persuasion" of Mahayana does not accord with historical facts.

Key words: the thought of Tathāgata-garbha, modem Chinese Buddhism, critical Buddhism, substance, locus