Definition

Noun: 1. A major school of Mahayana Buddhist philosophy and practice: Yogacara is one of the principal traditions within Mahayana Buddhism. It is characterized by its deep analysis of consciousness and its emphasis on the practice of yoga (meditative discipline) as the path to enlightenment. 2. The doctrine of "Mind-Only" or "Consciousness-Only": This school holds that all perceived objects and the external world are not independently real but are projections or constructions of consciousness. It asserts that the mind (or a foundational storehouse consciousness) is the primary reality, and what we experience are merely ideas or states of consciousness.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The philosopher studied Yogacara to understand its unique perspective on the nature of reality.
  • A core tenet of Yogacara is that what we perceive as external objects are actually manifestations of our own consciousness.
  • Scholars often compare the Yogacara concept of storehouse consciousness with modern theories in psychology.

Advanced Usage

• "Yogacara thought" or "Yogacara philosophy": Refers to the complex system of ideas, including the Eight Consciousnesses and the Three Natures, developed by this school.
  • Understanding Yogacara philosophy requires careful study of its intricate psychological model.
• "Yogacara texts": Refers to the foundational scriptures and treatises of the school, such as the and works by Asanga and Vasubandhu.
  • He is translating key Yogacara texts from Sanskrit.

Variants and Related Words

• Vijnanavada (n): Another name for the Yogacara school, literally meaning "the doctrine of consciousness." It is often used synonymously.
• Cittamatra (n): A Sanskrit term meaning "mind-only," which is the central philosophical position of the Yogacara school.
• Alayavijnana (n): The "storehouse consciousness," a key concept in Yogacara denoting a foundational level of consciousness that stores karmic seeds.

Synonyms

• Vijnanavada: The Doctrine of Consciousness.
• Mind-Only School: A descriptive synonym highlighting its core tenet.

Related Terms and Concepts

• Mahayana Buddhism: The broader Buddhist tradition to which Yogacara belongs.
• Madhyamaka: The other major philosophical school of Mahayana Buddhism, often contrasted with Yogacara for its emphasis on emptiness ().
• Idealism: A Western philosophical term sometimes used analogously, though not identically, to describe Yogacara's view that reality is mentally constructed.

Noun

1. one of the main traditions of Mahayana Buddhism; holds that the mind is real but that objects are just ideas or states of consciousness