Chart 1:

The Four Schools of Tenets

The Hinayana Tenet Schools The Mahayana Tenet Schools

Vaibhashika Sautrantika Chittamatra Madhyamika

Sautantrika Sautantrika Chittamatra Chittamatra Svatantrika Prasangika Following Following Following Following Scripture Reasoning Scripture Reasoning

Yogachara Sautantrika Svatantrika Svatantrika

Chart 2:

Production, Substantially Smallest Existent and Positive and Partless Cause and abiding, aging, existent & moments in functioning negative particles effect & substantially time thing phenomena disintegration established There are Substantially There are Some causes exist Production, Existent & Vaibashika There are smallest affirming but no existent & subst. directionally at the same time abiding, etc. are functioning thing moments in time non-affirming establ. are not partless particles as their effects sequential are equivalent negatives equivalent

There are both Substantially Production, Sautantrika There are There are smallest Cause & effect Functioning thing affirming and existent & subst. abiding, etc. are Following directionally moments in time cannot exist & impermanent non-affirming establ. are Scripture partless particles simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent negatives equivalent Sautantrika There are both Substantially Smallest moments Cause & effect Production, Functioning thing Partless particles affirming and existent & subst. Following in time do not cannot exist abiding, etc. are & impermanent do not exist non-affirming establ. are Reasoning exist simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent negatives equivalent There are both Substantially Chittamatra Smallest moments Cause & effect Production, Functioning thing Partless particles affirming and existent & subst. in time do not cannot exist abiding, etc. are & impermanent Following do not exist non-affirming establ. are exist simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent Scripture negatives equivalent There are both Substantially Chittamatra Smallest moments Cause & effect Production, Functioning thing Partless particles affirming and existent & subst. in time do not cannot exist abiding, etc. are & impermanent Following do not exist non-affirming establ. are exist simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent Reasoning negatives equivalent

There are both Substantially Smallest moments Cause & effect Production, Functioning thing Yogachara Partless particles affirming and existent & subst. in time do not cannot exist abiding, etc. are & impermanent Svatrantika do not exist non-affirming establ. are exist simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent negatives equivalent

There are both Substantially Smallest moments Cause & effect Production, Functioning thing Sautantrika Partless particles affirming and existent & subst. in time do not cannot exist abiding, etc. are & impermanent Svatrantika do not exist non-affirming establ. are exist simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent negatives equivalent There are both Substantially Smallest moments Cause & effect Production, Functioning thing Partless particles affirming and existent & subst. Prasangika in time do not cannot exist abiding, etc. are & impermanent do not exist non-affirming establ. are exist simultaneously simultaneous are equivalent negatives equivalent Chart 3:

External Inherent Self- True existence Karma of body Sense powers Direct perceivers phenomena existence and speech knowers

Phenomena Direct perceivers are Phenomena exist All external Karma of body All phenomena appear to sense Self-knowers non-mistaken and do Vaibashika external to phenomena exist and speech is exist inherently powers and are do not exist not take on the aspects consciousness truly physical perceived by them of their object

Phenomena exist All external Karma of body Phenomena only Sautantrika All phenomena Every mind has Direct perceivers are external to phenomena exist and speech is appear to sense Following exist inherently a self-knower non-mistaken consciousness truly mental powers Scripture

Sautantrika Phenomena exist All external Karma of body Phenomena only All phenomena Every mind has Direct perceivers are Following external to phenomena exist and speech is appear to sense exist inherently a self-knower non-mistaken consciousness truly Reasoning mental powers Sense direct perceivers Chittamatra There are no Other-powered & Karma of body Phenomena only All phenomena Every mind has are mistaken with Following external thoroughly establ. and speech is appear to sense exist inherently a self-knower regard to external Scripture phenomena natures exist truly mental powers existence Sense direct perceivers Chittamatra There are no Other-powered & Karma of body Phenomena only All phenomena Every mind has are mistaken with external thoroughly establ. and speech is Following exist inherently appear to sense regard to external natures exist truly mental a self-knower Reasoning phenomena powers existence

Sense direct perceivers There are no Whatever exists Karma of body Phenomena only Yogachara All phenomena Every mind has are mistaken with external necessarily lacks and speech is appear to sense Svatrantika exist inherently a self-knower regard to external phenomena true existence mental powers existence

Phenomena exist Whatever exists Karma of body Phenomena only Sautantrika All phenomena Self-knowers Sense direct perceivers external to necessarily lacks and speech is appear to sense Svatrantika exist inherently do not exist are non- mistaken consciousness true existence mental powers

Except for direct Whatever exists Phenomena exist Whatever exists Karma of body Phenomena only perceivers of emptiness, necessarily Self-knowers Prasangika external to necessarily lacks and speech is appear to sense all direct perceivers are lacks inherent do not exist consciousness true existence physical powers mistaken with regard to existence inherent existence Chart 4:

Appearance of Mode of Mind-basis- Coarse Subtle Dependent permanent existence of Emptiness of-all selflessness selflessness arising phenomena the person

Objects do not appear There are only 6 The lack of a The lack of a self- Mental consc./ Dependence on to the mind since the types of consc.’s permanent, sufficient, five aggregates/ There is no Vaibashika causes & mind does not take on and thus no mind- partless, substantially continuum of the emptiness conditions the aspect of its objects basis-of-all independent self existent self five aggregates

Permanent There are only 6 The lack of a The lack of a self- Sautantrika The continuum Dependence on phenomena do not types of consc.’s permanent, sufficient, There is no of the five causes & Following appear to any direct and thus no mind- partless, substantially emptiness aggregates conditions

Scripture perceiver basis-of-all independent self existent self

There are only 6 The lack of a The lack of a self- Sautantrika Permanent Dependence on phenomena do not types of consc.’s permanent, sufficient, The mental There is no Following causes & appear to any direct and thus no mind- partless, substantially consciousness emptiness Reasoning conditions perceiver basis-of-all independent self existent self Permanent There is a mind- The lack of a The lack of a self- Lack of subject & Chittamatra Dependence on phenomena do not basis-of-all which permanent, sufficient, object being The mind-basis- causes & Following appear to sense direct is one of 8 types of partless, substantially different subst. of-all conditions Scripture perceivers consc.’s independent self existent self entities Permanent There are only 6 The lack of a The lack of a self- Lack of subject & Chittamatra Dependence on phenomena do not types of consc.’s permanent, sufficient, object being The mental causes & Following appear to sense direct and thus no mind- partless, substantially different subst. consciousness conditions Reasoning perceivers basis-of-all independent self existent self entities

Permanent There are only 6 The lack of a The lack of a self- Dependence on Yogachara phenomena do not types of consc.’s permanent, sufficient, The mental Lack of true causes &

Svatrantika appear to sense direct and thus no mind- partless, substantially consciousness existence conditions and perceivers basis-of-all independent self existent self parts

Permanent There are only 6 The lack of a The lack of a self- Dependence on Sautantrika phenomena do not types of consc.’s permanent, sufficient, The mental Lack of true causes &

Svatrantika appear to sense direct and thus no mind- partless, substantially consciousness existence conditions and perceivers basis-of-all independent self existent self parts The lack of a The mere “I” that There are only 6 The lack of Dependence on Permanent phen. do perm., partl., is imputed on Prasangika types of consc.’s inherent existence Lack of inherent causes & not appear to sense indep. & self- the basis of one and thus no mind- of persons or existence conditions, parts direct perceivers suff., subst. ex. of the five basis-of-all phenomena and imputation self aggregates Chart 5:

Main object of Main object of Main object of realization of Relation of the Buddha realization of The two truths Three vehicles realization of Solitary two truths Nature Bodhisattvas Hearers Realizers Imputed phen.: The two truths The sixteen The sixteen The sixteen Vaibashika conventional / Four aspects Three final are not of one aspects of the four aspects of the four aspects of the four substantial phen.: (Arya Nature) vehicles nature noble truths noble truths noble truths ultimate

Imputed phen.: Sautantrika The two truths The sixteen The sixteen The sixteen conventional / Four aspects Three final Following are not of one aspects of the four aspects of the four aspects of the four substantial phen.: (Arya Nature) vehicles nature noble truths noble truths noble truths Scripture ultimate Sautantrika Impermanent: The two truths The sixteen The sixteen The sixteen ultimate / Four aspects Three final Following are not of one aspects of the four aspects of the four aspects of the four permanent: (Arya Nature) vehicles Reasoning nature noble truths noble truths noble truths conventional Lack of sub. & obj. Lack of a self- Lack of a self- Lack of subject Chittamatra Seed of diff. subst. entities: The two truths Three final sufficient, sufficient, and object being uncontaminated, Following ultimate / all other are of one nature vehicles substantially substantially different sub- exalted wisdom Scripture phen.: conventional existent self existent self stantial entities Lack of sub. & obj. Lack of a self- Lack of a self- Lack of subject Chittamatra Seed of Two temporary diff. subst. entities: The two truths sufficient, sufficient, and object being uncontaminated, and one final Following ultimate / all other are of one nature substantially substantially different sub- exalted wisdom vehicle Reasoning phen.: conventional existent self existent self stantial entities

Lack of true Emptiness of Lack of a self- Lack of subject Two temporary existence: ultimate/ The two truths mental consc. / sufficient, and object being Lack of true Yogachara and one final all other phen.: are of one nature mental consc. / substantially different sub- existence Svatrantika vehicle conventional potential existent self stantial entities

Lack of true Emptiness of Lack of a self- Lack of a self- Two temporary Sautantrika existence: ultimate/ The two truths mental consc. / sufficient, sufficient, Lack of true and one final all other phen.: are of one nature mental consc. / substantially substantially existence Svatrantika vehicle conventional potential existent self existent self Lack of inherent Emptiness of Two temporary existence: ultimate/ The two truths mental consc. / Lack of inherent Lack of inherent Lack of inherent Prasangika and one final all other phen.: are of one nature mental consc. / existence existence existence vehicle conventional potential

Chart 6:

Main object of Main object of Main object of Buddha elimination of elimination of elimination of Arhats Omniscience Shakyamuni Hearers Solitary Realizers Bodhisattvas Buddha Shakyamuni Some Arhats Buddhas are all- Non-afflictive was not enlightened Vaibashika Afflictive ignorance Afflictive ignorance regress from self- knowing but not ignorance when he took birth in omniscient liberation India 2600 years ago

Buddha Shakyamuni Arhats cannot Buddhas are all- Sautantrika Non-afflictive was not enlightened Afflictive ignorance Afflictive ignorance regress from self- knowing but not Following ignorance when he took birth in liberation omniscient Scripture India 2600 years ago Sautantrika Buddha Shakyamuni Arhats cannot Buddhas are all- was not enlightened Following Afflictive ignorance Afflictive ignorance Non-afflictive regress from self- knowing but not ignorance when he took birth in Reasoning liberation omniscient India 2600 years ago Grasping at a self- Grasping at a self- Buddha Shakyamuni Chittamatra Grasping at subject & Arhats cannot sufficient, sufficient, was already a Buddha object being different regress from self- Buddhas are Following substantially substantially existent when he took birth in substantial entities liberation omniscient Scripture existent self self India 2600 years ago Grasping at a self- Grasping at a self- Buddha Shakyamuni Chittamatra Grasping at subject & Arhats cannot sufficient, sufficient, was already a Buddha object being different regress from self- Buddhas are Following substantially substantially existent when he took birth in substantial entities liberation omniscient Reasoning existent self self India 2600 years ago

Grasping at a self- Buddha Shakyamuni Grasping at subject & Arhats cannot sufficient, Grasping at true was already a Buddha Yogachara object being different regress from self- Buddhas are substantially existence when he took birth in Svatrantika substantial entities liberation omniscient existent self India 2600 years ago

Grasping at a self- Grasping at a self- Buddha Shakyamuni Arhats cannot Sautantrika sufficient, sufficient, Grasping at true was already a Buddha Buddhas are existence regress from self- substantially substantially existent when he took birth in Svatrantika liberation omniscient existent self self India 2600 years ago Buddha Shakyamuni Arhats cannot Grasping at inherent Grasping at inherent Grasping at inherent was already a Buddha Prasangika regress from self- Buddhas are existence existence existence when he took birth in liberation omniscient India 2600 years ago

Partless Smallest Simulta- Sequential Existent The Two Substantially Karma Particles Moments neous Production, and Truths Existent & of Body In Time Cause & Abiding, Functioning According Substantially and Effect Etc. Thing being To Established Speech equivalent Vaibha- Being being shika different physical Sautantrika Following Scripture Sautantrika Following Reasoning Chittamatra Following Scripture Chittamatra Following Reasoning Yogachara Svatrantika Sautantrika Svatrantika Prasangika

Selflessness True existence All-knowingness Objects of elimination Arya Nature Buddha Shakyamuni The existence of partless particles The existence of smallest moments in time The simultaneous existence of cause and effect The sequential production, abiding, aging, and disintegration of impermanent phenomena ‘Existent’ and ‘functioning thing’ being equivalent The two truths 'Substantially existent' and 'substantially established' having different meanings Karma of the body and speech being physical The mode of existence of the person Sense powers' ability to perceive phenomena Sense consciousnesses perceiving their objects 'nakedly' The non-existence of self-knowers The existence of three final vehicles Arhats' falling from their attainment of self-liberation