Re: Mmd-p.t 3-4 on "vaasanaa" (impressions)

Lance,

It seems to me that this concept of "vāsanā" is well-accepted in the
Theravāda tradition. I found the following in Dhammapāla's ṭīkā on the
Netti which I think is similar to the one we translated earlier but
without the use of the word "anusaya":

Nett-pṭ 136 (Be):

105. Vimuttiyanti anupādisesanibbānadhātuyaṃ. Savāsananti ettha
khīṇāsavassāpi akhīṇāsavasadisakāyavacīpayogahetubhūtā santāne
kilesabhāvanā vāsanā nāma āyasmato pilindavacchassa (a. ni. aṭṭha.
1.1.215; dha. pa. aṭṭha. 2pilindavacchattheravatthu) vasalavohāro
viya, saha vāsanāyāti savāsanaṃ, bhāvanapuṃsakañcetaṃ “visamaṃ
candimasūriyā parivattantī”ti-ādīsu (a. ni. 4.70) viya.
Yathāvuttavāsanampi asesetvāti attho.

I don't know if this is due to the influence of Yogacara or if it was
known to Buddhaghosa or if it goes against the original teachings of
the Buddha. These are matters that would have to be investigated and
considered.

A CSCD search with the string: savāsan* will show just how
well-embedded this doctrine is within the Theravāda tradition.

I have not gone into the matter of the anusayas which is really over
my head. I'm a weak participant in doctrinal discussions.

Jim

> Jim,
>
> You wrote:
> > Unlike the "vaasanaa-" in the Nett passage. this one is explained
in> > the context of a deposit left behind by the kilesas in the
> > continuities of arahants (niranusayasantaana). But this does not
occur> > in the case of Sammaasambuddhas who are purified to
the maximum.> .

> It is this that I am wary of. As far as I know, the idea that
anusaya> are deposited and perpetuated in the santāna is one that is
normally > perpetuated in Yogācāra literature and some of its
predecessors. For > Theravādin texts the description of anusaya in the
Suttas is > metaphorical in nature and should not be taken literally.
That at any > rate is the position in the works attributed to
Buddhaghosa, Dhammapāla > and Buddhadatta. There is no kind of subtle
anusaya or vāsanā or pārami > that is stored and continually
perpetuated in the mental continuity.
>
> Lance