Buddhism : Critical Concepts in Religious Studies, Vol. VI

THE JO-NAN-PAS

founded by Jo nan kun mkhyen's [i.e. Dol bu pa's] pupil's pupil,^44 the drw1 and
dka ' bii pa Rin chen dpal, and of some monasteries which are its dependents, at
the present time no foundation maintaining the Jo nan doctrine exists in dBus or
gTsan.^45
And, with the sole exception of the sGrub thabs rin chen 'byun gnas,^46 the
streams of religion of Jo nan have disappeared (literally: have become a
rainbow-body).

* * *

The source of the gian stan doctrine originated with Yu mo Mi bskyod rdo

rje. When he realized-in-meditation the Sa<;langayoga of the Kalacakra, the

divine Body image of Void-form (stan gzugs kyi lha 'i sku rnam pa) arose from

within and constituted the basis of misapprehension.^47 Relying only on the letter

of Siitras of indirect meaning (neyiirtha) as well as on some Tantras, he taught

that the gian stan, the truth of absolute-Meaning (paramiirthasalya), permanent,

stable and eternal, pervading all that is static and mobile, is identical with the

sugatagarbha and exists in the Existential-Nature of Foundation (gii 'i gnas lugs

Ia yod pa). As a result of spiritual practice employing the graded method of the

six Y ogas, there arose in his conception this mass of contradiction in the direct-

apprehension of the dharmatii-Body which is the Result; and he named it the

theory of the gian stan. And mixing with it the practical instruction (khrid) on

the Kalacakra, he expounded it as a hidden doctrine (lkog pa 'i chos).

This explanation was transmitted from disciple to disciple down to Dol bu pa

ses rab [ 4b] rgyal mtshan. However, there had hitherto existed no manual

devoted especially to this doctrine, but only oral indications; and because the

masters who upheld this doctrinal tradition were solely Y ogins who had only

good spiritual experiences, they had not made detailed expositions to demon-

strate the scriptural tradition and arguments. Hence they were not well known.

Dol bu pa composed a treatise expounding this theory called the Jiles don

rgya mtsho, as well as many opuscules such as the bKa' bsdu bii pa.^48 After

having made several demonstrations of the scriptural tradition and the argu-

ments, he established the doctrine (siddhiinta) known as the 'theory of the gian

stan of absolute-Meaning.'

Following him Phyogs las rnam rgyal composed the large and the small

'Khrul 'jams. And Na dbon Kun dga' dpal composed the Grub mtha' 'ad gsa!

rgyan, etc.

Subsequently the theory and doctrine of the Jo nan pas became very well

known.

2. The doctrinal method of the gzan stoit theory
   In the Jiles don rgya mtsho the following is taught. The Essential-Nature (yin
   lugs) of all dharmas, the truth of absolute-Meaning, is permanent, stable and
   eternal. In the iilaya there are the Gnosis (jiiiina) and the vijiiiina, and it is the