The Milinda Talks Resource Group

Milinda Talk Three: Yogachara and Chittamatra - same or different? How does Dzogchen fit in?

In this session, we will explore the philosophical view commonly referred to as the “Mind-Only School”, examining how it is presented in late Indian Mādhyamika doxographies as well as in the standard Tibetan doxographical traditions. These presentations often portray “Mind-Only” as a distinct and sometimes provisional view within a broader hierarchical classification of Buddhist philosophies.

Alongside this, we will closely look into the Indian Yogācāra School as it understands itself, drawing on key Yogācāra sources and perspectives. By comparing these two approaches, this session aims to highlight important differences between doxographical representations and historical-philosophical positions, and to clarify how Yogācāra thought has been interpreted, systematized, and sometimes re-framed by later traditions.

Through this comparative inquiry, also taking into account the Dzogchen view, participants will gain a deeper understanding of central Yogācāra concepts such as mind, cognition, appearance, and reality, as well as the broader methodological and philosophical concerns that shaped Buddhist doxography. This will be of interest to those wishing to better understand how philosophical schools are constructed in Buddhist intellectual history, and how these constructions continue to influence contemporary study and practice.