This monthly series on Tuesdays from October 18 to March 28 is presented by Rev. Yuki Sugahara of the Portland Buddhist Temple.

Sign up at BetsuinPrograms@buddhistchurch.org

What are the “30 Verses on Representation Only (Bodhisattva Vasubandhu)?”

Rev. Yuki explains:

Yogācāra often translated as Consciousness Only (J:唯識Yuishiki) is one of the main streams of Mahayāna Buddhism along with Mādyamika (Middle Way). Since one of my teachers preferred the translation Representation Only rather than Consciousness Only, I will use the translation Representation Only in this series.

Representation Only is often referred to as Buddhist Psychology because its uniqueness is to understand how our mind works from a Buddhist perspective. The Thirty Verses on Representation Only written by Bodhisattva Vasubandhu (around 400-480) is one of the best texts to study the understanding of Representation Only and I hope we are able to deepen the understanding of Mahayana Buddhism together through this course.

Lecture Schedule

Oct. 18, Lecture 1: Introduction, Verses on Taking Refuge
Nov. 29, Lecture 2: Verses 1-7 Working of Ālaya and Manas Consciousness
Dec. 27, Lecture 3: Verses 8-16 Thought and Five Senses
Jan. 24, Lecture 4: Verses 17-19 Mechanism of perception in Representation Only
Feb. 28, Lecture 5: Verses 20-25 Three Nature, Three Non-Nature Theory
March 28,  Lecture 6: Verses 26-30 Steps of Practices