The Buddhist Unconscious by William S. Waldron

Description

The Buddhist Unconscious: The Ālaya-Vijñāna in the Context of Indian Buddhist Thought – William S. Waldron In The Buddhist Unconscious, William S. Waldron provides a comprehensive study of the ālaya-vijñāna (storehouse consciousness), a key concept in Yogācāra Buddhism that explains the continuity of consciousness across lifetimes. Waldron situates this doctrine within the broader context of Indian Buddhist thought, examining its development in response to earlier Buddhist teachings on impermanence and non-self. He explores how the ālaya-vijñāna functions as a repository of karmic seeds (bīja) that shape individual experience while remaining beyond immediate awareness—paralleling Western notions of the unconscious. Through a detailed analysis of classical Yogācāra texts and their commentarial traditions, Waldron highlights the philosophical significance of this concept in resolving tensions between continuity and change in Buddhist psychology. This book is an essential resource for scholars and practitioners interested in Buddhist philosophy, psychology, and the historical development of Yogācāra thought.