ABSTRACT
The Weishi School of Buddhism (唯識宗) is the Chinese heir to the Indian Yogācāra School of Buddhism (瑜珈行派), which is one of the two major Mahāyāna Buddhist schools (大乘佛教), the other being Madhyamaka (中觀派). Yogācāra Buddhism represents a high point in the Indian Buddhist scholastic tradition. It is distinguished within Buddhism by its meticulous analysis of the mind, having produced an elaborate theoretical framework designed to show how the deluded consciousness of sentient beings can be transformed into the awakened mind of the Buddha. The Chinese Weishi School largely follows the path of its Indian predecessor and continues to refine its analytical sophistication. Yogācāra, together with its Chinese heir, has exerted a profound impact on the overall development of Buddhist philosophical deliberations and meditative practices.
