Contemporary Non-conceptualism, conceptual inclusivism, and the Yogacara view of language Use as skillful action

Abstract

According to the early Yogácára, following non-conceptual awareness (nirvikalpajñána), the advanced bodhisattva is said to attain a state characterized by a "subsequent awareness" (tatprsthalabdhajñána). Yogácára thinkers identify this state with ultimate knowledge of causality and view it as involving a unique kind of conceptual activity and propositional attitudes, which are very different, however, from ordinary conceptual awareness insofar as they do not involve vikalpa. Translated back into the terms of some version of the contemporary debate between conceptualists and non- conceptualists, this would amount to something like the claim that we can use concepts in a non-conceptual way.