experience  and the pragmatic theories of truth that
　　   they developed to retain a degree of epistemological
　　   realism  in view  of those  analyses.  My discussion
　　   begins with a section  on the primacy  of experience
　　   for   both   James   and   Yogaacaara,  since   this
　　   constitutes  the  cornerstone  of  their  respective
　　   metaphysics.  The  rest  of the essay  examines  the
　　   nexus  of philosophical  insights  that informs  the
　　   interpretation  of experience  by each system, under
　　   the  headings  of(l) experience  as  a  constructive
　　   activity  and  abhuutaparikalpa,  (2)  the  external
　　   world: a pluralistic  universe  and  paratantra, (3)
　　   pure   experience   and   parini.spanna,   and   (4)
　　   pragmatism and arthakriyaa.

　　　　　　　　　　　　  P.224

　　　　  The discussion of James draws on an array of his
　　   writings.  I developed this discussion  on the basis
　　   of his Essays in Radical  Empiricism  (published  in
　　   1912) because  it embodies  his  mature  philosophy.
　　   However, quotations  are drawn  from a range  of his
　　   works, starting with the relatively early Psychology
　　   (the Briefer  Course, 1892).  James'  philosophy  is
　　   consistent on the topics covered in this essay.  The
　　   descriptive model of experience and its metaphysical
　　   underpinnings  outlined in Psychology form the basis
　　   of the understanding  of experience that informs all
　　   of his subsequent  work.  Further, Psychology was an
　　   exercise  in the empiricism  that Essays  advocates,
　　   while  pragmatism  pervades  all of his writings.(5)
　　   The  discussion   of  Yogaacaara   focuses   on  the
　　   Madhyaantavibhaaga-`saastra,　　 "Treatise　　  on
　　   Discrimination   between   the  Middle  and  Extreme
　　   (Views), ''  the  first  systematic  formulation  of
　　   Yogaacaara  philosophy.(6) My translations  are from
　　   Susumu Yamaguchi's  critical Sanskrit edition of the
　　   Madhyaantavibhaaga (hereinafter cited as Y with page
　　   citations), which includes  Vasubandhu's  commentary
　　   (bhaa.sya)　　 and　　 Sthiramati's　　 subcommentary
　　   (.tiikaa).(7)

　　　　  One issue that arises  at the outset  is that of
　　   the  possible  influence   of  Buddhist  thought  in
　　   general  and Yogaacaara  in particular  upon William
　　   James.  There is no doubt that James was exposed  to
　　   Buddhist  thought.   He  and  his  neighbor  Charles