The Buddhist Philosophy of the Middle : Essays on Indian and Tibetan Madhyamaka

Madhyamaka, the "philosophy of the middle," systematized the Buddha's fundamental teaching on no-self with its profound non-essentialist reading of reality. Founded in India by Nagarjuna in about the second century CE, Madhyamaka philosophy went on to become the dominant strain of Buddhist thought in Tibet and exerted a profound influence on all the cultures of East Asia. Within the extensive Western scholarship inspired by this school of thought, David Seyfort Ruegg's work is unparalleled in its incisiveness, diligence, and scope. The Buddhist Philosophy of the Middle brings together Ruegg's greatest essays on Madhyamaka, expert writings which have and will continue to contribute to our progressing understanding of this rich tradition. Since the 1950s, David Seyfort Ruegg, an independent scholar affiliated with school of Oriental and African studies at the University of London, has been publishing precise, informed, and seminal works on the history and philosophy of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. Central to this highly regarded oeuvre has been his works on Madhyamaka philosophy, the core doctrine of Mahayana Buddhism that has animated thinkers for two millennia. Whether he's engaging in focused philological analysis, translating texts, or weighing in on larger trends in the field of Buddhist studies, Ruegg shows here why other