The Ornament of the Middle Way: A Study of the Madhyamaka Thought of Shantarakshita

Santaraksita's The Ornament Of The Middle Way Is Among The Most Important Mahayana Buddhist Philosophical Treatises To Emerge On The Indian Subcontinent. In Many Respects, It Represents The Culmination Of More Than 1,300 Years Of Philosophical Dialogue And Inquiry Since The Time Of The History Buddha, Sakyamuni, Santaraksita Set Forth The Foundation Of A Syncretic Approach To Contemporary Ideas By Synthesizing The Three Major Trends In Indian Buddhist Thought At The Time (the Madhyamaka Thought Of Nagarjuna, The Yogacara Thought Of Asanga, And The Logical And Epistemological Thought Of Dharmakirti) Into One Consistent And Coherent System. Santaraksita's Text Is Considered To Be The Quintessential Exposition, Or Root Text, Of The School Of Buddhist Philosophical Thought Known In Tibet As Yogacara-svatantrika-madhyamaka. In Addition To Examining His Ideas In Their Indian Context, This Study Looks At The Way In Which Santaraksita's Ideas Have Been Understood By, And Have Been An Influence On, Tibetan Buddhist Traditions. Specifically, Blumenthal Examines The Way Scholars From The Geluk School Of Tibetan Buddhism Have Interpreted, Represented, And Incorporated Santaraksita's Ideas Into Their Own Philosophical Project. This Is The First Book-length Study Of Santaraksita's Madhyamaka Thought In Any Western Language. It Includes A New Translation Of Santaraksita's Treaties And Extensive Extracts From His Autocommentary. Also Included Is The First Complete English Translation Of The Primary Geluk Commentary On Santaraksita's Treatise Gyel-tsab Je's Remembering The Ornament Of The Middle Way.--book Jacket. Madhyamakalamkara -- Santaraksita -- Santaraksita's Writings -- Santaraksita's Yogacara-madhyamaka Synthesis -- Shifting Provisionalities In Madhyamakalamkara -- Analysis Of Texts And Arguments -- The Text Title, Homage, And Introduction -- The Neither-one-nor-many Argument: Demonstrating That Entities Have No Ultimate Inherent Nature -- The Application Of The Neither-one-nor-many Argument -- Analysis Of Objects -- The Refutation Of Unitary Objects Asserted By Non-buddhists -- The Refutation Of Unitary Objects Asserted By Buddhist Schools -- The Refutation Of Unitary Persons -- The Refutation Of Unitary Pervasive Entities -- The Refutation Of Gross, Unitary Entities -- The Refutation Of Unitary, Partless Particles -- Analysis Of Subjects -- Analysis Of Mind, Its Objects, And Its Means Of Perception As Asserted In Other Buddhist Systems -- Self-cognizing Cognition (svasamvedana, Rang Rig), External Objects, And Images -- Critique Of An Epistemology Asserting Valid Cognition Of True Images (satyakara) External To Consciousness -- Analysis Of Mind, Its Objects, And Its Means Of Perception As Asserted In Non-buddhist Systems -- Critiques Of Views Maintaining Unitary Consciousness -- Analysis Of Mind, Its Objects, And Its Means Of Perception As Asserted In Other Buddhist Systems (cont.) -- Further Critiques Of Views Maintaining A Unitary Consciousness -- Critiquing The Yogacara Views -- Yogacara Proponents Of True Images -- Yogacara Proponents Of False Images. By James Blumenthal. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [383]-399) And Index. In English And Tibetan; Translated From Tibetan. Contents ......Page 6 Acknowledgments......Page 10 FList of Abbreviations......Page 16 Technical Note ......Page 18 Introduction ......Page 20 Part I......Page 54 Analysis of Texts and Arguments......Page 56 Part II......Page 178 An Analysis of the Geluk Interpretation, Representation, and Criticism of... ......Page 180 Part III Translations......Page 234 The Ornament of the Middle Way......Page 236 Remembering "The Ornament of the Middle Way" ......Page 250 Appendices......Page 290 Appendix 1......Page 292 Appendix 2......Page 298 Appendix 3......Page 324 Notes......Page 342 Bibliography......Page 384 Index......Page 402 Contents 6 Acknowledgments 10 FList of Abbreviations 16 Technical Note 18 Introduction 20 Part I 54 Analysis of Texts and Arguments 56 Part II 178 An Analysis of the Geluk Interpretation, Representation, and Criticism of... 180 Part III Translations 234 The Ornament of the Middle Way 236 Remembering "The Ornament of the Middle Way" 250 Appendices 290 Appendix 1 292 Appendix 2 298 Appendix 3 324 Notes 342 Bibliography 384 Index 402 1559392053,9781559392051 This is the first book length study of the Madhyamaka thought of Shantarakshita in any Western language.