Dharma Wheel

If anyone is interested I am posting my translation and notes of the MMK as I go as a blog: http://middleway-verses.blogspot.co.uk/ The aim is to read the whole text over the summer - thus keeping me interested and reading Sanskrit until classes start in September.

My aim is to practice my (newly acquired) Sanskrit and learn a little. I only know Madhyamaka in outline and this is a chance to get to know Nāgārjuna. If people just wanted to follow along that's fine, but it might be good if you know this text in Sanskrit to chip in with comments and ideas. Particularly on the grammar front.

My point of view is rooted in a close study of the Kaccānagotta Sutta (in Pāli, Sanskrit and Chinese) in the light of Sue Hamilton's work (Especially as found in her book Early Buddhism: A New Approach). Thus I share some (but not all) assumptions with David Kalupahana. I won't be getting into the arguments of later exegesis if I can help it. I want to try to take the text on face value, and to explore the idea that thinking of Buddhism in terms of experience rather than ontology is a useful hermeneutic principle.

Chapter 1 is complete, and I'm starting chapter 2. This year's classes finish this week and I aim to focus on MMK after that.

Looks good, so far. One thing to add: When looking at it, the beginning of the book is at the bottom of the page. This is anti-intuitive, and makes reading it a little more task-y.

Thanks - interesting. I have found your translations page and comments. I have studied many of the standard English texts and translations of these materials and will follow along. Might make the occasional comment also.

I know this hasn't been published yet:
http://www.amazon.com/Nagarjunas-Middle ... 1614290504
but I thought I would bring it to your attention, since it looks promising.

dzogchungpa wrote:I know this hasn't been published yet:
http://www.amazon.com/Nagarjunas-Middle ... 1614290504
but I thought I would bring it to your attention, since it looks promising.

It's available in the UK. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nagarjunas-Midd ... 1614290504

Interesting, I wonder why it's not available in the States yet.

Jayarava wrote:If anyone is interested I am posting my translation and notes of the MMK as I go as a blog: http://middleway-verses.blogspot.co.uk/ The aim is to read the whole text over the summer - thus keeping me interested and reading Sanskrit until classes start in September.

My aim is to practice my (newly acquired) Sanskrit and learn a little. I only know Madhyamaka in outline and this is a chance to get to know Nāgārjuna. If people just wanted to follow along that's fine, but it might be good if you know this text in Sanskrit to chip in with comments and ideas. Particularly on the grammar front.

My point of view is rooted in a close study of the Kaccānagotta Sutta (in Pāli, Sanskrit and Chinese) in the light of Sue Hamilton's work (Especially as found in her book Early Buddhism: A New Approach). Thus I share some (but not all) assumptions with David Kalupahana. I won't be getting into the arguments of later exegesis if I can help it. I want to try to take the text on face value, and to explore the idea that thinking of Buddhism in terms of experience rather than ontology is a useful hermeneutic principle.

Chapter 1 is complete, and I'm starting chapter 2. This year's classes finish this week and I aim to focus on MMK after that.

Thanks, perhaps I will follow along although I will be of no help with language issues.

You may be aware of this title already, but if your interest is primarily Nāgārjuna vis-à-vis śrāvaka teachings, I'd highly recommend Nāgārjuna in Context: Mahāyāna Buddhism and Early Indian Culture by Joseph Walser.