Dharma Wheel

Indrajala wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:35 pm Also, bear in mind that Nāgārjuna's treatise (MMK) is refuting Hīnayāna, namely Sarvāstivādin, doctrines, so in order to understand what he wrote, you need to have a basic understanding of the prevailing Buddhist philosophy of his time. The Abhidharmakośa-bhāṣya is precious in this respect because it outlines Buddhist Philosophy 101 and moreover the big issues confronting Buddhist authors.

Nāgārjuna goes to great length refuting conceptual categories, demonstrating that they are conventionally useful, but ultimately empty, because in that age many Buddhists were treating said categories as ontologically absolute truths.

Mahāyāna, spearheaded by figures such as Nāgārjuna, broke from those conventions and critically drew out the implications of the Buddha's doctrine of emptiness, showing that it applied not only to self or ātman, but also to all dharmas (phenomena and phenomenal categories).

This point is crucial to bear in mind because the Mahāyāna project of bodhisattvahood, i.e., remaining active in saṃsāra for the benefit of other beings, is founded on the idea that neither self nor phenomena (nor the arbitrary divisions we draw around things and people) are inherently existent, the realization of which results in unconditional compassion for all beings. This is in stark contrast to Hīnayāna thinking in which realization of the emptiness of the self is regarded primarily as a prerequisite for attainment of arhatship and subsequent liberation from involuntary rebirth (but without any impulse toward the bodhisattva path).

In short, read Hīnayāna and Abhidharma before attempting to understand Nāgārjuna or Mahāyāna philosophy. You cannot understand the latter without a foundation of the former!

CedarTree wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:51 pm Welcome back Indra! Been a fan of yours for years hah

Tell us more about how you see Nagarjuna and some of the points he makes. I think your right on the money with your above presentation.

Indrajala wrote: ↑Tue Dec 19, 2017 10:36 am

CedarTree wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 7:51 pm Welcome back Indra! Been a fan of yours for years hah

Tell us more about how you see Nagarjuna and some of the points he makes. I think your right on the money with your above presentation.

Hi!

I don't have much more to say off the top of my head.

I will say this.

If you want to read Buddhist philosophy, it is advisable to read running commentaries. In history, as is the case today, students of Buddhist philosophy generally read the primary sources alongside authoritative commentaries. Fortunately, there are several major commentaries on Nāgārjuna's MMK in different languages.

I admittedly haven't kept up with Madhyamaka Studies in recent years, since my efforts have been directed toward astrology and art history in Buddhist East Asia, but I'm sure if you look around or ask the right people, you can find translations of historical commentaries on the MMK. Tibetans have always seriously studied said text, and there are many Tibetan teachers who can discuss the subject matter. I remember meeting some Gelugpa monks in Delhi who could elegantly discuss Nāgārjuna in English.

I spent a few years reading commentaries on Madhyamaka in Chinese, but unfortunately the Sanlun school is less represented in English translation.

markatex wrote: ↑Wed Dec 06, 2017 7:39 pm Is Nagarjuna in China the only English translation of Kumarajiva's translation of the Middle Way Treatise? I've seen it available online, but it's very expensive. Are Kumarajiva's translations of Nagarjuna's other works available in English?

Nirveda wrote: ↑Mon Dec 18, 2017 4:40 am I believe that Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso's Sun of Wisdom is by far the most approachable and understandable introduction to Nagarjuna. After reading that, you can make more sense out of other translations of the MMK. I like Garfield's the best.

nichiren-123 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 05, 2017 2:02 pm So I was hoping for a quick and dirty description of what nagarjuna taught?

Indrajala wrote:If you're interested in my recent research and activities, see the following: