Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings

by William Edelglass (Editor), Jay Garfield (Editor)

Overview

The Buddhist philosophical tradition is vast, internally diverse, and comprises texts written in a variety of canonical languages. It is hence often difficult for those with training in Western philosophy who wish to approach this tradition for the first time to know where to start, and difficult for those who wish to introduce and teach courses in Buddhist philosophy to find suitable textbooks that adequately represent the diversity of the tradition, expose students to important primary texts in reliable translations, that contextualize those texts, and that foreground specifically philosophical issues. Buddhist Philosophy fills that lacuna. It collects important philosophical texts from each major Buddhist tradition. Each text is translated and introduced by a recognized authority in Buddhist studies. Each introduction sets the text in context and introduces the philosophical issues it addresses and arguments it presents, providing a useful and authoritative guide to reading and to teaching the text. The volume is organized into topical sections that reflect the way that Western philosophers think about the structure of the discipline, and each section is introduced by an essay explaining Buddhist approaches to that subject matter, and the place of the texts collected in that section in the enterprise. This volume is an ideal single text for an intermediate or advanced course in Buddhist philosophy, and makes this tradition immediately accessible to the philosopher or student versed in Western philosophy coming to Buddhism for the first time. It is also ideal for the scholar or student of Buddhist studies who is interested specifically in the philosophical dimensions of the Buddhist tradition.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199886913
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/21/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

William Edelglass is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Marlboro College. Previously he taught at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics, Dharamsala, India. His research focuses on Buddhist philosophy, environmental philosophy, and twentieth century continental philosophy. Jay Garfield is Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho Temple rofessor of Humanities at Yale-NUS College. His books include the translations of Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika: The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way (OUP, 1995); Tsong khapa's Ocean of Reasoning (OUP, 2002), and Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation (OUP, 2006).

Table of Contents

Contributors xv

Introduction 3

Part I Metaphysics and Ontology 9

1 Theravada Metaphysics and Ontology: Kaccanagotta (Samyutta-nikaya) and Abhidhammatthasangaha Noa Ronkin 13

2 Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika (Fundamental Verses of the Middle Way): Chapter 24: Examination of the Four Noble Truths Jay L. Garfield 26

3 Vasubandhu's Trisvabhavanirdesa (Treatise on the Three Natures) Jay L. Garfield 35

4 Santaraksita's "Neither-One-Nor-Many" Argument from Madhyamakalamkara (The Ornament of the Middle Way): A Classical Buddhist Argument on the Ontological Status of Phenomena James Blumenthal 46

5 Mipam Namgyel: The Lion's Roar Affirming Extrinsic Emptiness Matthew T. Kapstein 61

6 Dushun's Huayan Fajie Guan Men (Meditative Approaches to the Huayan Dharmadhatu) Alan Fox 73

7 Dogen's "Mountains and Waters as Sutras" (Sansui-kyo) Graham Parkes 83

8 Nishitani Keiji's "The Standpoint of Zen: Directly Pointing to the Mind" Bret W. Davis 93

Part II Philosophy of Language and Hermeneutics 103

9 Sensation, Inference, and Language: Dignaga's Pramanasamuccaya Richard Hayes 107

10 Jnanagarbha's Verses on the Distinction between the Two Truths Malcolm David Eckel 116

11 Language and the Ultimate: Do Madhyamikas Make Philosophical Claims? A Selection from Khedrupjey's Stong thun chen mo (Great Digest) Jose lgnacio Cabezon 126

12 Zongmi's Yuanren lun (lnquiry into the Origin of the Human Condition): The Hermeneutics of Doctrinal Classification Peter N. Gregory 138

13 Dogen's Shobogenzo, Fascicles "Katto" and "Osakusendaba" Steven Heine 149

14 Beyond Awareness: Torei Enji's Understanding of Realization in the Treatise on theInexhaustible Lamp of Zen, chapter 6 Michel Mohr 159

Part III Epistemology 171

15 The Approach to Knowledge and Truth in the Theravada Record of the Discourses of the Buddha Peter Harvey 175

16 Dharmakirti and Dharmottara on the Intentionality of Perception: Selections from Nyayabindu (An Epitome of Philosophy) Dan Arnold 186

17 The Role of Knowledge of Causation in Dharmakirti's Theory of Inference: The Pramana-varttika Brendan S. Gillon 197

18 Yogacara Theories of the Components of Perception: The Buddhabhumy-upadesa Dan Lusthaus 205

19 Classification of Non-Authoritative Cognitive Processes (tshad min) in the Ngog and Sakya Traditions Leonard W. J. van der Kuijp 218

20 Understanding the Two Truths: Tsongkhapa's Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's "Mulamadhyamakakarika" Jay L. Garfield 224

21 The Deluded Mind as World and Truth: Epistemological Implications of Tiantai Doctrine and Praxis in Jingxi Zhanran's Jingangpi and Zhiguan yili Brook Ziporyn 238

22 The Presencing of Truth: Dogen's Genjokoan Bret W. Davis 251

Part IV Philosophy of Mind and the Person 261

23 Theravada Philosophy of Mind and the Person: Anatta-lakkhana Sutta, Maha-nidana Sutta, and Milindapanha Peter Harvey 265

24 Pudgalavada Doctrines of the Person Dan Lusthaus 275

25 Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakosa: The Critique of the Pudgalavadins' Theory of Persons James Duerlinger 286

26 Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakosa: The Critique of the Soul Charles Goodman 297

27 Candrakirti's Madhyamakavatarabhasya 6.86-97: A Madhyamaka Critique of Vijnanavada Views of Consciousness C. W. Huntington, Jr 309

28 Santaraksita's Tattvasamgraha: A Buddhist Critique of the Nyaya View of the Self Matthew T. Kapstein 320

29 Zhiyi's Great Calming and Contemplation: "Contemplating Mental Activity as the Inconceivable Realm" Hans-Rudolfh Kantor 334

30 "The Mind Is Buddha": Pojo Chinul's Secrets on Cultivating the Mind Jin Y. Park 348

31 Nishida's Conception of Person Gereon Kopf 358

Part V Ethics 371

32 Theravada Texts on Ethics Peter Harvey 375

33 The Bodhisattva Path: Santideva's Bodhicaryavatara William Edelglass 388

34 Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi: The Morality Chapter Gareth Sparham 400

35 Essentials on Observing and Violating the Fundamentals of Bodhisattva Precepts: Wonhyo's Non-Substantial Mahayana Ethics Jin Y. Park 409

36 Thich Nhat Hanh's Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism William Edelglass 419

37 Joanna Macy: The Ecological Self William Edelglass 428

38 Buddhist Feminist Reflections Karma Lekshe Tsomo 437

Index 449