Buddhist Philosophy: Essential Readings

by William Edelglass, Jay Garfield

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:	9780195328172
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	04/21/2009
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	480
Sales rank:	722,944
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.20(d)

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

AcknowledgmentsTable of ContentsIntroductionPart I: Metaphysics and Ontology1. Theravada Metaphysics and Ontology: Kaccanagotta (Samyutta-nikaya) and Abhidhammatthasangaha Noa Ronkin2. Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika (Fundamental Verses of the Middle Way): Chapter XXIV: Examination of the Four Noble Truths, Jay L. Garfield3. Vasubandhu's Trisvabhavanirdeśa (Treatise on the Three Natures), Jay L. Garfield4. Santaraksita's "Neither-One-Nor-Many" Argument from The Ornament of the Middle Way (Madhyamakalamkara): A Classical Buddhist Argument on the Ontological Status of Phenomena, James Blumenthal5. Mipam Namgyel: The Lion's Roar Affirming Extrinsic Emptiness, Matthew Kapstein6. Dushun's Huayan Fajie Guan Men (Meditative Approaches to the Huayan Dharmadhatu), Alan Fox7. Dogen's "Mountains and Waters as Sutras" (Sansui-kyo), Graham Parkes8. Nishitani Keiji's "The Standpoint of Zen: Directly Pointing to the Mind", Bret DavisPart II: Philosophy of Language and Hermeneutics9. Sensation, Inference, and Language: Dignaga's Pramanasamuccaya, Richard Hayes10. Jñānagarbha's Verses on the Distinction Between the Two Truths, David Eckel11. Language and the Ultimate: Do Madhyamikas Make Philosophical Claims? A Selection from Khedrupjey's Great Digest, José Cabezón12. Zongmi's Inquiry into the Origin of the Human Condition (Yuanren lun): The Hermeneutics of Doctrinal Classification, Peter Gregory13. Dogen's Shobogenzo Fascicles "Katto" and "Osakusendaba", Steven Heine14. Beyond Awareness: Tōrei Enji's Understanding of Realization in the Treatise on the Inexhaustible Lamp of Zen, Chapter VI, Michel MohrPart III: Epistemology15. The approach to knowledge and truth in the Theravada record of the discourses of the Buddha, Peter Harvey16. Dharmakirti and Dharmottara on the Intentionality of Perception: Selections from "An Epitome of Philosophy" (Nyayabindu), Dan Arnold17. The Role of Knowledge of Causation in Dharmakirti's Theory of Inference: The Pramana-varttika, Brendan Gillon18. Yogacara Theories of the Components of Perception: The Buddhabhumy-upadeśa, Dan Lusthaus19. Classification of Non-Authoritative Cognitive Processes (tshad min) in the Ngog and Sakya Traditions, Leonard W.J. van der Kuijp20. Understanding the Two Truths: Tsongkhapa's Ocean of Reasoning: A Great Commentary on Nagarjuna's "Mulamadhyamakakarika", Jay L. Garfield21. The Deluded Mind as World and Truth: Epistemological Implications of Tiantai Doctrine and Praxis in Jingxi Zhanran's Jingangpi and Zhiguan yili, Brook Ziporyn22. The Presencing of Truth: Dogen's Genjokoan, Bret DavisPart IV: Philosophy of Mind and the Person23. Theravada Philosophy of Mind and the Person: Anatta-lakkhana Sutta, Maha-nidana Sutta, and Milindapa ńha, Peter Harvey24. Pudgalavada Doctrines of the Person, Dan Lusthaus25. Vasubandhu's Abhidharmakośa: The Critique of the Pudgalavadins' Theory of Persons, James Duerlinger26. Vasubandhu's Abhidharma-koa: The Critique of the Soul, Charles Goodman27 Candrakirti's Madhyamakavatarabhasya VI.86-97: A Madhyamaka Critique of Vijñanavada Views of Consciousness, C.W. Huntington, Jr.28. Śantaraksita's Tattvasamgraha: A Buddhist Critique of the Nyaya View of the Self, Matthew Kapstein29. Zhiyi's Great Calming and Contemplation: "Contemplating Mental Activity as the Inconceivable Realm", Hans-Rudolph Kantor30. "The Mind is Buddha": Pojo Chinul's Secrets on Cultivating the Mind, Jin Y. Park31. Nishida's Conception of Person, Gereon KopfPart V: Ethics32. Theravada Texts on Ethics, Peter Harvey33. The Bodhisattva Path: Śantideva's Bodhicaryāvatāra, William Edelglass34. Asanga's Bodhisattvabhumi: The Morality Chapter, Gareth Sparham35. Essentials of Observing and Violating Bodhisattva Precepts: Wonhyo's Non-Substantial Mahayana Ethics, Jin Y. Park36. Thich Nhat Hanh's Interbeing: Fourteen Guidelines for Engaged Buddhism, William Edelglass37. Joanna Macy: The Ecological Self, William Edelglass38. Buddhist Feminist Reflections, Karma Lekshe TsomoContributors