Dignaga's Investigation of the Percept: A Philosophical Legacy in India and Tibet

by Douglas Duckworth, Malcolm David Eckel, Jay L. Garfield (Editor), John Powers (Editor), Yeshes Thabkhas (Editor)

Overview

While a short work of only eight verses and a three-page autocommentary, the Investigation of the Percept has inspired epistemologists for centuries and has had a wide-ranging impact in India, Tibet, and China. Dignaga, one of the major figures in Buddhist epistemology, explores issues such as the relation between the mind and its percepts, the problems of idealism and realism, and the nature of intentionality in this brief but profound text. This volume provides a comprehensive history of the text in India and Tibet from 5th century India to the present day. This team of philologists, historians of religion and philosophers who specialize in Tibetan, Sanskrit and Chinese philosophical literature has produced the first study of the text and its entire commentarial tradition. Their approach makes it possible to employ the methods of critical philology and cross-cultural philosophy to provide readers with a rich collection of studies and translations, along with detailed philosophical analyses that open up the intriguing implications of Dignāga's thought and demonstrate the diversity of commentarial approaches to his text. The comprehensive nature of the work reveals the richness of commentary in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism and shows surprising parallels between the modern West and traditional Buddhist philosophy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780190623722
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	11/03/2016
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	320
File size:	7 MB

About the Author

Douglas Duckworth is Assistant Professor in the Department of Religion at Temple University. Malcolm David Eckel is a Professor of Religion and Director of the Institute for Philosophy and Religion at Boston University. Jay L. Garfield is Doris Silbert Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy, Logic and Buddhist Studies at Smith College. John Powers is Professor of Religious Studies in the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University. Yeshes Thabkhas is Professor Emeritus of Indian Buddhist Philosophy at the Central University of Tibetan Studies. Sonam Thakchöe is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Tasmania.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments The Research Team Introduction Part I. Studies and Translations 1. The Subject Matter of Investigation of the Percept: A Tale of Five Commentaries Malcolm David Eckel, Jay L. Garfield, and John Powers 2. Investigation of the Percept Dignāga 3. Autocommentary to Investigation of the Percept Dignāga 4. "To Please Beginners": Vinitdadeva's Subcommentary on Investigation of the Percept in its Indian Context Malcolm David Eckel 5. Subcommentary on Investigation of the Percept Vinitadeva 6. Introduction to Ornament for Dignāga's Thought in Investigation of the Percept Douglas Duckworth 7. Ornament for Dignāga's Thought in Investigation of the Percept Gung thang dKon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me 8. Ngawang Dendar's Commentary John Powers 9. Beautiful String of Pearls: A Commentary on Investigation of the Percept Ngag dbang bstan dar 10. Introduction to Summary of the Essence: A Commentary on Investigation of the Percept Jay L. Garfield, John Powers, and Sonam Thakchöe 11. Summary of the Essence: A Commentary on Investigation of the Percept Yeshes Thabkhas Part II. Tibetan Texts Investigation of the Percept and Its Autocommentary: The Tibetan Texts 12. Investigation of the Percept (Alambana-pariksa) Dignāga 13. Autocommentary to Investigation of the Percept (Alambana-pariksa-vrtti) Dignāga 14. Subcommentary on Investigation of the Percept: The Tibetan Text 15. Subcommentary on Investigation of the Percept (Alambana-pariksa-tika) Vinitadeva 16. Ornament for Dignāga's Thought Regarding Investigation of the Percept: Tibetan Text 17. Ornament for Dignāga's Thought Regarding Investigation of the Percept (dMigs pa brtag pa'i 'grel pa phyogs glang dgongs rgyan) Gung thang dKon mchog bstan pa'i sgron me 18. Beautiful String of Pearls: A Commentary on Investigation of the Percept: Tibetan Text 19. Beautiful String of Pearls: A Commentary on Investigation of the Percept (dMigs pa brtag pa'i 'grel pa mu tig 'phreng mdzes) Ngag dbang bstan dar 20. Summary of the Essence: A Commentary on Investigation of the Percept (dMigs brtag 'grel pa snying po bsdus pa) Yeshes Thabkhas English-Tibetan-Sanskrit Glossary Bibliography Index

Editorial Reviews

"[A]n overall outstanding contribution to the study of Dignaga's Yogacara philosophy and its Tibetan reception in the Dge lugs pa school. The present monograph will be a starting point for any future study of the Tibetan reception of the Investigation of the Percept."—eading Religion

"This work beautifully exemplifies how collaborative work can result in a product of higher quality than any of the scholars might have produced individually. The careful philosophical analysis of Dignaga's Alambanapariksa and its commentaries shows that there were several ways of interpreting Dignaga's laconic presentation. Because of its thoroughness, this study is sure to be a durable standard work to be consulted for generations to come." —Richard P. Hayes, author of Dignaga, On the Interpretation of Signs

From the Publisher