The Madhyamika Mind

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Item Code: IDC240
Author: Harsh Narain
Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Pvt. Ltd
Language: English
Edition: 1997
ISBN: 8120812020
Pages: 182
Cover: Hardcover
Other Details 8.8" X 5.8"
Weight 380 gm
Book Description

From the Jacket:

What do the Madhyamikas really mean? After a painstaking scrutiny of their primary sources as well as those of their rivals, coupled with a careful consideration of new-fangled interpretations by modern Madhyamikologists, the author essays in this work the task of demonstrating with a wealth of documentation that it is difficult to resist the conclusion that, far from being an Absolutism or Absolutistic Monism as commonly held in responsible circles today, Madhyamika philosophy, styled Sunyavada, is, as held by the classics, Universal, Total, or Absolute Nihilism/Illusionism, indeed so Absolute a Nihilism/Illusionism that it leaves absolutely no room for religion and mysticism to which the Madhyamikas do in their a-philosophical mood feel committed, a fact brought into focus by the author for the first time.

About The Author:

Harsh Narain did his M.A. from Nagpur University and took his Ph.D. in the field of Nyaya-Vaisesika Philosophy from Lucknow University.

After holding Lecturership in Philosophy at Banaras Hindu University, he became a Reader in Philosophy at North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, and a Visiting Professor of Philosophy at Aligarh Muslim University. Subsequently, he was attached to Lucknow University by University Grants Commission in their scheme of utilization of senior retired University teachers' services. Dr. Harsh Narain has published about a dozen books and over two hundred papers and articles.

 

CONTENTS

 

Preface ix
1. INTRODUCTION

 

1
2. THE BUDDHA'S MIND 7
  The Categorical, the Allegorical, and the Equivocal in the Buddha 7
  Wooing and Jilting Metaphysics 9
  The Conflicting Thrusts of the Metaphysical in the Buddha

 

11
3. LOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS 29
  Realism Culminating in Destructed Nihilism 29
  Reaction to Realism Culminating in Absolute Nihilism 31
  Tension between Absolute Nihilism and Absolutism in the Madhyamika 29
  Idealism, Absolutism, Docetism 36
  Theo-Buddhism 37
  The Soul's Hideouts 41
  The Buddhist Mind Divided against itself

 

43
4. CONFLICTING INTERPRETATIONS 49
  The Nihilistic Interpretation 49
  The Metaphysical-Absolutistic Interpretation 50
  The Soteriological-Absolutistic Interpretation 53
  The Linguistic-Analytic Interpretation 54
  The Harking Back to the non-Madhyamika Traditions 55
  The Madhyamika 's Confession

 

57
5. GERMS OF NIHILISM IN NON-BUDDHIST TRADITIONS 67
  The Vedic 'Asat' 67
  The Nyaya-Vaisesika Asat-Karya 68
  The Lokayata Negativism 69
  Pre-Buddhistic Upholders of Four-Cornered Negation

 

70
6. EVOLUTION OF THE MEANING OF SUNYA/SUNYATA 73
  The Pali Canon 73
  Non-Canonical Pali Buddhism 76
  Sanskrit Hinayana Buddhism 77
  Mahayana Buddhism

 

78
7. THE MADHYAMIKA AS SUNYAVADA 85
  Graduated Teaching of the Sunyata Doctrine 86
  (1) Sunyata as Relative Being 86
  (2) Sunyata as Essenceless Being 88
  (3) Sunyata as Non-Being 89
  (4) Sunyata as Neither Being nor Non-Being 90
  (5) Sunyata of Sunyata 93
  Sunyata and Prajnaparamita

 

95
8. THE MADHYAMIKA DIALECTIC AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE 107
  From Bypassing Metaphysics through its Outright Rejection to Its Total Transcendence 107
  The Madhyamika Rejects Metaphysics 107
  An Omnibus Five-Member Dialectic 110
  Nihilistic Significance of the Dialectic 111
  The Logico-Linguistic Dilemma 115
  Total Transcendence of Metaphysics

 

117
9. NIHILISM AND ABSOLUTISM 123
  Tattva', Dharmata, Tathata, Bhutakoti 123
  Meaning of Absolute 129
  Nihilism and Advaitism

 

132
10. RESUME AND REVIEW

 

143
ABBREVIATIONS 151
BIBLIOGRAPHY 153
INDEX 163

Sample Page


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