The Madhyamika Mind

The Madhyamika Mind

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Book Specification

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

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