Mipham on the Madhyamaka

Kriterion: Revista de Filosofia, 2016

The objective of this article is to contribute to the understanding of Nāgārjuna's 'two truths' doctrine (satyadvaya) as presented in the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā ("The Fundamental Verses of the Middle Path") (XXIV.8-10). For that purpose, we argue that 'two truths' doctrine the basic structural framework for the operational functionality of upāya of upāya (lit., 'skilful means'), perhaps the most important epistemological/pedagogical notion of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

Revue d’Études Tibétaines, 2011

ince the time of the Tibetan emperor Khri srong lde'u bstan (reign 755-ca. 800), the Mādhyamika position, originally taught by Nāgārjuna, has represented the supreme philosophical view (dṛṣṭi, lta ba) of Tibetan Buddhism. It is the keystone of Tibetan Buddhist doxographies (siddhānta, grub mtha') that classify Indian Buddhist philosophical schools. One of the Mādhyamika School's primary doctrines, the doctrine of the two truths (satyadvaya, bden gnyis)-relative truth (saṃvṛitisatya, kun rdzob kyi bden pa) and absolute truth (paramārthasatya, don dam gyi bden pa)-represents the quintessence of the "middle path" (madhyamā pratipad, dbu ma'i lam) that avoids all extremes. Inspired by the Buddha's teaching of a middle path that avoids both hedonism and asceticism, the Mādhyamika School articulates a metaphysical middle path that avoids both eternalism and nihilism.

Throughout the history of Buddhism, the doctrine of Two Truths has been utilized as a proper means to evaluate the philosophical views of different schools of this tradition. In this research the doctrine of Two Truths, conventional and ultimate, has been examined with special attention to Middle Way philosophy, the philosophy of Madhyamika School, specifically the ideas of the founder of this school, Nagarjuna (2 nd century CE). The distinction between two truths has been examined on religious, social, moral, epistemological, and ontological aspects. The closing discussion devoted to the opinions of historically well-known commentators of Nagarjuna's treatis (Karikas), Candrakirti (7 th century) and Tsongkhapa (14 th century) who believed that the distinction between two truths is more epistemological, rather than being ontological.

Contemporary Buddhism, 2004

Asian Journal of Philosophy

In reading Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, one is struck by Nāgārjuna's separation of conventional truth and ultimate truth. At the most basic level, these two truths deal with emptiness and the appearance of fundamental existence, but the meaning of "conventional" lends itself to two key senses: concealing and socially agreed-upon norms and practices. The tension between these two senses and how they relate to truth leads Nāgārjuna's Tibetan commentators in different directions in their exegesis on conventional truth. Based on the debate between Tsongkhapa and Gorampa, I propose a Madhyamaka account of truth as trust. In so doing, I provide a novel account of truth, in which propositions and phenomena are truth-bearers, and one's ability to trust in them establishes their truth-value.

International Journal of Buddhist Thought and Culture, 2017

The two truths theory is usually considered as an indispensable framework for Madhyamaka exponents to maintain a middle position. Based on Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā (MK) and its Indic commentaries, this paper challenges this view and argues that there is a discernible turning point in the exegetic history of the MK concerning the two truths theory and that the practice of establishing the middle position on two truths was not present in the Madhyamaka tradition until Bhāviveka of the sixth century.

The Problem of two truths in Buddhism and Vedānta. This book mentions many profound points of Saṁvṛti and Paramārtha. Such as: - Saṁvṛti and Paramārtha in Mādhyamika; - The significance of Prtītyasamutpāda for understanding the relationship between Saṁvṛti and Paramārthasatya in Nāgārjuna; - The Nature of Saṁvṛti and the Relationship of Paramārtha to it in Svātantrika - Mādhyamika and so on... I have been searching this book for many years, I have just got it. Now I share for you, it free, it has many interesting points... try to read it and I am sure you will enjoy it... Have a great time! Bhiksuni T NL

JOWO, 2017

Chen-kuo Lin and Michael Radich (eds.) A Distant Mirror: Articulating Indic Ideas in Sixth and Seventh Century Chinese Buddhism (Hamburg University Press), 2014