Dear Colleagues, some of you might be interested in this new book of mine, which has just come out:
Candrakīrti's Introduction to the Middle Way. A Guide. Oxford University Press 2024, 296 pages, ISBN: 9780197612347. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/candrakrtis-introduction-to-the-middle-way-9780197612347?cc=us&lang=en# This volume is part of the "Oxford Guides to Philosophy" series, a set of volumes introducing classical philosophical texts. These are meant to be read alongside the texts themselves; my commentary focuses on the philosophical content of the text, using Candrakīrti's auto-commentary as the main explicatory resource. >From the blurb: Candrakīrti's Introduction to the Middle Way (Madhyamakāvatāra) is a central work of Buddhist philosophy for two reasons. First, it provides an introduction to Madhyamaka, one of the three major philosophical schools of Buddhist thought (the other two being Abhidharma and Yogācāra). Second, within Madhyamaka, Candrakīrti's text occupies a very prominent role. This is primarily due to its enormous influence in Tibet, where Candrakīrti's work became the main entry-point into the study of Madhyamaka thought. While the historical importance of the Introduction to the Middle Way for understanding a major section of Buddhist thought is evident, what makes it particularly interesting for students is the role it plays as an 'introduction'. It is one of Candrakīrti's earlier works and presents a comprehensive guide to the key philosophical ideas and problems of Madhyamaka thought. Best wishes Jan Westerhoff *************************** JC Westerhoff Lady Margaret Hall University of Oxford Norham Gardens Oxford OX2 6QA United Kingdom www.janwesterhoff.net [email protected] _______________________________________________ INDOLOGY mailing list [email protected] https://list.indology.info/mailman/listinfo/indology
