Chandrakirti ( v. चन्द्रकीर्ति , Tib. Zla.ba. grags.pa. , Dawa Drakpa , born about 600 AD,) is an outstanding Indian thinker, Buddhist monk, rector of the Nalanda monastery, follower of Nagarjuna and commentator on his work. He made a significant contribution to the development of the Madhyamaka - Prasangaka school.
| Chandrakirti | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | |
| Place of Birth | |
| Date of death | |
| Occupation | , |
It is believed that Chandrakirti was able to defend the position of the prasangaki formulated by Buddhapalita and find worthy criticism of Bhavaviveka , the representative of the branch of Swatantrika .
Chandrakirti is recognized as a master of polemic. In addition to the Svatantrika, he harshly criticized the teachings of Dignagi , to which the Svatantriks actively referred, as well as the entire system of Vijnanavada ( Yogachara ) as a whole. He also led successful polemics with Brahmanism and with non-Mahayana Buddhism schools.
Chandrakirti makes significant conclusions when commenting on the Mulamadhyamaka-karika of Nagarjuna. His “Seven Steps of Logical Reasoning” is well known, where he logically substantiates the absence of the absolute basis of dharmas (phenomena), determining relative reality. The works of Chandrakirti were appreciated by the reformer of Tibetan Buddhism, Lama Tsongkhapa , taking his works as the basis for the teachings of the Galug school he founded.
Compositions
Chandrakirti is considered the author of several works that are available in the Tibetan translation [1] .
- Madhyamaka-avatara ("Introduction to Madhyamaku") - a treatise in 376 verses in 11 chapters with auto-commentary. A refutation of causality is carried out, duality (nairatmya) and 16 types of “Voidness” ( Shunyata ) are explained . The reasoning is based on Mulamadhyamaka-karika Nagarjuna ： things do not arise from themselves, from other things, from one and the other together and are not at the same time causeless). [2]
- Chatuhshataka-tika ("Commentary on the Four Hundreds ") - comments on Chatuhshataki-madhyamaku Aryadeva ( III century ); polemic with Indian philosophical schools of Sankhya and Vaisheshiki . [3]
- Prasannapada ("Clarity") - Commentary on the Mulyamadhyamaka Karika Nagarjuna, preserved in the Sanskrit original. In addition to polemics with the Sarvastivadin Buddhists, as well as with the Vaisheshiks and Sankhyaiks, Chandrakirti puts forward the concept of two levels of truth (absolute and relative), a metaphorical designation of teaching subjects and logical coherence (yukti).
- Yuktishashtikavritta (Yuktiṣaṣṭikāvṛtti) - Comments in sixty stanzas about logical reasoning
- Shunyatasaptivritti (Shūnyatāsaptativṛtti) - Comments in seventy stations about the Void
- Trisharanasaptati (Triśara стихasaptati) - Seventy verses on the adoption of the Vault
Translations
- Chandrakirti. Introduction to Madhyamika / Transl. from tibet. A.M. Donets. St. Petersburg: "Eurasia", 2004. 464 p.
Notes
- ↑ Chandrakirti // Encyclopedia of Around the World
- ↑ Ocean of Nectar: The True Nature of All Things , Tharpa Publications (1995) ISBN 978-0-948006-23-4
- ↑ Lang, Karen C. Four Illusions: Candrakīrti's Advice to Travelers on the Bodhisattva Path. - Oxford University Press , 2003.
Literature
- Chandrakirti / Androsov V.P. // Conifer - Shervinsky. - M .: Big Russian Encyclopedia, 2017. - P. 401. - ( Big Russian Encyclopedia : [in 35 vols.] / Ch. Ed. Yu. S. Osipov ; 2004—2017, vol. 34). - ISBN 978-5-85270-372-9 .
Links
- Geshe Jampa Tinley. The mind and the void.
- Joe Wilson. Chandrakirti's Sevenfold Reasoning Meditation on the Selflessness of Persons
- Candrakiirti's critique of Vijñaanavaada , Robert F. Olson, Philosophy East and West, Volume 24 No. 4, 1977, pp405-411
- Candrakiirti's denial of the self , James Duerlinger, Philosophy East and West, Volume 34 No. 3, July 1984, pp261-272
- Candrakiirti's refutation of Buddhist idealism , Peter G. Fenner, Philosophy East and West, Volume 33 No. 3, July 1983, pp251-261
- Philosophical Nonegocentrism in Wittgenstein and Candrakirti , Robert AF Thurman, Philosophy East and West, Volume 30 No. 3, July 1980, pp321-337