Nāgārjuna: Buddhist Philosopher of the Middle Way
James Apple, Ph.D.
E-mail: japple@rel.as.ua.edu Office:
About the Course
This semester we will focus on the philosophy of Nāgārjuna, a crucially important (or unimportant?) Buddhist philosopher from the first or second century (CE) in South Asia. Nāgārjuna’s thought revolves around a critique of “essence” (svabhāva), and his critique results in the claim that all entities are “empty” (śūnya), in that they lack any such essence. For Nāgārjuna, this lack of essence, which he calls “emptiness” (śūnyatā), plays a central role in
Buddhist soteriology, for it cures the “grasping at essences” (ātmagrāha) or essentialism that lies at the root of all suffering. We will focus our attention on Nāgārjuna’s most famous (or infamous) work, Wisdom (prajñā) or the Root Verses on the Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā). We will attempt to
begin by reading the text largely on Nāgārjuna’s own ground, and we will move on to three related tasks. First, we will examine and respond to some indigenous commentarial and contemporary interpretations of Nāgārjuna. Second, we will assess what might be most problematic or promising in Nāgārjuna’s thought. And finally, we will seek to critique, appropriate, or modify Nāgārjuna’s thought with our own interpretations.
Requirements 1. Think, preferably about the readings. 2. Inquire, preferably into the topics at hand. To aid yourself in this task, you should come to class prepared to discuss the readings of the day. “Preparation” here means not simply completing the readings, but also formulating questions, observations and criticism. 3. Express your thoughts and inquiries in writing. Here, you will be aided by the following: 3.1. One research paper due on
December 5, 2003 on a topic chosen in consultation with the instructor. The paper must be at least 2,800 words in length. 3.2. A cumulative bibliography of references related to Nāgārjuna and Madhymaka thought in collaboration with the instructor . Required Texts
Garfield, Jay L. (1995) The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Oxford: Oxford University Press. [[[Wikipedia:University|University]] Book Store]
Garfield, Jay L. (2002) Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation
Burton, David F. (1999) Emptiness appraised: A Critical Study of Nāgārjuna's Philosophy. Richmond, Great Britain: Curzon Press. Curzon Critical Studies in Buddhism.
[Distributed in class]
Tentative Schedule of Readings and Weekly Assignments
Introduction
Nāgārjuna’s Context
Readings: Williams (1998) “Buddhist Concept of Emptiness” Cox (1998) “Ābhidharmika Schools of Buddhism.”
The Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way
Readings: Garfield (verses and commentary) Dunne (handout) Garfield (2002) “Dependent Arising and the Emptiness of Emptiness: Why did Nāgārjuna Start with Causation?, Empty Words: 24-45.
Readings: Garfield (verses and commentary) Dunne (handout) Wisdom: Chapters 3-8
Readings: Garfield (verses and commentary) Dunne (handout) What is the Method?
Wisdom: Chapters 9-15 Readings: Garfield (verses and commentary) Dunne (handout) Wisdom: Chapters 16-23
Readings:
Page 3 Garfield (verses and commentary) Dunne (handout)
Wisdom: Chapters 24-27
Readings: Garfield (verses and commentary) Dunne (handout)
Garfield
Readings: Garfield (1995): 87-99. Siderits (1997) Review of The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way
Traditonal Commentators
Ames (1986) Buddhapālita’s Exposition of Madhyamaka Ames, (1988) The Soteriological Purpose of Nāgārjuna’s Philosophy: A Study of Chapter Twenty-three of the MMK. Lindtner, Christian Buddhap‡lita on Emptiness
Ames. (1995) “Bhāvaviveka’s Prajñāpradīpa [A Translation of Chapter Two:‘Examination of the Traversed, the Untraversed, and that which is being Traversed What are the Problems?
Ames, William L. (1982) “The Notion of svabhāva in the Thought of Candrakīrti.” JIP 10:161ff.
-4-
Huntington, C.W (1983) The System of the Two Truths in the Prasannapadā and the Madhyamakāvatāra: A Study in Mādhyamika Soteriology Huntington, C.W., Jr. with Geshé Namgyal Wangchen. (1989) [selections] The Emptiness of Emptines: An Introduction to Early Indian Mādhyamika.
Williams (1991b) “On the Interpretation of Madhyamaka Thought.
Contemporary Interpretations
Readings: Robinson (1957) “Some Logical Aspects of Nāgārjuna’s System.” Tillemans (1999a) “Is Buddhist Logic Non-classical or Deviant?”
Readings: Galloway (1989) “Some Logical Issues in Madhyamaka Thought.” Garfield (2002) “Nāgārjuna and the Limits of Thought.”Empty Words: 86-108. .
Robinson and Eliminating Views
Readings: Robinson (1972) “Did Nāgārjuna Really Refute All Philosophical Views?” Garfield (2002) “Emptiness and Positionlessness: Do the Mādhyamikas Relinquish All Views?, Empty Words: 46-68.
Stafford and Loy
Readings: Betty (1983) “Nāgārjuna’s Masterpiece -- Logical, Mystical, Both or Neither?” Loy (1984) “How to Criticize Nāgārjuna: A Response to L. Stafford Betty.” Betty (1984) “Is Nāgārjuna a Philosopher: A response to Professor Loy.” October 23 Hayes Readings: Hayes (1994) “Nāgārjuna’s Appeal”: 299-325
Hayes, Garfield, and Burton I
Readings:
Page 5 Hayes (1994) “Nāgārjuna’s Appeal”: 325-372. Burton (1999) Emptiness Appraised: ix-41 Garfield (2002) “Epochê and Śūnyatā: Scepticism East and West,” Empty Words: 3-23
Burton II
Readings: Burton (1999) Emptiness Appraised: 45-83
Burton III
Readings: Burton (1999) Emptiness Appraised: 83-219 Griffiths (2000) Review of Emptiness Appraised: A Critical Study of Nāgārjuna’s Philosophy. JBE 7: 22–
Summary
Assignment: Review all readings and come prepared for discussion Present a brief overview of your paper to the class.
- Final paper due December 5, 2003 by 5 p.m.*******
Ames, William L. (1982) “The Notion of svabhāva in the Thought of Candrak„rti.” JIP 10:161ff. Ames, William L. (1986) “Buddhapālita’s Exposition of Madhyamaka.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 14: 313-348. Ames, William L. (1988) “The Soteriological Purpose of Nāgārjuna’s Philosophy: A Study of Chapter Twenty-three of the MMK.” Ames, William L. (1995) “Bhāvaviveka’s Prajñāpradīpa [A Translation of Chapter Two:‘Examination of the Traversed, the Untraversed, and that which is being Traversed’].” JIP 23: 295-365. Betty, L. Stafford. (1983) “Nāgārjuna’s Masterpiece -- Logical, Mystical, Both or Neither?”PEW 33: 123ff. Betty, L. Stafford. (1984) “Is Nāgārjuna a Philosopher: A response to Professor Loy.” PEW 34:447ff. Burton, David F. (1999) Emptiness appraised: A Critical Study of Nāgārjuna's Philosophy. Richmond, Great Britain: Curzon Press. Curzon critical studies in Buddhism. Cox, Collett. (1992) “Attainment through Abandonment: The Sarvāstivadin Path of Removing Defilements.” Paths to Liberation, University of Hawaii Press (1992: 63-106). Cox, Collett. (1998) “Ābhidharmika Schools of Buddhism.” In Craig (1998), Vol. 2: 53-59.
Page 6 Craig, Edward. General Editor. (1998) Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Routledge: New York. Dunne, John D. (1996) “Thoughtless Buddha, Passionate Buddha.” Journal of the American Academy of Religion 64/3: 525-556. Galloway, Brian. (1989) “Some Logical Issues in Madhyamaka Thought.” JIP 17: 000. Garfield, Jay L. (1995) The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Garfield, Jay L. (2002) Empty Words: Buddhist Philosophy and Cross-Cultural Interpretation Gethin, Rupert. (1998) The Foundations of Buddhism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Griffiths, Paul J. (2000) Review of Emptiness Appraised: A Critical Study of Nāgārjuna’s Philosophy by David F. Burton. JBE 7: 22–25. Hayes, Richard P. (1994) “Nāgārjuna’s Appeal.” JIP 22: 299-378. Huntington, C.W., Jr. (1983) “The System of the Two Truths in the Prasannapadā and the Madhyamakāvatāra: A Study in Mādhyamika Soteriology.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 11:77-106. Huntington, C.W., Jr. with Geshé Namgyal Wangchen. (1989) The Emptiness of Emptines: An Introduction to Early Indian Màdhyamika. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. Inada, K. K., editor and translator. (1970) Nāgārjuna: A
Translation of his Mūlamadhyamakakārikā. Tokyo: Hokuseido Press. Loy, David. (1984) “How to Criticize Nāgārjuna: A Response to L. Stafford Betty.” PEW 34:437ff. May, Jacques (1978) “On Mādhyamika Philosophy.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 6: 233-24. Nāgārjuna. (2000). Wisdom: Verses on the Centricism [[[Mūlamadhyamakakārikā]]]. J.D. Dunne, trans. Unpublished manuscript. Wisdom: Fundamental Stanzas on the Middle Way. Robert A.F. Thurman, trans. Unpublished manuscript. Nietupski, Paul. (1996) “The Examination of Conditioned Entities and the Examination of Reality: Nāgārjuna’s Prajñānāma
Mūlamadhyamakakārikā XIII, Bhāvaviveka’s Prajñāpradīpa XIII, and Candrakãrti’s Prasannapad‡ XIII.” JIP 24: 103-143. Pind, O. H. (1983) “Emptiness: Towards a Semiotic Determination of Emptiness in Madhyamika Discourse.” In Steinkellner et al, eds., Contributions on Tibetan and Buddhist Religion and Philosophy. 2nd edition, 1995. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass Robinson, Richard H. (1957) “Some Logical Aspects of Nāgārjuna’s System.” PEW 6: 291-308. Robinson, Richard H. (1972) “Did Nāgārjuna Really Refute All Philosophical Views?” PEW 22: 325331. Ruegg, D. Seyfort. (1977) “The Uses of the Four Positions of the Catuṣkoṭi and the Problem of the Description of Reality in Mahāyāna Buddhism.” JIP 5: 1ff.
Page 7 Siderits, Mark. (1997) Review of The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way: Nāgārjuna’s Mūlamadhyamakakārikā, translation and and commentary by Jay L. Garfield. JBE 4. Siderits, Mark. (1998) “Nāgārjuna.” In Craig (1998), Vol. 7: 638-640. Streng, Frederick J. (1971) “The Buddhist Doctrine of Two Truths as Religious Philosophy.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 1: 262-271. Thurman, Robert A.F. (1984) Tsong Khapa's Speech of Gold in the Essence of True Eloquence :Reason and Enlightenment in the Central Philosophy of Tibet. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press. Tillemans, Tom J.F. (1999) Scripture, Logic, Language: Essays on Dharmakãrti and His Tibetan Successors. Boston: Wisdom Publications. Tillemans, Tom J.F. (1999a) “Is Buddhist Logic Non-classical or Deviant?” In Tillemans (1999): 187205. Williams, Paul 1980 “Some Aspects of Language and Construction in the Madhyamaka” Williams, Paul. (1981) “On the Abhidharma Ontology.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 9: 227-257. Williams, Paul. (1984) “Review Article of Nagarjuniana: Studies in the
Writings and Philosophy of Nāgārjuna.” JIP 12: 73-104. Williams, Paul. (1989) Mahāyāna Buddhism: the Doctrinal Foundations. London: Routledge. Williams, Paul. (1991b) “On the Interpretation of Madhyamaka Thought: Review Article of Huntington’s The Emptiness of Emptiness.” JIP 19: 191-218. Williams, Paul. (1998) “Buddhist Concept of Emptiness.” In Craig (1998), Vol. 2: 276-80. YÂichi, Kajiyama. (1987) “Mādhyamika.” Encyclopedia of Religion 9: 71-77.
