Transcript Development Of Madhymaka Philosophy

Development of
Madhyamaka Philosophy
Arya Nagarjuna and Madhyamaka
philosophy
Madhyamaka Philosophy
The Madhyamaka Philosophy was created by Arya
Nagarjuna Pada and he lived between 2nd and 3rd Century
A.D.
► It was mentioned earlier that Arya Nagarjuna has written a
Commentary to
Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita in the name of
Mahaprajnaparamita Sastra.
► Probably Nagarjuna Pada originated the Sunyata
Theory in his mind when he was writing MahaPrajnaparamita Sastra.
►
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► The
Prajnaparamita literature carries the
analysis of Sunyata and its main theme is
the theory of Sunyata.
► In order to put forward the theory of
Sunyata Nagarjuna pada wrote the Mula
Madhyamaka Karika.
► In the Mulamadhyamaka Karika Nagarjuna
pada has written one Stanza in 24th chap.
Madhyamaka Philosopy
► Clarifying
the meaning of Sunyata.
► “Yah pratityasamutpadah
Sunyatam tam pracakmahe
Sa prajnapti mupadaya
Pratiptsaiva madhyama – 24:18
(If anything is dependently originated we say
that is Sunya, that is dependent upon
convention. That itself is middle path)
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► According
to the above mentioned stanza
Sunyata means theory of Pratityasamutpada.
(Dependently origination). Then at the very
beginning in the pranama gatha (Paying
Homage ) of Mulamadhyamaka karika
mentions in the 2nd stanza.
Madhyamaka Philosopy
► Yah
pratitya samutpadam
Prapancopasamam sivam
Desayamasa sambuddhah
Tam vande vadatam varam
(I salute him, the fully enlightened, the best
of Speakers, who preached the dependent
arising, the appeasement of obsessions and
the auspicious).
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► In
this manner Arya Nagarjuna explained
the Sunyata theory in the way of
Pratityasamutpada.
► Arya Nagarjunapada tried to explain Sunya
and tried to analyze everything in the
manner of Pratityasamutpada, because he
realizes everything is Sunya and nothing
exist which is not dependently originated.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Apratitya-samutpanno
Dharmah kascid na vidyate
Yasmat tasmat asunyo hi
Dharmah kascin na vidyate -24:19
(There is no a thing that is not dependently
Arisen. For that reason, a thing that is nonempty is also not evident.)
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Therefore
Arya Nagarjuna tried to explain
not the pratityasamutpada but nature of
dependently origination of everything.
► The first chapter of Mulamadhyamaka karika
is called Pratyayapariksa (Investigation of
Pratyaya) and tried to analyze Cause (hetu)
and Effect (Phala).
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► In
this chapter he negated the notion that
things are not produced by hetu-Pratyaya.
► The first Stanza is:
Na svato na pi parato
Na dvabhyam na pi ahetutah
Uppanna jatu vidyante
Bhavah kvacana kecana
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► (There
is nothing exist which is produced by
himself, by otherselves, by both, or without
a cause).
The Main teachings of Madhyamaka
Philosophy
T.R.V.Murti shows the four instances of the
Development of Madhyamaka Philosophy.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
Those are: 1.Writing the primary works of the
Madhyamaka philosophy by Arya Nagarjuna
and his close students. 2. Writing the
commentaries to the Madhyamaka Karika by
Buddhapalita and Bavaviveka. 3.writing
Prasannapada tika by Candrakirthi Pada to
approve the Buddhapalita’s view. 4. starting
the system of interpretation with the mixer
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Of
Madhyamaka and Yogacara by
Shantarakkhita and Kamalasila.
► 1. Writing the primary works of
Madhyamaka Philosophy by Arya
Nagarjuna and his close students.
► Arya Nagarjuna was living between 2 – 3
century, written a large number of Books.
Among those books Karika (Madhyamaka
Karika) becomes primary work and the
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Madhyamaka
system was developed with
commentaries written for the Karika. In the
history of Madhyamaka philosophy Arydeva pada
was considered as one of the members of
orijinators of this system similar to Arya
Nagarjuna. Aryadeva has written
Catussataka explaining Madhyamaka system
Candrakirthi has written a commentary to it.
According to the commentary to the
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Catussataka
Aryadevapada was a prince of a
Sinhala Country and became a monk under
the teachership of Arya Nagarjuna.
A.K.Wader says Aryadevapada takes the
Bodhisattva doctrine as primary teachings.
► Catussataka contains 400 slokas, it devids
into the 16 chapters and each chapter
contains 25 slokas. In the first part of this
Madhyamaka Philosphy
► He
discarded opposite views. Unlike Arya
Nagarjuna pada, he was interested to refute
the Sankhya and Vaisesika views. In the
book called Satasatra he discarded the
views of Sankhya, Vaisesika, Jaina, Lokayata
and Theistic views mentioning their names.
According to Tibetan system
Catussataka, Aksarasataka, Hastavala
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Prakarana
and Jnanasara Samuccaya were
his works. Some other works such as
Satasatra Vaipulya, Cittavisuddhi Prakarana
also ascribed to him.
► Naga(Nagabodhi – Tathagatabhadra) was
the other student of Nagarjuna Pada. He
has written a Commentary to Pancavimsati
Sahasrika Maha Prajna Paramita.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Wader
says the relationship of Madhyamaka
philosophy and the Prajnaparamita Sutras
are clearly shown. Dvadasa Sastra, an
explanation of Madhyamaka Philosophy
(Only exists in Chainese language) also
considered as one of his works. According
to these information the works of Nagarjuna
pada and is close two students’ works can
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Be
considered as the first stage of this
Madhyamaka Philosophy.
► 2 Second Stage of Madhyamaka
Philosophy. Writing commentaries to
the Madhyamaka philosophy by
Buddha Palita and Bhavaviveka
► The commentary to Madhyamaka Karika
which was written by Buddhapalita is not
Madhyamaka Karika
► Existing
now in original form but existing in
Tibetan language.
Buddhapalita (470-550) has written
commentaries to the works of Nagarjuna
and Aryadeva. Buddhapalita was a great
master and he was the exponent of
Prasangika system of Mahayana Buddhism.
It was said that he was born in Hamsakrida,
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► South
India from an early age took a deep
interest in the teachings of the Buddha. He
received novice and full ordination and
entered Nalanda monastery, where he
studied under a Acarya Sangharaksita,
himself a disciple of Nagamitra.Buddhapalita
quickly Mastered the teachings of Arya
Nagarjuna, later while residing at Dantapura
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Monastery
in South India he composed
many commentaries to the works of
Nagarjuna and Aryadeva.
In the 6th Century CE Buddhapalita
composed his famous commentary to
Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom
(Mulasastra)called Buddhapalita Vrtti, a
work of great clarity and insight.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► As
a true Prasangika treatise it extensively
employed consequences to elaborate
Madhyamaka view. His younger
contemporary Bhavaviveka also composed a
comentary to Nagarjuna’s work called Lamp
of wisdom (Prajnapradipa) in which he
criticized Buddhapalita’s position.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► What
is Prasangika System
► Madhyamakas disapprove opponents views
by drawing out the implications (falacious
nature) of their views, but does not show
Madhyamaka’s own thesis. This is the
meaning of Prasangavada (Acaryo bhuyasya
prasangapatti mukhenaiva parapaksam
nirakarotisma. Madhyamaka vrtti
Madhyamaka Philosophy
(Prasannapada by candrakirthi) MKV p.24).
This particular theory of Prasangavada of
Buddhapalita Thera in Madhyamaka Karika
is pointed out by Candrakirti Pada in his
Madhyamaka Karika Vrtti. Therefore we
have to accept that Buddhapalita Thera was
the originator of Prasangika system.
►
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► What
is this Svatantrika system
► Bhavaviveka Thera was the originator of
Svatantrika tradition. Svatantrika system
is to criticize other’s views to prove
Madhyamaka stand, but must put forward
his own arguments (Swatantra anumana).
That means while refuting opponents views
he must bring forward his own thesis.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► By
this way Bhavaviveka Thera criticized the
Buddhapalita Thera’s view of Prasangavada.
Bhavaviveka Thera was a contemporary to
Buddhapalita Thera and his commentary to
Madhyamaka karika was Prajnapradipa.
Bhavaviveka (Bhavya) (500-578) was one of the 1st
Buddhist Logician to employ the
‘formal syllogism’ of Indian logic in expounding
Madhyamika Philosophy
► The
Madhyamaka which he employed to
considerable effect in his commentary to
Nagarjuna’s Mulamadhyamaka Karika
entitled the Prajnapradipa.
According to one source, Bhavaviveka was
born to the East of Magadha in India of
Ksatriya family. He was ordained by
Nagarjuna. Another source claims that
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► He
was born of a Royal family of ‘Malayara’
in South India. After becoming a monk he
travelled to Madhya-desa(Middle-India) and
received the teachings on the Mahayana
sutras and Nagarjuna texts from Acarya
Sanharakhita. After that he returned to
Southern India and became a head of 50
temples and taught extensively.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Bhavaviveka
trys to prove his theory by
Syllogistic argument. During that time the
teachers of Vijnanavada Dingnaga and
Dharmakirti developed Buddhist logic by
criticizing five members of syllogism
(Tarkika sanvakya) (panca avayava vakya)
Brahmanic logic – Five members. Buddhists
maintained only three members only.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Five
memers syllogism (Anumana
vakya) as follows.
Brahmanik Syllogism
1. Pratijna = Thesis = That mountain has fire
2. Hetu = Reason = There is a smoke
3. Drsthanta = Example = Similar to Kitchen
4. Upanaya = Application = It has smoke
5. Nigamana = conclusion = It has fire
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Buddhists
have changed this five
members into three members.
1.Pratijna – Thesis – That mountain has fire.
2.Hetu = Reason = Mountain has smoke.
3. Dristhanta = Example = Similar to kitchen
Bhavaviveka Thera was an expert on this
Buddhist logic. Therefore he was of the
view that it is not only by rejecting others
Madhyamaka Philosopy
► Views
can prove Madhyamaka stand but he
must put forward his own logics to prove.
These arguments are valied to the whole of
Madhyamaka Karika but this particular
Prasangika and Svatantrika stands were
pointed out at the very beginning of the
interpretations of the 1st stanza of
Madhyamaka Karika
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Na
svato na pi parato
Na dvabhyam napyahetutah
Uppanna jatu vidyante
BhavaH Kvacana Keca
(Things are not bone itself, not by others,
not by both itself, not without a cause).
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► This
interpretation is Prasangika. But for the
Bhavaviveka this is not enough, but put
forward his own example.
► 3.The third instances of the
development of Madhyamaka
philosophy is the writng comentary to
the Madhyamaka Karika by candakirti
Thera.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Prasannapada
is the Candrakirti Theras
commentary. This is the only commentary
remaining among other 4 commentaries in
Sanskrit language. By this commentary
candrakirti thera presents the prasangika
theory of Buddhapalita. Candrakirti Thera
presents long comment on the 1st sloka of
the Madhyamaka karika. By that he
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► He
criticizes the Swatantrika theory of
Bhavaviveka. Candrakirti says the Prasangika
system is the proper system to realize the
Madhyamaka methodology. This has become a
major system of interpritation
in Tibet and Mongolia. Shantideva pada who
wrote Bodhicaryavatara and Siksasamuccaya
was also a follower of Prasangika system approved
Madhyamaka philosophy
► Candrakirti
Thera. T.R.V.Murti says a true
Madhyamaka does not have to interpret
anything by a proposition or to put forward
examples to prove anything. His only work
is to refute the opponent’s view by his own
facts. Candrakirti thera tells us that
Buddhapalita thera put forward this
Prasangika interpretation.
Madhyamaka philosophy
►4
The Last phase of the development
of the Madhyamaka Philosophy lies on
Santaraksita and Kamalasila. The
philosophy of these teachers have been
accepted as a mixture of Madhyamaka and
yogacara systems. These two teachers were
the pioneers of introduction Buddhism to
Tibet.Therefore Tibetan teachers carefully
studied the works of these two teachers.
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Therefore
these two were named by those
Tibetan teachers as Yogacara- Madhyamaka
teachers. Tatvasangraha was the first book
of Santaraksita. This is an extensive analysis
of Madhyamaka philosophy and Buddhist
thought. This book is similar to Mula
Madhyamaka karika of Nagarjuna. As same
as the Madhyamaka Karika in
Tatvasamgraha also chapters have been
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Named
as Pariksa. But in this book
Santaraksita held an Idealistic stand on
empirical reality and accepted momentary
theory (Ksanavada) and self-characteristic of
Sautrantika. Therefore Tibetan teachers
identification these two teachers as
Sautrantika-Vijanavadi-Madhyamaka is
justifiable. Kamalasila thera has written
Madhyamaka Philosophy
► Madhyamakaloka
and Bhavanakrama. As to
the methodology followed to write those
books, these books are similar to the books
of Santaraksita. The other teachers who
followed this methodology were
Jnanagarbha, Sri Gupta, Vimuktisena, and
Harbhadra.