Lucid Exposition of the Middle Way: The Essential Chapters From The Prasannapada of Candrakirti

by Candrakīrti, Mervyn Sprung (Translator), Nāgārjuna

Originally published in 1979. The Prasannapada is the explanation of the versed aphorisms of Nāgārjuna which are the first and basic statement of the Buddhist philosophy of the middle way. When first published, this volume was the first attempt, in any European language, to present all the essentials of this most radical of Buddhist philosophical works. Seventeen of its twenty-seven chapters have been chosen to give an integrated statement of every aspect of its arguments and conclusions. Includes translated verses of the Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.

Genres: Philosophy, Buddhism

283 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

[A] khenpo of Nālandā Mahāvihāra and a disciple of Nāgārjuna and a commentator on his works and those of his main disciple, Āryadeva. Candrakīrti was the most famous member of what the Tibetans came to call the dbU-ma thal-'gyur, an approach to the interpretation of Madhyamaka philosophy sometimes back-translated into Sanskrit as Prāsaṅgika Madhyamaka or rendered in English as the "Consequentialist" or "Dialecticist" school.

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandrak...)

Reviews

[Mesoscope · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good but not great partial translation of Chandrakirti's Prasannapadā, it's the best we have for now, and for now it will do. Obviously one of the most important Madhyamaka treatises to come out of India, and a vital key to understanding Nagarjuna's cryptic masterpiece, the Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way. Unfortunately this book is rare and tends to be expensive - I'd be embarrassed to admit what I paid for it.

Years ago I heard a rumor that John Dunne was working on a complete translation, and I fervently hope that that's true, and it appears soon. It would be an invaluable addition to the scholarship.