Jnanagarbha on the Two Truths: An Eight Century Handbook of Madhyamaka Philosophy

Jnanagarbha on the Two Truths is a concise and lucid introduction to the issues and personalities that dominated Indian Madhyamaka thought on the eve of its introduction to Tibet. As an example of the influential but little-known Svatantrika branch of the Madhyamaka School, Jnanagarbha’s works shows quite vividly how the commitment to reason in the search for ultimate truth shaped not only the dialogue between Madhyamaka thinkers and members of other Buddhist schools, but also the evolution of the Madhyamaka tradition itself. David Eckel has translated Jnanagarbha’s text in its entirety and provided an introduction that situates the text clearly in its historical and philosophical context. Extensive notes, a transliterated version of the Tibetan translation and a reproduction of the original Tibetan block-prints make this volume useful to scholars as well as to the interested general reader.

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About the Author(s)

MALCOLM DAVID ECKEL is Associate Professor of the History of Religion at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard University.