Customer Reviews

Dependent Arising and Emptiness: A Buddhist Interpretation of Madhyamika Philosophy

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All too often these days, what is being passed off to westerners as "Tibetan Buddhism" is in fact only a fraction of it. The Gelugpa school is the largest of the 4 schools of Tibetan Buddhism in both the east and the west. However I caution western readers not to take the Gelugpa view as the only or best one. In my reading, the Gelugpa understanding of Madhyamaka is limited on many fronts in comparison to the other schools. The Gelugpa interpretation has been highly debated by many tibetan critics, most notably by the brilliant scholar Ju Mipham(1846-1912). However it is not my intention here to slander or defame the Gelugpa school, but rather to bring attention to the other views seemingly left out of the heading "Tibetan Buddhism". Elizabeth Napper's book is indeed a scholarly work worthy of praise; however I feel that a correction should be made to the title. The Title should read, Dependent-Arising and Emptiness : A GELUGPA Interpretation of Madhyamika Philosophy. It is misleading to present what is only the Gelugpa view as the "Tibetan Buddhist" view.

This book demonstrates Napper's capability as a scholar of the Madhyamaka. Her critical article on the justification of a retranslation of the Wisdom chapter of the LRCM is well-balanced and lucid.

However, my praise goes to her for offering the backbone to the new edition of the LRCM (ASIN-1559391669), and at the same time delivering this book, which includes a superb translation of the 'interwoven' commentaries to the root text, and other salient pointers to the commentarial tradition of Wisdom in the Gelugpa monastary.

Hopefully, the book will be republished sometime!