Mipham's Dialectics and the Debates on Emptiness: To Be, Not to Be or Neither (Routledgecurzon Critical Studies in Buddhism) [Hardcover]

Karma Phuntsho (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 17, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0415352525 | ISBN-13: 978-0415352529 | Edition: 1

This is an introduction to the Buddhist philosophy of Emptiness which explores a number of themes in connection with the concept of Emptiness, a highly technical but very central notion in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism. It examines the critique by the leading Nyingma school philosopher Mipham (1846-1912) formulated in his diverse writings. The book focuses on related issues such as what is negated by the doctrine of emptiness, the nature of ultimate reality, and the difference between 'extrinsic' and 'intrinsic' emptiness. Karma Phuntsho's book aptly undertakes a thematic and selective discussion of these debates and Mipham's qualms about the Gelukpa understanding of Emptiness in a mixture of narrative and analytic style.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Karma Phuntsho concludes his fine study saying about Mipham that his works on Madhyamaka thus represent the crowning glory of his remarkable contribution to learning in Tibet and it will surely be for this legacy that Mipham will be best remembered and most studied for generations to come'.

'Mipham's elaborations on emptiness offer an excellent counter balance to the negationist interpretation of the Gelugpa school, which has won over many Western scholars. Demonstrably, Mipham's approach illustrates in a commendable fashion the middle path favored by the Buddha and Nagarjuna.'

- Traditional Yoga Studies

About the Author

Karma Phuntsho was trained to be a Khenpo, a Tibetan monastic abbot, for about a dozen years during which he studied, practiced and taught Buddhism in several monasteries in Bhutan and India. In 2003, he received a PhD in Oriental Studies from Balliol College, Oxford. He currently works at the University of Cambridge and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Paris as post-doctoral researcher specializing in Buddhism and Bhutan. His main interest lies in the preservation and promotion of Buddhist and Bhutanese culture.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (May 17, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415352525
• ISBN-13: 978-0415352529
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,963,318 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars brief thoughts on an interesting book, April 29, 2010

By 

Barnaby Thieme (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Mipham's Dialectics and the Debates on Emptiness: To Be, Not to Be or Neither (Routledgecurzon Critical Studies in Buddhism) (Hardcover)

This is a useful and sometimes-challenging overview of Mipham's views on Madhyamaka with some big revelations for me, particularly pertaining to his basic posture with regards to the shentong or "emptiness-of-other" doctrine.

This book tries to have it both ways in that it treats a highly specialized topic but also shoots for a broad audience, giving a lot of introductory information on Madhyamaka and its history in India and Tibet. My hunch is that the people who are drawn to this book (like me) aren't going to need the review and are going to get impatient digging through that part of it (like I did).

We need more on Mipham in English. More, more, more. He may be the greatest Tibetan exegete of the last 200 years, an inspiring scholar of staggering genius.

Hey, you! Scholar! I see you working on yet another damned translation of Nagarjuna's Mulamadhyamakakarika -- put it down! Translate some Mipham instead!