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There is now a second edition of this book. The text has been revised and new essays added.
About the Author
Richard H. Jones holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University in the history and philosophy of religion and an A.B. from Brown University in religious studies. He also has a J.D. from the University of California at Berkeley and practices law in New York City, where he lives. He is the author of Science and Mysticism (Bucknell University Press/Booksurge), Mysticism Examined (State University of New York Press), Reductionism (Bucknell University Press), Mysticism and Morality (Lexington Books), and numerous philosophy of religion and law review articles.
Last week when I stumbled upon this Amazon page I'm sure there was a helpful 5 star review already posted here for this short, simple, direct and brilliant book on Nagarjuna. I'm sure of it because it convinced me that this was a different approach to Nagarjuna, one relying on the simple words and logical arguments of Nagarjuna himself rather than those of his later Indian and Tibetan commentators, and so a good enough reason for me to order it. But maybe that was a dream, an illusion, a mirage which served to catch my attention, and thanks to Nagarjuna's timeless blessing, help wake me up!
So, to this book. There are many translations of Nagarjuna and his commentators, but they are often so dense with logic (convoluted and exhaustive) and/or academic hair-splitting (ancient and modern) that it is a difficult slog for a lazy ignorant layman such as myself. My main reason to want to even read the old master (and Jones introduces him as being second only in importance in Buddhism to the Buddha himself) is, 1) to wake up and realize the true nature of phenomena, 2) to see more clearly his place within Buddhist thought, and 3) to see his place within the larger tradition of human philosophical thought. Other readers/students may have a different mix of priorities, but perhaps the 3 go together eventually for all of us. This translation makes an effort to be true to Nagarjuna's literal meaning without being bound to the traditional form (4 line stanzas designed to facilitate monastic memorizing). The result is a clear and simple rendering in word if not necessarily in my comprehension... (This isn't to say Jones is at fault. It is my experience that the words of Nagarjuna are easy, obvious and immediate but that the meaning is difficult, subtle and vast.Read more ›
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