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Ratnākaraśānti as Philosophical Opponents with attention to Yuktiṣaṣṭikā, verse 34.pdf

  • 불교학리뷰
  • Abbr : Critical Review for Buddhist Studies
  • 2018, (23), pp.9-38
  • DOI : 10.29213/crbs..23.201806.9
  • Publisher : Geumgang Center for Buddhist Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Buddhist Studies
  • Received : May 7, 2018
  • Accepted : June 8, 2018
  • Published : June 30, 2018

James B. Apple 1

1University of Calgary

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This article examines philosophical differences between Atiśa Dīpaṃkaraśrījñāna (982-1054 CE) and Ratnākaraśānti (ca. 970-1030 CE) based on evidence from newly published Tibetan manuscripts. Traditional Tibetan historians describe Atiśa as Ratnākaraśānti’s student in the study of Mahāyāna works at Vikramaśīla. Ratnākaraśānti is also recorded in these sources as being a tantric master in a number of lineages upheld by Atiśa. Yet, as this paper demonstrates, these two important Indian Buddhist scholars had significant differences in their philosophical views. The paper compares doctrines found in the works of Ratnākaraśā nti and Atiśa to clearly demonstrate how they differed on a number of points of thought and exegesis. Although both Atiśa and Ratnākaraśā nti claimed to follow the Middle Way (madhyamā pratipat) of Nāgārjuna, Atiśa’s thought was influenced by Candrakīrti, while Ratnākaraśā nti expounded his system based on Yogācāra sources. As a specific example to illustrate the differences between these two scholars, the article draws attention to Nāgārjuna’s Yuktiṣaṣṭikā (verse 34), where Atiśa interprets the verse in terms of mere appearances that dependently arise while Ratnākaraśānti framed his interpretation on mental qualities whose ultimate nature consists of the “mere luminosity of non-duality” (advayaprakāśamātra). The paper concludes that these differences between Atiśa and Ratnākaraśānti impacted their relationship at Vikramaśīla monastery in eleventh century India.

Citation status

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