Digital Dictionary of Buddhism

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Basic Meaning: Candrakīrti

Senses:

  • Candrakīrti (6th-7th c.) was a South Indian, who lived and wrote at the famous Buddhist cave complex that was near present-day Nāgârjunakonda on the Krishna River. His masterwork is the Prasannapadā, a rich, profound, detailed, and yet playful commentary on Nāgârjunaʼs 龍樹 Mūla-madhyamaka-kārikā 中論, which survives in Sanskrit and Tibetan translation. In it, he is critical of Bhāvivekaʼs 淸辯 interpretation of Nāgârjuna, especially Bhāvivekaʼs acceptance of syllogistic argumentation, preferring Buddhapālitaʼs earlier interpretation. This difference of opinion developed many centuries later into two opposing Madhyamaka schools in Tibet, the Tibetans labeling the Bhāviveka position the Svātantrika school (since syllogistic proofs provide 'independent' [svātantrika] validation of claims) and the Candrakīrti position the Prāsaṅgika school (since it demonstrated the absurdities to which an opponents' position could be reduced [prasaṅga]). His other important works include Madhyamakâvatāra (a treatment of the ten pāramitās), and a commentary on Āryadevaʼs Catuḥśataka [400 Verses]. None of Candrakīrtiʼs works were translated into Chinese before the twentieth century, so his work and thought was unknown in East Asia until recently. Fazun 法尊 translated Madhyamakâvatāra 入中論 into Chinese from Tibetan in 1942. (Tib. Zla ba grags-pa; Zla grags). [Dan Lusthaus, William Chu]
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    [Dictionary References]

    Fo Guang Dictionary 1466

    Buddhist Chinese-Sanskrit Dictionary (Hirakawa) 0620

    Bukkyō daijiten (Mochizuki) (v.1-6)3352a,3652b, (v.9-10)892c

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    The rights to textual segments (nodes) of the DDB are owned by the author indicated in the brackets next to each segment. For rights regarding the compilation as a whole, please contact Charles Muller. Please do not reproduce without permission. And please do not copy into Wikipedia without proper citation!

    Entry created: 2009-11-18

    Updated: 2013-04-17