Nāgārjuna in context : Mahāyāna Buddhism and early Indian culture

384 Pages·2005·1.653 MB·English

by  Nāgārjuna, Walser, Joseph, Nāgārjuna, Nagarjuna

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á á t
N g rjuna in Contex
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á á t
N g rjuna in Contex
a
á á
Mah y na Buddhism and Early Indian Culture
-
r
Joseph Walse
columbia university press
new york
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columbia university press
Publishers Since 1893
New York Chichester, West Sussex
Copyright © 2005 Columbia University Press
All rights reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Walser, Joseph.
Nágárjuna in context: Maháyána Buddhism and early Indian culture /
Joseph Walser.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
isbn0-231-13164-x(cloth : alk. paper)
1. Nágárjuna, 2nd cent. 2. Mádhyamika (Buddhism)
3. Maháyána Buddhism. I. Title.
bq7479.8.n347w35 2004
294.3'92—dc22 2004059350
8
Columbia University Press books are printed on permanent
and durable acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of America
c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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For my father, Joseph Walser III,
for teaching me a love of learning
d
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Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. Locating Maháyána 16
2. Locating Nágárjuna 59
3. Maháyána and the Constraints of Monastic Law 89
4. Maháyána Sñtras as Monastic Property 123
5. On the Parasitic Strategies of Maháyána 153
6. Abhidharmaand Sectarian Identity 188
7. Nágárjuna and the Abhidharma 224
Conclusion: Toward the Outline of a Career 264
Appendix: The Authorship of the Ratnávalô 271
Notes 279
Bibliography 339
Index 357
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Acknowledgments
The process of writing this book has been rather long and
often di‹cult, and I could not have done it without the help of
both friends and family. First and foremost, I am enormously
grateful to my wife, Radha Subramanyam, who was a constant source
of advice and inspiration for this book. Radha has provided emotional
support while never compromising on her standards of what constitutes
good scholarship. Her critical and scholarly eye was invaluable to the final
product, one that I would never have begun it, let alone finished, without
her. I also thank my family on both sides of the ocean for their help
throughout my studies and through the crafting of this work. Their love
and assistance over the years has been a large factor in the completion of
the project.
In addition, I am grateful for the generous eªorts of those scholars who
read and commented on drafts of the book. In this category, especial ac-
knowledgment is due to Jim Egge, who must have read four diªerent
drafts (without complaint!). I also thank Aloka Parasher Sen of Universi-
ty of Hyderabad, for her astute and extensive comments on the sections
dealing with archaeology and early Indian history. Leonard Priestley agreed
to read and comment on several drafts of the last two chapters. His exper-
tise in the rather di‹cult Pudgalavádin material was a godsend. Further-
more, his keen eye for both philological accuracy and philosophical nuance
in some instances forced me to completely rethink my approach.
I also appreciate the assistance of many other people who proofread
drafts. I am especially grateful to Lydia Francis, who spent hours with me