Knowing Illusion

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wei wu wei
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:01 am

Knowing Illusion

Post by wei wu wei »

Book Recommendation: Knowing Illusion, Vol's I and II, by the Yakherds

If you have any interest in the broader debates in Tibetan Madhyamaka--particularly about the place/purpose of epistemology--then this is a superb read. It breaks down Taktsang's critiques of Tsongkhapa's presentation of Prasangika and showcases both sides of the debate with scholastic rigor and (what I really appreciated) balance; I never sensed any thumbs-on-the-scale arguments here--from either side--and was left with exactly what I think the authors wanted: space to make up my own mind as to whose approach resonates most with me. Throughout, you also get a great overview of the terrain and development of Tibetan Madhyamaka.

While I do think Tsongkhapa's reading of Prasangika emerges with enough perspicacity and rigor to withstand and/or deflect many of Taktsang's critiques, his defenders were not always as capable as one might wish (from a pro-Tsongkhapa viewpoint). Perhaps overly-confident in their hegemony, some of their responses belied sloppy misreadings of their opponents' positions that, in the end, weakened their own counter-attacks and defenses. Not only that, it took the emerging Gelug school almost a hundred years to even mount a response to Taktsang's position, which, by then, had been adopted--and even amplified--by many thinkers in the Kagyu tradition.

At any rate, setting aside banal and probably unhelpful questions like "so who's reading is right?" it's fascinating to see two entirely different systems emerge from the same Indian sources. It's well worth a read.
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tobes
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Re: Knowing Illusion

Post by tobes »

Are these the artists formally known as 'the cowherders'?
wei wu wei
Posts: 132
Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2013 5:01 am

Re: Knowing Illusion

Post by wei wu wei »

tobes wrote: Mon Jan 23, 2023 4:55 am Are these the artists formally known as 'the cowherders'?
I think Garfield and Thakchoe are the only originals from the cowherds.
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