The Ornament of the Middle Way: A Study of the Madhyamaka Thought of Santaraksita

Core teachings on Madhyamaka (the Middle Way philosophy central to Mahayana Buddhism) from a renowned eighth-century Indian Buddhist adept, with masterful commentary and historical analysis.

Santaraksita’s The Ornament of the Middle Way is among the most important Mahayana Buddhist philosophical treatises to emerge on the Indian subcontinent. It synthesizes into one coherent system the three major trends in Indian Buddhist thought that existed during the eighth century- the Madhyamaka thought of Nagarjuna, the Yogacara thought of Asanga, and the logical and epistemological thought of Dharmakirti. In addition to examining Santaraksita’s ideas in their Indian context, this study examines the way his ideas have been understood by and have influenced Tibetan Buddhist traditions. The book includes a new translation of Santaraksita’s treatise and extensive extracts from his commentary, as well as the first complete translation of the primary Geluk commentary on the treatise, Gyel-tsab Je’s Remembering The Ornament of the Middle Way.

An important figure in Tibetan Buddhist history and philosophy- Santaraksita, an eighth-century Indian prince and adept, is the founding father of Tibetan Buddhism. By invitation of the Tibetan king, he travelled Tibet to establish the first Buddhist monastery in the country, ordain the first monks, and inaugurate the tradition of translation of Indian texts into Tibetan. His realized teachings about the nature of the mind form the foundation of Tibetan Buddhist thought.

A primary study source- This book will be a core study aid for academic and religious scholars alike and for students of Buddhism, especially Tibetan Buddhism. It’s a must for university libraries.