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Nagarjuna's Theory of Causality: Implications Sacred and Profane

Nagarjuna's Theory of Causality: Implications Sacred and Profane Jay L. Garfield Department of Philosophy, Smith College, and School of Philosophy, University of Tasmania Introduction Nagarjuna properly emphasizes that one understands the fundamental nature of Å Å reality (or lack thereof, depending on one's perspective) if, and only if, one understands the nature of dependent origination: Whoever sees dependent arising Also sees suffering And its arising And its cessation as well as the path. (XXIV : 40) And he devotes two important chapters of the Mulamadhyamakakarika to the analÅ Å Å ysis of causality per se and of dependent arising more generally. The analysis developed in these chapters permeates the rest of the treatise. I have largely said my piece about how these chapters are to be read and about their role in Nagarjuna's Å Å larger philosophical enterprise (Garfield 1990, 1994, 1995). I will review that account only briefly here as a preliminary to some applications. I think not only that Nagarjuna is right about the fundamental importance of Å Å causality, and of dependence more generally, to our understanding of reality and of human life but also that his own account of these matters is generally correct. Given these two premises, it follows that our http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Philosophy East and West University of Hawai'I Press

Nagarjuna's Theory of Causality: Implications Sacred and Profane

Garfield, Jay L.
Philosophy East and West , Volume 51 (4) – Jan 10, 2001
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University of Hawai'I Press
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Copyright © 2001 University of Hawai'i Press.
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1529-1898
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Abstract

Jay L. Garfield Department of Philosophy, Smith College, and School of Philosophy, University of Tasmania Introduction Nagarjuna properly emphasizes that one understands the fundamental nature of Å Å reality (or lack thereof, depending on one's perspective) if, and only if, one understands the nature of dependent origination: Whoever sees dependent arising Also sees suffering And its arising And its cessation as well as the path. (XXIV : 40) And he devotes two important chapters of the Mulamadhyamakakarika to the analÅ Å Å ysis of causality per se and of dependent arising more generally. The analysis developed in these chapters permeates the rest of the treatise. I have largely said my piece about how these chapters are to be read and about their role in Nagarjuna's Å Å larger philosophical enterprise (Garfield 1990, 1994, 1995). I will review that account only briefly here as a preliminary to some applications. I think not only that Nagarjuna is right about the fundamental importance of Å Å causality, and of dependence more generally, to our understanding of reality and of human life but also that his own account of these matters is generally correct. Given these two premises, it follows that our

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Philosophy East and West – University of Hawai'I Press

Published: Jan 10, 2001

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