[Buddha-l] Did Buddhism Anticipate Pragmatism

[StormyTet at aol.com]

Hi Richard Hayes (All),
 
I have ordered the books suggested and also the journal (very nice student  
price and my school does not have it). I have reached a place in my scholarship 
 where I have read enough (for now) on technology and media for my current  
purposes and need to start more carefully exploring a theoretical ground which 
I  can write from.  For me, Buddhist thought, in its most simple form has been 
 'it' and so Buddhism is the twist I am going to bring to cultural studies  
(skillfully or unskillfully). I trust that a few academic zen sticks could keep 
 me closer to responsible than not. 
 
Many of Richard Hayes' papers are easily accessible through the internet  
(very nice), and I would love to be directed to other easily accessible writings  
that can help me better understand the work of Buddhist scholarship in North  
America (R Nance, I looked for your work, thinking your strong ethic 
concerning  careful scholarship might be a good guide -- if you could direct me toward 
any  of your writings, I would be grateful.). 
 
Richard Hayes, I found your paper on Pragmatism and Buddhism very helpful.  
You noted that studying pragmatism could help the Buddhist recognize conflicts  
in the fundamental incompatabilities between the two mentalities (p 13).  I  
am going to order Pierce's book. It seems to me, that in Buddhist fashion, you 
 went to one of the core tenants of Science that has always plagued me a bit. 
 Pierce's pejorative definition of a philosopher that you shared (p.13) was 
very  revealing. 
 
I am unclear as to whether Dign-aga reasoned to the 'yogic sensation' that  
Dharmak-irti espoused.  Have I been wrongly under the impression that this  
'yogic sensation' concept is as central to Buddhist doctrine as the concept that  
there is a real distinction between mind and body? Is it not central to 
Buddhism  in general, in other words, that eventually you will 'see' (even if 
glimpses and  incompletely) beyond what you have been taught and reflected upon 
(1st and  2nd stages)?  The whole concept of the dawning realization that we are  
on a pathless path?
 
Is there other works in English on Dign-aga's system of signs and  
signifiers? It seems to me that Dign-aga's political concerns of Buddhist  sectarianism 
has some relevance to cultural studies --  the idea  of comparing Dign-aga's 
system of signs and signifiers to Saussures could be  interesting? 
 
Thanks for your consideration,
 
Stormy
 
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