[Buddha-l] Re: Indian commentaries to Candrakirti's Madhyamaka-avatara

[Richard Nance]

Bill Kish wrote:

> Do scholars ("western" or otherwise) have any information on
> Jayananda (~ 11th c. ), and in particular why he decided to focus
> on Candrakirti after what appears to be centuries of neglect ?
> The same question would probably go for sPa tshab Nyi ma grags
> sa well. I find myself wishing for a work similar to Georges
> Dreyfus's "Recognizing Reality", but with the focus on Candrakirti
> instead of Dharmakirti.

Jayaananda postdates sPa tshab by a few years. Both were most
influential in the 12th century; sPa tshab arrived back in Tibet (from
a 20+ year sojourn in Kashmir) around 1100, while Jayaananda was an
Indian pandit active in Central Tibet and the Tangut kingdom later in
the century.

Ronald M. Davidson (whose work I seem to be touting a lot lately)
devotes some discussion to both sPa tshab and Jayaananda in his brand
new book *Tibetan Renaissance*. The book is a monumental work of
scholarship, and very highly recommended.  But the specific question
you ask (i.e., why the sudden -- if it is sudden -- interest in
Candrakiirti?) is really an open one.  sPa tshab's interest probably
stemmed from his experiences in Kashmir. But, of course, noting this
doesn't really answer your question -- it just pushes it back a step.

Perhaps someone more learned I am in the Tibetan historical literature
would like to have a crack at answering this; so far as I'm able to
tell, the issue remains a very murky one.

Best wishes,

R. Nance