Scripture, Logic, Language: essys on Dharmakirti and his Tibetan successors

Dharmakirti, an Indian Buddhist philosopher of the 7th century, explored the nature, limits and justifications of rationality within the context of Buddhist religious and metaphysical concerns. While Dharmakirti is widely recognized for his crucial innovations in Indian logic and semantic theory, his notoriously difficult thought nonetheless remains poorly understood.

In this volume, one of the world's leading scholars of Buddhist philosophy sheds light on the interrelated topics of scripture, logic and language in the works of Dharmakirti and his philosophical heirs, both Indian and Tibetan. Professor Tillemans' knowledgeable explanations of such technical subjects as the apoha theory of reference and the problem of entailment (vyàpti) are coupled throughout with insightful reflections on how best to evaluate Dharmakirti's theories in light of contemporary philosophical thought. Scripture, Logic, Language is an informative and thought-provoking study for students of Buddhism as well as for those in the wider field of philosophy.

PRAISE
"Thought-provoking... A masterpiece that specialists in Dharmakirtian and Tibetan epistemological studies must read... All in all, this is one of the very few valuable contributions to the study of Dharmakirti and Tibetan logic and epistemology that we can gladly take with us into the new millennium."
—Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society

"From one of the foremost scholars working in the field today, Scripture, Logic, Language is testimony to the extraordinary level of Tillemans' scholarship and the exquisite way in which he is able to make sophisticated arguments easily understood. Well written, well documented, and highly readable, this book provides an excellent introduction to this complex area of Buddhist Studies."
—Leonard van der Kuijp, Harvard University

"Professor Tilleman's profound studies have remarkably advanced our understanding of Buddhist rational thought. These essays have appeared internationally but were difficult to come by. Their collection under one cover by Wisdom Publications is a clear and most welcome first signal for the aims of its new academic series."
—Ernst Steinkellner, University of Vienna

"Rather than confine this sometimes esoteric Buddhist material to the status of mere scholarly concern, Scripture, Logic, Language manages to bring out its broader significance for the philosophically inclined reader...extremely well informed...uniting rigorous scholarship and thought-provoking discussions."
—Georges Dreyfus, Williams College

"...few Western scholars have had the right combination of linguistic skills, philosophical training, and temperament to study these traditions.... Tom Tillemans is one scholar who does have the right combination, and these articles represent some of his finest attempts to make Buddhist scholasticism accessible."
—Richard Hayes, McGill University

"Deeply researched and staggeringly footnoted."
—Tricycle

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tom J.F. Tillemans is Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, and editor of the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. He is an expatriate Canadian living in Switzerland.