Introduction to the treatise “Ocean of Reasoning: a Great Commentary on the Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā” by Je Tsongkhapa

Abstract

The subject of this research is the content of the Tibetan text –  famous commentary work of the prominent Buddhist reformer and founder of the Gelugpa School Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419) – “Ocean of Reasoning: a Great Commentary on the Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā” known as "Wisdom"." (“dBu-ma-rtsa-ba’i-tshig-leur-byas-pa-shes-rab-ces-bya-ba’i-rnam-bshad-rigs-pa’i-rgya-mtsho-zhes-bya-ba-bzhugs-so”). It analyzes the content of the chapter of preliminary guidelines Tsongkhapa's writing, and preambular part of Tsongkhapa's authorial commentary to “Mūlamadhyamakakārikā”, referred to as the “introductory part” of the “Ocean of Reasoning”. The research is based on the materials translated by the author from the Tibetan language, which is the first ever translation of the original text into the Russian language. Analysis of the works of  Tsongkhapa allows concluding that it is the fundamental logical-analytical research of the “Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā” carried out in Indo-Tibetan scholastic tradition, with attraction of multiple Buddhist primary sources – Sutras and Shastras, including basic Indian commentaries to Nāgārjuna's thesis, written by the ancient Indian philosophers Buddhapalita, Bhāviveka, and Candrakīrti. This text is an important source for introducing into the modern philosophical discourse of the doctrine of Madhyamaka School, represented particularly by the Tibetan Prāsaṅgika interpreters through Je Tsongkhapa.