This thesis explores a hermeneutical method of Indo-Tibetan Madhyamaka of using the negative Catuṣkoṭi as the key conceptual pivot. Developed by the Sakya school of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and...Show moreThis thesis explores a hermeneutical method of Indo-Tibetan Madhyamaka of using the negative Catuṣkoṭi as the key conceptual pivot. Developed by the Sakya school of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and systematized by Gorampa Senge, this method, "freedom from extremes," clarifies emptiness and ultimate truth. The study investigates how the negative phenomenology of Madhyamaka is implicitly enunciated through its logic, emphasizing the collapse of intentionality, the mind, and phenomena before the mind. A middle way between transcendent and semantical interpretations is proposed, with the Prajñāpāramitāsūtras playing a crucial role. The thesis establishes a framework based on the negative Catuṣkoṭi's logic, examines its structure, and explores its final negation following Gorampa's resolute reading. The phenomenological exploration delves into the intentional dimension of the negative Catuṣkoṭi's grammar, drawing upon principles of Buddhist phenomenology.Show less
Research master thesis | Asian Studies (research) (MA)
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This thesis assesses several 13th- and 14th-century Chinese and Tibetan histories which detail the Mongol conquests of these regions, scanning their contents and form for subjective views by their...Show moreThis thesis assesses several 13th- and 14th-century Chinese and Tibetan histories which detail the Mongol conquests of these regions, scanning their contents and form for subjective views by their respective authors. It finds that Tibetan historians, for several reasons, do not detail fighting or military expeditions in Tibet itself. Chinese authors, on the other hand, use their writing about the Mongols for several historic apologetics, as well as pejorative remarks against the Mongols themselves or other peoples, such as the Jurchen. In all, this topic remains vastly understudied and requires the attention of more scholars.Show less
