Śāntarakṣita

Śāntarakṣita was an eighth-century Indian Buddhist philosopher and abbot of Samye who helped establish Buddhism in Tibet. His thought integrated Madhyamaka, Yogācāra, and Buddhist logic.

Madhyamaka: A Buddhist philosophical tradition that analyzes phenomena as empty of intrinsic existence. Śāntarakṣita used Madhyamaka analysis to establish the ultimate emptiness of phenomena.
Tattvasaṃgraha: A philosophical treatise by Śāntarakṣita that examines and critiques Buddhist and non-Buddhist positions. It presents his wide-ranging use of argument to defend Buddhist views.
Samye Monastery: The first Buddhist monastery established in Tibet, traditionally dated to the eighth century. Śāntarakṣita served as its abbot during Buddhism’s early institutional development in Tibet.
Samye Debate: A traditional account of a debate at Samye between Indian Buddhist and Chinese Chan representatives. Later histories connect Śāntarakṣita’s intellectual program to the Indian side of this foundational dispute.
Yogācāra: A Buddhist philosophical tradition that examines cognition and the construction of experience. His account uses Yogācāra reasoning to explain conventional experience without granting it ultimate reality.
Madhyamakālaṃkāra: A verse treatise by Śāntarakṣita presenting a Madhyamaka philosophy informed by Yogācāra. It gives a concise account of how he combines conventional Yogācāra analysis with ultimate Madhyamaka.
Trisong Detsen: An eighth-century Tibetan emperor who supported the establishment of Buddhism in Tibet. His invitation and patronage helped bring Śāntarakṣita into the Tibetan religious project.
Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism: The structured study of Buddhist texts, logic, debate, and philosophy in Tibetan institutions. His works became part of the Indian philosophical inheritance studied in Tibetan scholastic settings.
Buddhist logic: The traditions of reasoning and epistemology developed by Buddhist philosophers in India and Tibet. Śāntarakṣita incorporated this tradition’s methods of inference and debate into his synthesis.
Kamalaśīla: An Indian Buddhist philosopher and Śāntarakṣita’s disciple who wrote influential commentaries on his works. His commentaries explain and develop the arguments in Śāntarakṣita’s philosophical treatises.

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SvasaṃvedanaRelated: He accepts reflexive awareness conventionally while denying intrinsic existence.