Buddhahood Embodied

Book Title: Mahayana Buddhism and the Doctrine of Buddhahood

• Author: John J. Makransky

• Language: English

• Pages: 512

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 23 cm x 15 cm

• Weight: 700 gm

• Edition: 1998

• ISBN: 9788170303091

Book Description

Back of the Book:

• In Mahayana Buddhism, the path to enlightenment involves a paradoxical commitment: to free oneself from the deluded, dualistic world while simultaneously remaining engaged in it for the benefit of all beings. This book explores how the concept of buddhahood (dharmakaya) can embody these two seemingly contradictory aspects, tracing how this question has been a source of intense debate for centuries in India and Tibet.

• The author, John J. Makransky, explores the Abhisamayalamkara (a key text in Mahayana Buddhism) and its interpretation in both Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions. The book shows how the various perspectives on buddhahood offer solutions to the doctrinal tension inherent in Mahayana thought — the paradox of transcending the world while also engaging with it.

Key Highlights:

• Buddhahood Paradox: The central doctrinal issue is how buddhahood can transcend and engage the world simultaneously. This tension forms the basis of much of the controversy in Mahayana Buddhism, particularly around the Abhisamayalamkara, a foundational Buddhist text.

• Comparative Perspectives: The book compares the differing views on buddhahood in the Abhidharma, Prajnaparamita, and Yogacara traditions, showing how they inform the interpretation of Buddhahood.

• Textual and Doctrinal Analysis: Makransky provides in-depth analysis of key Mahayana texts and traces the development of these views through Indian and Tibetan Buddhist history.

• Contemporary Relevance: The book also addresses how contemporary Mahayana Buddhists can engage with these doctrines and texts today, helping practitioners better understand the doctrinal divergences that shape their practice.

Praise for the Book:

• “A first-rate Buddhist scholarship... illuminating the doctrinal heart of Mahayana Buddhism, offering sophisticated arguments, and clearing away misconceptions that have long surrounded the doctrine of Buddhahood.”

• “A remarkably insightful work that provides a deep exploration of the concept of Buddhahood in both Indian and Tibetan Buddhism.”

• “Makransky’s clear writing and methodical approach make a complex and subtle area of Mahayana thought accessible to both scholars and practitioners alike.”

About the Author:

John J. Makransky is a respected scholar in Buddhist Studies and Comparative Theology. He teaches at Boston College and specializes in Mahayana Buddhist thought and its intersection with contemporary spiritual practice. His work focuses on the doctrine of Buddhahood and its development in Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions.

Preface:

• The book is based on Makransky's doctoral dissertation and further expands on how disagreements about the doctrine of Buddhahood in the Abhisamayalamkara reflect deeper tensions in Mahayana Buddhist thought.

• The study reveals how this controversy, present in both Indian and Tibetan Buddhist traditions, is rooted in early Mahayana intuitions about enlightenment.

• The book is aimed at academic scholars, Buddhist practitioners, and students of Mahayana Buddhism who wish to understand the complexities of Buddhahood and the historical development of Mahayana doctrines.

Content Overview:

• Introduction: Explains the central questions and doctrinal issues addressed in the book, with a focus on refuge in the Buddha and the aspiration to become a Buddha.

• Chapters 7 and 8: These chapters present literary-critical analysis of key Mahayana texts and are designed for readers with an interest in textual analysis.

• Theological Concern: The book seeks to illuminate how disagreements about Buddhahood reflect broader tensions in Mahayana practice and how these ideas are relevant to contemporary Buddhists.