•  121
    Truth, Deception, and Skillful Means in the Lotus Sūtra
    Asian Philosophy 21 (1): 35-52. 2011.
    This article seeks to broaden contemporary scholarship on the Lotus Sūtra by arguing that it is a philosophically critical, self-reflective text struggling with problems of truth in Buddhist discourse. While all Lotus Sūtra scholars agree that the doctrine of skillful means is a central teaching in the text, there is a common tendency to frame skillful means as a passive vehicle (or ‘means’) for expressing truth rather than an active philosophical critique of truth. This article argues that the …Read more
  •  32
    Socially Engaged Buddhism (review)
    Philosophy East and West 62 (2): 286-292. 2012.
  •  267
    Nāgārjuna and the doctrine of "skillful means"
    Philosophy East and West 50 (4): 559-583. 2000.
    The role of "skillful means" is examined in relation to the important Mahāyāna philosopher Nāgārjuna, and it is argued that the doctrine of "emptiness" is best understood as a critical reflection on the nature of Buddhist praxis. Whereas traditional Western scholarship sees Nāgārjuna as struggling with certain metaphysical problems, a "skillful means" reading situates his philosophy within a debate about the nature and efficacy of Buddhist practice. Thus, a "skillful means" reading of Nāgārjuna …Read more
  •  23
    Buddhist Saints in India: A Study in Buddhist Values and Orientations
    with Reginald A. Ray
    Philosophy East and West 49 (2): 235. 1999.
  •  53
    Nagarjuna and the Doctrine of "Skillful Means"
    Philosophy East and West 50 (4): 559-583. 2000.
    The role of "skillful means" is examined in relation to the important Mahāyāna philosopher Nāgārjuna, and it is argued that the doctrine of "emptiness" is best understood as a critical reflection on the nature of Buddhist praxis. Whereas traditional Western scholarship sees Nāgārjuna as struggling with certain metaphysical problems, a "skillful means" reading situates his philosophy within a debate about the nature and efficacy of Buddhist practice. Thus, a "skillful means" reading of Nāgārjuna …Read more
  •  18
    Nagarjuna and the Doctrine of "Skillful Means"
    Philosophy East and West 50 (4): 559-583. 2000.
    In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:Nāgārjuna and the Doctrine of "Skillful Means"John SchroederAlthough a number of Buddhist scholars have examined the doctrine of "skill-in-means" (upāya-kauśalya) in Mahāyāna Buddhist literature, it is surprising that no one has yet developed this important concept in relation to Nāgārjuna. Given that upāya is a central doctrine in the early Mahāyāna texts, and given that Nāgārjuna is a central philosopher of this tradition, it is un…Read more
  •  24
    Definition and Induction: A Historical and Comparative Study
    with Kisor Kumar Chakrabarti
    Philosophy East and West 49 (1): 78. 1999.