Exploring Rendawa’s Madhyamaka Legacy

Tibetan Graduate Studies Seminar

Drukgyel Tsering's talk on Rendawa Shonu Lodro (1349–1412), the famed teacher of Lama Tsongkhapa and important progenitor of Madhyamaka philosophy in Tibet Red mda' ba gzhon nu blo gros (1349–1412) was one of the most exceptional scholars in 13th and early 14th century Tibet. He played a critical role in bringing Madhyamaka philosophy back to the attention of Tibetan scholasticism after its relative decline. The purpose of this presentation is to examine the historical and philosophical context that influenced the development of Red mda' ba's Madhyamaka thought . By analyzing his newly discovered treatise The Moonlight of the Essential Points of the Two Truths (Bden gnyis gnad kyi zla zer), this presentation aims to explore how Red mda' ba articulates the central themes of Madhyamaka philosophy, with a particular focus on the nature of the two truths, their intricate interrelation, and their classifications, in order to advance our understanding of the various Madhyamaka interpretations present in Tibetan Buddhism.