Nagarjuna's Affective Account of Misknowing

• Published in: Journal of Buddhist philosophy (Albany, N.Y.) N.Y.), 2023-01, Vol.5, p.44-64
• Main Author: Patel, Roshni
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Affect (Psychology); Buddhism; Criticism and interpretation; Emotions; Ignorance; Knowledge; Nagarjuna; Philosophers; Philosophy; Psychological aspects; Religious aspects
• ISSN: 2374-247X; 2374-2488

[...]one could have a rationally derived understanding that all entities are impermanent and interdependent, but still have a whole range of perceptual, affective, and behavioral tendencies that uphold a substantialist self outside the context of deliberate reflection. [...]ignorance is a problem that impacts both reflective and unreflective tendencies. For Madhyamikas, attributing svabhāva (an inherent nature, essence, or independent existence) is the central phenomenon involved in misknowing. [...]the Madhyamaka philosophical project provides critical analysis to invalidate ontological accounts presuming that any entity has an essential identifying quality that is determinable independently of other entities. Some affective effects of ignorance are obvious and regularly mentioned, such as the emotional manifestations of self-cherishing, namely craving and aversion. [...]the same affective experience can paradoxically entrench ignorance and also provide an important step to the path out of ignorance. Rather, I present the features of what I intend by these concepts in order to provide a framework for analyzing passages from Buddhist texts that present knowing and understanding in affective