Ratnakirtinibandhavali (Review)
By Sushil Kumar De
Summary
This review covers the third volume of the Tibetan Sanskrit Works Series, 'Ratnakīrtinibandhāvali', edited by P.N. Anant Lal Thakur. Ratnakīrti was a medieval Buddhist logician whose treatises are important for Indian philosophy, but many were thought lost. Fortunately, photographic copies of manuscripts brought from Tibet by Mahāprajñāpāla Rahula Sāṅkṛtyāyana have preserved his work【actual citation not present but summarised】. The present volume publishes twelve treatises attributed to Ratnakīrti, three of which were previously printed by the Asiatic Society of Bengal. The editor relied on photoprints and a single old manuscript, making reconstruction difficult. The introduction discusses Ratnakīrti’s position in the history of logic and describes the extant manuscripts. The volume includes indices of proper names, quotations and peculiar words. The reviewer notes that by identifying quotations, the editor enables readers to trace Ratnakīrti’s sources. He concludes that the book is a valuable contribution to the study of Buddhist logic and that more volumes in the series will further illuminate this field.
Conclusion
The review praises the 'Ratnakīrtinibandhāvali' for rescuing important Buddhist logical treatises from obscurity. By editing and translating difficult texts based on limited manuscripts, the editor provides scholars with access to Ratnakīrti’s thought. The volume’s indices further enhance its usefulness. Continued publication of the series will greatly aid the study of Buddhist logic.