Thinking beyond thought: Tsongkhapa and mipham on the conceptualized ultimate

Abstract

In Tibetan discussions of the two truths - and in particular in Geluk discussions, inflected as they are by both Dharmakirti's and Candraklrti's epistemologies, which, however different they are, agree on the necessity of epistemic warrant for genuine knowledge, and on the appropriateness of particular epistemic warrants or instruments to their respective objects of knowledge - the nature of our knowledge of the ultimate truth leads to interesting epistemological and ontological problems. Given that the ultimate truth must be a possible object of knowledge, there must be a pramana by means of which it is known.