Dharmakīrti, a seventh-century Indian Buddhist philosopher, is often interpreted as a mind-body dualist based on his arguments for rebirth. This paper tests that interpretation against the rival arguments of Nāgārjuna, another major Buddhist thinker. Nāgārjuna completely rejects both Dharmakīrti's mind-body dualism and the theory of rebirth that depends on it. The analysis shows a fundamental philosophical disagreement between the two figures on the nature of mind and body.
Dharmakīrti, a seventh-century Indian Buddhist philosopher, is often interpreted as a mind-body dualist based on his arguments for rebirth. This paper tests that interpretation against the rival arguments of Nāgārjuna, an earlier Buddhist thinker. Nāgārjuna completely rejects both mind-body dualism and the theory of rebirth that depends on it. The paper thus challenges the dualist reading of Dharmakīrti by showing that a major Buddhist philosopher opposed such a position.