Buddhism and its religious philosophy has frequently undergone periods of major regeneration. While this wilingness to reformulate the insights of the Buddha for a different cultural context is one of its outstanding virtues, it is also a source of difficulties for the unguided Western student who often becomes lost and confused in the midst of this richness of ideas. In his study of the Madhyamika School, founded in the 2nd century by Nagarjuna, one of the greatest thinkers of all time.

The Central Philosophy of Buddhism: A Study of Madhyamika System, T.R.V. Murti, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Paperback, 372 pages, $20.00

Tiruppattur Rameshayyar Venkatachala Murti was born in a South Indian middle class Brahmana family. He was educated first at Tiruppattur and later at Tiruchhirapalli where his early undergraduate study was undertaken at the then Bishop Heber College. After a gap of several years spent in the cause of Gandhi's Nationalist movement, in 1952 he joined the Banaras Hindu University.