Ratnakīrti


Ratnakīrti was a Buddhist philosopher of the Yogacara and epistemological schools who wrote on logic, philosophy of mind and epistemology. Ratnakīrti studied at Vikramashila university under Jñanasrimitra.
Ratnakīrti's 'Refutation of Other mindstreams', argued that knowledge of external streams of consciousness is a form of inference, not a direct perception. Ratnakīrti introduced the two truths doctrine as key to the nature of the discussion. Since inference deals with conceptual universals, the proof of the mindstreams of others, whilst empirically valid in relative truth, does not hold ultimate metaphysical certainty in absolute truth. Ratnakīrti therefore argued for the ultimate truth of "one mind". By establishing the impossibility of external mindstreams, Ratnakīrti was also arguing for the non-dualism of Yogacara "consciousness-only". Ratnakīrti argued that from an ultimate point of view, the distinctions between a subject and object, the observer and the observed, all disappear. Ratnakīrti's theory states then, that there is no logical foundation for individuating mindstreams, and that there are no boundaries between minds from the perspective of ultimate truth. This sub school of Yogacara Cittamatra has been called the Citradvaitavada school or Vijñanadvaitavada school.
Ratnakīrti's "Refutation of Arguments Establishing Īśvara" argued against the Hindu concept of a creator God.
Ratnakīrti also wrote the "Proof of Momentariness", where he defended the theory of momentariness, the view that dharmas last only for a moment.