MY INTEREST in Vasubandhu was kindled during a Sanskrit reading course on Yogācāra philosophy taught by Paul J. Griffiths at the University of Chicago Divinity School. The students sitting around that seminar table—especially Mario D’Amato, Richard Nance, Parimal Patil, Dan Arnold, and Trina Janiec Jones—became, and remain, crucial interlocutors for me. This book is only the latest of my attempts to explain myself to them, and over the years they have each read and commented on one or another version of the ideas in this book. I am grateful to them all. Dan Arnold deserves special gratitude for his careful attention to a recent draft. Matthew T. Kapstein, also at Chicago, has had an indelible influence on my education in Buddhist philosophy.
I am grateful for the opportunity to work in the collegial, supportive environment of the Department of Religion at Princeton University. Stephen Teiser, Jacqueline Stone, Jeffrey Stout, Judith Weisenfeld, Leora Batnitzky, and AnneMarie Luijendijk have been especially kind. The department’s unmatched staff—Lorraine Fuhrmann, Patty Bogdziewicz, Kerry Smith, and Mary Kay Bodnar—make the working environment here hum with efficiency and just plain fun.
What can I say about the many people who have contributed to my thinking for this book, either in private conversations or by providing comments and evocative questions after presentations? My gratitude, properly elaborated, would fill its own chapter, but fearing prolixity I provide only the root text: Charles Goodman, Christopher Morgan-Knapp, Khenpo Ngawang Jorden, Khenpo Lama Pema Wangdak, Dan Lusthaus, Christian Coseru, Florin Deleanu, Georges Dreyfus, John Dunne, David Eckel, Owen Flanagan, Jay Garfield, Padmanabh Jaini, Stephen Kaplan, Kristin Beise Kiblinger, Sara McClintock, Karin Meyers, Marlissa Moschella, Changhwan Park, Roy Tzohar, Jan Westerhoff, Marie Friquegnon, Douglas Duckworth, Funayama Toru, Tao Jiang, Andrew Nicholson, Bronwyn Finnigan, Tom Tillemans, Jonathan Ciliberto, Robert Wright, Rick Repetti, and Ram-Prasad Chakravarthi. Mark Siderits and Christopher Gowans each provided incisive, formalized comments. My brother, David Gold, has generously shared his time and his talents as a Sanskritist.
I apologize to those whose names I have neglected to include. And, of course, none of these people should be blamed for the failings of this work; I am not conditioned to follow all of the best advice.
I am grateful to Wendy Lochner and her colleagues at Columbia University Press for their interest, care, and attention to the manuscript.
Since 2011, I have been the beneficiary of Princeton University’s Julis Foundation University Preceptorship, which has provided the rarest treasure, a luxurious extension of time (which turns out to have been necessary) to write, meet with colleagues, and complete this manuscript.
This book is dedicated to my parents, with gratitude for their support. I also pause to thank my children, Etta and Milo, for being brilliant and true. To Heather: our love is not for public consumption, so I will only say thank you, again.
