Jinpa, Thupten

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Thupten Jinpa

Thupten Jinpa Langri (b. 1958) is a former Tibetan monk and a Geshe Lharampa with B.A. in philosophy and a Ph.D. in religious studies, both from Cambridge University. Since 1985, he has been the principal English translator to H.H. the Dalai Lama and has translated and edited numerous books by the Dalai Lama, including the New York Times Bestsellers Ethics for the New Millennium and The Art of Happiness. Jinpa’s own publications include works in Tibetan, English translations as well as books, the latest being Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows and Illuminating the Intent, a translation of Je Tsongkhapa's commentary on Entering the Middle Way. Jinpa is the general series editor of the 32-volume Bod kyi tsug lag gces btus series, whose translations are published in English as The Library of Tibetan Classics. His current projects include the editing of classical Indian Buddhist texts from Tengyur for a special anthology known as Rgya gzhung gnad che bdam bsgrigs (Selected Indian Buddhist treaties). He is the main author of CCT (Compassion Cultivation Training), an eight-week formal program developed at Stanford University, and co-founder and president of the Compassion Institute. He is the Chair of Mind and Life Institute, founder of the Institute of Tibetan Classics, and an adjunct professor at the School of Religious Studies at McGill University. Jinpa lives in Montreal and is married with two daughters. (Source: Thupten Jinpa)

Library Items

Book
A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages
Tsongkhapa’s A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages (1419) is a comprehensive presentation of the highest yoga class of Buddhist tantra, especially the key practices—the so-called five stages (pancakrama)—of the advanced phase of Guhyasamāja tantra. Beginning with a thorough examination of the Indian sources, Tsongkhapa draws particularly from the writings of Nāgārjuna, Aryadeva, Candrakīrti, and Nāropā to develop a definitive understanding of the Vajrayana completion stage. Whereas in the generation stage, meditators visualize the Buddha in the form of the deity residing in a mandala palace, in the completion stage discussed in the present volume, meditators transcend ordinary consciousness and actualize the state of a buddha themselves. Among other things, Tsongkhapa’s work covers the subtle human physiology of channels and winds along with the process of dying, the bardo, and rebirth. This definitive statement on Guhyasamāja tantra profoundly affected the course of Buddhist practice in Tibet. (Source: Wisdom Experience)
Kilty, Gavin, trans. A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages: Teachings on Guhyasamāja Tantra. By Tsongkhapa (tsong kha pa). Edited by Thupten Jinpa. Library of Tibetan Classics 15. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2013.
Book
Bde gshegs snying po rigs kyi chos skor
This collection includes a history of buddha-nature theory in Tibet by Thupten Jinpa and seven texts influential in the development of buddha-nature teachings in Tibet. The texts included represent many lineages and historical periods. Along with the root text the following texts appear: 1) Butön's commentary to the Uttaratantrashastra (བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་གསལ་བར་བྱེད་པ་མཛེས་བྱེད་ཀྱི་རྒྱན། pp 3-63). 2) The Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje's commentary (བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་བསྟན་པ། pp 65-69). 3) The Fifteenth Karmapa Khakyap Dorje's commentary (དེ་བཞིན་གཤེགས་པའི་སྙིང་པོ་བསྟན་པའི་བསྟན་བཅོས་ཀྱི་མཆན་འགྲེལ། pp 71-88). 4) Rongton's commentary (ཐེག་པ་ཆེན་པོ་རྒྱུད་བླ་མའི་བསྟན་བཅོས་ལེགས་པར་བཤད་པ། pp 89-206). 5) Shakya Chokden's commentary (ཆོས་དབྱིངས་བསྟོད་པའི་འགྲེལ་པ་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས་རྣམ་པར་ངེས་པ། pp 207-238). 6) Jetsun Chokyi Gyaltsen's text on the disposition (gotra, rigs) (རིགས་ཀྱི་སྤྱི་དོན། pp 239-287) 7) Mipham Gyatso's Lion's Roar (བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོའི་སྟོང་ཐུན་ཆེན་མོ་སེངྒེའི་ང་རོ། pp 289-316).
Jinpa, Thupten, ed. Treatises on the Buddha Nature. Tibetan Classics Series 17. New Delhi: Institute of Tibetan Classics, 2007. glang ri ba thub bstan sbyin pa. bde gshegs snying po rigs kyi chos skor. bod kyi gtsug lag gces btus 17. bod kyi gtsug lag zhib dpyod khang, 2007. གླང་རི་བ་ཐུབ་བསྟན་སྦྱིན་པ། བདེ་གཤེགས་སྙིང་པོ་རིགས་ཀྱི་ཆོས་སྐོར། བོད་ཀྱི་གཙུག་ལག་གཅེས་བཏུས། ༡༧ བོད་ཀྱི་གཙུག་ལག་ཞིབ་དཔྱོད་ཁང་།, 2007.
Video
Celebrating Buddha-Nature
On September 19, 2020, the Tsadra Foundation celebrated Buddha-Nature teachings and officially launched an online educational resource. Karma Phuntsho hosted the event as the new Writer-In-Digital-Residence, and we learned more about Buddha-Nature teachings from His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Alak Zenkar Rinpoche, Geshe Thupten Jinpa, Lama Shenpen Hookham, Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl, and Alex Gardner.
Tsadra Foundation. "Buddha-Nature Event: 19 September 2020." Buddha-Nature: A Tsadra Foundation Initiative. Recorded September 19, 2020. Video, 2:33:07. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7AS1Iltnto.
Book
Grains of Gold: Tales of a Cosmopolitan Traveler
In 1941, philosopher and poet Gendun Chopel (1903–51) sent a large manuscript by ship, train, and yak across mountains and deserts to his homeland in the northeastern corner of Tibet. He would follow it five years later, returning to his native land after twelve years in India and Sri Lanka. But he did not receive the welcome he imagined: he was arrested by the government of the regent of the young Dalai Lama on trumped-up charges of treason. He emerged from prison three years later a broken man and died soon after.

Gendun Chopel was a prolific writer during his short life. Yet he considered that manuscript, which he titled Grains of Gold, to be his life’s work, one to delight his compatriots with tales of an ancient Indian and Tibetan past, while alerting them to the wonders and dangers of the strikingly modern land abutting Tibet’s southern border, the British colony of India. Now available for the first time in English, Grains of Gold is a unique compendium of South Asian and Tibetan culture that combines travelogue, drawings, history, and ethnography. Gendun Chopel describes the world he discovered in South Asia, from the ruins of the sacred sites of Buddhism to the Sanskrit classics he learned to read in the original. He is also sharply, often humorously critical of the Tibetan love of the fantastic, bursting one myth after another and finding fault with the accounts of earlier Tibetan pilgrims. Exploring a wide range of cultures and religions central to the history of the region, Gendun Chopel is eager to describe all the new knowledge he gathered in his travels to his Buddhist audience in Tibet.

At once the account of the experiences of a tragic figure in Tibetan history and the work of an extraordinary scholar, Grains of Gold is an accessible, compelling work animated by a sense of discovery of both a distant past and a strange present. (Source: University of Chicago Press)
Chöpel, Gendun. Grains of Gold: Tales of a Cosmopolitan Traveler. Translated by Thupten Jinpa and Donald S. Lopez Jr. Buddhism and Modernity. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014.
Book
Ornament of Precious Liberation (Holmes)
The classic overview of the stages of the path by the influential Kagyu forefather, Gampopa.
Holmes, Ken, trans. Ornament of Precious Liberation. By Gampopa (sgam po pa). Edited by Thupten Jinpa. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2017.
Book
Ornament of Stainless Light
The premiere volume of Thupten Jinpa’s thirty-two-volume Library of Tibetan Classics series, inaugurated to coincide with the Dalai Lama’s conferral of the initiation rite of Kālacakra in Toronto in April 2004.

The Kālacakra, or “wheel of time,” tantra likely entered Indian Mahayana Buddhism around the tenth century. In expounding the root tantra, the Indian master Puṇḍarīka, one of the legendary Kalkī kings of the land of Shambhala, wrote his influential Stainless Light. Ornament of Stainless Light is an authoritative Tibetan exposition of this important text, composed in the fifteenth century by Khedrup Norsang Gyatso, tutor to the Second Dalai Lama.

One of the central projects of Kālacakra literature is a detailed correlation between the human body and the external universe. In working out this complex correspondence, the Kālacakra texts present an amazingly detailed theory of cosmology and astronomy, especially about the movements of the various celestial bodies. The Kālacakra tantra is also a highly complex system of Buddhist theory and practice that employs vital bodily energies, deep meditative mental states, and a penetrative focus on subtle points within the body’s key energy conduits known as channels. Ornament of Stainless Light addresses all these topics, elaborating on the external universe, the inner world of the individual, the Kālacakra initiation rites, and the tantric stages of generation and completion, all in a highly readable English translation. (Source: Wisdom Publications)
Kilty, Gavin, trans. Ornament of Stainless Light: An Exposition of the Kālacakra Tantra. By Khedrup Norsang Gyatso (mkhas grub nor bzang rgya mtsho). Library of Tibetan Classics 14. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2004.
Book
Stages of the Buddha’s Teachings
The "Stages of the Teachings," or tenrim, genre of Tibetan spiritual writing expounds the Mahayana Buddhist teachings as a systematic progression, from the practices required at the start of the bodhisattva's career to the final perfect awakening of buddhahood. The texts in the present volume each exerted seminal influence in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. The first text, The Blue Compendium, presents the instructions of the Kadam teacher Potowa (1027/31-1105) as recorded by his student Dölpa (1059-1131). This verse work is followed by Gampopa's (1079-1153) revered Ornament of Precious Liberation, which, with its extensive quotations from the Indian scriptures, remains the most authoritative text on the path to enlightenment within the Kagyü school. The final selection is Clarifying the Sage's Intent, a masterwork by the preeminent sage of the Sakya tradition, Sakya Pandita (1182-1251). (Source: Wisdom Publications) Another version of Holmes's translation of Gampopa's Ornament of Precious Liberation is found in Ornament of Precious Liberation (Holmes).
Roesler, Ulrike, Ken Holmes, and David P. Jackson, trans. Stages of the Buddha's Teachings: Three Key Texts. By Dölpa (Dol pa shes rab rgya mtsho), Gampopa (Sgam po pa), and Sakya Paṇḍita (Sa skya paN+Di ta). Library of Tibetan Classics 10. Somerville, MA: Wisdom Publications, 2015.
Book
The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems
The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems, by Thuken Losang Chökyi Nyima (1737–1802), is arguably the widest-ranging account of religious philosophies ever written in pre-modern Tibet. Like most Tibetan texts on philosophical systems, this work covers the major schools of India, both Buddhist and non-Buddhist, but then goes on to discuss in detail the entire range of Tibetan traditions as well, with separate chapters on the Nyingma, Kadam, Kagyü, Shijé, Sakya, Jonang, Geluk, and Bön schools. Not resting there, Thuken goes on to describe the major traditions of China—Confucian, Daoist, and the multiple varieties of Buddhist—as well as those of Mongolia, Khotan, and even Shambhala. The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems is unusual, too, in its concern not just to describe and analyze doctrines, but to trace the historical development of the various traditions. The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems is an eloquent and erudite presentation exploring the religious history and philosophical systems of an array of Asian Cultures—and offering evidence that the serious and sympathetic study of the history of religions has not been a monopoly of Western scholarship. (Source: Wisdom Publications)
Sopa, Geshé Lhundub, trans. The Crystal Mirror of Philosophical Systems: A Tibetan Study of Asian Religious Thought. By Thuken Losang Chökyi Nyima (thu'u bkwan blo bzang chos kyi nyi ma). With E. Ann Chávez and Roger R. Jackson. Special contributions by Michael Sweet and Leonard Zwilling. Edited by Roger R. Jackson. Library of Tibetan Classics 25. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 2009.
Video
The Dalai Lama Speaks on Nyingma Dzogchen Nature of the Mind
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama speaks at UCSB on the Nyingma Dzogchen nature of the mind in 2009, with translation by Thupten Jinpa.
Dalai Lama, 14th. "The Dalai Lama Speaks on Nyingma Dzogchen Nature of the Mind." Talk delivered at UC Santa Barbara, April 24, 2009 at the UCSB Events Center. Translation by Thupten Jinpa. Video, 15:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM32T-MJAf0.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: Advice for the Younger Generation
Jinpa, Thupten. "Advice for the Younger Generation." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSWXQBuYIik.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Advice for the Younger Generation." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:40. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSWXQBuYIik.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: Buddha-Nature and the Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought
Jinpa, Thupten. "Buddha-Nature and the Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 13:02. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJFSHBff8FU.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Buddha-Nature and the Tension between Two Fundamental Concepts of Mahayana Thought." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 13:02. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJFSHBff8FU.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: Geluk Authors' Perspectives on Buddha-Nature
Jinpa, Thupten. "Geluk Authors' Perspectives on Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 3:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNKljd8fjLQ.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Geluk Authors' Perspectives on Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 3:23. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNKljd8fjLQ.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: How Can Buddha-Nature Teachings Be Applied to Politics?
Jinpa, Thupten. "How Can Buddha-Nature Teachings Be Applied to Politics?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:09. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FTSTpod5qg.
Jinpa, Thupten. "How Can Buddha-Nature Teachings Be Applied to Politics?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:09. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FTSTpod5qg.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: How Does Dharmakaya Differ from Buddha-Nature?
Jinpa, Thupten. "How Does Dharmakaya Differ from Buddha-Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 2:44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGs-gsowqp0.
Jinpa, Thupten. "How Does Dharmakaya Differ from Buddha-Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 2:44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGs-gsowqp0.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: How Does One Know That the Essence of Buddha-Nature Exists in Oneself?
Jinpa, Thupten. "How Does One Know That the Essence of Buddha-Nature Exists in Oneself?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 1:38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUMMXtAMCNE.
Jinpa, Thupten. "How Does One Know That the Essence of Buddha-Nature Exists in Oneself?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 1:38. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUMMXtAMCNE.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: Is It Possible for Other Spiritual Traditions to Experience Buddha-Nature?
Jinpa, Thupten. "Is It Possible for Other Spiritual Traditions to Experience Buddha-Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xv4Fj4kViE.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Is It Possible for Other Spiritual Traditions to Experience Buddha-Nature?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xv4Fj4kViE.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: On Determining Semantic Arguments vs. Substantive Arguments as a Translator
Jinpa, Thupten. "On Determining Semantic Arguments vs. Substantive Arguments as a Translator." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:02. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhGPKHvOPI.
Jinpa, Thupten. "On Determining Semantic Arguments vs. Substantive Arguments as a Translator." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:02. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAhGPKHvOPI.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: On His First Encounter with the Concept of Buddha-Nature
Jinpa, Thupten. "On His First Encounter with the Concept of Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:46. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ3t3rr5tCA.
Jinpa, Thupten. "On His First Encounter with the Concept of Buddha-Nature." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:46. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJ3t3rr5tCA.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: On Taking Mind Itself as the Basis for Meditative Practice
Jinpa, Thupten. "On Taking Mind Itself as the Basis for Meditative Practice." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 3:32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wMxjhElwfo.
Jinpa, Thupten. "On Taking Mind Itself as the Basis for Meditative Practice." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 3:32. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wMxjhElwfo.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: On the Buddha-Nature of Insentient Things
Jinpa, Thupten. "On the Buddha-Nature of Insentient Things." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:04. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64IE6r2zxk.
Jinpa, Thupten. "On the Buddha-Nature of Insentient Things." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:04. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64IE6r2zxk.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: On the Collection of Buddha-Nature Treatises in the Library of Tibetan Classics
Jinpa, Thupten. "On the Collection of Buddha-Nature Treatises in the Library of Tibetan Classics." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTV3gMTD6jk.
Jinpa, Thupten. "On the Collection of Buddha-Nature Treatises in the Library of Tibetan Classics." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 5:15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTV3gMTD6jk.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: On the Ratnagotravibhaga and Its Place in the Gelukpa Curriculum
Jinpa, Thupten. "On the Ratnagotravibhaga and Its Place in the Gelukpa Curriculum." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 1:43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rcRurBgowU.
Jinpa, Thupten. "On the Ratnagotravibhaga and Its Place in the Gelukpa Curriculum." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 1:43. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rcRurBgowU.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: Tsongkhapa on Emptiness and the Experience of Emptiness
Jinpa, Thupten. "Tsongkhapa on Emptiness and the Experience of Emptiness." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 11:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL-9r6TO1uo.
Jinpa, Thupten. "Tsongkhapa on Emptiness and the Experience of Emptiness." Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 11:58. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PL-9r6TO1uo.
Video
Thupten Jinpa: What Is the Relationship between Bliss and Emptiness?
Jinpa, Thupten. "What Is the Relationship between Bliss and Emptiness?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az9nDBUY4pY.
Jinpa, Thupten. "What Is the Relationship between Bliss and Emptiness?" Conversations on Buddha-Nature with Lopen Dr. Karma Phuntsho. Produced by the Tsadra Foundation Research Department, January 29, 2022. Video, 4:10. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=az9nDBUY4pY.

Affiliations & relations

  • Library of Tibetan Classics · workplace affiliation
  • Tsadra Foundation · secondary affiliation
  • Mind & Life Institute · secondary affiliation
  • Dalai Lama, 14th · religious affiliation
  • Ganden Monastic University · religious affiliation
  • Dalai Lama, 14th · teacher
  • http://www.tibetanclassics.org · websites
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