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From Buddha-Nature
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"''I will speak a little about how to destroy one's clinging to the notion of reality with the great medicine, bodhichitta, the essence of the Mahayana path, the road travelled by all the buddhas and bodhisattvas. Keep this in mind when in dire straits upon the vast plain of clinging to life's appearances."''
So begins THE GREAT MEDICINE: ''A Remedy that Conquers Clinging to Reality'', a moving text written in verse by Shechen Gyaltsap Gyurme Pema Namgyal. Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche's commentary explores the foundation of awakened mind, the inner workings of loving kindness and compassion, the view of emptiness, and the practical applications of this understanding on the path. Rinpoche's teaching style is refreshing
and direct, using examples from his own experience and anecdotes about his teachers and the lineage to illustrate the importance of mingling the Buddhist teachings into ones own life.
''"We need to gain real experience with these valuable instructions and integrate them into our lives. Doing so is the only reason to study them. The result of spiritual practice should be our inner transformation into a better human being. After years of practice we should gain a sense of inner peace and become less vulnerable to outer circumstances. Inner freedom, relaxed and open happiness, as well as joy will arise when negative emotions and mental confusions disappear. In contrast, we will have missed the point of the practice if our mental poisons remain all-powerful, torment us constantly, and cause us to remain preoccupied with ourselves."''
Shechen Gyaltsap Gyurme Pema Namgyal, (1871-1926) was one of the most learned and accomplished practitioners of his time. His 13 volumes of writings contain many lucid and profound commentaries. He was the root teacher of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.
The 7th Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, born in 1966, is the grandson and spiritual heir of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He is the abbot of Shechen Monasteries and Nunnery in Nepal, India, and Bhutan and the founder of a number of on-going humanitarian projects. (Source: Back Cover)
'''Abstract'''<br><br>Second only to the famous Rin chen bzang po (958–1055) in receiving the title of a "Great Translator" (''lo chen'') during the period of the "Later Propagation" (''phyi dar'') of Buddhism in Tibet, rNgog lo tsā ba Blo ldan shes rab (or rNgog lo) was one of the most influential figures in the establishment of Tibetan Buddhist scholasticism. After having devoted seventeen years of his life to the study of Sanskrit under scholars in Kashmir, India and Nepal, he became renowned for his more than fifty painstaking translations and revisions of Buddhist scriptures. Apart from being the foremost Tibetan translator of works on Buddhist logic and epistemology (''Pramāṇa''), rNgog lo’s activities as a commentator and teacher are regarded as fundamental for the later development of this field of learning in Tibet, and his tradition came to be well-known in Tibetan literature as the "rNgog tradition" (''rngog lugs''). This book presents a detailed examination of rNgog lo's life based on the available Tibetan accounts, including his biography (''rnam thar'') written by Gro lung pa Blo gros 'byung gnas (fl. late 11th to 12th c.). Annotated translations of great parts from the latter work (one of the earliest surviving examples of the ''rnam thar'' genre, possibly unique regarding its complicated and elegant style) are included in the book. rNgog lo's oeuvre as a translator and writer is dealt with in detail, making the book an important source on this hitherto little studied scholar and his tradition. ([https://epub.ub.uni-muenchen.de/6834/ Source Accessed July 24, 2020]) +
'''Abstract'''<br><br>
Among the magnificently diverse syntheses of Indian Buddhist thought elaborated in Tibet, the understanding of ''gzhan stong'' (''zhentong'') or “extrinsic emptiness” as articulated through authors of the Jo nang tradition has come to inhabit a distinctive place within Tibetan Buddhist philosophical discourse. Exploring the history and literary heritage of gzhan stong philosophical thinking within the Jo nang tradition, we trace the sequential lineage (rings lugs) of the Jo nang pa, examining the distinctive gzhan stong view through a study and translation of the ''gzhi'' (ground) section of 'Dzam thang Mkhan po Ngag dbang Blo gros grags pa's (1920-75) seminal text titled, the “Gzhan stong Chen mo” or the “Great
Exposition on Extrinsic Emptiness.”<br> Part I presents the genesis of Jo nang gzhan stong thought. Situating the Jo nang within the history of Buddhism in India and Tibet, this section explores the lives of selected forefathers of the Jo nang pa and central figures in Tibet, as well as the life and works of Mkhan po Blo grags. Emphasis is placed on both the sūtra and tantra lineages of gzhan stong thought and attention is given to the specific lineage of the Kālacakra within the Jo nang.<br> Part II is on the exegesis of the Tibetan Buddhist genre of Jo nang gzhan stong literature. Here, we discuss Mahāyāna Buddhist hermeneutical schemas employed by the tradition to interpret what is of definitive (''nges don'') and provisional (''drang don'') meaning, as well as the core textual basis for sūtra gzhan stong.<br> Part III is an annotated translation of chapter I.A of the gzhi (ground) section of the ''Gzhan stong Chen mo''. This part provides readers with the first English translation of a text explicitly on the gzhan stong view from a modern Jo nang author, and one of the few translations of a text from the Jo nang tradition. Here, Mkhan po Blo grags explains the abiding reality (''gnas lugs'') of the ground for reality, the principles that the ground relies upon, and how reality's basic ground is effulgently full of enlightened qualities while devoid of superficial phenomena.
Sarah Harding discusses the Tibetan Buddhist practice of Severance (''chöd'') and, in particular, ''The Big General Guide to Severance'' by Jamyang Gönpo (b. 1208), which is possibly the earliest extant commentary on Severance. The author received the instructions of Machik Lapdrön from her son Gyalwa Döndrup, as well as from visionary experiences of her. He is thus considered one of the main sources of Severance, as well as being a lineage holder of the Lower Drukpa Kagyu tradition. This early system does not place much emphasis on the rituals, but rather goes straight to the heart of Severance, which is the Buddha's teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom. The unique approach of Severance is to arrive at that wisdom by examining and facing our deep-seated fears.
Sarah completed the first three-year retreat for westerners at Kagyu Ling, France, 1976–1980 and later served as a translator at Kagyu Shenpen Kunkyab, Santa Fe, 1980–1992. She was a founding member of Kalu Rinpoche’s International Translation Group in 1987 and has taught the Tibetan language to hundreds of students over the years, including creating a popular Tibetan language correspondence course. She retired from Naropa University in 2018 after twenty-six years of service. She continues her written translation work from her home in Boulder, Colorado. She has been a Tsadra Foundation Fellow since 2000. +
Lama Shenpen Hookham concludes her discussion on ''Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness'' with a discussion on the ''Heart Sūtra'' and how it relates to the Shentong view. +
What would be the practical implications of caring more about others than about yourself? This is the radical theme of this extraordinary set of instructions, a training manual composed in the fourteenth century by the Buddhist hermit Ngulchu Thogme, here explained in detail by one of the great Tibetan Buddhist masters of the twentieth century, Dilgo Khyentse. In the Mahayana tradition, those who have the courage to undertake the profound change of attitude required to develop true compassion are called bodhisattvas. Their great resolve—to consider others’ needs as paramount, and thus to attain enlightenment for the sake of all living creatures—carries them beyond the limits imposed by the illusions of “I” and “mine,” culminating in the direct realization of reality, transcending dualistic notions of self and other. This classic text presents ways that we can work with our own hearts and minds, starting wherever we find ourselves now, to unravel our small-minded preoccupations and discover our own potential for compassion, love, and wisdom. Many generations of Buddhist practitioners have been inspired by these teachings, and the great masters of all traditions have written numerous commentaries. Dilgo Khyentse’s commentary is probably his most extensive recorded teaching on Mahayana practice. (Source: [https://www.shambhala.com/authors/o-t/padmakara-translation-group/the-heart-of-compassion-719.html Shambhala Publications]) +
The Heart of Dogen's ''Shobogenzo'' provides exhaustively annotated translations of the difficult core essays of ''Shobogenzo'', the masterwork of Japanese Zen master Dogen Kigen, the founder of Soto Zen. This book is centered around those essays that generations have regarded as containing the essence of Dogen's teaching. These translations, revised from those that first appeared in the 1970s, clarify and enrich the understanding of Dogen's religious thought and his basic ideas about Zen practice and doctrine. Dogen's uncommon intellectual gifts, combined with a profound religious attainment and an extraordinary ability to articulate it, make ''Shobogenzo'' unique even in the vast literature the Zen school has produced over the centuries, securing it a special place in the history of world religious literature. (Source: [http://www.sunypress.edu/p-3498-the-heart-of-dogens-shobogenzo.aspx SUNY Press]) +
The perfect Buddha Shakyamuni gave us, his disciples, boundless Dharma Wheels each in accordance with our various capacities and inclinations. The quintessence of all these teachings is the third turning of the Dharma Wheel, called the 'final set of teachings on the complete and total uncovering.' This is the Vajrayana approach to the definitive meaning that takes the fruition as the path, wherin the crucial points of how to apply its view and meditation training are shown. This know-how for bringing this definitive meaning into our experience is found in a text entitled ''The Unchanging Convergence'', which here, in English, is called ''The Heart of the Matter''.
The author, Tsele Natsok Randröl, was born in the snowy land of Tibet. It was through study and reflection that he first unraveled the key points of everything that there is to know. Having brought forth realization through meditation training, he became known as a great pandita and siddha, a learned and accomplished master.
Among his various instructions, ''The Heart of the Matter'' is both concise and comprehensible. Not only does it contain all the vital points of the Buddha's words but, in particular, it lucidly and precisely covers the definitive meaning of the view, meditation, conduct and fruition, in their entirety, so that their practice can take effect and mature in our minds. (Source: ''The Heart of the Matter'', introduction, 7–8) +
In this groundbreaking work, the author presents a full translation of, and commentary on, the ''Hevajra'' tantra, providing not only deep insight into arguably the most important surviving tantric Buddhist text but also placing the entire corpus of such works into a more accurate context.<br>
Snellgrove presents the ''Hevajra'' tantra, and tantric texts of this class, not as degenerate products of a faith at the time in terminal decline in India—as has often beeb claimed by puritanical scholars—but rather as a wholly legitimate expression of esoteric ritual and meditative practice developed as a natural evolution within the ''madhyamaka'' tradition.<br> While based primarily on Nepalese manuscript editions of the text, Snellgrove makes extensive reference to the Tibetan translation as well as to extant Indian commentaries. The first half of the work comprises an introduction and the actual translation with detailed annotations, while the second consists of the Romanized original Sanskrit and Tibetan texts and an extensive glossary. (Source: Back Cover) +
Khenpo Sodargye explains the ideology of buddha-nature (''tathāgatagarbha'') at Xiamen University, Fujian, China. (In Chinese) +
''The Jewel Ladder'' (''Rin-chen them-skas'') is a short and comprehensive Nyingma Lamrim for beginners by Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorjee (1643–1714), commonly known as Terdak Lingpa, one of the foremost early master-scholars of Tibet, who was both a teacher and disciple of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama.<br> The text introduces us to the preliminaries of the Buddhist practice required for higher spiritual development such as the four basic ways of concentrating one's mind on the Dharma and the Four Noble Truths.<br> This commentary by Khamtrul Rinpoche given in simple and lucid language unravels the gist of the ''Rin-chen them-skas''. Appended at the end of the book is a guide to the voluminous Nyingma Lamrim (''Kun-bzang bla-ma'i zhal-lung''). (Source: Back Cover) +
In this skillful translation, Herbert Guenther offers English-speaking readers sGam.po.pa's comprehensive and authoritative exposition of the stages of the Buddhist path. A masterly survey of Tibetan Buddhism, ''The Jewel Ornament of Liberation'' explains how an enlightened attitude is strengthened by practicing the six perfections (generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and knowledge) and offers a concise presentation of Buddhism as a living experience.
As Chögyam Trungpa writes in his foreword: "It is in the flow of karma that this book materialized in 1959 on the very eve of the destruction of the spiritual land of Tibet. Professor Guenther was instrumental in making available the only commentary and guide in English to the bodhisattva tradition of Tibet, Japan, and China. The book remains the classic text of all Buddhists."
sGam.po.pa, who lived in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, was the organizer of the Kagyü order of Tibetan Buddhism.
Herbert V. Guenther is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Far Eastern Studies at the University of Saskatchewan.
(Source: back cover) +
''The Jewel Ornament of Liberation'' is a masterwork of Tibetan Buddhism. For more than eight centuries, this text has provided a complete foundation for Buddhist study and practice–covering the initial entry into the path and continuing through to the achievement of Buddhahood. It includes teachings on Buddha-nature, finding a spiritual master, impermanence, karma, the cultivation of bodhicitta, the development of the six perfections, the ten Bodhisattva bhumis, Buddhahood, and the activities of a buddha.
(Source: back cover) +
Having translated The Diamond Sutra and The Heart Sutra, and following with The Platform Sutra, Red Pine now turns his attention to perhaps the greatest Sutra of all. The Lankavatara Sutra is the holy grail of Zen. Zen’s first patriarch, Bodhidharma, gave a copy of this text to his successor, Hui-k’o, and told him everything he needed to know was in this book. Passed down from teacher to student ever since, this is the only Zen sutra ever spoken by the Buddha. Although it covers all the major teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, it contains but two teachings: that everything we perceive as being real is nothing but the perceptions of our own mind and that the knowledge of this is something that must be realized and experienced for oneself and cannot be expressed in words. In the words of Chinese Zen masters, these two teachings became known as “have a cup of tea” and “taste the tea.”
This is the first translation into English of the original text used by Bodhidharma, which was the Chinese translation made by Gunabhadra in 443 and upon which all Chinese Zen masters have relied ever since. In addition to presenting one of the most difficult of all Buddhist texts in clear English, Red Pine has also added summaries, explanations, and notes, including relevant Sanskrit terms on the basis of which the Chinese translation was made. This promises to become an essential text for anyone seeking to deepen their understanding or knowledge of Zen. (Source: [https://www.counterpointpress.com/dd-product/lankavatara-sutra/ Counterpoint Press]) +
Originally published in 1932, this was the first English translation of the ''Laṅkāvatārasūtra''. It was based on the Sanskrit edition of Nanjo Bunyu, published by the Otani University Press in 1923. +
Books/The Liberation of Matter: Examining Jingxi Zhanran’s Philosophy of the Buddha-Nature of Insentient Beings in Tiantai Buddhism +
'''Abstract'''<br><br>
This dissertation examines the notion that not only sentient beings but also insentient
ones, e.g., flora, mountains, rivers, and manmade objects, have Buddha-nature. Employing an
exegetical approach, I investigate Jingxi Zhanran’s (711-782) theory of the Buddha-nature of
insentient beings. Emphasizing the all-pervasiveness of Buddha-nature and the nonduality of
mind and material, he eliminates the absolute distinction between sentient and insentient beings
and contends that Buddha-nature includes all beings. Additionally, insisting on the Tiantai notion
of mutual inclusion, which reveals a two-way relationship between sentience and insentience,
Zhanran reverses the positions of the subjective observer and the objective phenomenon,
subjectifying insentient beings.<br>
In addition to examining the theoretical profundity of Zhanran’s theory, my study examines the issues of sentience versus insentience and Buddha-nature that took place before Zhanran and discusses the subsequent Tiantai concerns with the Buddha-nature of insentient beings. Through textual analysis, I reexamine the emergence of the Chinese thought that connects Buddha-nature to insentient things, initially presented by Jingying Huiyuan (523-592) and Jiaxiang Jizang (549-623). I also illustrate that the concept of the Buddha-nature of insentient beings is implied in Zhiyi’s (538-597) thought by interpreting Zhiyi’s teachings that inspired Zhanran’s advocacy. Furthermore, I analyze, on doctrinal grounds, Chinese Tiantai descendants’ endorsement of Zhanran’s theory, contrasting it with their Japanese counterparts’, the latter who found it difficult to conceptualize how insentient beings’ spiritual cultivation might occur.<br>
I ultimately argue that Zhanran, indeed, articulates the Buddhahood of insentient beings, and that the modality of their practice through the nonduality between passivity and activity, and between Buddhahood and “insentienthood” can be explained. By raising questions about the human relation to the insentient world and exploring possibilities for attaining harmony through transcending the duality between selfness and otherness, and subjectivity and objectivity, I hope to contribute to the reexamination of anthropocentric religious liberation.
''The Life and Works of Kyotön Monlam Tsultrim'' publishes the collected works of the early Kadam master Kyoton in clear ''Uchen'' (''dbu can'') type based on the manuscripts in the Bka gdams gsung 'bum, which are very difficult to decipher in the old ''Ume'' (''dbu med'') scripts. The book contains many short works on buddha-nature and several other important subjects. It also includes a detailed introduction from Karma Phuntsho about the life and works of Kyotön. This publication was supported by Tsadra Foundation.
Kyotön Monlam Tsultrim, the abbot who led Narthang monastery at the peak of its history, was an illustrious figure of his time in Central Tibet. A resolute monk, a meditation master, a learned scholar, author, and public figure, he epitomized the high ideals, practices, and approaches of the Kadam school and championed its traditions of scriptural exegesis and meditation instructions. A Kadam luminary, he also left behind religious writings which hold great significance for Tibetan Buddhist scholarship and practice today.
The writings of Kyotön Monlam Tsultrim appear in volume 50 of the second batch and volume 61 of the third batch of the Collected Works of Kadam series published in 2007 and 2009 by Paltsek Bodyig Penying Zhibjugkhang and Sichuan People's Publishing House. (Source: Karma Phuntsho, Preface, page iii.) +
Join us as we restart our "Conversations on Buddha-Nature" series! In this video we discuss a special publication about a group of rare manuscripts from a fascinating and influential, yet mostly unknown master of the Kadam Lineage. Gregory Forgues interviews Karma Phuntsho, and other scholars also join in with responses and questions. This special publication was a collaboration between The Loden Foundation of Bhutan and the Tsadra Foundation. ''[[Books/The_Life_and_Works_of_Kyoton_Monlam_Tsultrim_(Phuntsho_2023)|The Life and Works of Kyotön Monlam Tsultrim]]'' publishes the collected works of the early Kadam master Kyotön in clear uchen type based on the rare manuscripts in the Bka gdams gsung 'bum, which are very difficult to decipher in the old ume scripts. The book contains many short works on buddha-nature, Śāntideva's texts, and several other important subjects. It also includes a detailed introduction in English from Karma Phuntsho about the life and works of Kyotön. We discuss the creation of the book as well as its content. The book is available for free download as a [https://buddhanature.tsadra.org/images/1/15/Phuntsho-2023-The_Life_and_Works_of_Kyoton_Monlam_Tsultrim_REDUCED.pdf PDF here]. +
The Life of Shabkar has long been recognized by Tibetans as one of the masterworks of their religious heritage. Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol devoted himself to many years of meditation in solitary retreat after his inspired youth and early training in the province of Amdo under the guidance of several extraordinary Buddhist masters. With determination and courage, he mastered the highest and most esoteric practices of the Tibetan tradition of the Great Perfection. He then wandered far and wide over the Himalayan region expressing his realization. Shabkar's autobiography vividly reflects the values and visionary imagery of Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the social and cultural life of early nineteenth-century Tibet. (Source: [https://www.shambhala.com/snowlion_articles/the-life-of-shabkar/ Shambhala Publications]) +
''The Light of Wisdom'' Vol. 1 contains the root terma—hidden treasure text—of Padmasambhava, ''The Gradual Path of the Wisdom Essence'' and its commentary ''The Light of Wisdom'' by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great. Annotations on the commentary ''Entering the Path of Wisdom'' spoken by Jamyang Drakpa and recorded by Jokyab Rinpoche are included as well as clarifications from other masters. Volume I presents in-depth explanations of the Vajrayāna Buddhist perspective. It begins with the nature of the ground, the buddha nature present in all beings, continues with the teachings that are common to all vehicles, and concludes with the Mahāyāna and the link to Vajrayāna. [https://www.amazon.com/Light-Wisdom-Vol-1-Padmasambhava/dp/9627341371 (Source Accessed Feb 13, 2020)] +
