Lamrim Chenmo

The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Volume 1) (The Lamrim
Chenmo)
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Volume
Tsong-Kha-Pa
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Volume
Tsong-Kha-Pa
Peacock:
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Volume 1) (Hardcover)
Many people are looking for the entire picture of Tibetan buddhism, and this English
edition of the "Lam Rim Chen Mo" is one of the most suitable works to get this entire
picture. All the stages of the path of liberation are covered in their natural, logical
sequence.

It is wonderful that such a thing exists: that it is possible to have a general and complete
understanding of the path.

Reading and hearing, studying the teachings allows us to then contemplate their true
meaning, that is, come to a personal understanding and conviction that the topic at
hand is indeed true, relevant and workable. That is what contemplation is all about:
coming to such a workable conviction.

Contemplative understanding is then the basis for meditation, or applying the workable
conviction in daily life, until it becomes second nature, thereby transforming our life.

In this way we progress, step by step, from understanding to natural conviction to

application to effortless realization.

It is therefore very, very beneficial to acquire a taste for this type of literature - which is
itself often a gradual process. It may seem very dry in the beginning, but once you
acquire a taste for a certain aspect of the teachings, you will want to read the entire
chapter, and then marvel at the profound logic. Once you have a few of such
experiences you will understand that other chapters just "might" contain equally
valuable treasures, and slowly acquire a taste for them as well, by reading the text and
pondering its profound meaning. Drawing our attention to the parts that we tend to
ignore then proves to be the quickest way to true understanding!

This is why it is taught that by these very teachings you come to understand how all of
the scripture are instructions for actual practice, and that these teachings cover all
stages of the path in their natural sequence. Marvelous! Your intelligence, no matter
what your present level, will develop naturally, and soon you will encounter
understandings not previously met.

I started out with some attractive chapters or topics, and only much later my curiosity for
the other parts of the book developed. And even then it took a while to translate the
"script" into recognition in daily life. But now I use it as a reference: when I want to have
a more thorough understanding of a certain aspect, I study from this book, by looking at
its various parts and looking how it fits into the total picture (or mandala of the
teachings).

Once you learn how to acquire a taste for this basic, foundational literature of "lam-rim"
(graded path) and "lojong" (mind training), you can soon continue into the wisdom
literature of "prajnaparamita" (transcendent perfection of wisdom), "tathagatagarbha"
(primordially enlightened disposition), "madyamika" (middle way of no dualistic
extreme), "secret mantra" (path of swift accomplishment through deity meditation),
"mahamudra" (great seal of ultimate bliss), "dzogchen" (great completion in total
awareness), and so on.

This "Lam Rim Chen Mo" belongs to a category of literature that is a direct legacy of
Atisha, the great Indian master of the early 11th century, whose student founded the
Kadampa school, one of the earliest denominations of Tibetan buddism.

These Kadampa teachings still form the basis of training in all four Buddhist schools and
their monastic colleges, each school having its own slight variation in interpretation.
Most of these have now been translated in English, so you can choose from among the
following:

* Geluk school: the "Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam
Rim Chen Mo)" (subject of the present review) is the classic that belongs to this school;
* Kagyu school: "The Jewel Ornament of Liberation" (ISBN 1559390921) is the famous
classic by Gampopa, founder of the Kagyu school, by seamlessly integrating the
Kadampa teachings of the gradual path with the Mahamudra teachings of the non-
gradual path;

* Sakya school: "The Three Levels of Spiritual Perception" (ISBN 0861713680);

* Nyingma school": "Treasury of Precious Qualities" (ISBN 1570625980) by Jigme

Lingpa.

Although each of these four works cover the same main subject, they are not
necessarily exactly the same. Which work you choose for study will probably depend on
your main spiritual teacher, if you have one.

What I particularly like about the "Lam Rim Chen Mo" in its present English edition, is
that the subject is covered in full detail, separated by chapters with clear titles, for easy
reference. So it is very suitable as a Western student's manual.

From the Editor's Preface: "The "Lam Rim Chen Mo" has the special feature of blending
the three types of persons (those of small, medium, or great capacities) with the three
principal aspects of the path (the determination to be free, the spirit of enlightenment,
and correct view."

For those of higher capacity this means: travelling from the intent of acquiring a better
life in the future; to the intent of liberation from samsara; to the mahayana intent of an
open, compassionate heart with sacred outlook and pure vision, in order to liberate all
sentient beings.

In this English edition, there are three volumes: the first volume covers the training of
small and medium scope; volume two covers the mahayana training of superior scope;
of which volume three covers the training in meditative serenity (shamatha) and wisdom
insight (vipashyana).
From the Foreword: "Jey Tsongh-kha-pa's "Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to
Enlightenment" is one of the greatest religious or secular works in the library of our
human heritage. It presents a stunning vision (...) locating the precious jewel of an
individual human embodiment at a critical moment of personal evolution. It provides this
revelation in such a way that individual readers can be moved to achieve a fundamental
paradigm shift in their vision of their lives: from having been a self-centered, this-life-
oriented personal agent struggling with the currents and obstacles around them (...) to
becoming a magnificent awakening being, soaring (...) in marvelous evolutionary flight
toward an unimaginably beautiful destiny of wisdom, love, and bliss - buddhahood, or
simply the supreme evolutionary glory attainable by any conscious being.

I like this literature tremendously, because it allows me to understand the foundation of

the entire spiritual path, in the context of Tibetan buddhism in particular, but
comparatively in the context of many other wisdom traditions and religions as well.
Acquiring its taste has provided the condition, for me, for opening into endless study
Volume 2
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Tib. Lam rim chen mo)
is one of the brightest jewels in the worlds treasury of sacred literature. The author,
Tsong-kha-pa, completed it in 1402, and it soon became one of the most renowned
works of spiritual practice and philosophy in the world of Tibetan Buddhism. Because it
condenses all the exoteric stra scriptures into a meditation manual that is easy to
understand, scholars and practitioners rely on its authoritative presentation as a
gateway that leads to a full understanding of the Buddhas teachings.

Tsong-kha-pa took great pains to base his insights on classical Indian Buddhist
literature, illustrating his points with classical citations as well as with sayings of the
masters of the earlier Kadampa tradition. In this way the text demonstrates clearly how
Tibetan Buddhism carefully preserved and developed the Indian Buddhist traditions.

This second of three volumes covers the deeds of the bodhisattvas, as well as how to
train in the six perfections.
Peacok
If you want to learn how to lead a truly meaningful life, and truly benefit yourself and
others, then it is wonderful to be able to read and study volume two in this series.

This volume covers the superior training in Tibetan Buddhism, which is the mahayana
training in developing the spirit of enlightenment. This is a mind training practice that
descends from the great Indian teacher Atisha, and is commonly known as the
"sevenfold causes and effect", while that which descends from Shantideva is known as
"equalizing self and others". Here, in the tradition of Tsong-kha-pa, the two lineages are
combined.

Training in the spirit of enlightenment comprises the method of the path. This method is
not separate from the wisdom of the path, which is the knowledge of emptiness.

According to Tsongh-kha-pa: "In general, just as both father and mother are needed to
have a child, you need the entire complement of method and wisdom to have a
complete path. In particular you need the main method, the spirit of enlightenment; and
the main wisdom, the knowledge of emptiness. This is how the two belong together.

Once you understand that the spirit of enlightenment is the only entrance to ultimate
and complete realization, and you know how to develop the spirit of enlightenment, you
then learn how to engage in the bodhisattva deeds of the transcendent virtues and
wisdoms (paramitas) - which are also well-known from Shantideva's famous work, "The
Way of the Bodhisattva" (ISBN 1590300572), another essential must-read.

I like this volume very much, in general because it shows how these teachings fit into
the entire path of the "three precious trainings" - which comprise the entire Tibetan
buddhist path - and in particular because it combines the lineages of Atisha and
Shantideva.
As a study companion to this second volume, I would certainly suggest "Achieving
Bodhichitta" (0918753147) with the elaborate and marvelous oral explanation by
Sermey Khensur Lobsang Tharchin. This allows you to even better understand the
meaning, and in more detail.
Once you understand the equality of all sentient beings, and you understand that
exchanging your own well-fare for that of all others is the ultimate method of the path,
then you truly possess a wish-fulfilling gem - indeed, you become one!
If you want to do something truly meaningful for other beings, then this is the way to
proceed, according to the mahayana view.

Volume 3
The third volume of the fifteenth-century spiritual classic that condenses the enormous
breadth of Buddhist teachings into one easy-to-follow meditation manual.
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Tib. Lam rim chen mo)
is one of the brightest jewels in the worlds treasury of sacred literature. The author,
Tsong-kha-pa, completed it in 1402, and it soon became one of the most renowned
works of spiritual practice and philosophy in the world of Tibetan Buddhism. Because it
condenses all the exoteric stra scriptures into a meditation manual that is easy to
understand, scholars and practitioners rely on its authoritative presentation as a
gateway that leads to a full understanding of the Buddhas teachings.

Tsong-kha-pa took great pains to base his insights on classical Indian Buddhist
literature, illustrating his points with classical citations as well as with sayings of the
masters of the earlier Kadampa tradition. In this way the text demonstrates clearly how
Tibetan Buddhism carefully preserved and developed the Indian Buddhist traditions.

This third and final volume contains a presentation of the two most important topics in
the work: meditative serenity (amatha) and supramundane insight into the nature of
reality (vipayan).
Volume three in this series - which are about the "three precious trainings", that
comprise the entire Tibetan buddhist path - covers the meditation practice of the
superior training of the mahayana path. Meditation training consists of meditative
serenity (shamatha) and insight (vipashyana), which are the last two perfections of the
six perfections (paramitas) of the mahayana path.

The explanation of meditative serenity in this book is superb, and contains very clear
sentences, such as: "Mindfulness is an accurate awareness whether you are distracted
[where distraction is the opposite of meditation]." "Vigilance is an accurate awareness
whether you are becoming distracted." "Exertion refers to tightly focusing your mind on
virtue with clear enthusiasm."

The topics of shamatha and vipashyana are explained from all angles: Why together
they are both necessary and complete, what is their nature, what are the advantages of
developing their qualities as well as the disadvantages of not developing them, what are
the obstructions to both, as well as the antidotes to these obstructions, and so on.

In short, this volume provides an excellent explanation of the practice of meditation, not
easily found elsewhere.
Having said that, the second part of this book, which covers the topic of insight
(vipashyana), is much less attractive, in my opinion, because it is a very advanced and
detailed exposition of Tsongh-kha-pa's view on mahamudra, and less suitable for a
beginning Western student, such as myself.

Altogether I really appreciate this volume for its explanation in the first part, on
meditative serenity (shamatha), and how it relates to insight (vipashyana).

Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on

Geshe Lhundub Sopa
Steps on the Path to Enlightenment, Karma: Steps on the Path to
Geshe Lhundub Sopa
Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on
Geshe Lhundub Sopa
Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim Chenmo,
Volume 4: Samatha
Geshe Lhundub Sopa
Dec 12, 2017
The Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapas Lamrim
Chenmo. Volume 5: Insight by Geshe Lhundub Sopa and Dechen Rochard

The Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapas Lamrim

Chenmo. Volume 5: Insight
by Geshe Lhundub Sopa and Dechen Rochard
Volume 1 Steps on the Path to Englightenment: The Foundation Practices marks the
first volume of a much-anticipated, comprehensive commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo
by the renowned Buddhist scholar, Geshe Sopa.

This landmark commentary on what is perhaps the most elegant Tibetan presentation of
the Buddhist path offers a detailed overview of Buddhist philosophy, especially
invaluable to those wanting to enact the wisdom of the Buddha in their lives.
In the Lamrim Chenmo, Tsongkhapa explains the path in terms of the three levels of
practitioners: those of small capacity who seek happiness in future lives, those of
medium capacity who seek liberation from the cycle of suffering, and those of great
capacity who seek full enlightenment in order to benefit all beings. This volume covers
the topics common to the first level: Tsongkhapa's explanations of the role of the
teacher, his exhortation to take the essence of human existence, the contemplation of
death and future lives, and going for the refuge.

Given his vast knowledge and his experience in both Tibetan and Western contexts,
Geshe Sopa is the ideal commentator of this work for the modern student of Tibetan
Buddhism.
Volume 2 This second volume of the five-volume commentary by the renowned
Buddhist scholar Geshe Lhundub Sopa focuses on the key Buddhist concepts of karma,
or cause and effect, and dependent origination. Considered one of the finest living
Buddhist scholars, Geshe Sopa provides commentaries essential for anyone interested
in a sound understanding of Tibetan Buddhist practice and philosophy. Never has a
book gone into such clear detail on karma and dependent origination--concepts which,
despite many references in contemporary culture, are too often misunderstood. Here,
Geshe Sopa starts from the beginning with a faithful reading of the Lamrim Chenmo
and, in the end, leaves readers with the proper tools for incorporating core Buddhist
concepts into their study, teaching, and practice.
Volume 3 Geshe Lhundub Sopa's Steps on the Path to Enlightenment is a landmark
commentary on what is perhaps the most elaborate and elegant Tibetan presentation of
the Buddhist path, Tsongkhapa's monumental Lamrim Chenmo. In this third volume of
five, readers are acquainted with the bodhisattva's path and the altruistic desire to make
service to others the driving force of spiritual development.

It begins with an explanation of what distinguishes the Mahayana practitioner from other
Buddhists and goes on to describe the nature of bodhichitta. Geshe Sopa then provides
a detailed commentary on the two methods to develop this awakening attitude: the
techniques of sevenfold cause-and-effect and exchanging self and other.

While bodhichitta's significance in Mahayana Buddhism is universally known, Geshe

Sopa illustrates how bodhichitta can motivate a devoted practitioner toward complete
enlightenment and how this is accomplished through the performance of the bodhisattva
perfections. Whether engaged in a scholarly study or personal practice of the Lamrim
Chenmo, Geshe Sopa's guiding voice leads readers to a deeper understanding and
appreciation of the bodhisattva way.
Volume 4 Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapa's Lamrim
Chenmo, Volume 4: Samatha by Geshe Lhundub Sopa Hardcover
An exploration of the practice of samatha, the style of meditation devoted to focus and
attention.

Geshe Sopa continues his elucidation of Lama Tsongkhapa's masterwork on the

Buddhist path with an explanation of the core meditative practice of samatha, or calm
abiding.

Showing how it is essential for--and goes hand in hand with--the achievement of insight
into reality, he gives practical tips for countering sleepiness, agitation, and their subtler
counterparts. Leading us step by step toward deeper levels of concentration, volume 4
of the Steps on the Path to Enlightenment series brings readers closer to the ultimate
goal of samatha: unlimited and effortless focus.
Volume 5
Dec 12, 2017
The Steps on the Path to Enlightenment: A Commentary on Tsongkhapas Lamrim
Chenmo. Volume 5: Insight by Geshe Lhundub Sopa and Dechen Rochard
The final installment of the Steps on the Path to Enlightenment series examines the
nature of reality with a master class in Buddhist Middle Way philosophy and meditation.

The late Geshe Sopa was a refugee monk from Tibet sent to the United States by the
Dalai Lama in 1963. He became a professor at the University of Wisconsin, training a
generation of Western Buddhist scholars, and was a towering figure in the transmission
of the Buddhism to the West. In this fifth and final volume of his commentary on Lama
Tsongkhapas masterwork on the graduated steps of the Buddhist path, Geshe Sopa
explains the practice of superior insight, or wisdom, the pinnacle of the bodhisattva's
perfections. All the Buddhist practices are for the purpose of developing wisdom, for it is
wisdom that liberates from the cycle of suffering. All other positive actions, from morality
to deep states of meditation, have no power to liberate unless they are accompanied by
insight into the nature of reality. With unparalled precision, Geshe Sopa unpacks this
central principle with scholarly virtuosity, guiding the reader through the progressive
stages of realization.
Tsong-kha-pa is best compared to a Thomas Aquinas in their encyclopedic grasp of
their respective traditions and in mysticism; Tsong-kha-pa is closer to Meister Eckhart.
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment (Lam Rim Chen Mo) has
long been recognized as a summa of practical Buddhism as it evolved in Tibet.

Almost all expositions of Tibetan Buddhism that are current in the west, logical studies
of mahdyamika, ethical studies of prajanaparamita, mantra and tankha practice from the
Tantric or Varjayana presume upon an intimate knowledge of the arguments,
psychology and metaphysics of a Buddhism as described in this work. Even Madame
Blavatksy wrote in Key to Theosophy, a popular introduction to the context of her
theosophy embodied in her magnum opus The Secret Doctrine, recommended that the
Buddhism of Tsong-kha-pa would be an explanation to her own occultism. It took many
years before any attempt was made to summarize or introduce even parts of this work.
Not because the text was scarce but that the technical command of Tibetan scholastic
language, logic, hermeneutics, and exegeses of Buddhist scripture were needed to
approach this powerful work.
The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment is the first of a series of
three projected volumes. In this first volume the reader is brought into basic Buddhist
teachings as characterized in a Buddhist monastic setting, for people of little or middling
capacity in religion to cultivate the awakening of Bodhichitta. The work is being
expedited by a committee of exceptional Buddhist scholars and is being translated in a
straightforward manner without commentary or cumbersome notes. It is hoped that the
next two volumes will quickly follow However there is currently two provisional
translations of these sections by Alex Wayman. The second volume describes the path
of the Bodhisattva path. This work is available in part in Ethics of Tibet: Bodhisattva
Section of Tsong-kha-pa's Lam Rim Chen Mo translated by Alex Wayman (SUNY
Series in Buddhist Studies; State University of New York Press).
Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy: Tsongkhapas Quest for the Middle
Way by Thupten Jinpa (Routledge Curzon) It is said that when Tsongkhapa (1357-
1419), Tibet's foremost religious reformer and one of its greatest philosophers, finally
arrived at the perfect middle view, he experienced a powerful surge of admiration and
devotion for the Buddha. This combination of deep reverence and insight, together with
a profound sense of joy, that followed this breakthrough in Tsongkhapa's philosophical
thinking inspired him to compose one of the most eloquent praises to the Buddha ever
written in Tibetan? In perfectly metered poetry, Tsongkhapa celebrates the Buddha's
teachings on the principle of dependent origination and expresses his deep appreciation
to the Buddha for having taught this profound truth. At the heart of Tsongkhapa's inner
exultation is also a sense of wonder and amazement at the convergence between what
appear to be two contradictory natures of things - their lack of intrinsic existence on the
one hand, and their coming into being by means of dependent origination on the other.
This study seeks to articulate, as far as is possible in contemporary language,
Tsongkhapa's insight into this profound Middle Way .

Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy offers an astounding clear summation of
Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka ( Middle Way ) philosophy. Jinpa began this study during
his monastic years at Ganden Monastery , South India . Having received an early
education in the classical Tibetan system of learning, he was privileged to encounter
Tsongkhapa's thought as a living tradition enriched by a vast collection of secondary
commentarial literature and an associated oral tradition. In the monastic colleges, only
after years of preparation studying the basics of epistemology and various other
philosophical themes are students introduced to what may be called the great classics
of Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka philosophy. Several principal elements constitute a
student monk's study of a text. He first memorizes the root verses (where these exist);
he then receives a reading with commentary from a learned scholar; he subsequently
studies the text himself; and finally, he debates with colleagues the various
philosophical and exegetical issues related to the text. Given Tsongkhapa's towering
stature within the history of Madhyamaka philosophy in Tibet , and perhaps more
importantly, given that his writings have assumed an almost canonical status within the
dominant Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism , an extensive exegetical tradition has
evolved with respect to reading Tsongkhapa's thought. Thus, for a Tibetan monk,
reading a text by Tsongkhapa is a living experience, not at all akin to encountering, as a
contemporary writer puts it, `strings of written symbols representing a dead language for
which only a limited corpus of texts now exists.'

In addition to the above, years of training in the fundamental theories and practices of
Tibetan Buddhism, including studying the major Buddhist philosophical schools and,
especially, initiation into the central debates of the continuing, living tradition, provide a
monk with a unique context. For example, he learns to be aware of (a) the key
passages that are traditionally seen as problematic for an exegesis of Tsongkhapa, (b)
areas of thought that point to a need for deeper philosophical enquiry, and (c) issues
that are of central importance in understanding the points of divergence between
Tsongkhapa and his predecessors. Perhaps most importantly, a classical monastic
approach encourages a monk to cultivate an appreciation for Tsongkhapa's philosophy
as part of a continuing lineage of thought. This ensures that, psychologically at least, a
student's approach to studying Tsongkhapa's thought does not become such that `the
lineaments of his masks [are] discernible imperfectly, but the mental events that
accompanied the composition of the text are even more inscrutable.

Given this background, it should not come as a surprise that a significant perspective
that Jinpa brings to bear upon his study of Tsongkhapa is what might be called in
anthropological terms a native's point of view. This means to read Tsongkhapa, as it
were, from within his own writings and inherited philosophical and intellectual legacies.
This approach results in a more sympathetic reading of the material at hand than that
generally employed by traditional Western academic scholars. Furthermore, contrary to
what many textual theorists of the post-modern age recommends, Jinpa has accorded
greater priority to the place of the author when determining the meaning of his works.
For example, Jinpa gives priority to Tsongkhapa's own intended meaning and the
stated motivations that underlie his philosophical enterprise. We are encouraged to
listen to him when he says that he is arguing for a specific thesis. More importantly, as
the traditional Geluk exegesis of Tsongkhapa suggests, Jinpa makes the fundamental
assumption that there is a systematic approach in Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka thought
and that it contains a high degree of cohesion and completeness. This does not mean
that one rules out a priori any inconsistencies, gaps, and so on in his thinking. It does
mean, however, that Jinpa invites us to believe there is an overall framework of
intended coherence in Tsongkhapa's thought and to take it seriously.

The second perspective that Jinpa brings to Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan
Philosophy is what we can call the contemporary philosopher's point of view. The
significance and merits of this have been made more than evident to Jinpa as a result of
his studies at Cambridge University , England . Vital to applying this perspective is to
read Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka writings as primarily philosophical, even by
contemporary Western philosophical standards. It also entails making sense of
Tsongkhapa's views within the language and conceptual frameworks familiar to
contemporary Western thought. Thus, Jinpa engages in this study of Tsongkhapa's
thought from the standpoint of comparative horizons by showing that his views can
have significance across boundaries of language, culture, and era. In this regard,
especially given that this study was undertaken in English, as a key methodological
approach Jinpa has appropriated contemporary Western philosophical language to
articulate Tsongkhapa's views on a number of key issues, such as questions of
personal identity. Underlying this approach is the principal assumption that general
philosophical discourse is, in fact, possible. Jinpa makes the additional assumption that
there are definitely some issues, concerns, and questions that are universal to all
traditions of philosophical thinking. For example, many of the questions that pertain to
the self -- such as its existence (or lack of it), its identity, its relation with the external
world, and so on -- appear in the philosophical discourse of many traditions. Although
the language and conceptual framework within which these issues are raised may be
specific to that particular intellectual tradition, many of the underlying concerns that are
being addressed remain universal.

In practical terms, approaching Tsongkhapa's thought from the perspective of

comparative horizons primarily involves bearing in mind two key methodological
questions:

(1) Does Tsongkhapa's thought suggest answers to perennial philosophical questions

that continue to vex us even in our time? (2) Does it push us to extend the horizons of
current Western intellectual and philosophical paradigms?

Even with these questions in mind Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy is not
a comparative study. Rather it is a reconstruction Tsongkhapa's thought, articulating it
in contemporary language in the most coherent way. This activity of reconstruction
must, in fact, precede any process of systematic comparison, for a genuine comparative
study involves (to borrow Richard Robinson's term) multi-system comparisons that
is, comparisons between systems of thought that are purported to be complete in
themselves. Thus, Jinpa avoids comparing specific aspects of Tsongkhapa's thought
with specific aspects of Western thought in order to maintain a clear focus on
elucidating and understanding the basic material of Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka
thought.

Once again, in the context of how to avoid obscuring Tsongkhapa's text with heavily
laden interpretations, Jinpa also addresses the question of how the works of
Tsongkhapa's Tibetan critics should appropriately be treated. Here, Jinpa chose not to
go into the details of these Tibetan polemics, apart from addressing a few specific
objections that seem to require serious discussion. Delving too deeply into this critical
literature would divert attention from the development of the main line of thought. This is
again a methodological choice adopted in order not to clutter this study with peripheral
details that are irrelevant to our main purpose. Nevertheless, where he sees that these
critical views may help sharpen our understanding of the distinctiveness of
Tsongkhapa's reading of Madhyamaka, he does not hesitate to bring them into the
debate.

Similar methodological considerations have also informed my treatment of the

enormous Geluk commentarial literature on Tsongkhapa, especially the large corpus of
yig cha (textbooks) of the individual colleges of the Geluk monasteries. As a graduate of
Ganden Monastic University , Jinpa is intimately familiar with much of the scholastic
literature on Tsongkhapa-exegesis within the Geluk school. Because the main concern
here is to present Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka philosophy in a manner uncluttered by
scholastic or contemporary representations, Jinpa chose not to go into the specifics of
the variances and divergences to be found in scholastic interpretations of Tsongkhapa's
Madhyamaka.

One further consideration relates to the current historical coincidence of Tibetan

Madhyamaka studies. Given that a great deal of modern Western scholarship on
Tibetan Madhyamaka has been based on the writings of later Geluk thinkers, there is
often the danger of reading Tsongkhapa's philosophy as articulated in contemporary
Western language almost exclusively through the lens of the later Geluk presentation of
Madhyamaka. In fact, there may be the danger of committing the methodological error
of assuming that Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka equals Geluk Madhyamaka. The simple
reason why the two cannot be equated is that the latter includes an enormous body of
diverse commentarial literature that, although rich and illuminating in its own right, is
distinct from Tsongkhapa's writings. Tsongkhapa belongs to what Ruegg describes as
the classical period of Tibetan Buddhism, a high point in Tibet 's intellectual history
that was characterized by penetrating philosophical thought, systematic hermeneutics,
and thorough exegetical writings. In contrast, many subsequent Geluk Madhyamaka
writers belong to the scholastic period, which was dominated by `interpretation' (often
epigonal) comprising continued exegetical and hermeneutical activity largely within the
bounds of the different chos lugs.

In Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy, Jinpa endeavors to ground all
interpretations in Tsongkhapa's own works so that, to the extent possible, the story of
Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka philosophy is told through Tsongkhapa's own voice, albeit
in a contemporary idiom. Jinpa also seeks to arrive at an understanding of
Tsongkhapa's thought through reading and cross-referencing all of Tsongkhapa's
Madhyamaka writings, a basic requirement when one reads the thought of any
philosopher, Western or Tibetan. From the standpoint of critical Western scholarship, a
significant consequence of reading Tsongkhapa's own words free of later scholastic
interpretations is that it allows us to remain more sensitive to issues of development and
change in Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka thoughts Jinpa indicates places where he sees
such a developmental process taking place, by comparing Tsongkhapa's earlier and
later writings on the same themes. This developmental approach may surprise some of
Jinpas fellow Tibetan Madhyamikas and even to some Western scholars of Geluk
Madhyamaka as well, who tend to accept the traditional Geluk scholastic view that
Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka thought emerged en bloc rather than gradually, over time.
In that this direct (that is, free of later scholastic interpretation) reading of Tsongkhapa
represents a crucial methodological principle here, the present study can be regarded
as based almost exclusively on primary literature, and is likely to contribute substantially
to a normative reading of Tsongkhapa's own Madhyamaka.

Tsongkhapa was one of the most careful of all Tibetan writers; in particular, the
philosophical works of his so-called `later period' reflect a tremendous sophistication
and subtlety in his use of language. Elegance, clarity, and economy of words are the
hallmarks of Tsongkhapa's philosophical writing. Furthermore, as a noted poet,
Tsongkhapa was also sensitive to the poetic dimensions of the written word. For
example, the prose of his masterpiece Essence of Eloquence is endowed with a natural
rhythm that allows it to be easily read aloud as a recited literary piece.

Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy is likely to appeal principally to three
groups of readers: Western-trained philosophers, both professionals and students who
may or may not have a background in Buddhist studies; specialists in Tibetan Buddhist
studies, both professionals and students; and general readers who are interested in
Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, including, of course, practicing Buddhists.

Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy consists of five parts. The introduction,
deals with issues of method and context. Most of the various methodological
considerations that underlie this study of Tsongkhapa's thought were addressed in this
review. In exploring the historical and intellectual context of Tsongkhapa's
Madhyamaka, Jinpa endeavors to discern the various points of divergence between
Tsongkhapa and his Tibetan predecessors. An important aspect of this task has been to
identify Tsongkhapa's key qualms with respect to early Tibetan views of the
Madhyamaka philosophy of emptiness. Given that many of these qualms pertain to
issues and debates that are central to Tibetan philosophy as a whole, this task can be
seen as providing a brief overview of Tsongkhapa's Madhyamaka view itself.

Next Jinpa describes Tsongkhapa's philosophical method, his Tsongkhapa's attempt to

define the scope of dialectical analysis in Madhyamaka reasoning. It demonstrates that
underlying his extensive explication of Madhyamaka philosophical analysis is
Tsongkhapa's deep concern with delineating clearly the parameters of Madhyamaka
reasoning, in a way that such reasoning could not be mistakenly used to negate
everything, especially not ethics and religious activity. In examining Tsongkhapa's
understanding and application of the Madhyamaka dialectic, this study attempts to
remain sensitive to his forms of argumentation and logical analysis, as well as to his use
of rhetoric, all of which are so crucial to Tsongkhapa's style of philosophizing. For
Tsongkhapa methodology is an integral part of his philosophy.

Following this summary of Tsongkhapa's philosophical method, Jinpa explores

Tsongkhapa's critique of the self and his assertion that the final meaning of the
Buddha's teaching on no-self needs to be understood in terms of the Madhyamaka's
rejection of intrinsic existence. Following the steps of Buddhist argumentation against
selfhood, central to the thought of Tsongkhapa is the analysis of the concept of intrinsic
existence, a concept that is categorically and vehemently rejected by Tsongkhapa.
Jinpa presents Tsongkhapa's actual application of Madhyamaka reasoning to questions
pertaining to the existence and identity of the self. Together, Tsongkhapa's
philosophical methodology and rejection of the self offer an in-depth presentation of
what can be called the deconstructive aspect of Tsongkhapa's philosophy.
Jinpa goes on to make a systematic presentation of Tsongkhapa's constructive theory
of persons as it is understood in contemporary Western philosophical discourse. By
addressing such issues as personal identity, individuation, continuity, I-consciousness,
memory, and so on, Jinpa explores Tsongkhapa's answers to the basic question of who
or what is a person. This second dimension of Tsongkhapa's thought is critical, if he is
to be regarded as consistent with his fundamental concern of ensuring that
Madhyamaka reasoning does not result in nihilism. Thus, Jinpa shows how Tsongkhapa
accords a meaningful level of reality to the self and the world while at the same time
adhering to the deconstructive reasoning of the Madhyamikas. Together, these
considerations demonstrate that, unlike many other Buddhist thinkers, Tsongkhapa
maintains a non-reductionist model of personal identity.

Finally, Jinpa concludes by addressing the ontological question. In what sense,

according to Tsongkhapa, can persons and the world be said to exist? In addressing
this question, Jinpa presents the framework of Tsongkhapa's nominalist ontology and
explores the concept of reality that emerges from Tsongkhapa's deconstructive and
reconstructive approaches to self and persons. The various conclusions pertaining to
the epistemological and ontological questions of self are reviewed within the context of
Buddhist soteriology. In this way, Jinpa deals with the central issues concerning the
relationship between critical reasoning, no-self, and religious experience as perceived
by Tsongkhapa. The study concludes with comments on some key areas of
Tsongkhapa's philosophy that require further research. Self, Reality and Reason in
Tibetan Philosophy is a first-rate monograph on the philosophy of Tsongkhapa's
Madhyamaka, that is both introductory and substantive enough to subtly reorients all
future Tsongkhapa interpretations and studies in English language. Highly
recommended.

Asanga's Chapter on Ethics With the Commentary of Tsong-kha-pa: The Basic Path to
Awakening, the Complete Bodhisattva translated by Mark Tatz (Edwin Mellen Press)
also addresses stages of the path and basic Buddhist morality but draws upon another
commentary by Tsong-kha-pa.

Alex Waymans Calming the Mind and Discerning the Real (Columbia, 1978) provided a
pioneering translation of the third part focuses on the practical integration of quieting
techniques with spiritual discernment that leads to wisdom. It is true that Waymans
translations have been held up to censure by the Lama trained cadre of scholars who
are now making this new edition. It is also true that some of their reservations are
deserved but I still find much of value in the Wayman editions and until the next two
volumes of The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment are available
I suggest they be consulted.

All told The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path of Enlightenment is one of the
masterpieces of world religion, a non parallel introduction to the fundamentals of
Buddhist practice in all its subtlety and powerful psychological insight. The work will
repay close study for anyone drawn to the salvific motive of religion, anyone who wishes
to engage in-depth the nature of life and the way to knowing through meditation. By
setting the conditions for practical reason, Tsong-kha-pa opens up the vast possibility of
what we can approach and achieve as human beings. Do not pass up this most
powerful work.

Thee other works by and about Tsong-kha-pa are currently available:

The Cental Philosophy of Tibet by Robert A. F. Thurman (Princeton) is by far the most
innovative and key texts to Tsong-kha-pa's teachings and life experience as it purports
to reveal Tsong-kha-pa's own account of his experience of Enlightenment and his
answer to many of the intellectual muddles, hyper intellectualisms, antinationalism that
befuddled and continues to perplex many contemporary monks and Buddhist
practitioners. It is a demanding read but well worth the effort.

Ocean of Eloquence: Tsong Kha Pa's Commentary on the Yogacara Doctrine of Mind
translated by Gareth Sparham (SUNY Series in Buddhist Studies; State University of
New York Press)

Yoga of Tibet: The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra 2 and 3 (Wisdom of Tibet Series,
No 4) by Tsong-Kha-Pa, Jeffrey Hopkins