The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Volume 1) (The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path, the Lamrim Chenmo) - Softcover

Tsong-kha-pa

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1559394420 ISBN 13: 9781559394420

Publisher: Snow Lion, 2014

Synopsis

The first 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 world’s 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 sūtra 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 Buddha’s 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 first of three volumes covers all the practices that are prerequisite for developing the spirit of enlightenment (bodhicitta).

About this title

From the Back Cover:

The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam rim chen mo) is one of the brightest jewels in the world's treasury of sacred literature. The author, Tsong-kha-pa (1357-1419), completed this masterpiece in 1402 and it soon became one of the most renowned works of spiritual practice and philosophy in the world of Tibetan Buddhism. Tsong-kha-pa took great pains to base his incisive insights on the 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.

Volume One covers all practices that are prerequisite for developing the spirit of enlightenment (bodhicitta).

Volume Two explains how to train in the six perfections in order to develop the heart of compassion, indispensable for any student who wants to put the Dharma into practice.

Volume Three contains a presentation of the two most important topics to be found in the Great Treatise: meditative serenity (shamatha) and supramundane insight into the nature of reality (vipasyana).

"Of the many works of the Tibetan master Tsong-kha-pa, none compare in terms of popularity and breadth of influence with his Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Chenmo), which has been treasured by practitioners and scholars alike for centuries. What distinguishes it as one of the principal texts of Mahayana Buddhism is its scope and clarity. It expounds the entire path from the way one should rely on a spiritual teacher, which is the very root, right up to the attainment of Buddhahood, which is the final fruit. The various stages of the path are presented so clearly and systematically that they can be easily understood and are inspiring to put into practice."--H.H. the Dalai Lama

"Ultimately, this is a classic of religious thought and is essential for libraries with a demonstrated interest in Buddhism or comparative religion. It should also be considered for all larger research collections and public libraries."-- Library Journal

"...one of the greatest religious or secular works in the library of our human heritage."--Prof. Robert A.F. Thurman

"The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lam rim chen mo) is one of the brightest jewels in the world's treasury of sacred literature....

Th[e] first volume [of three] establishes that the central focus of the text is the development of the spirit of enlightenment (bodhicitta), the heart of the Mahayana tradition. All the practices that are prerequisite for developing the spirit of enlightenment are covered here, making this indispensable reading for anyone who wishes to understand and practice Tibetan Buddhism."

"Th[e] third volume [of three] contains a presentation of the two most important topics to be found in the Great Treatise: meditative serenity (samatha) and supramundane insight into the nature of reality (vipasyana)."--The Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies

"I got the Tsong Khappa Lam Rim vol. 3 and it is GLORIOUS. I am reading it every night, and I can hardly stand it. It is a treasure beyond description. I can't thank you enough for publishing it, and making it available." -- Devon, a customer

"A must-read for anyone seeking to better understand the principles of Buddhism, as well as an effective manual for spiritual self-improvement."-- Bookwatch Review

"The present translation in three volumes is a remarkable accomplishment and a great gift to all students and practitioners of Vajrayana. The teachings given open-handedly in this key text are essential for anyone hoping to enter into, or attain success in, the higher (Tantric) stages of the path. The wisdom found in the nearly 1200 pages of this work is truly astonishing and liberating. As Robert Thurman mentions in his Foreword, Je Tsongkhapa's treatise can cause a 'paradigm shift' in the reader: from a self-centered individual concerned with his own happiness to a bodhisattva for whom the happiness of others has become an ultimate concern. May it be so!"--Georg Feuerstein

"This much anticipated volume explains how to train in the six perfections in order to develop the heart of compassion, indispensable for any student who wants to put the Dharma into practice."--Ashe Journal

Tsong-kha-pa (1357-1419), founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, was one of Tibet's greatest philosophers and a prolific writer. This translation is the first into a Western language of The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path, his most famous work and a classic of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee is composed of: Jose Cabezon, Daniel Cozort, Joshua W.C. Cutler, Natalie Hauptman, Roger R. Jackson, Karen Lang, Donald Lopez, Jr., John Makransky, Elizabeth S. Napper, Guy Newland, John Newman, Gareth Sparham, B. Alan Wallace, and Joe B. Wilson. The Editor-in-Chief is Joshua W.C. Cutler and the Editor is Guy Newland. All live in the USA and have authored other books.

From the Inside Flap:

"Of the many works of the Tibetan master Tsong-kha-pa, none compare in terms of popularity and breadth of influence with his Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (Lamrim Chenmo), which has been treasured by practitioners and scholars alike for centuries. What distinguishes it as one of the principal texts of Mahayana Buddhism is its scope and clarity. It expounds the entire path from the way one should rely on a spiritual teacher, which is the very root, right up to the attainment of Buddhahood, which is the final fruit. The various stages of the path are presented so clearly and systematically that they can be easily understood and are inspiring to put into practice."--H.H. the Dalai Lama

"...one of the greatest religious or secular works in the library of our human heritage."--Prof. Robert A.F. Thurman

"The Great Treatise is one of the world's great monuments of philosophy and spirituality as well as one of the most renowned works of Buddhist thought and practice to have been composed in Tibet."--Professor D.S. Ruegg

Tsong-kha-pa (1357-1419), founder of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism, was one of Tibet's greatest philosophers and a prolific writer. This translation is the first into a Western language of The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path, his most famous work and a classic of Tibetan Buddhism.

About this edition

• Publisher: Snow Lion
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1559394420
• ISBN 13: 9781559394420
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 440
• Editor: Cutler Joshua, Newland Guy