CoolGrove

Category: Buddhism

  • MADHYAMAKALAMKARAVRITTI: Shantarakshita’s commentary on his Ornament of the Middle Way

    by Abbot Shantarakshita

    “Scripture, without a logic that is based on
    the evidence of things, will not satisfy even
    faithful followers.”
    —Shantarakshita
    Shantarakshita follows in the footsteps of Buddha Shakyamuni who stated that no one should accept his view without testing it as a goldsmith tests gold. In this seminal 8th century text he deconstructs, illucidates and defends Madhayamaka as the essence and central philosophical bases of Mahayana, as elaborated by Nagurjuna—which work preceded the advent of a Buddhist age over much of Asia for a 1000 years. It’s tenets still remains relevant today with discoveries and inventions based on science investigating the ‘nature’ of nature.
    In the Madhyamakalamkaravritti, his commentary on his root text The Adornment of the Middle Way, Shantarakshita aims to completely clarify the position that, while ultimately reality eludes our comprehension, conventional knowledge is useful as a tool for navigating appearances all of which are no more real than the reflection of the moon in water.
    His method of establishing this relies almost exclusively on one tool: To be real an entity must be one or many. If he can show that all the candidates for the real, such as atoms, matter, space, time, God, the soul, subject, object and causal relations fail this test, that if they cannot be said to be one, because the one is not substantial, then it cannot function to produce many.
    Shantarakshita’s motivation for this radical destruction of our basic and cherished beliefs, is to liberate us from anything that can cause us suffering. If we cling to our illusory world, it will fail us, because it is impermanent.
    In sloka 16, Shantarakshita does make one positive assertion about reality, when he asserts self-awareness. But he is careful not to become trapped in the classic Buddhist model of subject, object and activity. Self-awareness, he argues, cannot be understood in this way. Subject and object are not distinct nor identical, not one, not many. Self-awareness has no substantial existence.

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  • A Short Introduction to the Philosophy of Shantarakshita

    by Marie Friquegnon

    This is a significant contribution to the study of Shantarakshita, the foremost thinker of Tibetan Buddhism. A Short Introduction to the Philosophy of Shantarakshita succeeds in demonstrating that Shantarakshita

    “is truly a philosopher for all seasons.” Shantarakshita’s conception of what his philosophy consisted in is what makes his philosophy relevant to all times: To believe what is in accordance with reason, and to reject what is not in accordance with reason. The book is an excellent introduction not only to Tibetan Buddhism, but also a philosophically stimulating text on many of the fundamental topics from ethics, aesthetics, and epistemology (as viewed by Madhyamikas). In a non-technical vocabulary Friquegnon explains philosophical ideas clearly. The conversational style of the book will be engaging to students and general readers who are new to the topic. Also of interest to students and scholars of comparative philosophy this book presents unifying themes from the introduction to the conclusion. One major theme of the book is the parallel between Shantarakshita and Kant. The chapter on Shankara and the problem of nihilism is particular of interest to the study of Hinduism and Buddhism. There are insightful analogies between Shantarakshita and philosophers ranging from Kant to Wittgenstein. Discussion of Shantarakshita’s conception of language in relation to Wittgenstein is particularly noteworthy.The concluding chapter provides a succinct summary of the central theses of Buddhism, the elimination of suffering through letting go of attachment and craving.” – Hyun HochsmannChair, Department of Philosophy, New Jersey City University

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  • Tattvasiddhi and Madhyamakalankara by Shantarakshita with Commentary

    by Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

    Tattvasiddhi: The Attainment of Suchness and Madhyamakalankara: The Ornament of the Middle Way
     
    Includes English translations of the root text of both works by Shantarakshita, with detailed commentary by the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches, as well as Tibetan and Sanskrit versions of the root texts.
     
    Edited by Marie-Louise Friquegnon and Arthur Mandelbaum in collaboration with Geshe Lozang Jamspal
     
    “By tasting of the feast of reasoning contained therein, One will become a crown and summit of the many learned ones Who on the path of reasoning for many lives,
    Through many hardships came to mastery in proof and refutation, Uprooting every falsehood.
     
    Even in the noble land this master’s like was rarely found. Ah, such was the great fortune of the people of Tibet He was invited by their king and sovereign! And as I think of it my mind Is helplessly transported with a wondrous joy!”
    -Je Tsongkhapa
     
    “I venerate the great abbot Shantarakshita, whose skill opened the way of using logical reasoning, to explain to his disciples in accordance with their dispositions, the Middle Way path of emptiness, devoid of duality. He spread the conqueror’s teachings in the Land of the Snows.”
    -His Holiness the Dalai Lama
     
    “Glorious Shantarakshita, the sacred holder of the vows, Padmasambhava, the master of both yoga and accomplishment, Losel Wangpo and Kamalasila: these are second Buddhas in this age of decadence.”
    -Sakya Pandita

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  • A Treasure Trove of Blessing and Protection

    Translated by Mike Dickman

    Cultural Writing. Various types of sacred texts are included in this volume including prayers of supplication to Guru Rinpoche for his guidance and for achieving profound wisdom through devotion and meditation. In the eighth century, Guru Padmasambhava–the Lotus Born–came to Tibet from India and became known as Guru Rinpoche, the Precious Teacher. He transmitted many esoteric teachings to his disciples and concealed them as Ter (gTer) or Terma (gTerma)–hidden Dharma treasures–for the sake of future disciples. From the eleventh century until today thousands of volumes of those concealed teachings have been discovered by the reincarnations of his chief disciples through spiritual discernment. Guru Rinpoche is the founder of Tibetan Buddhism and is referred to as the Second Buddha by his followers. Translator Mike Dickman has previously translated many texts of the Nyingma and ‘Drigung Ka’gyu schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

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  • Disciples of the Buddha

    by Robert Newman

    ultural Writing. Religion & Spirituality. Art. Asian Studies. Introduction by Chogyam Trungpa. DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA presents images of the eight surviving “Lohan” statues–remnants of one of the most renowned works of Eastern art, as well as “The Torch of Precious Jewels-a Sadhana of the Buddha and Sixteen Arhats” by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche. “DISCIPLES OF THE BUDDHA is a treasure of Buddhist art, history and wisdom. These centuries-old rare images, with expressions as realistic as if we were in the very presence of the living sages in their true states of being, nourish our hearts with blessings of peace, joy and power”–Tulku Thondup. “This book brings us images which “are expressions of nonverbal experience that the artist had in the state of arahthood…We could say these images present the particular realization of Buddha’s sanity in his disciples”–Chogyam Trumpa.

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  • Sayings of Old Ch’eng

    Translated By Mike Dickman

    Cultural Writing. Spirituality. Asian Studies. This is an English translation of a text of unknown provenance, given to a Frenchman by a Buddhist monk in old colonial Indochina. These essential anti-instructions from an ancient Buddhist anti-master echo certain inner aspects of the profound Great Perfection Teachings of Tibetan Buddhists as well as those views alluded to in Chinese Taoist traditions. The original mind has always been right before your eyes. There is nothing for you to discover or achieve. Nor have you ever lacked that which would enable you to see it — from THE SAYINGS OF OLD CH’ENG.

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