A Direct Path to the Buddha Within Go Lotsawa's Mahamudra Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga

by Mathes, Klaus-Dieter

• ISBN13: 9780861715282
• ISBN10: 0861715284
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-02-01
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications

Summary

Maitreya's Ratnagotravibhaga, also known as the Uttaratantra, is the main Indian treatise on buddha nature, a concept that is heavily debated in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. In A Direct Path to the Buddha Within, Klaus-Dieter Mathes looks at a pivotal Tibetan commentary on this text by Go Lotsawa Zhonu Pal, best known as the author of the Blue Annals. Go Lotsawa, whose teachers spanned the spectrum of Tibetan schools, developed a highly nuanced understanding of buddha nature, tying it in with mainstream Mahayana thought while avoiding contested aspects of the so-called empty-of-other (zhentong) approach. In addition to translating key portions of Go Lotsawa's commentary, Mathes provides an in-depth historical context, evaluating Go Lotsawa's position against those of other Kagyu, Nyingma, and Jonang masters, and examining how their views affect Go Lotsawa's understanding of the buddha qualities, the concept of emptiness, and the practice of mahamudra. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Klaus-Dieter Mathes earned his doctorate at Marburg University, and is a Professor of Tibetology and Buddhist Studies at the University of Vienna, Austria. He previously worked as a research fellow and lecturer at the Asia Africa Institute at the University of Hamburg, Germany. His research in progress deals with the Indian origins of Tibetan Mahamudra traditions. He is also a regular contributor to the Journal of the International Association of Tibetan Studies.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	p. viii
Preface	p. ix
Introduction	p. 1
General Remarks	p. 1
Delimitation of the Subject and Methods Employed	p. 3
The Ratnagotravibhaga and Its Vyakhya	p. 7
The Reaction of Mainstream Mahayana to the Theory of Buddha Nature	p. 17
The Tibetan Historical Context
The Development of Various Traditions of Interpreting Buddha Nature	p. 25
Ngog Loden Sherab's Analytical Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga	p. 25
Ratnagotravibhaga Commentaries in the Meditation Tradition	p. 32
The Mahamudra Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga	p. 34
The Zhentong Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga	p. 45
Various Positions Related to Zhonu Pal's Interpretation	p. 49
The Position of the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje	p. 51
The Position of Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen	p. 75
The Position of Sabzang Mati Panchen	p. 84
The Position of Lodro Tsungme	p. 91
The Position of Longchen Rabjampa	p. 98
The Position of Barawa Gyaltsen Palzang	p. 113
A Comparison of the Positions	p. 125
A Short Account of the Most Important Events in Zhonu Pal's Life	p. 131
Translation
Zhonu Pal's Ratnagotravibhagavyakhya Commentary	p. 151
Translator's Introduction	p. 151
Technical Notes	p. 154
The Commentary on the Treatise "Mahayana-Uttaratantra": The Mirror Showing Reality Very Clearly (Introduction and Initial Commentaries)	p. 157
Introduction	p. 157
The Commentary for Those with Sharp Faculties	p. 169
The Commentary for Those with Average Faculties	p. 180
The Explanation of RGV I.1	p. 181
The Explanation of RGV I.2	p. 204
The Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha	p. 205
Buddha Nature and Its Purification through the Three Dharmackras	p. 214
Enlightenment, Buddha Qualities, and Activity	p. 309
A Short Explanation of RGV I.3	p. 312
Zhonu Pal's Views on Buddha Qualities, Emptiness, and Mahamudra
Buddha Qualities	p. 317
General Remarks	p. 317
Different Views on Buddha Qualities	p. 318
The Blossoming of Subtle Qualities	p. 320
The Examples Used to Illustrate the Growth of the Qualities	p. 342
The Ontological Status of the Buddha Qualities	p. 344
Two Types of Emptiness	p. 351
Zhonu Pal's Mahamudra Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga	p. 367
The Ratnagotravibhaga as a Basis for Mahamudra Instructions	p. 367
The Three Dharmacakras: Mahamudra Hermeneutics	p. 368
The Mahamudra Approach of Yogic Direct Valid Cognitions	p. 373
Sutra-Based Mahamudra Meditation	p. 377
The First Mahamudra Yoga of One-Pointedness	p. 381
The Second Mahamudra Yoga of Freedom from Mental Fabrications	p. 382
The Third Mahamudra Yoga of One Taste	p. 384
The Fourth Mahamudra Yoga of Nonmeditation	p. 385
The Four Mahamudra Yogas and the Ratnagotravibhaga	p. 386
Zhonu Pal's Justification of a Sudden Mahamudra Path	p. 397
Pairs of Paradoxes	p. 406
Conclusion	p. 411
Notes	p. 423
Table of Tibetan Transliteration	p. 555
Bibliography	p. 565
Subject Index	p. 589
Indian Text Index	p. 607
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