Ethics Of Tibet: Bodhisattva Section of Tsong-Kha-Pa's Lam Rim Chen Mo

"One of the great contributions of Tibetan Buddhism to the Buddhist tradition as a whole, and one of the things that distinguishes it from the Mahayana traditions that developed via China, has been the clear and systematic articulation of a doctrine of compassion. This text is perhaps the paradigmatic expression of that and as such is vitally important. It will advance Western access to and understanding of Tibetan Buddhism considerably.

"One of the leading Tibetan scholars in the world has translated this work by the great Tsong-kha-pa, the titular head of the Ge-lug-pa Sect and perhaps the Tibetan equivalent English translator also reveals the encyclopedic mind of Tsong-kha-pa, whose mine. He more than anyone else, shaped the development of Tibetan Buddhism as we know it today.

"This book is very interesting and easy to read, because it is a systematic, step-by-step analysis of the conditions necessary for the progress in spiritual attainment, from the awakening of the mind of enlightenment (Bodhicitta) to the final insight (prajna). It is definitely a useful text for understanding Tibetan Buddhism at the core and for comparative studies involving other systems of thought within Buddhism."

Foreword

Of the many works of the Tibetan master Tsong-kha-pa, few compare in terms of popularity and breadth of influence with his Great Exposition of the Stages of the Path, (Lam-rim Chen-mo) which has been treasured by practitioners and scholars alike for centuries. What distinguishes it as one of the principal text of Mahayana Buddhism is its scope and clarity. It expounds the entire path, from the way one the attainment of complete 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.

The heart of Mahayana training is the altruistic aspiration for enlightenment, the practice of the six perfections, and so forth, characteristic of a Bodhisattva. In addition to its clarity, Tsong-kha-pa's presentation of this topic is inspiring due to its sheer authority, for Nagarjuna, Asanga, Shantideva and Kamalashila, but also incorporates advice from the mind training tradition of the early Kadampa masters of Tibet.

This English translation of the section concerning the practice of a Boddhsattva, specifically the first five perfections, is welcome. Nowadays there are many people, who although they do not read Tibetan, have an abiding interest in these instructions.

I admire the worthy intentions of the translator and pray that those who seek actually to engage in this inestimable mode of training will meet with complete success.