The Adornment of the Middle Way: Shantarakshita's Madhyamakalankara with Commentary by Jamgon Mipham (Hardcover)

~ Shantarakshita (Author), Padmakara Translation Group (Translator), Jamgon Mipham (Commentary)
Key Phrases: snowy land, approximate ultimate truth, uncompounded object, False Aspectarians, Middle Way, True Aspectarians (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Padmakara has again succeeded in presenting a difficult original text in an accessible and accurate translation. The translators benefited from the guidance of Khanchen Pema Sherab, one of the most renowned living experts in the tradition of Jamgön Mipham. A forty-seven-page introduction helps orient the reader through discussions of the Svantrika-Prasangika distinction, the role and precise nature of the Yogachara aspect of Shantarakshita's system, and the text's relationship to the logical and epistemological tradition of Dharmakirti."— Buddhadharma

Product Description

Madhyamaka, or the Middle Way, is accepted by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism as the most profound expression, in philosophical terms, of emptiness, the true nature of phenomena. Emptiness is the basis on which the whole of Mahayana practice is founded, from the mind-training meditations on bodhichitta to the advanced yogas of tantra and dzogchen. The Madhyamaka tradition, inaugurated by Nagarjuna and dominant in India for over a thousand years, remains a vibrant force in Tibetan Buddhism. Shantarakshita's view, quintessentially expressed in the Madhyamakalankara, effects a synthesis between the Madhyamaka of Nagarjuna, the Mind-Only teachings traced back to Asanga, and the logico-epistemological tradition of Dignaga and Dharmakirti. This great work marks the final stage in the evolution of Madhyamaka and was the last major development of Buddhist philosophy in India. Composed toward the end of the nineteenth century, Mipham's brilliant and searching commentary has been described as one of the most profound examinations of Madhyamaka ever written. In presenting and defending Shantarakshita's view, Mipham throws down the gauntlet to the philosophical establishment and calls for a major reassessment of the Madhyamaka field. This challenging but rewarding text is indispensable to a balanced understanding of Tibetan Buddhist thought. This book is a core study text for both scholars and practitioners of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala (June 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590302419
• ISBN-13: 978-1590302415
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #790,035 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential companion for the study of Buddhist philosophy, September 23, 2007

By	Anna Elias "A. Elias" (USA) - See all my reviews

This is an excellent book for anyone interested in studying the deeper aspects of Buddhist philosophy, of which Madhyamika is the essence. It is very complementary to Introduction to the Middle Way: Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara with Commentary by Jamgön Mipham. The Padmakara Translation Group makes this highly detailed, traditional text very readable. Highly recommended.