About the Authors
TSONGKHAPA LOSANG DRAKPA (13571419) was renowned as a scholar, a tantric master, and a monastic reformer. He studied widely among the traditions of his day, and his many works have left an indelible imprint on Tibetan Buddhism. These include his Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment; his Madhyamaka masterwork, Illuminating the Intent; and his explanation of the completion stage of highest yoga tantra, A Lamp to Illuminate the Five Stages. He founded Ganden Monastery at the end of his life and the Geluk school, which went on to produce the lineage of the Dalai Lamas.
PHILIP QUARCOO began studying Tibetan Buddhism in London in the late 1990s. He earned his first degree in modern European languages at the University of Durham, UK, and in 2007 graduated with a masters degree in Tibetan studies from the University of Munich, Germany, where he is currently researching nineteenth-century Tibetan and Mongolian devotional poetry.
Tsongkhapas Middle-Length Treatise offers precious personal instruction for practice. It is a beautiful letter from our teacher. I am grateful to everyone involved in producing this excellent translation!
GUY NEWLAND, editor of The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment
The great Jamgon Lama Tsongkhapa composed the Middle-Length Treatise as a commentary on Jowo Atias Lamp on the Path. Although abridged, the presentation is complete, and essential key points are crystal clear. The way to cultivate the mental image in tantric amatha meditation (not elucidated in the Great Treatise), the sequence in which the two types of selflessness are realized, and other such profound points make this an outstanding text. That it is now in English for the first time for scholars and for practitioners striving to study it, contemplate, and meditate is worthy of praise and fills me with great joy.
JHADO TULKU RINPOCHE, former abbot of Namgyal Monastery
The profound words of Je Tsongkhapa come through clearly and precisely in this welcome addition to the growing graded-path literature.
ALEXANDER BERZIN, author and founder, Berzin Archives, studybuddhism.com
The Middle-Length Treatise on the Lamrim was composed by Je Tsongkhapa at Ganden Monastery in 1415 as a summary of all the scriptures containing the Buddhas word. This elegant English translation ably captures the voice of the masters accessible step-by-step approach.
FRANZ-KARL EHRHARD, professor emeritus of Tibetan and Buddhist studies, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
It is thrilling at long last to have a complete translation of the Middle-Length Treatise onthe Stages of the Path to Enlightenment. Philip Quarcoos accurate and readable rendering brings Je Rinpoches lucid presentation alive.
ROGER R. JACKSON, John W. Nason Professor of Asian Studies and Religion, emeritus, Carleton College
The Wisdom Culture Series, published under the guidance of Lama Zopa Rinpoche, features translations of key works by masters of the Geluk tradition.
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Bibliography
P The Peking edition of the Tibetan canon of Buddhist scriptures (Kangyur) and classical treatises (Tengyur). The Tengyur works listed below generally include an author name; the Kangyur works do not.
STRAS, TANTRAS, AND INDIAN TREATISES
Abhidharma Stra. Abhidharmastra. This work is not extant.
Advice to the King Stra. Rjvavdakastra. P887.
Application of Mindfulness Stra. Saddharmasmtyupasthnastra. P953.
Array of Qualities in Majurs Buddhafield.Majurbuddhaketraguavyha. P760.15.
Aspiration in Seventy Verses. Praidhnasaptati. Parahitaghoa rayaka. P5430 and P5936.
Blaze of Reasoning. Tarkajvl. Bhviveka. P5256.
Bodhisattva Levels. Bodhisattvabhmi. Asaga, P5538.
Bodhisattva Prtimoka. Bodhisattvaprtimoka. P914.
Chapters of Scriptural Transmission. gamavastu. Refers here to the Chapters on Finer Points of the Vinaya, which preserves many stories from the early scriptures.
Chapters on Finer Points of the Vinaya. Vinayakudrakavastu. P1035.
Chapters on the Vinaya.Vinayavastu. P1030.
Clear Words. Prasannapad. Candrakrti. P5260.
CloudofJewels of Stra. Ratnameghastra. P897.
Collection of Indicative Verses. Udnavarga. P992.
Commentary on Compendium of Valid Cognition. Pramavrttika. Dharmakrti. P5709.
Commentary on Difficult Points of Kayamri. Kayamripajik. Ratnkaranti, P2782.
Commentary on Difficult Points of Lamp for the Path.Bodhimrgapradpapajik. Atia. P5344.
Commentary on Four Hundred Stanzas. Catuatakak. Candrakrti. P5266.
Commentary on Letter to a Friend. Vyaktapadsuhllekak. Mahmati. P5690.
Commentary on Ornament for the Mahyna Stras. Mahynastrlakrabhya. Vasubandhu. P5527.
Commentary on the Perfection of Wisdom inEight ThousandLines. Aashasrikprajpramitvykhyna-Abhisamaylakrloka. Haribhadra, P5189.
Commentary on Sixty Stanzas of Reasoning.Yuktiaikvtti. Candrakrti. P5265.
Commentary on Thirty Verses. Trimikbhya. Sthiramati. P5565.
Commentary on the Vinaya Stra. Vinayastrak. Dharmamitra. P5622.
Compendium of Abhidharma. Abhidharmasamuccaya. Asaga. P5550.
Compendium of Ascertainments. Vinicayasagraha. Asaga. P5539.
Compendium of the Perfections. Pramitsamsa. ryara. P5340.
Compendium of the Stras. Strasamuccaya. Ngrjuna. P5330.
Compendium of the Teachings Stra. Dharmasagtistra. P904.
Compendium of Trainings. iksamuccaya. ntideva. P5336.
Compendium of Trainings in Verse. iksamuccayakrik. ntideva. P5335.
Concentration Definitely Showing Suchness. Tattvanirdeasamdhi. A stra quoted in the Compendium of Trainings. Not extant.
Concise Method for Accomplishing the Mahyna Path. Mahynapathasdhanavarasagraha. Atia. P5351 (and P5392).
Dependent Arising Stra. Prattyasamutpdastra. P878.
Descent into the Womb Stra.Garbhvakrntistra. P760.14.
Descent to Lak Stra. Lakvatrastra. P775.
Dhra of Entering Nonperception. Avikalpapraveadhra. P810.
Dhra of the Goddess Cunda. Cundadevdhra. P188.
Discourse Explaining Seven Qualities. Saptaguaparivaranankath. Vasubandhu. P5663.
Discourse on the Collections. Sambhraparikath. Vasubandhu. P5422 (and P5666).
Discourse on the Eight Unfree States. Akaakath. Avaghoa. P5423 (and P5667).
Distinguishing the Middle from the Extremes. Madhyntavibhga. Maitreya. P5522.
Distinguishing the Two Truths.Satyadvayavibagha. Jnagarbha. Derg 3881 (not in Peking Tengyur).
Distinguishing the Two TruthsAutocommentary. Satyadvayvibaghavtti. Jnagarbha. Derg 3882 (not in Peking Tengyur).
Drop of Reasoning. Nyyabindu. Dharmakrti. P5711.
Engaging in the Two Truths Stra. Savtiparamrthasatyanirdeastra. P846.
Entering the Bodhisattva Way. Bodhicaryvatra.