This is the first in a two-volume annotated translation of Tsong Khapa's Illumination of the Hidden Meaning (sbas don kun sel). The Illumination contains Tsong Khapa's magnificent commentary on the Cakrasamvara Tantra, one of the earliest and most influential of the yogini tantras, a genre of tantric Buddhist scripture that emphasizes female deities, particularly the often fiercely depicted yoginis and dakinis.
This first volume, which includes Tsong Khapa's detailed introduction to chapters 1 to 24 of the 51 chapter root tantra, covers the history of the tradition, its interpretation, and a range of topics including the construction of the mandala, the consecration therein, and the decoding of mantras and their ritual applications, as well as extensive details concerning the clans of the yoginis and the procedures to win their favor. David B. Gray situates the work in context and explores in depth the sources used in composing this commentary. He also provides detailed notes, a trilingual English-Tibetan-Sanskrit glossary, and an appendix that includes a translation and a critical edition of the Laghusamvaratantrapatalabhisandhi, a synopsis of the Cakrasamvara Tantra composed by Sumatikirti, which is quoted in its entirety by Tsong Khapa in his commentary.Together with the second volume, this contains the first English translation of this important work that marks a milestone in the history of the Tibetan assimilation of the Indian Buddhist tantras.
Illumination of the Hidden Meaning Part 1: Mandala, Mantra, and the Cult of the Yoginis, Tsong Khapa Losang Drakpa, The American Institute of Buddhist Studies, Hardcover, 449 pp., $59.95
David B. Gray (translator) is assistant professor of religious studies at Santa Clara University. He is the author of The Cakrasamvara Tantra (The Discourse of Sri Heruka): A Study and Annotated Translation (AIBS, 2007); The Cakrasamvara Tantra (The Discourse of Sri Heruka): Editions of the Sanskrit and Tibetan Texts (AIBS, 2009); and numerous articles.
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CONTENTS: Illumination of the Hidden Meaning Part 1
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Publisher's/Series Editor's Preface
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xi
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Author's Preface and Acknowledgements
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xiv
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Abbreviations, Sigla, and Typographical Conventions
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xvii
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Part One: Introduction
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The Context of This Work
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3
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Tsong Khapa's Sources
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5
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Tsong Khapa's Commentarial Agenda
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9
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Part Two: Annotated English Translation
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Outline of Tsong Khapa's Preface and Introduction
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29
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Tsong Khapa's Preface
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30
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Tsong Khapa's Introduction
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31
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Chapter 1
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76
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Chapter 2
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138
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Chapter 3
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159
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Chapter 4
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175
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Chapter 5
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184
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Chapter 6
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206
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Chapter 7
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211
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Chapter 8
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225
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Chapter 9
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232
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Chapter 10
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253
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Chapter 11
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262
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Chapter 12
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265
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Chapter 13
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275
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Chapter 14
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282
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Chapter 15
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293
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Chapter 16
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299
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Chapter 17
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306
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Chapter 18
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313
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Chapter 19
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318
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Chapter 20
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323
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Chapter 21
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327
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Chapter 22
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330
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Chapter 23
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333
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Chapter 24
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339
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Appendixes
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Appendix I: Tsong Khapa's General Outline (sa bcad) of the Entire Illumination of the Hidden Meaning (Chs. 1-51)
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348
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Appendix II: Sumatikirti's Laghusanivaratantrapatalabhisandi
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395
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Appendix III: Tibetan Names (Phonetic-Transliterated Equivalents)
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400
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Glossaries
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English-Sanskrit-Tibetan Glossary
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402
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Sanskrit-Tibetan-English Glossary
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409
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Tibetan-Sanskrit-English Glossary
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416
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Selected Bibliographies
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Indian and Tibetan Texts
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422
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Editions and Secondary Sources
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428
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Indexes
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Index of Canonical Texts Cited
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435
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Index of Canonical Authors Cited
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440
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General Index
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443
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