In this third year of our continuing investigation of Buddhist philosophy, we begin our study of Madhyamaka, the Middle Way school. Madhyamaka is a direct teaching on the essential nature, free from all extremes. It can be divided into two categories: true reality Madhyamaka and word Madhyamaka. True reality Madhyamaka is the absolute, inexpressible nature the Mother of all the Victorious Ones; word Madhyamaka describes this absolute nature. The practice of true reality Madhyamaka is divided into ground, path and fruit, whereas word Madhyamaka is divided into teachings and commentaries. The commentarial tradition is characterized by Prasangika and Svatantrika Madhyamaka, and Svatantrika itself includes the Sautrantika and Yogachara Madhyamaka schools.

In this book, the Venerable Khenpo Rinpoches use Shantarakshita's famous Madhyamakalankara (The Ornament of the Middle Way) and commentaries by Longchenpa and Mipham Rinpoche to explore Yogachara Madhyamaka. This tradition is generally associated with the "three great masters of the east": Jnanagarbha, Shantarakshita, and Kamalashila.

Opening the Wisdom Door of the Madhyamaka School, Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche, 151 pp, $20.00

Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche and Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche are co-founders and co-directors of Padmasambhava Buddhist Center, based at Padma Samye Ling in upstate New York, which includes more than twenty centers in the U.S.A., Russia, Canada, and Puerto Rico, in addition to monastic institutions in India, Russia, and the U.S.A.

	Contents: OPENING THE WISDOM DOOR of the Madhyamaka School
	Acknowledgments	9
	Introduction	13
	The 84,000 Teachings of the Buddha	14
	Beginning Discussion of Madhyamaka	16
	Bhavaviveka Refutes Budhapalita	17
	Chandrakirti Refutes Bhavaviveka	19
	Shantarakshita and Madhyamaka	20
	Questions and Answers	22
	History	27
	How Svatantrika Madhyamaka Came to Tibet	27
	How Prasangika Madhyamaka Came to Tibet	30
	The Svatantrika Madhyamaka of This Shedra	32
	Review of Svatantrika Madhyamaka Teachings	35
	Benefits of the Nature As It Is	38
	Madhyamaka Is Beyond Conception	41
	Madhyamaka and Prajnaparamita	42
	Questions and Answers	46
	Rangtong and Shentong	49
	Svatantrika Madhyamaka	50
	Kenchen Bodhisattva, Shantarakshita	50
	Longchenpa and Mipham Rinpoche	52
	Relative and Absolute Truth	55
	Refuting the Sameness of the Two Truths	55
	1. Error One	55
	2. Error Two	56
	3. Error Three	56
	4. Error Four	56
	Refuting the Separateness of the Two Truths	57
	1. Error One	58
	2. Error Two	58
	3. Error Three	58
	4. Error Four	59
	Valid Cognition and the Two Truths	60
	Meaning of the Two Truths	62
	Jnanagarbha's Two Truths	64
	The Four Categories of Relative Truth	64
	Two Divisions of Absolute Truth	65
	Madhyamaka and the Vajrayana	69
	Absence of a Singular and Plural Self-Existing Nature	71
	Refuting Singularity	72
	Refuting Plurality	74
	How do Phenomena Really Exist?	75
	Further Characteristics of Absolute and Relative Truth	76
	The Five Essential Points of Yogachara Madhyamaka	79
	1. Functionality	79
	2. Independent Self-Awareness	79
	3. Interiority - Phenomena as Mental Projections	80
	4. Countable and Uncountable Absolute Truth	80
	5. Gradual Approach to Uncountable Absolute Truth	82
	Uncountable Absolute Truth	84
	Svatantrika-Prasangika Distinction: Gradual Versus Instant	84
	The Five Great Reasonings of Madhyamaka	87
	The First Great Reasoning of Madhyamaka	91
	1. Results Do Not Arise From Themselves	92
	2. Results Do Not Arise From Others	92
	3. Results Do Not Arise From Self or Other	94
	4. Results Do Not Arise From Nothing Whatsoever	94
	General Review	95
	Distinctions Between Svatantrika and Prasangika Madhyamaka	97
	Review of the First Great Reasoning of Madhyamaka	99
	The Second Great Reasoning of Madhyamaka	101
	1. Phenomena Do Not Arise From Existence	102
	2. Phenomena Do Not Arise From Nonexistence	103
	3. Phenomena Do Not Arise From Both Existence and Nonexistence	103
	4. Phenomena Do Not Arise From Nothingness	103
	All is Emptiness	104
	Nagarjuna, Aryadeva, and the Five Reasonings	105
	General Review	107
	Emptiness and Clarity	108
	The True Nature of Appearances	110
	The Third Great Reasoning of Madhyamaka	113
	Relationship Between Causes and Results	114
	Do Cause and Result Occur Simultaneously?	115
	Do Cause and Result Make Contact?	115
	The Fourth Great Reasoning of Madhyamaka	117
	Reviewing the Purpose of Madhyamaka	119
	The Fifth Great Reasoning of Madhyamaka	121
	Absolute Truth and Valid Cognition	125
	Questions and Answers	127
	Dzogchen and Madhyamaka	131
	Conclusion	133
	About the Authors	139
	Other Publications by the Authors	143
	Endnotes	147