The original Sublime Continuum Explanatory Commentary was written by Noble Asanga to explain the verses received from the bodhisattva Maitreya in the late fourth century CE in northern India. Here it is introduced and presented in an original translation from Sanskrit and Tibetan, with the translation of an extensive Tibetan Supercommentary by Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen (1364-1432), whose work closely followed the view of his teacher, Tsong Khapa (1357-1419).
Contemporary scholars have widely misunderstood the Buddhist Centrist (Madhyamaka) teaching of emptiness, or selflessness, as either a form of nihilism or a radical skepticism. Yet Buddhist philosophers from Nagarjuna on have shown that the negation of intrinsic reality, when accurately understood, affirms the supreme value of relative realities. Gyaltsap Darma Rinchen, in his Supercommentary, elucidates a highly positive theory of buddha nature, showing how the wisdom of emptiness empowers the compassionate life of the enlightened, as it is touched by its oneness with the truth body of all buddhas. With his clear study of Gyaltsap's insight and his original English translation, Bo Jiang completes his historic project of studying and presenting these works from Sanskrit and Tibetan in both Chinese and, now, English translations, in linked publications.
Sublime Continuum Super-Commentary (theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i tikka) with the Sublime Continuum Treatise Commentary (Mahayanottaratantrasastravyakhya; theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i bstan bcos rnam par bshad pa), Wisdom Publications, Hardcover, 624 pages, $79.95
Marty Bo Jiang (Translator) is a research fellow at the American Institute of Buddhist Studies, Columbia University Center for Buddhist Studies.
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CONTENTS: Sublime Continuum Super-Commentary
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Editor's/Series Editor's Preface
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ix
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Author's Preface and Acknowledgements
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xv
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Abbreviations, Sigla, and Typographical Conventions
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xvi
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Part One: Introduction
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1.
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Introduction to The Sublime Continuum and Its Commentary
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3
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2.
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Introduction to Gyaltsap's Supercommentary
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17
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Part Two: Translations
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Maitreyanatha's Sublime Continuum and
Noble Asanga's Commentary
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I
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Tathagatha Essence
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53
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II
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Enlightenment
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145
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III
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Excellences
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159
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IV
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Enlightened Activities
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166
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V
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Benefit
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184
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Gyaltsap's Supercommentary
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Introduction
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193
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I
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Tathagatha Essence
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205
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II
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Enlightenment
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479
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III
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Excellences
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511
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IV
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Enlightened Activities
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524
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V
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Benefit
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555
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Appendix
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Tibetan Names (Phonetic-Transliterated Equivalents)
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570
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Selected Bibliographies
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Canonical Sources
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572
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Modern Sources
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579
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Indexes
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Index of Canonical Texts Cited
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581
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Index of Canonical Authors Cited
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584
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General Index
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586
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