One of the most important concepts in Buddhism is realizing the emptiness or insubstantiality of self and also of outer phenomena. The Buddha taught that our outer world was not solid and real, but in reality more like a mirage, a dream, a drop of dew on a blade of grass in the early morning morning.
If we do not develop a full understanding of emptiness, we cannot reduce or eliminate our attachment and desires in this world and thus cannot develop true, universal compassion for all sentient being--the main goal of Buddhist practice.

The way to develop this understanding of emptiness is to first analyze our perceptions intellectually and find out how our mind categorizes things and decides whether they are real or not. An excellent way to do this is to study the four famous analyses of the great Mipham Rinpoche. After developing an intellectual understanding of emptiness, we should then directly examine the emptiness of our mind in our meditation to establish if our concept of emptiness is correct.

In this book, Thrangu Rinpoche gives a careful evaluation of these four analyses of Mipham's Gateway of Knowledge in a simple and direct, and practical manner. This fourth edition now includes an additional chapter by Thrangu Rinpoche on emptiness as it relates to the eight consciousnesses. It also contains the complete translation of Mipham's important root text that Thrangu Rinpoche used for his commentary.

The Open Door to Emptiness: An Introduction to Middle Way Logic, Thrangu Rinpoche, Namo Buddha Publications, Paperback, 116 pages, $12.95

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist master known for his deep compassion and the clarity of his teachings. He was selected by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to serve as the principal tutor to His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Thrangu Rinpoche is a full holder and teacher of the Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. He founded the Namo Buddha retreat center in Nepal, has established two shedras (monastic universities) in Nepal and India, and serves as Abbot of Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia. He also built Tara Abbey, where nuns receive a full dharma education qualifying them to become khenpos or teachers. Thrangu Rinpoche teaches extensively throughout Asia, Europe and the United States. He has centers in Maine and California, and is building the Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Crestone, Colorado.

	Contents: The Open Door to Emptiness
	Preface to the First Edition	5
1	An Introduction to the Text	9
2	The Egolessness of the Self	17
3	Developing Certainty of Egolessness of Self	27
4	The Benefits of Understanding Non-self	37
5	The Egolessness of External Phenomena	45
6	The First Analysis of Madhyamaka: The Examination of Cause	51
7	The Second Madhyamaka Analysis: The Examination of Result	77
8	The Third Madhyamaka Analysis: The Examination of the Essential Nature	85
9	The Fourth Madhyamaka Analysis: The Examination of all Sources	93
	Dedication	98
	Notes	99
	The Glossary of Terms	105
	The Glossary of Tibetan Terms	117
	The Bibliography	119
	About the Author	123
	Index	125