A Direct Path to the Buddha Within: Go Lotsawa's Mahamudra Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhaga (Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism)

Maitreya’s Ratnagotravibhāga, also known as the Uttaratantra, is the main Indian treatise on buddha nature, a concept that is heavily debated in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. In A Direct Path to the Buddha Within, Klaus-Dieter Mathes looks at a pivotal Tibetan commentary on this text by Gö Lotsawa Zhönu Pal, best known as the author of the Blue Annals. Gö Lotsawa, whose teachers spanned the spectrum of Tibetan schools, developed a highly nuanced understanding of buddha nature, tying it in with mainstream Mahāyana thought while avoiding contested aspects of the so-called empty-of-other (zhentong) approach. In addition to translating key portions of Gö Lotsawa’s commentary, Mathes provides an in-depth historical context, evaluating Gö’s position against those of Kagyü, Nyingma, and Jonang masters, and examining how Gö Lotsawa’s view affects his understanding of a buddha’s qualities, the concept of emptiness, and the practice of mahāmudrā. Table of Contents ... v Introduction ... 1 General Remarks ... 1 Delimitation of the Subject and Methods Employed ... 3 The Ratnagotravibhāga and its Vyākhyā ... 7 The Reaction of Mainstream Mahāyāna to the Theory of Buddha Nature ... 17 Part I: The Tibetan Historical Context 1. The Development of Various Traditions of Interpreting Buddha Nature ... 25 Ngog Loden Sherab’s Analytical Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga ... 25 Ratnagotravibhāga Commentaries in the Meditation Tradition ... 32 The Mahāmudrā Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga ... 34 The Zhentong Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga .. 45 2. Various Positions Related to Zhönu Pal’s Interpretation ... 49 The Position of the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorjé ... 51 The Position of Dölpopa Sherab Gyaltsen ... 75 The Position of Sabzang Mati Panchen ... 84 The Position of Lodrö Tsungmé ... 91 The Position of Longchen Rabjampa ... 98 The Position of Barawa Gyaltsen Palzang ... 113 A Comparison of the Positions ... 125 3. A Short Account of the Most Important Events in Zhönu Pal’s Life ... 131 Part II: Translation 4. Zhönu Pal’s Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā Commentary ... 151 Translator’s Introduction ... 151 Technical Notes ... 154 The Commentary on the Treatise “Mahāyana-Uttaratantra”: The Mirror Showing Reality Very Clearly (Introduction and Initial Commentaries) ... 157 Introduction ... 157 The Commentary for Those with Sharp Faculties ... 169 The Commentary for Those with Average Faculties ... 180 The Explanation of RGV I.1 ... 181 The Explanation of RGV I.2 ... 204 The Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha ... 205 Buddha Nature and Its Purification through the Three Dharmackras ... 214 Enlightenment, Buddha Qualities, and Activity ... 309 A Short Explanation of RGV I.3 ... 312 Part III: Zhönu Pal’s Views on Buddha Qualities, Emptiness, and Mahāmudrā 5. Buddha Qualities ... 317 General Remarks ... 317 Different Views on Buddha Qualities ... 318 The Blossoming of Subtle Qualities ... 320 The Examples Used to Illustrate the Growth of the Qualities ... 342 The Ontological Status of the Buddha Qualities ... 344 6. Two Types of Emptiness ... 351 7. Zhönu Pal’s Mahāmudrā Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga ... 367 The Ratnagotravibhāga as a Basis for Mahāmudrā Instructions ... 367 The Three Dharmacakras: Mahāmudrā Hermeneutics ... 368 The Mahāmudrā Approach of Yogic Direct Valid Cognitions ... 373 Sutra-Based Mahāmudrā Meditation ... 377 The First Mahāmudrā Yoga of One-Pointedness ... 381 The Second Mahāmudrā Yoga of Freedom from Mental Fabrications ... 382 The Third Mahāmudrā Yoga of One Taste ... 384 The Fourth Mahāmudrā Yoga of Nonmeditation ... 385 The Four Mahāmudrā Yogas and the Ratnagotravibhāga ... 386 Zhönu Pal’s Justification of a Sudden Mahāmudrā Path ... 397 Pairs of Paradoxes ... 406 8. Conclusion ... 411 Notes ... 423 Table of Tibetan Transliteration ... 555 Bibliography ... 565 Subject Index ... 589 Indian Text Index ... 607 Maitreya's Ratnagotravibhaga , also known as the Uttaratantra , is the main Indian treatise on buddha nature, a concept that is heavily debated in Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. In A Direct Path to the Buddha Within , Klaus-Dieter Mathes looks at a pivotal Tibetan commentary on this text by Go Lotsawa Zhonu Pal, best known as the author of the Blue Annals . Go Lotsawa, whose teachers spanned the spectrum of Tibetan schools, developed a highly nuanced understanding of buddha nature, tying it in with mainstream Mahayana thought while avoiding contested aspects of the so-called empty-of-other ( zhentong ) approach. In addition to translating key portions of Go Lotsawa's commentary, Mathes provides an in-depth historical context, evaluating Go's position against those of other Kagyu, Nyingma, and Jonang masters and examining how Go Lotsawa's view affects his understanding of the buddha qualities, the concept of emptiness, and the practice of mahamudra. Klaus-dieter Mathes. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 565-588) And Indexes.