Luminous Heart: The Third Karmapa on Consciousness, Wisdom, and Buddha Nature (The Nitartha Institute)

The Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339), propounded a unique synthesis of Yogachara, Madhyamaka, and the classical teachings on buddha nature. His work occupies an important position between its Indian predecessers and the later, often highly charged, debates in Tibet about rangtong (self-emptiness) and shentong (other-emptiness). The Third Karmapa is widely renowned as one of the major proponents of the Tibetan shentong tradition. This book contains a collection of some of his main writings on buddha nature; the transition of ordinary deluded consciousness to enlightened wisdom; and the characteristics of buddhahood. Though relying strictly on classical Indian sources, the Karmapa's texts are not mere scholarly documents. Their topics and styles bear great significance for practicing the sutrayana and the vajrayana as understood in the Kagyu tradition to the present day, making what is described in these texts a living experience.

This superb collection of writings on buddha nature by the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284–1339) focuses on the transition from ordinary deluded consciousness to enlightened wisdom, the characteristics of buddhahood, and a buddha's enlightened activity. Most of these materials have never been translated comprehensively. The Third Karmapa's unique and well-balanced view synthesizes Yogacara Madhyamaka and the classical teachings on buddha nature. Rangjung Dorje not only shows that these teachings do not contradict each other but also that they supplement each other and share the same essential points in terms of the ultimate nature of mind and all phenomena. His fusion is remarkable because it clearly builds on Indian predecessors and precedes the later often highly charged debates in Tibet about the views of Rangtong ("self-empty") and Shentong ("other-empty"). Although Rangjung Dorje is widely regarded as one of the major proponents of the Tibetan Shentong tradition (some even consider him its founder), this book shows how his views differ from the Shentong tradition as understood by Dolpopa Taranatha and the First Jamgon Kongtrul. The Third Karmapa's view is more accurately described as one in which the two categories of rangtong and shentong are not regarded as mutually exclusive but are combined in a creative synthesis. For those practicing the sutrayana and the vajrayana in the Kagyu tradition, what these texts describe can be transformed into living experience.

Table of Contents......Page 6 Abbreviations ......Page 8 An Aspiration......Page 10 Foreword......Page 12 Foreword by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche......Page 14 Preface......Page 16 Introduction ......Page 20 Translations......Page 146 Appendix I......Page 344 Appendix II......Page 372 Appendix III......Page 380 Appendix IV......Page 386 Appendix V ......Page 390 Glossary: English–Sanskrit–Tibetan......Page 394 Glossary: Tibetan–Sanskrit–English......Page 398 Selected Bibliography......Page 402 Endnotes......Page 420 Index......Page 494 Table of Contents 6 Abbreviations 8 An Aspiration 10 Foreword 12 Foreword by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche 14 Preface 16 Introduction 20 Translations 146 Appendix I 344 Appendix II 372 Appendix III 380 Appendix IV 386 Appendix V 390 Glossary: English–Sanskrit–Tibetan 394 Glossary: Tibetan–Sanskrit–English 398 Selected Bibliography 402 Endnotes 420 Index 494 1559393181,9781559393188 Snow Lion Publications