Nāgārjuna's Precious garland : Buddhist advice for living and liberation

Nagarjuna is renowned for his penetrating analysis of reality. In the Precious Garland, he offers intimate counsel on how to conduct one's life and how to construct social policies that reflect Buddhist ideals. The advice for personal happiness is concerned first with improving one's condition over the course of lifetimes, and then with release from all kinds of suffering, culminating in Buddhahood. Nagarjuna describes the cause and effect sequences for the development of happiness within ordinary life, as well as the practices of wisdom, realizing emptiness, and compassion that lead to enlightenment. He describes a Buddha's qualities and offers encouraging advice on the effectiveness of practices that reveal the vast attributes of Buddhahood. In his advice on social and governmental policy, Nagarjuna emphasizes education and compassionate care for all living beings. He also objects to the death penalty. Calling for the appointment of government figures who are not seeking profit or fame, he advises that a selfish motivation will lead to misfortune. The book includes a detailed analysis of attachment to sensual objects as a preparation for realization of the profound truth that, when realized, makes attachment impossible. This Illustrated Catalogue Presents 12 Major Works By Masters Of The Ming (1368-1644), Qing (1644-1911), And Modern Periods Given Or Promised To The Metropolitan Museum Of Art By New York Collectors Marie-hélène And Guy Weill. There Is In-depth Discussion Of Each Work. Maxwell K. Hearn. Published In Conjunction With The Exhibition Cultivated Landscapes : Reflections Of Nature In Chinese Painting With Selections From The Collection Of Marie-hélène And Guy Weill Held At The Metropolitan Museum Of Art, New York, Sept. 10, 2002-feb. 9, 2003. Includes Works From The Weill Collection Promised To The Metropolitan Museum Of Art As Well As Works From The Collections Of The Museum. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Analysis. Nāgārjuna's biography from Tibetan sources: the importance of altruistic persons in cosmic time ; Advice for living ; Advice for liberation ; Compassion and wisdom in public policy ; The vehicles Precious garland of advice for a king. Translator's remarks ; High status and definite goodness ; The interwoven ; Collections for enlightenment ; Royal policy ; Bodhisattva deeds Tibetan text. Guide to the topics: Tibetan ; Emendations to the Tibetan text. This illustrated catalogue presents 12 major works by masters of the Ming (1368-1644), Qing (1644-1911), and modern periods given or promised to The Metropolitan Museum of Art by New York collectors Marie-Helene and Guy Weill. There is in-depth discussion of each work. Verse work on Mādhyamika Buddhism.