Product Description

This first book of The Treasury of Knowledge, which serves as a prelude to Jamgon Kongtrul's survey, describes four major cosmological systems found in the Tibetan tradition --those associated with the Hinayana, Mahayana, Kalachakra and Dzogchen teachings. Each of these cosmologies shows how the world arises from mind, whether through the accumulated results of past actions or from the constant striving of awareness to know itself.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #555838 in Books
• Published on: 2003-07-25
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 301 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781559391887
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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From the Inside Flap
In Tibetan religious literature, Jamgön Kongtrul's Treasury of Knowledge in ten books stands out as a unique encyclopedic masterpiece embodying the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were preserved in Tibet.This first book of The Treasury, which serves as a prelude to Kongtrul's survey, describes four major cosmological systems found in the Tibetan tradition --those associated with the Hinayana, Mahayana, Kalachakra and Dzogchen teachings. To suit the capacities of different grades of beings, Buddha taught four levels of cosmology: the numerically definite cosmology of the individual way; the cosmology of infinite buddhafields of the universal way; the special cosmological system of the Kalacakra Tantra; and dazzling non-cosmological system of the Dzog-chen system, which dispenses with the dualistic perspective, revealing the creative principle to be awareness alone. Each of these cosmologies shows how the world arises from mind, whether through the accumlated results of past actions or from the constant striving of awareness to know itself.

This detailed and thorough account of worldviews that present conceptions of space and time which differ significantly from Western ideas is at once illuminating and challenging.

About the Author
Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (1813-1899), a pivotal figure in eastern Tibet's non-sectarian movement, was one of the most outstanding writers and teachers of his time.

Customer Reviews

Vast and stunning
(I'm reposting my review of this important book, because the earlier edition has now become unavailable from Amazon).

"Myriad Worlds" is a translation of the first of ten books in Tibetan contained within the major treatise "The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge", which itself is a commentary on the root verses "The Encompassment of All Knowledge."

From the preface of "Myriad Worlds": The translation of the entire body of "The Infinite Ocean of Knowledge" has been one of (late) Kalu Rinpoche's most ambitious projects. (...) Kalu Rinpoche explained the importance of this work as follows: "(...) If this great work is translated into English, the nature of all samsara and nirvana will appear as vividly as a reflection in a clear mirror in the minds of the most learned people of the world, as though the expanse of their understanding were illuminated with sunlight."

"Myriad Worlds" discusses Buddhist cosmography and the genesis of beings who inhabit the universe.
Kongtrul delineates four levels of cosmology:
1. The numerically definite cosmology of the Individual Way (hinayana), in which the collective force of the evolutionary actions of sentient beings creates the world, and therefore all beings contribute to the creation of the world;
2. The cosmology of infinity buddha-fields of the Universal Way (mahayana), in which infinite world-systems come into being as phantom appearances, through bodhisattvas purifying buddha-fields, in which they may fulfill their heroic vows to liberate all beings. The universe is conceived as a cycle without commencement that repeats itself until all beings are liberated from the sufferings of cyclic existence;
3. The cosmology of the Tantra of the Wheel of Time (Kalacakra), which establishes a correspondence between the macrocosm and microcosm in terms of the formation of the universe and fetal development, and between the configuration of the universe and the shape and size of the human body;
4. The noncosmology of the Dzog-chen (Great Perfection) system, drawing extensively from Longchenpa, in which the primal creative cause of the universe is neither the evolutionary actions of beings nor the interrelationships of the compassion of the buddhas and sentient beings, but rigpa, a state of pure and total awareness, which is nothing other than the primordially pure ground of being itself. Failure to recognize the primordially pure nature of the ground of being is unawareness, which itself arises from intrinsic awareness. The primordial freedom that one seeks to attain by practicing the spiritual path is something that one already possesses. Intrinsic freedom is itself the path that leads to the actualization of the goal.

From the translator's introduction: "Myriad Worlds contains invaluable material for study, reflection, and the refinement of one's mind. (...) and it contains seeds of wisdom that are sure to sprout and blossom in the minds of spiritual aspirants and other attentive readers."

This book is unique in its kind.

A Surprise
I'm a practicing Buddhist, and generally concerned with practical things. I bought this book, as I was drawn to it for some reason, and was expecting something interesting but maybe a bit abstract, as it is a book on cosmology. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it changed my view of life quite a bit, and since then, I haven't really had a small view of the world, or of mind.

I would highly recommend this book.