Treasury of Precious Qualities
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Treasury of Precious Qualities is a translation and commentary on Jigme Lingpa’s Treasury of Precious Qualities (Yönten Dzö), in two volumes. Jigme Lingpa's text is translated by the Padmakara Translation Group, and the commentary is by Kangyur Rinpoche.
The two volumes are:
- Book One - This volume lays out the teachings of the sutras in gradual stages according to the traditional three levels, or scopes, of spiritual endeavor. It begins with essential teachings on impermanence, karma, and ethics. Then, from the Hinayana standpoint, it describes the essential Buddhist teachings of the four noble truths and the twelve links of dependent arising. Moving on, finally, to the Mahayana perspective, it expounds fully the teachings on bodhichitta and the path of the six paramitas, and gives an unusually detailed exposition of Buddhist vows.
- Book Two - This volume is a general description of the tantra teachings followed by an exposition of the Great Perfection, which in the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism is regarded as the summit of all vehicles and the final stage of the path of spiritual training. The section on the tantras is a compendious presentation of all important issues: lineage, empowerment, the generation and perfection stages, and samaya. The section on the Great Perfection is arranged according to the classification of Ground, Path, and Result and gives an extremely clear introduction to the doctrinal background that underpins the practice of this unique system.