Foreword by Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche xiii
Translators' Introduction 1

PART ONE: Madhyamakavatara 55

PART TWO: The World of Chandra 115
The Necklace of Spotless Crystal
A Textual Outline of the Word of Chandra 117
Preamble 143
The Ten Grounds or Stages of Realization 148
—The First Ground: Perfect Joy 148
—The Second Ground: Immaculate 153
—The Third Ground: Luminous 156
—The Fourth Ground: Radiant 160
—The Fifth Ground: Hard to Keep 160
—The Sixth Ground: Clearly Manifest 161
I. Establishing Emptiness by Rational Demonstration 165
A. Using Reason to Disprove the Self of Phenomena 165
1. Using reason to refute the theory of inherently real production 165
a) A refutation of the four theories of production from the standpoint of the two truths 165
(1) Refutation of self-production 183
(2) Refutation of other-production 187
(a) A general refutation of other-production on the ultimate level 187
(b) There is no naturally existent other-production, even conventionally 203
(c) Refutation of the Chittamatra position 229
(3) Refutation of production from both self and other 260
(4) Refutation of uncaused production 261
b) Replies to the objections against the refutation of the four theories of production 266
2. A reasoned demonstration that production is no more than dependent arising 278
3. The result of analysis 279
B. Using Reason to Disprove the Self of Persons 281
1. Refutation of the belief that the self is a concrete entity 282
a) A refutation of the belief that the personal self is different from the aggregates 282
b) A refutation of the belief that the self is identical with the aggregates 285
c) A refutation of the belief that the self is indescribable 296
2. The self is a mere dependent imputation 298
a) Even though the self has no existence according to the sevenfold analysis, it is dependently imputed, just like a chariot
b) An adaptation to the phenomena in general of the arguments that demonstrate that both the chariot and the self are mere imputations 304
II. The Categories of Emptiness Established by Reasoning 309
A. A Detailed Categorization into Four Kinds of Emptiness 314
B. An Abridged Classification into Four Kinds of Emptiness 322
—The Seventh Ground: Far Progressed 324
—The Eighth Ground: Immovable 325
—The Ninth Ground: Perfect Intellect 328
—The Tenth Ground: Cloud of Dharma 329
The Qualities of the Ten Grounds 331
—An exposition of the twelve groups of one hundred qualities that manifest on the first ground 331
—The adaptation of these qualities to the following grounds 332
The Ultimate Ground of Buddhahood 334
—The attainment of buddhahood 334
—What is the goal, namely, buddhahood? 338
Conclusion 349

Notes 355
Glossary 383
Bibliography 393
Index 397

Supplementary Discussions Appearing in the Text
1. A discussion concerning true existence regarded as extraneous to phenomena 165
2. The ultimate truth in itself and the approximate ultimate truth 192
3. The valid establishment of phenomena 197
4. What is refuted by absolutist reasoning? 205
5. Further discussion concerning true existence considered as extraneous to phenomena 208
6. Disintegration as a positive entity 223
7. The purpose of absolutist reasoning (continued) 238
8. Phenomena as validly established by direct sense experience alone 241
9. Do the Shravakas realize the no-self of phenomena? 310
10. Extraneous true existence (continued) 314