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Book description

A Garland of Views presents both a concise commentary by the eighth-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava on a chapter from the Guhyagarbha Tantra on the different Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical views, including the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), and an explicative commentary on Padmasambhava’s text by the nineteenth-century scholar Jamgön Mipham (1846–1912).

Padmasambhava’s text is a core text of the Nyingma tradition because it provides the basis for the system of nine vehicles (three sutra vehicles and six tantra vehicles) that subsequently became the accepted way of classifying the different Buddhist paths in the Nyingma tradition.

Mipham’s commentary is the one most commonly used to explain Padmasambhava’s teaching. Mipham is well known for his prolific, lucid, and original writings on many subjects, including science, medicine, and philosophy, in addition to Tibetan Buddhist practice and theory.

Padmasambhava

Padmasambhava

Author Bio

Padmasambhava (eighth century), the Indian meditation master, is the founder of the Nyingma tradition, the oldest Buddhist tradition in Tibet. In addition to introducing the practices of tantric Buddhism to Tibet, he also completed the building of Samye, the first Buddhist monastery in Tibet.

Jamgon Mipham

Jamgon Mipham

Author Bio

Jamgon Mipham (1846–1912), one of the great luminaries of Tibetan Buddhism in modern times, has had a dominant and vitalizing influence on the Nyingma School and beyond. He was an important member of the Rimé, or nonsectarian movement, which did much to strengthen and preserve the entire tradition. A scholar of outstanding brilliance and versatility, his translated works are eagerly anticipated by English-language readers.

Padmakara Translation Group

Padmakara Translation Group, Translator

Author Bio

The PADMAKARA TRANSLATION GROUP, based in France, has a distinguished reputation for its translations of Tibetan texts and teachings. Its work has been published in several languages and is renowned for its clear and accurate literary style.

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Praise for the book

Sogyal Rinpoche

author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

“This unique and classic text composed by Guru Padmasambhava has been transmitted, studied, and revered by Tibetans for centuries. A pithy guide to the View and the nine spiritual vehicles, culminating in Dzogpachenpo, the Great Perfection, it is accompanied by indispensable clarifications from the peerless Mipham Rinpoche. It must be read by anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the ancient tradition of Tibet’s extraordinary Buddhist wisdom.”

Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche

author of It’s Up to You

“A Garland of Views is a great manual for traveling the Dzogpachenpo path of the early Translation School of Tibetan Buddhism. With detailed insights, it elucidates how all the yanas are stepping-stones to the summit of Great Perfection, the realization of Samantabhadra. This is the way of great teachers such as Guru Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Longchenpa, and what they have taught throughout history. I am delighted that Padmakara has made a text like this available to Western audiences so readers can comprehend the extensive teachings on the Dzogpachenpo lineage. It will greatly serve the transplantation of buddhadharma in the West.”

Author: Padmasambhava, Jamgon Mipham

A Garland of Views: A Guide to View, Meditation, and Result in the Nine Vehicles

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