Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows

(Paperback)

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The new standard work and definitive biography of Tsongkhapa, one of the principle founders of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism--the school of the Dalai Lamas. In this groundbreaking new addition to the Lives of the Masters series, scholar-practitioner Thupten Jinpa writes the most comprehensive portrait available of Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), one of the greatest Buddhist teachers in history. A devout monastic, Tsongkhapa took on the enormous task of locating and studying all of the Indian Buddhist classics available in Tibet in his day. He went on to synthesize this knowledge into a holistic approach to the path of awakening, integrating the pivotal Mahayana teachings on emptiness while retaining the important role of critical reason and avoiding the extreme of negating the reality of the everyday world. Included in this volume is a discussion of Tsongkhapa's early life and training; his emergence as a precociously intelligent Buddhist mind; the composition of his Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Great Exposition of Secret Mantra, and other important works; and his transformative effect on the understanding and practice of Buddhism in Tibet in his time--and ever after.

Reviews

Geshe Dr. Thupten Jinpa deserves the highest praise for this wonderful, groundbreaking biography of one of the greatest polymath geniuses of Tibet, the spiritual science master and social innovator Tsong Khapa Losang Drakpa (13571419). Jinpas scholarship in original sources is thorough and critical, yet not begrudging; his insight into the character and genius of this remarkable individual is penetrating; and his appreciation of the complex surrounding web of historical factors, personal relationships, and enduring institutions is revelatory. He transports us imaginatively into the unique and globally relevant world of Renaissance Tibet and grants us a vivid vision of the roots of the archetypically Buddhist civilization Tibet eventually attained. No one interested in understanding Buddhism, Tibet, and a previously little-known exemplary genius of the global renaissance of the fifteenth century should miss this pioneering work.Robert A. F. Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor Emeritus of Indo-Tibetan Buddhology, Columbia University

In a most lively, yet highly informative and eye-opening manner, Thupten Jinpa offers us a definitive biography of one of the giants of Tibetan Buddhism. Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows will be cherished as a classic in the world of biographies of great Tibetan masters.Matthieu Ricard, author of Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche

After the Buddha, no historical figure is more frequently represented in Tibetan art than Tsongkhapa. Yet, despite his fame, for centuries he has remained a two-dimensional figure on a Tibetan thangka. Until now. Drawing on a wealth of previously unstudied materials, many dating from Tsongkhapas own lifetime, Thupten Jinpa transforms Tsongkhapa from a static icon into a complex and fascinating human being, his genius only heightened by his humanity.Donald Lopez, Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, University of Michigan

This extraordinary biography of Je Tsongkhapa, the founder of the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism, is a treasure house of history, as well as Tibetan thought and culture. Thupten Jinpa has made the life of this great master transparent to the contemporary reader and has brought into high relief Tsongkhapas great teachings that have shown through the Geluk school for so many centuries.Joan Halifax, author of Being with Dying and Standing at the Edge

Tsongkhapas extraordinary life made readable and inspiring. In these pages some of the most important roots of Tibetan Buddhism come alive, inviting our own wonder, learning, and appreciation.Jack Kornfield, author of The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology

As a practitioner who has been deeply touched and influenced by Tsongkhapas teachings, it is uplifting and comforting to read a reliable biography, not a hagiography, that portrays this remarkable teacher as a human being like ussomeone who questions accepted views and seeks the truth, someone who changes their ideas and actions when presented with good reasons. Tsongkhapa was a true nonsectarian who learned from all great masters, no matter their affiliation. He was a genuine practitioner who succeeded in a challenge many of us face today: how to balance study, reflection, meditation practice, teaching, and activities that directly benefit others. He had a brilliant intellect but was humble, kind, and respectful. His open-mindedness and compassion are models for our behavior. Thupten Jinpas respect and reverence for Tsongkhapa shine throughout the book, especially in his brilliant translations of portions of Tsongkhapas texts and poetry.Thubten Chodron, author of Guided Buddhist Meditations and How to Free Your Mind

Thupten Jinpa draws on his rigorous Tibetan scholarly training as well as his Cambridge education to offer an unprecedently human depiction of one of the greatest figures in Tibetan Buddhist literature. In a considerable departure from Tibetan tradition, Jinpa gives us a Tsongkhapa who is not an immutable icon but rather a person who developed through effort as well as favorable life circumstances. The story unfolds by intertwining Tsongkhapas remarkable literary innovations with the political ups and downs that colored his life. Jinpa rightly describes his unique presentation as midway between Carlyles great man theory and Spencers sense of Zeitgeist. He succeeds brilliantly in creating a truly modern biography, without diluting the rich flavor that comes from a cultural lens glowing with classic rigor and devotional regard. Everyone curious about Tibetan culture will delight in it. Scholars will make good use of the extensive notation, bibliography, and appendix.Anne Carolyn Klein, translator of Strand of Jewels: My Teachers Essential Guidance on Dzogchen by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche

The ever erudite Jinpa has an unparalleled ability to simultaneously wield a plethora of primary sources, provide exposition on Tsongkhapas most difficult ideas, and remain attuned to the expectations of contemporary scholarship. This volume is both a well synthesized account of Tsongkhapa and, with its useful appendices and extensive bibliography, a valuable new resource for academics.Buddhadharma

Author Bio

THUPTEN JINPA is a former monk and holds a Ph.D. from Cambridge University, where he also worked as a research fellow. Among other books, he is the author of Self, Reality and Reason in Tibetan Philosophy- Tsongkhapa's Quest for the Middle Way. Jinpa has been the principal English translator to H. H. the Dalai Lama for more than twenty-five years and has translated and edited numerous books by the Dalai Lama. Jinpa is an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Religious Studies at McGill University, Montreal, and Chairman of the Mind and Life Institute, which is dedicated to promoting dialogues and collaborations between the sciences and contemplative knowledge, especially Buddhism.