Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

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Dharmalight889
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Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by Dharmalight889 »

I know that Lam-Rim Chen Mo would be the best place to understand the Gelug view and path, although I feel that studying that alone and just as an interest to learn about Tsongkhapa's view might be a bit much. There is a commentary on the Lam Rim by Yangsi Rinpoche that seems great, but are there any other books that would explain the Gelug tradition and its views simply?
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Virgo
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by Virgo »

I don't think this is exactly what you are looking for, but if you want to read a book that simply teaches Dharma from a Gelug perspective, Treasury of Dharma by Geshe Rabten Rinpoche is invaluable.

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zerwe
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by zerwe »

Another Lam Rim commentary is Steps on the Path to Enlightenment by Geshe Sopa

If you can find Wishfulfilling Sun by Lama Zopa Rinpoche--this might be the most practical and most condensed outline with teachings and guided meditations on Lam Rim

HHDL The Path to Enlightenment

and another comprehensive, but much shorter compilation of public teachings on Lam Rim--Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand by Pabonka Rinpoche.

If you want to dive deep into the Gelug/Prasangika/Tsongkhapa's exposition on emptiness and the debate between tenet schools then I would
recommend Jeffery Hopkins' Meditation on Emptiness and Maps of the Profound. However, this material is very detailed and in depth.

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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by Svalaksana »

I'm currently going through Jeffrey Hopkins' Meditation on Emptiness, and therefore would second the poster above me. Although the subject matter is at times complex, so far I find it to be a rather illuminating presentation of the Gelug view.
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iskaral
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by iskaral »

There’s a few that come to mind:
- Insight into Emptiness by Khensur Jampa Tegchok
- the foundations of Buddhist thought series by geshe Tashi Tsering
- HHDL and Thubten Chodron’s new series Approaching the Buddhist Path starting with foundations of Buddhist practice.
Dharmalight889
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by Dharmalight889 »

Thanks everyone for the recommendations so far. It looks like some of these are rather in depth books some close to 1000 pages which I am sure are filled with great knowledge, but not what I am looking for exactly. Some of the others seem to be overall Buddhist views which are useful as well and something I may check out. Are there any books that discuss Tsongkhapa's views tho and focus on this specifically? I know there is a Jonang book by Khentrul Rinpoche that seems to just go over the popular Shentong view and something like this would be great to understand some of the main points of Tsongkhapa. A book like this may not exist tho, so if anyone has websites or links they suggest it would all be great!
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by Hazel »

Edit: the following suggestions are meant to be short, approachable, and profound:

"Illuminating the Path to Enlightenment" by His Holiness the Dalai Lama is short (under 200 if you ignore the glossary) and excellent.

His "For the Benefit of All Beings" is even shorter than that.

"The Three Aspects of the Path" by Geshe Sonam Rinchen/Ruth Sonam I think also fits the bill quite well.

If you want a book of meditations, "Guided Buddhist Meditations: Essential Practices on the Stages of the Path" by Venerable Thubten Chodron is your ticket. Though still find Geluk teachings to attend, just make sure the center (or teacher) mentions His Holiness the Dalai Lama on their websites or steer very clear for reasons you can read about in the forum's terms of service/posting rules.

Also you can dig through Venerable Thubten Chodron's works and see if any excite you. Some of them are quite short and accessible. Her one on Tara is excellent.
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SilenceMonkey
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by SilenceMonkey »

Lama Yeshe's books are easy to digest.
iskaral
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by iskaral »

Insight into emptiness is a couple hundred pages.
Another relatively short one focusing on Tsongkhapa is Introduction to emptiness by Guy Newland.

Otherwise, Alexander Berzin on studybuddhism.com has many many pages of gelug prasangika and other topics at varying levels of difficulty.
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by zerwe »

iskaral wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:57 am Insight into emptiness is a couple hundred pages.
Another relatively short one focusing on Tsongkhapa is Introduction to emptiness by Guy Newland.

Otherwise, Alexander Berzin on studybuddhism.com has many many pages of gelug prasangika and other topics at varying levels of difficulty.
I second that. Newland has some good texts. Some others

The Two Truths Guy Newland 200+ pgs
Appearance and Reality Guy Newland 100 pgs. -- Contrasts 4 tenet schools culminating in a chapter discussing Tsongkhapa's presentation of Prasangika

Also, while I personally am a fan of Hopkins, one of my first teachers from Sera Je said that he felt like Dreyfus' work was one of the best representations of a western scholars various interpretations of classic Indian and other texts.

Shaun :namaste:
jmlee369
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by jmlee369 »

Dharmalight889 wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:07 pm I know that Lam-Rim Chen Mo would be the best place to understand the Gelug view and path, although I feel that studying that alone and just as an interest to learn about Tsongkhapa's view might be a bit much. There is a commentary on the Lam Rim by Yangsi Rinpoche that seems great, but are there any other books that would explain the Gelug tradition and its views simply?
Not quite a book, but I'll second Iskaral's recommendation of Alexander Berzin's archive, studybuddhism.com. They features articles like these Cliffnote summaries of the differences between Gelug and non-Gelug presentations of Prasangika and special features of the Gelug tradition. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy article is another concise source.
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by Schrödinger’s Yidam »

iskaral wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 7:57 am Insight into emptiness is a couple hundred pages.
Another relatively short one focusing on Tsongkhapa is Introduction to emptiness by Guy Newland.
Here’s a year old video by Guy Newland on the subject. I haven’t watched it yet but I’ve enjoyed his other videos on Madhyamaka, so it’s probably pretty good.
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iskaral
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Re: Any book suggestion that clarifies the Gelug view?

Post by iskaral »

Guy Newlands series on the varieties of madhyamaka was excellent.
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