Author: Garje Khamtrul Rinpoche
Tsepak Rigzin/
Editor(s): Tsepak Rigzin
Publisher: Library of Tibetan Works & Archives
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: 236
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8185102767
Description
The Jewel Ladder (Rin-chen them-skas) is a short and comprehensive Nyingma Lamrim for beginners by Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorjee (1643-1714), commonly known as Terdak Lingpa, one of the foremost early master-scholars of Tibet, who was both a teacher and disciple of the Great Fifth Dalai Lama.
The text introduces us to the preliminaries of the Buddhist practice required for higher spiritual development such as the four basic ways of concentrating one’s mind on the dharma and the Four Noble Truths.
This commentary by Khamtrul Rinpoche given in simple and lucid language unravels the gist of Rin-chen them-skas. Appended at the end of the book is a guide to the voluminous Nyingma Lamrim (kum-bzang bla-ma’i zhal-lung).
Contents
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PART I
The Root Text-The Jewel Ladder
PART II
Commentary/Introductory Teachings
Preliminaries of Composing the Text
Qualities of an Author
Obeisance
Promise to Compose
Preliminaries of the Actual Text
Extensive motivation-generation of Mind of Enlightenment
Precepts of the Aspiring Mind of Enlightenment
Precepts of the venturing Mind of Enlightenment-the six perfections
Perfection of Generosity
Perfection of Morality
Perfection Patience
Perfection of Enthusiastic Perseverance
Perfection of Concentration
Perfection of Wisdom
Benefits of the Mind of Enlightenment
Extensive means-generating motivation according to secret mantrayana tradition
Taking Faith as a Path
Taking Aspiration as a Path
Behaviour
How a Teacher must give a Discourse
Three Scopes of Person
The Four Common Points
The Difficulty of Finding a Precious Human Rebirth
Significance of Precious Human Rebirth
Contemplating Death and Impermanence of Human Rebirth
Death is Certain
The Time of Death is Uncertain
At Death only Dharma is of Benefit
Contemplating the Drawbacks of Cyclic Existence
The Sufferings of the Three Lower Realms
The Sufferings of the Cold Hells
The suffering of the Neighbouring hells
The sufferings of Occasional hells
The Sufferings of the hungry Ghosts
The Sufferings of the Animals
The Sufferings of the higher Realms
The Nature of the three types of Sufferings
Contemplating the Law of Cause and Effect
The General Contemplation of Cause and Effect
The Specific Contemplation of Cause and Effect
Transforming the Unspecified Karmas into Virtues
A Summary of the Four Noble Truths
The Truth of Origin of Suffering
The Truth of Suffering
The Truth of Path
The Truth of Cessation
Concluding Remarks on the Four Noble Truths
Taking Refuge
Footnotes
PART III
Guide to the Nyingma Lamrim (Kun-bzang bla-ma’I zhal-lung)
PART IV
Guide to the Nyingma Lamrim-Tibetan text