Abstract

The protagonist of this book, Tsongkhapa, can be said to have restructured Buddhism into a singular path towards enlightenment as originally preached by Shakyamuni and laid the foundation of Tibetan Buddhism, which continues to garner worldwide faith. He completed the Tibetan Buddhist teachings through his philosophy of 'Lamrim' (the stages of the path), which integrates all Buddhist teachings into a path of practice leading from ordinary beings to enlightenment, as presented in his main work "The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment". This book provides a broad view of Tsongkhapa's magnificent and meticulous Buddhist doctrine system, while tracing his life in a manner that even beginners can understand.

Author’s Information

Matsumoto Minenori
Born in Oita Prefecture in 1971. He has completed the doctoral program in Indian Buddhist History at the Graduate School of Letters, Tohoku University. His specialty is Indian and Tibetan Tantra. He is currently a professor at the Faculty of Humanities, Shuchiin University, and head of the Clinical Tantra Center. He is also a research fellow at the Ninna Transmission Center and deputy chief priest of the Jingo-ji Temple of the Shingon Omuro School. His publications include "Mantras, Dharanis, and Sanskrit: Their Foundations and Practice", and "Understanding Kukai and the Shingon Sect" (co-authored, Daihorinkaku).