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Mipham's Beacon of Certainty

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For centuries, Dzogchen—a special meditative practice to achieve spontaneous enlightenment—has been misinterpreted by both critics and malinformed meditators as being purely mystical and anti-rational. In the grand spirit of Buddhist debate, 19th century Buddhist philosopher Mipham wrote Beacon of Certainty, a compelling defense of Dzogchen philosophy that employs the very logic it was criticized as lacking. Through lucid and accessible textural translation and penetrating analysis, Pettit presents Mipham as one of Tibet's greatest thinkers. (Source: Wisdom Publications)

Citation	Pettit, John W. Mipham's Beacon of Certainty: Illuminating the View of Dzogchen, the Great Perfection. Studies in Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. Boston: Wisdom Publications, 1999.

Table of Contents About the Book Texts Translated Quotes

• Foreword by His Holiness Penor Rinpocheix
• Acknowledgmentsxi
• Source Abbreviationsxv
• Annotations, Diacritics, and Transcriptionxvii

• 1. INTRODUCTION1
• 1.1     Mipham Rinpoche and the Beacon of Certainty1
• 1.2     Outline2
• 1.3     The Beacon of Certainty: Context and Significance2
• 1.3.1   Dialectical Philosophy and the Great Perfection2
• 1.3.2   The Beacons Purpose5
• 1.3.3   The Beacons Comparative Method6
• 1.4     Methods and Sources7
• 1.4.1   Tibetan Language Sources8
• 1.4.1.1  Editions of the Beacon8
• 1.4.2   English Language Sources11
• 1.5     The Contributions of this Work14

• 2. THE LIFE AND WORKS OF MIPHAM RINPOCHE19
• 2.1 Accounts of Mipham’s Life22
• 2.2 The Essential Hagiography
  

       by mKhan chen Kun bzang dpal ldan23

• 3. Indo-Tibetan Buddhism: An Overview41
• 3.1 Historical and Philosophical Dimensions of Buddhism41
• 3.2 Hinayäna and Mahäyäna42
• 3.3 Important Teachings of Mahäyäna Scriptures45
• 3.3.1 Prajnäpäramitä45
• 3.3.2 The Samdhinirmocana and the “Essence Sütras”47
• 3.3.3 Sources for Buddhist Hermeneutics49
• 3.4 Traditions of Indian Madhyamaka51
• 3.4.1 Origins of Prasahgika and Svätantrika Madhyamaka52
• 3.4.2 Yogäcära and the Yogäcära Madhyamaka Synthesis55

• 3.4.3 Madhyamaka and Pramäna57
• 3.5 Vajrayäna: Buddhist Tantra60
• 3.5.1 Indian Origins60
• 3.5.2 Philosophical Dimensions of Tantra62
• 3.5.3 Styles ofTantric Practice68
• 4. Tibetan Buddhist Traditions and the Great Perfection71
• 4.1 The Yarlung Empire and the Introduction of Buddhism72
• 4.2 Early Nyingma Teachers and Texts74
• 4.2.1 The Treasure Tradition76
• 4.2.2 The Great Perfection77
• 4.2.2.1 Origins77
• 4.2.2.2 The View of the Great Perfection77
• 4.2.2.3 The Three Classes of Great Perfection79
• 4.2.24 Great Perfection in Practice80
• 4.2.3 The Great Perfection

in Comparative Philosophical Texts81

• 4.2.3.1 Ch’an and the Great Perfection

in the bSam gtan mig sgron82

• 4.2.3.2 Other Early Doxographies84
• 4.3 The New Translation Period

and the Nyingma Tradition86

• 4.3.1 Rong zom Pandita88
• 4.3.2 The Rise of Scholasticism91
• 4.3.3 Klong chen rab ’byams92
• 4.3.4 Nyingma Monasticism

and the Ecumenical Movement (ris med)97

• 4.3.5 A Nyingma Philosophy?98
• 5. Philosophical Distinctions of Mipham’s Thought101
• 5.1 The Gelug Philosophical Tradition101
• 5.2 Theory, Practice, and Ultimate Reality104
• 5.3 Valid Cognition and Philosophical Analysis107
• 5.4 The Philosophy of Extrinsic Emptiness111
• 5.5 Mipham’s Interpretation of Extrinsic Emptiness

and Tathägatagarbha114

• 5.6 Mipham’s Position on the Tathägatagarbha117
• 6. The Beacon ofCertainty125
• 6.1 Recapitulation of Earlier Discussions125

• 6.2 The Topics of the Beacon126
• 6.2.1 The Beacon and Tsongkhapa’s

Eight Great Difficult Points128

• 6.2.2 Some Observations on Topics 5, 6, and 7130
• 6.3 View, Meditative Practice,

and Ultimate Reality in the Beacon133

• 6.3.I Anupaksas and Pürvapaksas: An Overview133
• 6.3.1.1 Essential Issues and Arguments in Topics 1, 3, and 4134
• 6.3.1.2 Go ram pa’s Analysis ofView

and Meditation in the TSB136

• 6.3.1.2.1 Go ram pa on the Ultimate View137
• 6.3.1.2.2 Go ram pa on Meditative Practice 139
• 6.3.2 Topic 1: Philosophical View and Rational Negation141
• 6.3.2.1 Tsongkhapa on the Negandum and Its Substratum141
• 6.3.2.2 Mipham’s Theory of Negation144
• 6.3.2.2.1 Negation and the Definition of the Ultimate144
• 6.3.2.2.2 Mipham’s Analysis of Negation in the MAZL146
• 6.3.2.2.3 Mipham’s Theory of the Ultimate:

Gnosis and Coalescence151

• 6.3.3 Topics 3 and 4: Tsongkhapa and Mipham

on Modal Apprehension and Analytical Reasoning157

• 6.3.3.1 Tsongkhapa on the Role

of Conceptuality in Meditation157

• 6.3.3.1.1 Yon tan rgya mtsho

on Modal Apprehension and Analysis160

• 7. Ascertainment (nges pa) and Certainty (nges shes):

Some Conclusions169

• 7.1 Mipham’s Place in Tibetan Philosophy182
• 7.2 Philosophical Texts and Human Relatedness184
• 8. The Translation of the Beacon of Certainty187
• 8.1 Terminology and Syntax187
• 8.2 Technical Terms188
• 8.3 Proper Names192
• 8.4 On the Use and Disuse of Sanskrit Terms192
• 8.5 Outline of the Beacon and Khro shul ’jam rdor’s Commentary193
• Abbreviations and Bibliography193
• Introduction194
• Topic 1196

• Topic 2199
• Topic 3203
• Topic 4208
• Topic 5214
• Topic 6219
• Topic 7227
• Conclusion237

9. Stainless Light:

• A Commentary on the Beacon ofCertainty241
• Topic 1251
• Topic 2271
• Topic 3291
• Topic 4306
• Topic 5329
• Topic 6345
• Topic 7371
• Conclusion404

• 10. The Lion’s Roar Proclaiming Extrinsic Emptiness415

Appendix: Explanatory Diagrams and Tables

• Diagram 1: Conceptuality and True Existence

According to Go ram pa and Mipham429

• Diagram 2: Conceptuality and True Existence

According to Tsongkhapa430

• Table 1: Mipham’s System of Four Pramânas431
• Table 2: Traditions, Two-truth Paradigms, and Their Sources432
• Table y Pramânas and Their Paradigms ofTruth and Negation433
• Table 4: The Role ofAscertainment and Conceptuality

According to Mipham and Gelug Philosophers434

• Notes to Tables435
• Glossary of Technical Terms439
• Notes461
• Bibliography of Works Consulted533
• Index557

1. mi pham rgya mtsho. nges shes rin po che'i sgron me rtsa 'grel. The author mentions four main editions used for the translation, see pages 8-11, none of which seem to be available on BDRC. For a more recent publication see: Khreng tu'u: si khron dpe skrun tshogs pa; si khron mi rigs dpe skrun khang, 2006.