The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment

Of the many works of the Tibetan master Tsong-kha-pa, none compare in terms of popularity and breadth of influence with his Great Treatise, which has been treasured by practitioners and scholars alike for centuries. What distinguishes it as one of the principal texts of Mahayana Buddhism is its scope and clarity. It expounds the entire path from the way one should rely on a spiritual teacher, which is the very root, right up to the attainment of Buddhahood, which is the final fruit. The various stages of the path are presented so clearly and systematically that they can be easily understood and are inspiring to put into practice. --H.H. the Dalai Lama This is a classic of religious thought and is essential for libraries with a demonstrated interest in Buddhism or comparative religion. It should also be considered for all larger research collections and public libraries. -- Library Journal The present translation in three volumes is a remarkable accomplishment and a great gift to all students and practitioners of Vajrayana. The teachings, given open-handedly in this key text, are essential for anyone hoping to enter into or attain success in the higher (Tantric) stages of the path. The wisdom found in the nearly 1,200 pages of this work is truly astonishing and liberating. As Robert Thurman mentions in his foreword, Je Tsong-kha-pa's treatise can cause a 'paradigm shift' in the reader from a self-centered individual concerned with his own happiness to a bodhisattva for whom the happiness of others has become an ultimate concern. May it be so! --Georg Feuerstein, author of The Encyclopedia of Yoga and Tantra As timely and radiant as ever. An indispensable work for Buddhists of all stripes. -- Tricycle