Asanga's Mahayanasamgraha with the Classic Commentaries Volume1: A Complete Translation of the Root Text and the Yogācāra Commentarial Tradition of Vasubandhu and Others Kindle Edition

What exactly is this mind of ours Where do our joys and sorrows come from and how do we perceive the world To these ancient and fundamental questions the Yogacara school of Mahayana Buddhism offers answers that are astonishingly modern and systematic The most reliable compass for navigating to the heart of this philosophy is the Mahayanasamgraha the subject of this bookThe Mahayanasamgraha Summary of the Great Vehicle was composed in the 4th century CE by the great Indian philosopher the Bodhisattva Asanga Alongside his brother Vasubandhu he is a historic figure credited with systematizing the Buddhist philosophy of mind known as Yogacara or Vijñanavada the Doctrine of ConsciousnessOnly The core teaching of Yogacara is that all phenomena arise from our deep subconsciousness the alayavijñana or storehouse consciousness Through a meticulous analysis of the structure of the mind this profound doctrine illuminates the path to severing the root of suffering and attaining perfect enlightenmentAsangas philosophy condensed in the Mahayanasamgraha brilliantly summarizes the teachings of the Mahayana under ten distinct topics Due to its completeness and clarity it quickly established itself as a foundational textbook for Yogacara studies in India Its importance inspired a series of detailed commentaries by brilliant subsequent masters most notably Vasubandhu and AsvabhavaThis profound teaching traveled along the Silk Road to China where it was translated into Chinese The translations by Paramartha in the 6th century and Xuanzang in the 7th century proved to be decisive in shaping the intellectual landscape of East Asian Buddhism Xuanzang in particular is renowned for his arduous journey to India to retrieve original scriptures and for leading a monumental statesponsored translation project upon his return The classical Chinese versions they left behind are not merely translations they are precious cultural artifacts that narrate the spiritual history of East AsiaThis treasure trove of wisdom however has long been kept behind the heavy doors of history The original classical Chinese texts are like a deep and impenetrable forest My desire was to create a reliable map so that anyone could walk through this forest That was the beginning of this translation projectThis volume provides a comprehensive modern translation of the principal Chinese versions of Asangas Mahayanasamgraha accompanied by the landmark commentaries of Vasubandhu and Asvabhava which serve as indispensable guides to his thought My guiding principle in this translation was to ensure that the meaning of these texts could directly reach the hearts of us living today without losing the solemn resonance of the classics It is my hope that each word becomes not mere information but living wisdom for reexamining oneself and the worldMay this book guide you to the headwaters of Indias great spiritual quest and become a quiet yet stimulating companion on your journey to explore the universe within Read more