Dzong-ka-ba's (1357-1419) The Essence of Eloquence is the one book on wisdom that the Dalai Lama carries with him wherever he goes. Composed by Tibet's great yogi-scholar and founder of the Ge-luk-ba school; it stands as a landmark in Buddhist philosophy. In this first of a three-volume series; Jeffrey Hopkins focuses on how the conflict between appearance and reality is presented in the Mind-Only; or Yogic Practice; School.The Essence of Eloquence is so rich that for the last six centuries numerous Tibetan and Mongolian scholars have been drawn into a dynamic process of both finding and creating consistency in Dzong-ka-ba's often terse and cryptic tract. Hopkins makes extensive use of these commentaries to annotate the translation. Included are historical and doctrinal introductions and a critical edition of the text; as well as a lengthy synopsis to aid the general reader. Specialists and nonspecialists alike will find this important book indispensable.This book is the first of a three-volume series of related but stand-alone works on the first two sections of Dzong-ka-ba's The Essence of Eloquence. The focus of all three volumes is the exposition of emptiness in the Mind-Only School according to numerous Tibetan and Mongolian scholars over the last six centuries who have tried both to find and to create consistency in his often terse and cryptic tract.This first volume is in four parts:--A historical and doctrinal introduction--A translation of the General Explanation and the Section on the Mind-Only School in The Essence of Eloquence with frequent annotations in brackets; footnotes; and backnotes--A detailed synopsis of the translation--A critical edition in Tibetan script of these sections in The Essence of Eloquence
#269727 in Books 2000-06-07 2000-06-07Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.82 x 1.47 x 6.06l; 1.70 #File Name: 0520221583576 pages
Review
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful. A Mediterranean SocietyBy M. MulbergGoitein is an undisputed master of the Cairo Geniza; the eclectic collection 0f 20;000 documents; including marriage contracts; civil procedure and business contracts; marriage and divorce instruments; all shedding light on the most fascinating Jewish (and Islamic) Mediterranean society extending from North Africa; to Egypt and Palestine in the 10th to 13th centuries. However; unless you're working on a PhD dissertation; skip the above book and get the one volume compilation/synopsis of all of Goitein's five volumes. Volume I alone has way too much detail to be of interest to anyone except the scholar. By the way; if anyone thinks that medieval society was primitive; they should read the high moral standards exhibited by medieval Jewish society; both in terms of charity given to their co-religionists in distant parts of the mediterranean world; as well as the high business ethical and moral standards exhibited by medieval man. And working for someone as an employee (as opposed to running your own business) was considered an abomination by the geniza people. Surprisingly too; divorce was fairly common in this era. As Koheles (Ecclesiates) said with prescience: there is nothing new under the sun.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. classic of the field.By Igor H. Souzathis is a 6-volume set. Goitein's text is entertaining; well-written and full of anecdotes. This is a classic in the field and a good read for non-specialists.
