Hopkins, Jeffrey : Nagarjuna's Precious Garland

New edition. A translation with the Tibetan text of Nagarjuna's classic Precious Garland. This work is renowned for the intimate advice it offers on how to conduct one's life and how to construct social policy that reflect Buddhist ideals. The advice for personal happiness, originally written for a king, is concerned first with improving one`s condition over the course of lifetimes and then with release from all types of suffering, culminating in Buddhahood.

Nagarjuna describes the cause and effect sequences for the development of happiness within ordinary life as well as the practices of wisdom realizing emptiness and compassion that lead to enlightenment. The book includes a detailed analysis of attachment to sensual objects as a preparation for realization of the profound truth that, when realized, makes attachment impossible.

In his advice on social and governmental policy, Nagarjuna emphasizes education, compassionate care for all living beings, not using the death penalty but reforming criminals, and charity for the homeless. Calling for the appointment of government figures who are not seeking profit or fame, he advises that a selfish motivation will lead to misfortune.

"Of all the religious writings of the Mahayana Buddhist tradition, it could be said that Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life and Nagarjuna's Precious Garland together remain the foundational texts outlining the noble, selfless career of the bodhisattva." Geshe Thubten Jinpa.

Formerly published as Buddhist Advice for Living and Liberation.

SNOW LION
01/26/2007
PAGES: 288
SIZE: 8 X 9
ISBN: 9781559392747