Myriad Worlds: Buddhist Cosmology in Abhidharma, Kālachakra & Dzog-Chen

by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, Bokar Rinpoche (Director), Sarah Harding (Translator)

Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Tayé (1813–99),a pivotal figure in the nonsectarian movement of eastern Tibet, was one of the most outstanding writers and teachers of his time. In his monumental Encyclopedia of Buddhism, he presents a complete account of the major lines of thought and practice that comprise Tibetan Buddhism. Myriad Worlds is the first part of that work.

As a prelude to Kongtrul's survey of the entire range of Buddhist teachings, Myriad Worlds describes four major cosmological systems found in the Tibetan tradition—those associated with the Hīnayāna, Mahāyāna, Kālacakra, and Dzog-chen teachings. To suit the capacities of different grades of beings, Buddha taught four levels of cosmology: the numerically definite cosmology of the individual way; the cosmology of infinite buddhafields of the universal way; the special cosmological system of the Kālacakra Tantra; and the dazzling non-cosmology of the Dzog-chen system, which dispenses with the dualistic perspective, revealing the creative principle to be awareness alone.

Each of these cosmologies shows how the world arises from mind, whether through the accumulated results of past actions or from the constant striving of awareness to know itself.

This detailed and thorough account of worldviews that present conceptions of space and time which differ significantly from Western ideas is at once illuminating and challenging.

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy, Spirituality, Mysticism

304 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

The first Jamgon Kongtrul, Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thayé (འཇམ་མགོན་ཀོང་སྤྲུལ་བློ་གྲོས་མཐའ་ཡས་ 'jam mgon kong sprul blo gros mtha' yas), was one of the preeminent scholars in 19th century Tibet, often referred to as Jamgon Kongtrul the Great. The name Kongtrul is a contraction of Kongpo Bamtang Tulku, of whom he was held to be an incarnation. He also was a tertön, or "revealer of Dharma treasures," and in that capacity was given the name Pema Garwang Chimé Yudrung Lingpa.

He was also a respected physician and diplomat. He is credited as one of the founders of the Rimé (རིས་མེད་ ris-med "unbiased" or non-sectarian) movement of Tibetan Buddhism, and he compiled what is known as the Five Great Treasuries.

Reviews

[kista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gave me a lot of understanding and clarity about the world systems that exist. Lovely book and a fantastic read, the more you get into it, the more you understand the profound meaning behind the ideas and words. Everything is well explained and left me with no questions as I was reading through.

[Stephen R · Rating 3 out of 5]

The descriptions of Buddhist pure lands and the levels of samsara are carefully described in this book. If you are studying Buddhism, I think this is a book you need to read so you will understand what worlds are in your future based on your karma from this life and from karma that hasn't ripened yet.

[Bob Woodley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a medieval religious text that happens to have been written in 19th century monastic Tibet. The cosmology is a mythical one which would be mostly of interest to anthropologists I suppose. The obsession with categorization and enumeration reminds one of early Christian scholastics.

The final chapter "The Primordial Purity of the Universe" gets into Dzogchen theology and is the most interesting chapter for a modern reader. But it is highly technical and not an introductory text.

I wish the translators would not insist on translating all Sanskrit terms into English. When they mention Phenomenology here, it has nothing to do with Heidegger or Husserl and everything to do with Abhidharma. So why not just say Abidharma?

[Jorge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad but very dense, not beginner friendly. Many obscure words, concepts all over place, not explained well. Translation should have been more liberal over literal. Too hard to read/understand. Lore is not focused enough. Feels like reading some trivia wiki article but very unfocused one.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

In depth, dense, academic.

[Lionel Maslard · Rating 5 out of 5]

cosmology