The Lamp That Dispels Darkness

Book excerpt: The Lamp that Dispels Darkness is an interlinear commentary on 'The Shastra Distinguishing Consciousness and Primordial Wisdom', an important work of Buddhist philosophy and practise written in the 14th century by the renowned Buddhist master Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339). The commentary was composed in 1986 by the great Tibetan scholar and yogin, Karma Thinley Rinpoche, providing a definitive and clear guide to the concise original text. Though written in the classical style of the Tibetan commentarial tradition, Karma Thinley Rinpoche provides guidance with a Western audience in mind, helping to bridge the gap between the modern world view and the world view of Buddhism. The book also contains an afterword from the translator, 'Distinguishing "Consciousness" and "Vijnana"', distinguishing contemporary Western notions and assumptions about mind from the Buddhist understanding presented throughout this work.