The Jewel Ornament of Liberation

Sgam-po-pa, Herbert V. Guenther

Shambhala, 2001 - Religion - 333 pages

In this skillful translation, Herbert Guenther offers English-speaking readers sGam.po.pa's comprehensive and authoritative exposition of the stages of the Buddhist path. A masterly survey of Tibetan Buddhism, The Jewel Ornament of Liberation explains how an enlightened attitude is strengthened by practicing the six perfections (generosity, discipline, patience, exertion, meditation, and knowledge) and offers a concise presentation of Buddhism as a living experience.

As Ch gyam Trungpa writes in his foreword: "It is in the flow of karma that this book materialized in 1959 on the very eve of the destruction of the spiritual land of Tibet. Professor Guenther was instrumental in making available the only commentary and guide in English to the bodhisattva tradition of Tibet, Japan, and China. The book remains the classic text of all Buddhists."

What people are saying

LibraryThing Review

User Review  - jvalamala - LibraryThing

An important classic. You're getting the full picture with Gampopa's balanced writing as he corroborates everything with quotes. It is never boring. The translation however is slightly dated.

About the author

sGam.po.pa, who lived in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, was the organizer of the Kagyü order of Tibetan Buddhism.

Bibliographic information

• Title: The Jewel Ornament of Liberation; Clear light series
• Authors: Sgam-po-pa, Herbert V. Guenther
• Translated by: Herbert V. Guenther
• Contributor: Herbert V. Guenther
• Publisher: Shambhala, 2001
• ISBN: 1570626146, 9781570626142
• Length: 333 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Buddhism / General