The Wisdom Chapter: Jamgoen Mipham’s Commentary on the Ninth Chapter of The Way of the Bodhisattva

The first English translation of Mipham Rinpoche’s commentary on the wisdom chapter of Shantideva’s classic text, in which Mipham explains Madhyamaka philosophy from the perspective of the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Way of the Bodhisattva is one of the most important texts in the Tibetan tradition, a core guide beloved by all the schools, which takes the reader through the training in the Bodhisattva path. The ninth chapter, however, is regarded as difficult because it deals with Madhyamaka, the Middle Way, the most profound wisdom view of Mahayana Buddhism. Mipham Rinpoche’s commentary is an exposition and defense of the interpretation of the ninth chapter according to the Older Tradition (Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu) of Tibetan Buddhism. Mipham explains how the view presented by Shantideva is in fact the view of Dzogchen. It stirred up a furious debate in Tibet because it took issue with the interpretation by the New Tradition (Gelugpa) that was religiously and politically dominant at that time. That debate is captured beautifully here as this volume includes a critique of Mipham Rinpoche’s view by a prominent Gelugpa tulku as well as Mipham’s response.