Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

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anjali
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Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by anjali »

Moonbeams of Mahamudra (With Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance) Hardcover – March 12, 2019
Elizabeth Callahan (Translator)
A new translation of Tibet's most important manual for Mahāmudrā view and meditation

This classic Buddhist work, written in the sixteenth century, comprehensively presents the entire scope of the Tibetan Kagyu Mahāmudrā tradition. These profound yet accessible instructions focus on becoming familiar with the nature of one’s mind as the primary means to realize ultimate reality and thus attain buddhahood. Dakpo Tashi Namgyal’s manual for the view and practice of Mahāmudrā is widely considered the single most important work on the subject, systematically introducing the view and associated meditation techniques in a progressive manner.

Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā, along with the Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje’s Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance, are to this day some of the most studied texts on Mahāmudrā in the Kagyu monasteries throughout Tibet and the Himalayas. Elizabeth M. Callahan, a renowned translator of classical Kagyu literature, has provided new translations of these two texts along with ancillary materials and annotations, making this a genuine resource for both scholars and students of Tibetan Buddhism. This historic contribution therefore offers the necessary tools to properly study and apply the Mahāmudrā teachings in a modern context.
Looking forward to these new translations. Callahan has an outstanding translation of the restricted text, Mahamudra, The Ocean of Definitive Meaning. I expect this Moonbeams translation to be of equally high quality. Fortunately, Moonbeams is not restricted.

Currently, there are two translations of Moonbeams:

Moonbeams of Mahamudra: The Classic Meditation Manual, translated by Traleg Kyabgon
Mahamudra: The Moonlight -- Quintessence of Mind and Meditation, translated by Lobsang P Lhalungpa

Included in the book is also a much needed (in my opinion) new translation of Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance. The only other translation currently available is

The Mahamudra: Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance, translated by Alexander Berzin, with commentary by Beru Khyentze Rinpoche.
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by Lingpupa »

:bow: :thumbsup: :bow: :applause:

I knew this was somewhere in the pipeline, but last time I heard the release date was unknown. Good news. And one of the bows is indeed for Elizabeth Callahan.

Add to shopping list right now!
All best wishes

"The profundity of your devotion to your lama is not measured by your ability to turn a blind eye."
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by Lingpupa »

All best wishes

"The profundity of your devotion to your lama is not measured by your ability to turn a blind eye."
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anjali
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by anjali »

Indeed it is. I got my copy on the 12th. Haven't had a chance to spend any time with it yet, but from a quick perusal, it looks to be an instant classic, and will be considered the definitive translation for a long time to come. :thumbsup:
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by Karma Dondrup Tashi »

Is it nicer than the Traleg version? I have that one.
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by anjali »

Karma Dondrup Tashi wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2019 5:31 pm Is it nicer than the Traleg version? I have that one.
In my opinion, yes. I have all three versions now, and this will be my go-to translation moving forward. It has a lot of support material in the appendices, and it also has a modern translation of Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance. Basically, you are getting a two-for-one.

If I have some time down the road (unfortunately, I'm swamped at the moment), I'll try to post some comparative translations for folks to get a flavor of the difference.
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by lama tsewang »

How does some one get Elizabeth Callahans translation of ocean of certainty, I got it right after it was printed by going to Seattle and getting it , but. After if one wrote to the publisher they would just ignore any letters.
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by anjali »

lama tsewang wrote: Fri Mar 15, 2019 10:18 pm How does some one get Elizabeth Callahans translation of ocean of certainty, I got it right after it was printed by going to Seattle and getting it , but. After if one wrote to the publisher they would just ignore any letters.
It's a highly restricted text. There is very little mention of it on the internet anymore. Contacting Callahan directly is probably the only way anyone is going to get it.

Addendum: From the internet wayback machine:
https://web.archive.org/web/20020209042 ... mudra.html, and
https://web.archive.org/web/20020415102 ... rders.html
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by Spelare »

Why is Ocean of Certainty restricted whereas Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā and Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance are not? I thought it might be because Ocean is written as a manual for masters, with scripted pointing-out instructions and teacher-student dialogue, but Clarifying the Natural State has the same format yet its publication was authorized without restriction.
Neither person nor skandha
but unstained wisdom is buddha.
In its knowing, ever serene—
I go for refuge therein.
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by anjali »

Spelare wrote: Sun Mar 31, 2019 1:31 pm Why is Ocean of Certainty restricted whereas Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā and Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance are not? I thought it might be because Ocean is written as a manual for masters, with scripted pointing-out instructions and teacher-student dialogue, but Clarifying the Natural State has the same format yet its publication was authorized without restriction.
Good question.

The 16th Karmapa thought Moonbeams should be translated with no restrictions. So that's the story with Moonbeams. Interestingly the other significant Mahamudra manual by Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (author of Moonbeams), Clarifying the Natural State, is also available unrestricted.

There are three texts by the 9th Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje: Pointing Out the Dharmakaya (restricted, short), Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance (not restricted, medium), Ocean of Certainty (highly restricted, long). Pointing Out the Dharmakaya is restricted, but not excessively so--it's restricted to anyone who has had pointing out instructions. Ocean of Certainty is highly restricted per the above links.

Why is Dispelling the Darkenss of Ignorance not restricted? The translation was released back in the 70s with a commentary by Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, based on oral instructions directly from the 16th Karmapa. So, I'm speculating that it was decided by the 16th Karmapa that it was ok to release the text and commentary into the wild. On the back of the book is this quote,
This work is published under the auspices of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in a programme to make available living teachings from the many traditions of Buddhism as preserved in Tibet.
I suppose someone could ask the translator, Alexander Berzin, or Beru Khyentse himself.
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by Astus »

Henrik Havlat's translation "Mahamudra: The Ocean of True Meaning" is available. So it's more like one specific translation is restricted, but neither the Tibetan, nor another translation. In any case, Thrangu Rinpoche's commentaries are very beneficial and to the point.
1 Myriad dharmas are only mind.
Mind is unobtainable.
What is there to seek?

2 If the Buddha-Nature is seen,
there will be no seeing of a nature in any thing.

3 Neither cultivation nor seated meditation —
this is the pure Chan of Tathagata.

4 With sudden enlightenment to Tathagata Chan,
the six paramitas and myriad means
are complete within that essence.


1 Huangbo, T2012Ap381c1 2 Nirvana Sutra, T374p521b3; tr. Yamamoto 3 Mazu, X1321p3b23; tr. J. Jia 4 Yongjia, T2014p395c14; tr. from "The Sword of Wisdom"
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Re: Upcoming translation of Moonbeams of Mahamudra (2019)

Post by gb9810 »

FYI

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