This is the 6th of 7 in Wilkinson's Sakya Kongma Series (my final one). It's not the best one, but it's one of 3 based on Chogyal Phagpa who was Sakya Pandita's nephew and religious advisor to Kublai Khan. It consists of letters addressed not only to Kublai but to "Princes" who were members of Kublai's court. As such they address basic Buddhist concepts, including fundamental, Mahayana, and Vajrayana beliefs, techniques, etc. (2%, loc 102: These letters are documents of state that offer us a window into the Yuan Dynasty). These include Auditors, Pratyekabuddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Buddhas. That said, much of what is included is very basic--and only of historical interest to a present day Vajrayana practitioner (especially in Mahamudra and/or Dzogchen). There is very little, if any, of what I'd call spirituality here. To be fair, these letters were written many centuries ago and, thus, do not reflect modern logic, science, etc. (especially his exposition of Vipassana logic). Rather, to a great extent they are an apologetic for Vajrayana Buddhism--very understandable considering their audience. The logic is primitive--reminiscent of the Jewish Talmud wherein the Hermeneutics (as described by Steinsaltz in his translations) are mostly illogical. Indeed, there are many parallels with Jewish Kabbalah such as the many Buddha Fields vs. the ancient Hekalot literature. And, of course, since Theology is essentially a subset of Mythology--these include such nonsense as birth from moisture and heat, Mt. Meru as the center of the Earth, the 4 island continents, nagas, garudas, etc. The many lists of virtues/faults remind me of the Egyptian 42 Confessors of the dead. These don't bother me considering that knowledge depends upon context. It is odd though that in volume 5 ("The Emperor's Guru") Phagpa extols beer drinking (7-8%, pp. 19-20, loc 174-184: 'Vase of Ambrosia: An Exaltation of Beer '--Its bubbles appear to look like Magnificent brilliant crystals That seem to display garlands Made of strings resembling pearls. To see it is a glory to the eye. To hear its frothy sound is a glory to the ear. Its sweet aroma satiates the senses that apprehend smell. The totality of its experience is a glory to the tongue. It is bliss…The Tantras on the placation of desire agree That it develops an outpour of holy samadhi. These are the reasons it is the consummate drink. It is the very heart of enjoyments) and herein he attacks it (9%, loc 498: Beer makes us despise the world. Our bodies deteriorate and our intellects decline. It makes us part from significant experience of the Dharma. Observe how beer is always like a poison).
So, it is very difficult to provide an accurate star evaluation for the modern reader. Still, I got a fair number of quotations for my collection: Note: the Kindle edition did not give page numbers.
11%, loc 601: When our minds are apprehensive It will remain difficult to help the people.
14%, loc 801: We long to understand everything, So we comprehend what is relatively real, Then scrutinize it till we understand that it has no true reality. This is the perfection of wisdom.
15%, loc 865: We use the tree of life, which is expertise in methods,
21-22%, loc 1256-1272: when we are enjoying attractive forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tangibles, we enjoy them while thinking that anything that may happen to be an object of our desires transforms immeasurably, seeming to be a cloud of offerings for the All Good.
22%, loc 1272: When we are taking a bath, we say: “May the obstructions I have due to emotional problems and the things that I must know be cleansed.”
22%, loc 1317: These are the upadeśa for transforming everything we usually do into a path. This has been a representation of the path that uses skill in methods for transforming our happiness and sorrow, everything that is outside or inside us, into a path toward enlightenment.
35%, loc 2045-2065: Regarding the impermanence of all compounded things, We have been given the words: “All things are lacking in a self, They are corruptible, and sorrowful. Nirvana is to be peaceful and happy.” These are the four mudras… So they are what we call Proclamations. They are statements the Sage has made.
60%, loc 3612: “Through the pain that I experience may I reach out to the pains of all sentient beings, and may they be exhausted.”
64%, loc 3817: The root of all the dharmas: Virtue, evil, happiness, sorrow, Likewise, samsara and nirvana, Is our minds.
64%, loc 3851: After we have done something virtuous, We bind it into one With all the virtues that it signifies, And dedicate it toward the unsurpassed enlightenment Of all sentient beings.
65%, loc 3885: There are no dharmas that do not have a time and place.
68-69%, loc 4086-4105: other than samsara. “Heap” is Skandha. This is because it is a collection or gathering of letters, names, and words. You might say: “There have been proclaimed to be eighty thousand heaps of the Dharma, haven’t there? How could they be beyond counting?”… Now none of these immeasurable heaps of Dharma represent the interests of listening, arguing, portents of evil, and so on. They represent the interest of taking what we work to succeed at into our experience, and nothing more. All of them were presented for our assistance and happiness, and nothing else.
69%, loc 4136: Furthermore, it is necessary that the paths of Auditors and Private Buddhas be taught. This is so that disciples in the classes of Auditors and Private Buddhas may be trained. If they had been explained just so that we listen to them without practicing them, they would not be meaningful…The Victorious One’s Mother[26] also proclaims: Bodhisattvas must know the pathway of the Auditors. And: Bodhisattvas must know the pathway of the Private Buddhas. There are a vast number of such proclamations.
92%, loc 5532: The Victorious One’s Mother proclaims: Consciousness is like a dream. It is like an illusion.
92%, loc 5532: A Sutra proclaims: Wisdom that has no method is a fetter. Method that has no wisdom is also a fetter.
94%, loc 5656: “The Buddha has awakened from the sleep of non-awareness, and so he is like a person who has woken from sleep.”
95%, loc 5710: “A Buddha has an open mind regarding what may be known, like a lotus in bloom.”
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