Classic Commentaries

 by Great Dharma Masters 

(Scholastic Treatises or Shastras that augment, explain, and expand upon a primary text. The treatises shown in blue are those required by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III for all masters with disciples along with the Mind-Only Treatise, that is not known to have a translation in English. Click for the recommended sutras.)

  • Venerable Achaan Chah (1918-1992), A Still Forest Pool, the Meditation of Achaan Chah by Jack Kornfield and Paul Breiter. Thai-Theravada.
  • Master Aryadeva (2nd century), Four Hundred Verses on the Yogic Deeds of Bodhisattvas (Catuhsataka/Chatuhshataka). One of the classics studied in Tibet. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), The Jewel of Realization (Abhisamaya Alamkara), a commentary on the Prajnaparamita Sutras, also called The Ornament of Clear (Manifest) Realization, as transmitted from Lord Maitreya.  Also referred to as the Prajna Treatise. One of the “Five Classic Treatises.” Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), Buddha Nature: The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra (Higher Continuum Treatise) as transmitted from Lord Maitreya. Essential basics. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), Distinguishing Dharma and Dharmata or Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being as transmitted from Lord Maitreya. Essential basics. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), Mahayana-sutra-lamkara or Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras or Universal Vehicle Discourse Literature as transmitted from Lord Maitreya. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), Madhyanta-vibhanga or Distinguishing the Middle and the Extremes as transmitted from Lord Maitreya. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), Abhidharma Samuccaya (The Compendium of the Higher Teaching). Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asanga (4th century), Yogachara-bhumi Shastra or Treatise on the Stages of Yogic Practice (Yu-jia shi di lun). Has not yet been completely translated into English. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Asvaghosa (2nd century), Gurupancasika.  Also in Dharma King Tsongkhapa’s The Fulfillment of All Hopes:  Guru Devotion in Tibetan Buddhism. Indian-Vajrayana.
  • Master Asvaghosa (2nd century), Mahayana-Sraddhotpada Shastra or The Awakening of Faith, Chinese origin.
  • Master Atisha (982-1054), Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment. Foundation for the Lam Rim teachings in Tibet. Indian-Mahayana & Vajrayana.
  • Master Chandragomin (7th century), The Twenty Verses on the Bodhisattva Vow (Bodhisattvasamvaravimsaka, Tibetan Canon). Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Chandrakirti (600-650), Madhyamakavatara or Madhyamika Treatise (Guide or Introduction to the Middle Way), commentary on The Mulamadhyamakakarika Treatise (The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way) by Dharma King Nagarjuna (150-250). Another of the “Five Classic Treatises.” Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Chekawa Yeshe Dorje (1101-1175), Seven Point Mind Training. For developing bodhicitta. Tibetan-Kadampa.
  • Master Chogye Trichen Rinpoche (1920-2007), Parting from the Four Attachments: A Commentary on Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen’s Song of Experience on Mind Training and the View. Tibetan-Sakya.
  • Master Dharmakirti (530-630), The Commentary on Valid Perception (Pramana Varttika, tsad-ma rnam-‘grel) on Master Dignaga’s Compendium on Valid Perception (Pramanasamuccaya) , (5th century). Also referred to as the Hetu-Vidya Treatise, another of the “Five Classic Treatises.” No complete translation found. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Dharmarakshita (10th century), Peacock in the Poison Grove. (includes Wheel Weapon Mind-Training and The Poison Destroying Peacock Mind-Training). Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Dolpopa (1292-1361), Mountain Doctrine: Tibet’s Fundamental Treatise on Other Emptiness and the Buddha Matrix. Tibetan-Jonang.
  • Master Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism:  Its Fundamentals and History. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), Counsels from My Heart. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Dudjom Rinpoche (1904-1987), The Illumination of Primordial Wisdom: An Instruction Manual on the Utterly Pure Stage of Perfection of the Powerful and Ferocious Dorje Drolo, Subduer of Demons. Shamatha and vipashyana from the dzogchen perspective. Translation in Meditation, Transformation, and Dream Yoga by Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Fa-tsang (7th century), Huan-yen i-ch’eng chiao i fen-ch’i chang (Hua-yen Buddhism: The Jewel Net of Indra). Not in print. Chinese-Huan-yen.
  • Master Gampopa (1074 or 1079-1153), The Jewel Ornament of Liberation: The Wish-Fulfilling Gem of the Noble Teachings. Basics. Tibetan-Dakpo Kagyu.
  • Master Garab Dorje (6th BCE-2nd CE), The Golden Letters. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Gunaprabha (circa 500 AD), A Summary of Vowed Morality (Vinayasutra). Also referred to as the Precepts and Discipline Treatise, another of the “Five Classic Treatises.” No translation found. Indian-Hinayana.
  • Venerable Bhante Gunaratana (1927- ), Mindfulness in Plain English. Available on-line. Sri Lankan-Theravada.
  • Master Gyelsay Togmay Sangpo Geshe (1295-1369), The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas. Tibetan-Kadampa.
  • Master Hsuan-Tsang: “Verses Delineating the Eight Consciousnesses,” Treatise on Consciousness-Only. Commentary on Vasubandhu’s Trimsika. Chinese-Fa-Hsiang.
  • Master Hui Neng (638-715), The Sutra of the Sixth Patriarch on the Pristine Orthodox Dharma. Chinese-Ch’an.
  • Master Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1899), Sacred Ground:  Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography. Tibetan-Shangpa Kagyu.
  • Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen (1147-1216), Song of Experience on Mind Training and the View (Parting from the Four Attachments). Tibetan-Sakya.
  • Master Jigme Lingpa (1730-1798), Treasury of Precious Qualities. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Kamalashila (700-750), Bhavanakrama (The Stages of Meditation). Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363), The Practice of Dzogchen. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Longchen Rabjam (1308-1363), The Seven Treasures: The Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions, The Precious Treasury of the Way of Abiding, Precious Treasury of the Basic Space of Phenomena, and The Precious Treasury of Philosophical Systems. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Milarepa (1052-1135), Drinking the Mountain Stream: Songs of Tibet’s Beloved Saint and The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa. Tibetan-Kagyu.
  • Master Jamgon Ju Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912), Fundamental Mind. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Jamgon Ju Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912), Gateway to Knowledge: Condensation of the Tripitaka, Volumes 1-4 (Volume 4 is forthcoming). Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Jamgon Ju Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912), Four Great Logical Arguments of the Middle Way. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Jamgon Ju Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912), Tashi Prayer and Commentary with teaching by Bardor Rinpoche. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Nagarjuna (150-250), The Mulamadhyamakakarika Treatise (The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way).  Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Nagarjuna (150-250), Ratnavali (Nagarjuna’s Precious Garland; Buddhist Advice for Living and Liberation). Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Ngari Panchen Pema Wangyi Gyalpo (1487-1542), Perfect Conduct: Ascertaining the Three Vows with commentary by H. H. Dudjom Rinpoche. Tibetan-Nyngma.
  • Master Khedrup Norsang Gyatso (1413-1513), Ornament of Stainless Light: An Exposition of the Kalacakra Tantra. Tibetan-Geluk.
  • Master Pabongka Rinpoche (1878-1941), Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand:  A Concise Discourse on the Path to Enlightenment or A Gift of Liberation, Thrust into Our Hands. Lam Rim teaching by great modern master. Basics. Tibetan-Geluk.
  • Guru Padmasambhava (8th century), Natural Liberation:  Padmasambhava’s Teaching on the Six Bardos and Treasures from Juniper Ridge: The Profound Treasure Instructions of Padmasambhava to the Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal. Indian-Vajrayana.
  • Dorje Pamu, Dharma That Every Buddhist Must Follow. Translated from the Chinese by Bodi Wentu Rinpoche, Rosemead, CA:  World Dharma Voice, 2001. Contains extremely valuable and essential instruction to be practiced by all Buddhists, whether Great Rinpoche, Geshe, Kenpo, Dharma Teacher, or ordinary practitioner.
  • Master Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887), The Words of My Perfect Teacher. Basics. Tibetan-Nyingma.
  • Master Sachen Kunga Nyingpo (1092-1158), Parting from the Four Attachments by Manjushri; included in his son Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen’s Song of Experience on Mind Training and the View. Tibetan-Sakya.
  • Master Sakya Pandita Gunga Gyeltsen (1182-1251), A Clear Differentiation of the Codes:  Essential Distinctions Among the Individual Liberation, Great Vehicle, and Tantric Systems. Tibetan-Sakya.
  • Master Shantarakshita (8th century), Ornament (Adornment) of the Middle way (Madhyamakalamkara). One of the classics studied in Tibet by one of the founders of the Nyingma. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Shantideva (650-750), Bodhisattvacharyavatara Treatise (The Way of the Bodhisattva, A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, et al). One of the classics studied in Tibet. The Nectar of Manjushri’s Speech: A Detailed Commentary on Shantideva’s Way of the Bodhisattva by Kenpo Kunzang Pelden, based on oral teachings of Patrul Rinpoche is also a classic. Translations of extensive line-by-line commentary by H. E. Dzogchen Khenpo Choga Rinpoche on the first chapters is available from Shri Shingha Five Vidyas University. Many great Nyingma Masters and those from other sects use this classic text as one of the foundation teachings. Indian-Mahayana with Tibetan commentaries.
  • Master Sthiramati (475-555), The Mahayana Dharma-realm without Distinction. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Shunryu Suzuki, Roshi (1905-1971), Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind. Japanese-Zen.
  • Master Taranatha (1575-1634), The Essence of Other-Emptiness. Tibetan-Jonang.
  • Thich Nhat Hanh (1926- ), Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life. Vietnamese-Zen.
  • Master Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), Lam Rim Chen Mo (The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment): Three Volumes.  Classic commentary on Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment (Lam Rim) by Dharma King Atisha (Dipankara Shrijnana, 982-1054). Basics. Tibetan-Geluk.
  • Master Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), The Mountain of Blessings with commentary by Dharma King Pabongka Rinpoche. Also referred to as Preparing for Tantra (The “Source of All My Good”). Very concise. Tibetan-Geluk.
  • Master Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), The Principal Teachings of Buddhism or The Three Principal Paths (lam-stzo rnam-gsum), with commentary by Dharma King Pabongka Rinpoche. Basics. Tibetan-Geluk.
  • Master Vasubandhu (4th century), Abhidharmakosa Treatise. This is another of the “Five Classic Treatises” and is on the Abhidharma, a part of the Tripitakathat systematically presents Buddhist psychology and philosophy. This is an English translation of a French translation by L. De LA Vallee Poussin of the original Sanskrit. Indian-Hinayana.
  • Master Vasubandhu (4th century), Mahayana `satadharmaa-prakaa`samukha shastra or Lucid Introduction to the One Hundred Dharmas (Bai-fa ming-men lun). Indian-Mahayana.
  • Master Vasubandhu (4th century), Trimsika or Thirty Stanzas or The Thirty Verses on Consciousness Only. Indian-Mahayana.
  • Mahasiddha Virupa (7th-8th century), Vajra Lines of the Path with the Result in Taking the Result as the Path:  Core Teachings of the Sakya Lamdre Tradition.  Tibetan-Sakya.
  • Venerable Walpola Rahula (1907-1997), What the Buddha Taught. Sri Lankan-Theravada.