World of the Ancient Sages: History of the Living Jonang Lineage, Exclusive Holders of the Kalachakra Completion Stage
The omniscient Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, the most important figure in the Jonang tradition.
World of the Ancient Sages introduces readers to the history of the Jonang school of Tibetan Buddhism, a tradition not well known outside present-day Tibet. This is because the dissemination of Buddhism from Tibet has been based on the teachings of those schools known only from the exiled communities in India. The living Jonang lineage is important if one wishes to know about the Kalachakra teachings and practice, as it is the only holder of the Kalachakra Completion Stage. This book offers a brief history of the Jonang monastic tradition, which is still flourishing in Tibet today, with more than seventy monasteries and retreat centers.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Prayer for the Jonang Tradition
Background and Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART ONE: History of the Jonang Lineage
Homage to the Holy Lineage
THe Lineage of Zhentong Sutra View and Practice in India
THe Lineage of Zhentong Sutra View and Practice in Tibet
THe Lineage of Tantric View and Practice in India & Shambhala
THe Kalachakra Zhentong Lineage in Tibet
THe Coming Together of the Sutra and Tantra Lineages
PART TWO: History of the Jonang Monasteries
The Jonang Tradition in Ü-Tsang Province
The Jonang Tradition in Dzamthang District
The Jonang Tradition in Amdo Ngawa Region
The Jonang Tradition in Gyalrong Region
The Jonang Tradition in Golok Region
PART THREE: The Spread of Jonang beyond Tibet
THe Jonang Tradition in Ancient Times
THe Jonang Tradition Today
Conclusion
About the Author
Rinpoche’s Vision