Establishing Appearances as Divine: Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo on Reasoning, Madhyamaka, and Purity
"Rongzom Chözang, one of the most important scholars of the eleventh century, believed in the divinity of the world. Even more interesting, he set out to prove it! Köppl's book, a translation of Rongzom's most important text on the subject, is an important contribution to Buddhist doctrinal studies. The long introduction provides us with one of the most detailed comparative treatments of the Nyingma view (tawa) that I know of, elucidating Rongzom's position in relation to other Nyingma thinkers. The notes to the translation clarify even the most difficult portions of the text. . . . A truly masterful work."--José Ignacio Cabezón, XIVth Dalai Lama Professor of Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara"Heidi Köppl makes the seminal work of Rongzom Chökyi Zangpo newly accessible to the modern reader. Rongzom, in deep conversation with Buddhist philosophy, argued for the most immediate visionary experience of enlightenment--every part of our world as already divine. Rongzom, assisted by Köppl's sparkling exegesis, leads readers to a direct encounter with their own primordial goodness."--John Makransky, Associate Professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology, Boston College