Marpo Ri 2006-12-03

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

This is a very nice translation of the traditional text. However, equally important is the exceptional comments by Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche & the supplemental information, including an index, glossary, notes and a structure of the teachings in this text. This book well surpassed my expectations of a good translation of an important text.

Midwest Book Review 2006-03-08

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

Skillfully translated into English by Padmakara Translation Group, Nagarjuna's Letter To A Friend is an outline of the fundamental principles of Mahayana Buddhism as penned in the form of a poem by the Indian Buddhist master Nagarjuna (1st-2nd century A.D.) to a South Indian King. Now a classic of Indian Buddhist literature, Nagarjuna's Letter To A Friend has only 123 verses yet covers the whole of the Mahayana path, in which followers strive for Buddhahood for the sake of all beings, and offers a practical approach to daily conduct alongside a theological discussion of the different stages leading to enlightenment. Kangyur Rinpoche offers a commentary that sheds light on the more technical or mystifying aspects of Nagarjuna's poem, offering full explanations of difficult concepts. A structural outline and Tibetan line index allow reader to quickly locate quotes used in other Tibetan works; notes and a glossary round out this "must-read" text for serious-minded students and practitioners of Mahayana Buddhism.