Dakini Teachings: Padmasambhava's Oral Instructions to Lady Tsogyal.

by Erik Pema Kunsang;

Enlightened Living: Teachings of Tibetan Buddhist Masters. by Tulku Thondup; The Principal
Teachings of Buddhism. by Tsongkapa; Geshe Lobsang Tharchin; Michael Roach
Review by: Natalie Maxwell Hauptman
The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 51, No. 3 (Aug., 1992), pp. 649-652
Published by: Association for Asian Studies
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/2057974 .
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BOOK

REVIEWS-CHINA

AND

INNER

ASIA

649

(pp. 114, 161) continuesto produce inflatedfiguresof economicgrowth,while

are small. In fact,He Bochuansuggeststhatmuch
actual increasesin productivity
of the growthin the SEZS and Guangdongderivedfromhuge statetransfusions
and
subsidies(especiallybank loans withconcomitantinternaldeficits)thatcame at the
expenseof Shanghaiand noncoastalregionsin the north-and southwest,whichare
fallingfarther
behindeconomically.He Bochuanwrites,"Averageper capita value
of industrialand agriculturaloutput forXinjiang in 1949 was 12 percenthigher
thanthe nationalaverage. . . by 1981 Xinjiangwas 23.4 percentbelow" (p. 149).
He Bochuanarguesthatunderthe "open door" the Chinese
More importantly,
economyhas shiftedmuch too rapidlyto mass consumption,fueledby debt and
excessiveimportsofconsumergoods and industries.Foreigntechnologyis not being
transform
theindustrial
usedto fundamentally
base,but is goingmostlyintoexpensive
and redundantconsumerproducts.At the same time, China has not significantly
improvedits exportsof high value-addedmachinery-less than 5 percentof total
exportsin 1989-just as its underfunded
educationalsystemhas failedto createa
well-educated
workforce.Foreigninvestments
and loansfundconsumption:
sufficiently
$5 billion forimportedcars, moreand moreluxuryhotelswith emptyroomsand
high electricityconsumption,and constantlyincreasingsalariesand benefitsfor
and enterprises.
In the meantime,the two
employeesin bloatedstatebureaucracies
"weak links"in theeconomy-energyand transportation-aregrosslyneglectedby
irrationalpricingpolicies (sand costs more than coal in Beijing) and inadequate
investmentin railroadand watertransport("Each year,"writesHe Bochuan, "20
milliontons of goods cannotbe shipped" [p. 781).
Who's to blame? And, what'sthe solution?This book was not bannedbecause
it lambastedthe ChineseCommunistPaty-which is hardlyevermentioned-but
becauseit provideda factualbase forchallengingan entiredecadeofeconomicpolicy
and environmentalneglect. He Bochuan also does not advocate radical political
reform
since,like China's leaders,he considerspoliticalstabilitya highpriorityand
even praisesgovernmentprogramssuch as reforestation.
Yet, if disasteris to be
avoided,radicalchangesare necessary:moreinvestmentin educationand economic
intensiveoverextensivedevelopment
infrastructure,
in bothagriculture
and industry,
rationalprices forenergyand transportation,
less consumerglamour, more hard
work.Above all, China's leadersmust stop singingtheir"sweetlullabies" (p. xiii)
of propagandaand allow theirpeople-including journalists-the rightto voice
grievancesand begin initiativesto keep theircountrylivable.
LAWRENCE R. SULLIVAN
AdelphiUniversity
DakiniTeachings:
Padmasambhava's
OralInstructions
toLadyTsogyal. Translated
by ERIK PEMA KUNSANG. Boston: Shambhala Dragon Editions,
1990. xxxii, 189 pp. $14.95 (paper).
Enlightened
Living: Teachingsof Tibetan Buddhist Masters. Translated
Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1990. xii,
by TULKU THONDUP.
156 pp. $12.95 (paper).
The Principal Teachingsof Buddhism. By TSONGKAPA. Translation
by GESHE LOBSANG THARCHIN and MICHAEL ROACH. A Classics
of Middle Asia Publication.Howell, N.J.: MahayanaSutraand TantraPress,
1989. iv, 209 pp. $4.95 (paper).
Tibet has undergonea great tragedyduring the last fortyyearswhile under
ChineseCommunistcontrol;manyof its people have been killed, and its cultural

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All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions

650

THE JOURNAL

OF ASIAN

STUDIES

and religioustraditionshave been destroyedor suppressed.However,much of the

TibetanBuddhisttraditionis being preservedand transmitted
outsideTibet by the
workof manybrilliantTibetan scholarsand practitioners.
The Englishtranslations
of thesethreeTibetan Buddhisttextscontinuethe revelationof the culturalriches
of the Tibetan people to Englishspeakers.These threebooks are recordsof oral or
writtenteachingsby renownedspiritualteachersto theirstudents.Theyspan 1,200
ofBuddhismin Tibetto thepresentand arerepresentative
yearsfromtheestablishment
teachingsfromthe Gelukpa (Tib. dgelugspa) and Nyingmapa(Tib. rnying
mapa),
two of the fourmajorTibetan Buddhistsects. Each is engaginglytranslatedand is
an accessible,usefulintroductionto manyimportantaspectsof Tibetan Buddhist
practice.The firsttwo books to be reviewedare based on directoral teachings;the
ofshortwritten
worksincludingletters,
thirdhasa variety
verse,and stories.Together,
some of the deep thoughtand creativestyleof both the oral and
theydemonstrate
writtentraditions.
Each of thesebooks reflectsTibetan Buddhism'sstrongcommoncoreof Indian
MahayanaBuddhistteachingson sutraand tantrawhichhave been preservedto the
the continuousrevitalization
presentin the Tibetan canon, and each demonstrates
of the canon throughoriginalTibetanworksof interpretation
and commentary.
All
emphasizethe importanceof the wish to attain enlightenment
forthe sake of all
as the basisfortheethics,meditation
beings(Tib. byangchubkyisems,Skt. bodhicitta)
and wisdomcomponentsof religiouspractice.(NOTE: The translators
of thesethree
bookshaveused varioussystemsofrendering
Tibetannamesand termsintophonetic
English equivalents,and I have followedeach translator's
systemwhen discussing
his book.)
The most systematicof the threebooks is The PrincipalTeachings
ofBuddhism,
a moderncommentary
by the renownedPabongkaRinpoche(1878-1941) on a text
of fourteenverses. "The Three PrincipalPaths," by the great teacherTsongkapa
(1357-1419), founderof the Gelukpa sect. Tsongkapa, the most prolificTibetan
coveredthefullrangeof Buddhistteachings,
scholar,whoseprofoundcommentaries
studiedwithteachersof all the Buddhisttraditionsof his time. He integratedsutra
and tantrateachingsinto a gradedcourseof practicebased on threeprincipalpaths
the wish to achieveenlightenment
to enlightenment-renunciation,
forthe sake of
all beings, and the correctview of emptiness-which he condensedinto fourteen
verses,as well as expandedintovast commentaries.
PabongkaRinpoche,one of the
leadingspiritualteachersof Tibet in the earlytwentieth
oftengave extensive
century,
oral teachingson Tsongkapa'sworks,and thisbook and othercommentaries
by him
werepreparedby his studentsfromlecturenoteson his oral teachings.
The vitalityof thistranslationby Geshe LobsangTharchinderivesin partfrom
the refreshingterminologychosen by the translators.They capture Pabongka
Rinpoche's own vivid style, which, in addition to being scholarly,is at times
humorous.PabongkaRinpochegives wonderful
examplesfromhis own experiences
fromTsongkapa'sand otherIndian
along withrelevantquotationsand paraphrasings
and Tibetanworks.He bluntlycriticizesignorance,hypocrisy,
and distraction,and
places major emphasis,like Tsongkapa, on the preciouswish forenlightenment,
whichshould be the "centermost
practice"(p. 105).
This textis dividedintoeightmajorsections:first,"Preliminaries,"thenthree
sections on the three principal paths, followed by "Exhortationsto Practice,"
"Conclusion,""Prayer,"and "A SecretKey." This last shortsectionis froma chapter
of anotherworkby the poet and scholarGungtangJampeyang(1762-1823), who
statesthatthesethreepathsmust be taughtin orderand yet, in meditation,"each
one must be suffusedby the othertwo" (p. 157).

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BOOK

REVIEWS-CHINA

AND

INNER

ASIA

651

ably and fluidlytranslatedby Erik Pema Kunsang, is a much

Dakini Teachings,
earliertext fromthe oldest Tibetan sect, the Nyingmapa;it is believed to be the
recordof the direct teachingsof its founder,Padmasambhava.This great yogi,
in firmlyestablishingBuddhismin Tibet
teacher,and leader,who was instrumental
duringthe eighthand ninthcenturies,gave these teachingsto his chiefdisciple,
Yeshe Tsogyal,theprincessof Kharchen.Althoughin thistextYeshe Tsogyalasks
questions,she was believedto be a dakini(Tib. mkha''groma), an alreadyenlightened
femaledeity,and an emanationof thefemaleBuddha Lochana,who, afterpracticing
theseteachings,became equal to Padmasambhavahimself(p. ix). She was to have
recordedthesetreasureteachings,terma(Tib. gterma), in a special scriptand then
hidden them; this text was later discoveredand decipheredby Nyal Ral Nyima
Oser (1124-92). Accordingto tradition,Padmasambhava'steachingsreachedlater
(Tib. gterston)teachers,revealers
by terton
throughthisprocessofdiscovery
generations
of treasures,who could understandand transmitthemfreshlyin timeswhen they
would be especiallyrelevant(p. xxvii).
The main body of this text is in seven chaptersof explanationand aphorism
questionsofYeshe Tsogyaland Padmasambhava's
presentedthroughthe interesting
answersto heron keytopicsforpracticebasedon Hinayana,Mahayana,and Vajrayana
one'sspiritualpractice
throughout
emphasizesthe necessity
teachings.Padmasambhava
as well as the need to integratelevels of
of generatingcompassionand bodhicitta
practice.Accordingto Tulku UrgyenRinpochein his introduction:
oftheearlytranslations,
andespecially,
ThespecialqualityoftheVajrayana
system
with
ofDzogchenis "toascendwiththeconductwhiledescending
oftheteachings
withthelowervehicleswhilekeeping
theview.". . . One mustactin accordance
theviewoftheinnertantras
(p. xxix)
essays: the
introductory
Precedingthe main translationare threeinformative
Erik Pema Kunsang'sconcisepreface,a shortbiographyof Padmasambhava
translator
by JamgonKongtrulthe First,and an introductionby Tulku UrgyenRinpoche.
The translatorhas also providedan excellentsubstantialglossaryof Mahayanaand
Nyingmapaconceptsand terms.Appendedto the main textis anothervivid terma
on the last words of Padmasambhavato Yeshe Tsogyal, "The RefinedEssence of
Oral Instructions"transmitted
by Dorje Lingpa (1326-1405).
Livingis beautifullytranslatedby Tulku Thondup, a teacherand
Enlightened
authorof manyBuddhistworks.It is a collectionof eight variegatedteachingsby
on ethicsand thewayto applyspiritual
renownedNyingmapamastersthatare chiefly
teachingsto worldlylife. The scope and personalquality of the textsmake each
and culturallyspecificas well as universalin spirit.According
teachinghistorically
ethicsshouldbe seen as a meansof increasing
to Tulku Thondup'spreface,practicing
one's spiritualstrength;he statesthatone shouldaim at dedicatingone's lifeto the
serviceof othersthroughthe attainmentof enlightenment,and at developinga
peaceful,compassionate,wise mind and properbehavior.The eightchaptersreflect
this viewpoint.
Four chaptersby Patrul Rinpoche(1808-87) include two originalstoriesand
two worksin verse. The firstchapter,"Heart Essence: Advice on Two Ethics," is
a movingstoryof an arrogantyouth'stamingby the teachingsof an old man on
Buddhist and worldlyethics and attitudes.The second and longest chapteris a
living in a beautiful
poignantlove storyof two small bees, Buddhistpractitioners
lotus garden,who must face separationand death. "The Reminderto Son Sri" is
practicaladvicemixingspiritualand worldlyethicsgivento his son, and "Instructional

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652

THE JOURNAL

OF ASIAN

STUDIES

Advice on Trainingin Buddhism" is a shortset of versesskillfullysummarizing

the key Buddhistpractices.
"Beautiful Garland of Flowers" by the first Dodrup Chen Rinpoche
(1745-1821) is an excellentexampleof a set of teachingson ethicsdistinguished,
accordingto the translator,by its fourviewpoints-Buddhist or spiritual,both
The sixthtext,"A LetterofSpiritual
secularand spiritual,secular,and non-Buddhist.
Advice," was writtenin 1954 to Tulku Thondup by LauthangTulku Rinpoche.
The seventhchapter,"Instructionson TurningHappiness and Suffering
into
the Path of Enlightenment"by Jigme Tenpe Nyima (1865-1926), is vivid and
succinctpracticaladviceon usinganyexperience
ofsuffering
or happinessto encourage
greaterspiritualpractice.The last chapter,"Enteringintothe Path of Enlightenment:
Taking Daily Activitiesas the Path, accordingto the UnifiedApproachof Sutra
and Tantra," is by Rigdzin JigmeLingpa (1729-98) who discoveredthe termaof
the LongchenNyingthigteachings.These two finalchaptersdiscusshow the most
to spiritualuse.
mundaneeventscan be transformed
The eight chaptersare precededby a lucid introductionthat summarizeseach
and presentsbiographicaldetailson thesegreatscholar-meditator
authors.The end
termsand concepts,and someTibetanequivalents
notesdefinebriefly
manyimportant
of termsand namesof textsappear in the end notesor withinthe laterchapters.
NATALIE MAXWELL HAUPTMAN

Drew University

The Taiwan Uprisingof February

A TragicBeginning.
28, 1947.
TSE-HAN,

RAMON H.

UniversityPress, 1991.

MYERS, and WEl Wou.

x, 273 pp.

$32.50.

By LAI

Stanford: Stanford

Memoriesof the February28 (2-28) Taiwan Incidentof 1947 haveperpetuated

misgivings
aboutNationalistruleand prolongedtensionsbetweenChinesemainlanders
and native-bornTaiwanese in the Republic of China (ROC). Scholarsand relatives
of the victimsbecame more insistentthat the governmentmake a full disclosure
of the 2-28 affairafterthe liftingof martiallaw in 1987. Finally,last yearon the
of the controversial
forty-fourth
anniversary
incident,ROC PresidentLee Teng-hui
resolved"to heal the wounds"2-28 has caused. Goaded by DemocraticProgressive
Party oppositionand the issue of Taiwan independence,Lee promised that all
governmentofficeswould releaserelevantdocumentsand that an ExecutiveYuan
task forcewould preparea reportby early 1992.
The threeauthorsof thisbook-an Americanand two Taiwanese-began their
studypriorto 1987. Nevertheless,theyadherecloselyto the positionthatLee and
otherNationalistleadershave now taken.They also feelthat2-28 markeda tragic
beginningfor Nationalistrule in Taiwan. They likewise are hopefulthat a full
account will help to dispel the cloud of contentionsurroundingthe unfortunate
eventsof 1947 when, accordingto theirconservative
estimate,some 8,000 people
lost theirlives. Moreover,theytoo appearapprehensive
of theTaiwan Independence
Movementwhich soon emergedin responseto the 2-28 affair,especiallyas that
movementrelatesto present-day
oppositionpolitics.
The authorsinitiallyseem to treatthe generalconditionsleading up to 2-28
in a fairand objectivemanner.Theyacknowledge,forexample,thattheNationalist
governmentwas ill-preparedto extendits authorityto moreprovincesat the end

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