Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp of the Five Stages: Practical Instructions in the King of Tantras, The Glorious Esoteric Community

The Brilliant Illumination of the Lamp of the Five Stages (Rim lnga rab tu gsal ba’i sgron me) is Tsong Khapa’s most important commentary on the perfection stage practices of the Esoteric Community (Guhyasamāja), the Tantra he considered fundamental for the practice of the “Father Tantra” class of Unexcelled Yoga Tantras. It draws heavily on Nāgārjuna’s Five Stages (Pañcakrama) and Āryadeva’s Lamp that Integrates the Practices (Caryāmelāpakapradīpa), as well as a vast range of perfection stage works included in the Tibetan Kangyur and Tengyur collections. It is an important work for both scholars and practitioners.

The annotated translation is supplemented with extensive glossaries and other support materials. A companion volume of the critically edited Tibetan text, annotated with the found quotes from Tengyur and Kangyur texts in Tibetan and Sanskrit where available.