The Sword of Wisdom
We study valid cognition, or pramana, because it provides an effective path to achieving a deep valid inferential cognition of the nature of reality (as empty), which then has the strength to lead to a direct valid cognition of that same nature, which is what brings about liberation. This course will serve as foundation for studying Mipham Rinpoche’s famously difficult and controversial commentary to the ninth chapter of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara, The Norbu Ketaka, in our next course.
The main text for this current course will be Mipham’s Sword of Wisdom, a translation of Khenchen Palden Sherap Rinpoche’s commentary to Mipham’s verse text, The Sword of Wisdom. Together they provide a comprehensive and in-depth presentation of the system of pramana as it is understood in the Nyingma tradition. This is the culmination of an evolution of the system of pramana over some 1,500 years spanning both India and Tibet.
Core Materials:
“Introduction to Pramana” from Pramana, Tantra & The Middle Way
“Reasoning Within the Buddhist Context” from The Course in Buddhist Reasoning and Debate