Apparitions of the Self

Rating:
Summary: Two books in one
Review: Dr. Gyatso has given us two books in one: a fine translation of two of Jigme Lingpa's secret autobiographies, and a rich discussion of such autobiographies in Tibetan and world literature.

As for the translations, they are treasures. Even though they take up less than 80 pages (including notes), the book is well worth its price for these alone. Though brief biographies of Jigme Lingpa can be found in several English publications, this is the first time his so-called inner autobiographies have been made available. Dr. Gyatso's translations are very readable, and far more important, her notes make them understandable. These autobiographies are very esoteric material - they describe meditative and inner experiences far outside what most of us have encountered, and they do so in images of which we know almost nothing. Dr. Gyatso discussed the autobiographies with many of the greatest Nyingma Lamas, and their explanations and comments in addition to her own knowledge illuminate the text which otherwise would be nearly beyond comprehension. For students of Tibetan Buddhism who follow lineages that descend from Jigme Lingpa, such as the LongChen NyingThig, these translations will be especially precious.

The remainder of the book displays impressive scholarship. For the non-specialist, it is a challanging though rewarding read. The Editorial Reviews above give a good idea of this part of the book. One caveat - this section is not devotional writing. As scholarly writings often do, it poses sometimes disturbing questions to the 'believer'. Nevertheless, even for the practitioner whose interest is quite other than scholarly, there is a wealth of information in these sections.

Rating:
Summary: Valuable Apparition
Review: In this valuable book, Janet Gyatso presents two of Jigme Lingpa's songs and lenghty analysis that is well-reasoned. Her translation is very nice, but I would have enjoyed more original text and less interpretation.

Rating:
Summary: Unearthing Tibet's Hidden Treasures
Review: It doesn't get much more esoteric than this. Apparitions of the Self tackles in-depth the complex metaphysics of the Treasure or Terma texts, the hidden teachings which practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism believe Padmasambhava secreted in the minds of key disciples 1,200 years ago. The vehicle for this exploration is the autobiography of Jigme Lingpa, an 18th century Terton (Treasure discoverer), who revealed the Great Perfection teachings. Author Janet Gyatso is an associate professor of religion at Amherst College, and, unfortunately, that is often all too evident in the text, which frequently reads like the academic treatise which it is. But readers willing to skim over phrases like "the hermeneutical nature of the process by which the unformulated is adumbrated" ...will discover a treasure trove of insights into this fascinating aspect of the Vajrayana world. Gyatso provides the clearest and most comprehensive account this reviewer has come across regarding the metaphysical process through which Treasure texts are "transmitted" and offers one of the more complete overviews on the nature of the dakini -- variously considered the Tibetan equivalent of an angel, anima, or even human partner. At the same time, she examines the apparent contradiction inherent in the idea of an advanced Buddhist practitioner, steeped in the concept of "no-self," producing an autobiography about his spiritual achievements. Make no mistake, this is not light reading for a summer day. But well worth the work for those seriously interested in the topic. Tulku Thondup Rinpoche was one of Gyatso's sources for her book, and his own volume, Hidden Teachings of Tibet, serves as the core reference work for anyone interested in the Terma tradition. Tulku Thondup, who has lived in the U.S. since 1980, provides a solid overview of the various types of Treasures, how they are concealed and discovered, details on the so-called dakini script in which they are written, and insights into the Tertons themselves. It is all organized in a format that makes for easy reference. Originally published in 1986, the book was issued in paperback in 1997. Reviewer: Lawrence Pintak is a journalist and author who writes frequently on Buddhism and spirituality.