Contemplating Reality: A Practitioner's Guide to the View in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism

268 Pages·2007·12.315 MB·English

by  Andy Karr

Contemplating
Reality
A Practitioner's Guide to the View
in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
Andy Karr
Foreword by Dzogchen Ponlop

Contemplating
REALITY

Contemplating
REALITY
A PRACTITIONER'S GUIDE
TO THE VIEW IN
INDO-TIBETAN BUDDHISM
AndyKarr
SHAMBHALA
Boston 6 London
2007
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Horticultural Hall
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, Massachusetts o:z.n5
www.shambhala.com
© 2.007 by Andy Karr
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval
system, without permission in
writing from the publisher.
98765432.1
First Edition
Printed in United States of America
§ This edition is printed on :acid-free paper that meets the
American National Standards Institute Z39·48 Standard.
Distributed in the United States by Random House, Inc.,
and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd
DESIGNED BY DEDE CUMMINGS DESIGNS
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Karr,Andy.
Contemplating reality: a practitioner's guide to the view in Indo-Tibetan
Buddhism/Andy Karr.
p. em;
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-5903o-42.9-7 (alk. paper)
1. Buddhism-Doctrines. :z.. Spiritual life-Buddhism. I. Title.
B!:W3:Z..K376 2.007
294·3'42.042.3-dc:z.:z.
:z.oo6o35787
Homage
I pay homage to the Ocean of Dharma
I pay homage to the Ocean of Ethics
I pay homage to the Ocean of Qualities
And the oceans of compassionate ones who
open the dharma gate.
By the merit of contemplating these teachings
May we penetrate the vital points of dharma
For the benefit of ourselves and others-.
All sentient beings to the limits of space.

Contents
Foreword by Dzogchen Ponlop ix
Preface xi
Notes about Translated Material xvn
1. Ropes and Snakes 3
2. Making the Journey 16
3· Starting to Contemplate 27
4· Selflessness 101 32
5· Vaibhashika: Taking Things Apart 41
6. Sautrantika: What Really Comes to Mind? 53
A Poetic Interlude 63
7· Mahayana 101 67
8. Chittamatra: There Is Only Mind 82
9· Three Natures 97
10. The Middle 107
Another Interlude n6
VIII CONTENTS
11. Svatantrikas and Prasangikas 119
12. Great Reasonings of the Middle Way 128
13. No Arising 136.
14· Further Reasonings 146
15. The Analysis of the Automobile 155
16. Shentong Madhyamaka 168
Last Interlude 181
17. Meditation 183
18. Action 191
Conclusion 199
Acknowledgments 203
Appendix 1.
Biographical Sketches of the
Early Indian Masters 207
Appendix2.
The Stages of Meditation on Emptiness 219
Notes 221
Bibliography 229
Resources 233
Index 235