english introduction aBOUT ThE tEXT oVERV-iEW OF ThE m-iDDLE wAY (DbU-MA SPY-i-DON) -iS ThE PR-iNC-iPAL TEXTBOOK USED AT sERA mEY t-iBETAN mONAST-iC uN-iVERS-iTY FOR ThE STUDY OF ThE TENETS OF ThE pRASANG-iKA SECT-iON OF ThE mADHYAM-iKA SCHOOL/ WH-iCH -iS ThE H-iGHEST OF ThE FOUR CLASS-iCAL PH-iLOSOPH-iCAL SYSTEMS OF EARLY iND-iAN bUDDH-iSM. tHE oVERV-iEW -iS WR-iTTEN -iN ThE TRAD-iT-iONAL GENRE OF ThE Y-iG-CHA/ OR MONAST-iC STUDY MANUAL/ WH-iCH PRESENTS ThE CENTRAL CONCEPTS OF mADHYAM-iKA PH-iLOSOPHY BY EXCERPT-iNG -iMPORTANT REFERENCES FROM EARLY iND-iAN WORKS; SUBJECT-iNG ThEM TO LOG-iCAL ANALYS-iS AND SUBSTANT-iAT-iNG ThEM W-iTh QUOTAT-iONS FROM MAJOR COMMENTATORS; AND F-iNALLY FORMAL-iZ-iNG ThEM ThROUGH DEF-iN-iT-iONS/ D-iV-iS-iONS/ EXAMPLES/ AND SO ON. tHE TEXT -iS A COMMENTARY ON cLAR-iF-iCAT-iON OF ThE tRUE tHOUGHT (DgONGS-PA RAB-GSAL)/ PERHAPS ONE OF ThE GREATEST EXPLANAT-iONS OF mADHYAM-iKA PH-iLOSOPHY EVER/ COMPOSED BY jE tSONGKAPA lOBSANG dRAKPA (RjE tZONG-KHA-PA BlO-BZANG GRAGS-PA/ 1357- 1419)/ H-iMSELF ThE MOST RENOWNED OF ThE GREAT t-iBETAN PH-iLOSOPH-iCAL WR-iTERS. tHE oVERV-iEW FOLLOWS ThE cLAR-iF-iCAT-iON CLOSELY AND FUNCT-iONS TO G-iVE A STUDENT GREATER -iNS-iGHT -iNTO SELECTED D-iFF-iCULT AND -iMPORTANT PO-iNTS; -iN FACT/ ThE MODERN READER CAN ONLY APPREC-iATE jE tSONGKAPA'S WORK FULLY W-iTh ThE HELP OF SUCH AN A-iD. cLAR-iF-iCAT-iON OF ThE tRUE tHOUGHT WAS -iTSELF -iNTENDED AS A S-iM-iLAR A-iD/ FOR -iT -iS A COMMENTARY ON YET AN EARL-iER WORK/ eNTER-iNG ThE m-iDDLE wAY (mADHYAMAKAVATARA)/ BY ThE iND-iAN bUDDH-iST MASTER cHANDRAK-iRT-i (cANDRAK-iRT-i). mASTER cHANDRAK-iRT-i'S WORK PRECEDES ThE cLAR-iF-iCAT-iON BY NEARLY A M-iLLEN-iUM (-iT -iS ThOUGHT TO DATE TO ThE 7Th cENTURY)/ AND -iS MOREOVER WR-iTTEN -iN CODE-L-iKE VERSES TO FAC-iL-iTATE MEMOR-iZAT-iON; ThEREFORE/ jE tSONGKAPA'S WORK -iS AN -iND-iSPENSABLE TOOL TO UNLOCK -iTS MEAN-iNG CORRECTLY. eNTER-iNG ThE m-iDDLE wAY -iS BY NO MEANS ThE BEG-iNN-iNG OF ThE L-iNEAGE OF COMMENTAR-iES; -iT TOO -iS AN EXPLANAT-iON/ Th-iS T-iME TO ThE rOOT OF w-iSDOM (mULAPRAJâ¤A)/ AUThORED BY mASTER nAGARJUNA SOMET-iME AROUND 200 ad. tH-iS TEXT -iTSELF ELUC-iDATES A TEACH-iNG OF ThE bUDDHA sHAKYAMUN-i/ SOME SEVEN CENTUR-iES EVEN BEFORE mASTER nAGARJUNA/ ON ThE CONCEPT OF ThE pERFECT-iON OF w-iSDOM (pRAJâ¤APARAM-iTA)H ThE PERCEPT-iON OF EMPT-iNESS COUPLED W-iTh COMPASS-iON FOR EVERY L-iV-iNG BE-iNG. aND SO ThE PRESENT TEXT -iS L-iKE A KEY/ NEEDED TO ENTER A DOOR TO F-iND YET ANOThER KEY/ WH-iCH -iTSELF -iS NEEDED TO ENTER A DOOR TO ST-iLL OThER DOORS AND KEYS/ WH-iCH F-iNALLY FAR -iNS-iDE UNLOCK ThE GREAT -iDEAS OF ThE EARL-iEST WORKS OF ThE COMMENTAR-iAL SUCCESS-iON. tHE oVERV-iEW OF ThE m-iDDLE wAY -iS MOREOVER STUD-iED BY NAT-iVE STUDENTS -iN ThE TRAD-iT-iONAL METhOD/ WH-iCH -iNVOLVES MEMOR-iZAT-iON OF MUCH OR ALL OF ThE oVERV-iEW -iTSELF AND OF ThE WORKS UPON WH-iCH -iT -iS BASED; MANY HOURS OF STUDY AT ThE FEET OF A TRAD-iT-iONAL TEACHER WHO -iS ThE LATEST L-iNK -iN A 2/000 YEAR CHA-iN OF L-iV-iNG COMMENTATORS; AND CONSTANT PH-iLOSOPH-iCAL D-iSPUTAT-iON W-iTh CLASSMATES AT ThE UN-iVERS-iTY'S DEBATE GROUND/ A SPEC-iAL PARK SET AS-iDE FOR DA-iLY MEET-iNGS OF STUDENTS TO DEBATE ThE DAY'S LESSONS. a STUDENT WHO -iS ABLE TO STUDY ThE oVERV-iEW UNDER ThESE COND-iT-iONS QU-iCKLY GA-iNS A PROFOUND -iNS-iGHT AND PERSONAL APPREC-iAT-iON FOR ThE MEAN-iNG OF ThE pERFECT-iON OF w-iSDOM/ AND BECOMES ABLE TO UNDERSTAND -iT FULLY EVEN -iN ThE OLDEST PRESENTAT-iONS AND LANGUAGE. aBOUT ThE aUThOR tHE oVERV-iEW OF ThE m-iDDLE wAY WAS WR-iTTEN BY kEDRUP gENDUN tENPA dARGYE (MkHAS-GRUB DgE-'DUN BStAN-PA DAR- RGYAS/ 1493-1568). aS W-iTh MANY OF ThE t-iBETAN MASTERS OF Th-iS ERA/ WE HAVE L-iTTLE ORGAN-iZED -iNFORMAT-iON AVA-iLABLE ABOUT H-iS L-iFE. rECENTLY/ ThOUGH/ A GOOD ThUMBNA-iL B-iOGRAPHY HAS COME OUT -iN eNGL-iSh. iT WAS COMP-iLED FROM VAR-iOUS H-iSTOR-iCAL SOURCES BY wEN. gEShE tHUPTEN r-iNCHEN OF ThE tSANGPA cOLLEGE OF sERA mEY uN-iVERS-iTY/ AND CAN BE FOUND -iN ThE OPEN-iNG PAGES OF ThE uN-iVERS-iTY'S 1990 ED-iT-iON OF ThE d-iALECT-iCAL aNALYS-iS OF ThE pERFECT-iON OF w-iSDOM (pHAR-PHY-iN MThA'- DPYOD). hERE WE READ ThAT kEDRUP tENPA dARGYE WAS BORN -iN ThE AREA OF lUNGShU (KlUNG-ShOD)/ NORThEAST OF lHASA/ ThE CAP-iTAL OF t-iBET. hE STUD-iED AT BOTh bA AND gANDEN mONASTER-iES/ AND WAS COUNTED AMONG ThE PR-iNC-iPAL STUDENTS OF jETSUN cHUKY-i gYALTSEN (RjE-BTZUN cHOS-KY-i RGYAL-MTSAN/ 1469-1546)/ WHO H-iMSELF COMPOSED MANY D-iALECT-iC TEXTBOOKS FOR ThE CURR-iCULUM OF sERA jEY/ ThE S-iSTER UN-iVERS-iTY OF sERA mEY. kEDRUP tENPA dARGYE SERVED -iN A POS-iT-iON KNOWN AS ThE "tHRONE-hOLDER OF sERA/" AND -iN 1565 WAS FURThER APPO-iNTED ThE 22ND gANDEN tR-iPA OR "tHRONE-hOLDER OF gANDEN." tHE gANDEN tR-iPA -iS CONS-iDERED ThE HEAD OF ThE gELUKPA TRAD-iT-iON OF bUDDH-iSM AND -iS ThE SP-iR-iTUAL SUCCESSOR OF jE tSONGKAPA H-iMSELF. kEDRUP tENPA dARGYE ALSO HAD ThE HONOR OF OFF-iC-iAT-iNG OVER ThE ORD-iNAT-iON CEREMONY OF ThE Th-iRD dALA-i lAMA/ sONAM gYATSO (RgYAL-BA BsOD-NAMS RGYA-MTSO/ 1543- 1588)/ WH-iCH -iS ANOThER -iND-iCAT-iON OF HOW DEEPLY H-iS KNOWLEDGE WAS RESPECTED/ EVEN BY H-iS CONTEMPORAR-iES. wHAT -iS ThE m-iDDLE wAY? tHE sANSKR-iT TERM "mADHYAM-iKA" -iS FORMED FROM ThE WORD MADHYA/ MEAN-iNG "M-iDDLE/" AND -iS -iN FACT ThE SOURCE FOR ThE eNGL-iSh WORD. mADHYAM-iKA OR m-iDDLE-wAY pH-iLOSOPHY ThREADS A PATh DOWN ThE M-iDDLE BETWEEN TWO EXTREMESH ThE EXTREME OF Th-iNK-iNG ThAT Th-iNGS EX-iST ThE WAY ThEY SEEM TO/ AND ThE EXTREME OF Th-iNK-iNG ThAT/ -iF ThEY DO NOT EX-iST ThE WAY ThEY SEEM TO/ ThEN ThEY CANNOT EX-iST AT ALL. bR-iEFLY PUT/ WE HAVE A TENDENCY TO BEL-iEVE ThAT OBJECTS EX-iST FROM ThE-iR OWN S-iDE/ AND ThAT ThEY POSSESS SOME K-iND OF NATURE WH-iCH -iS ThE-iR OWN. fOR EXAMPLE/ WE PERCE-iVE ThAT A FELLOW WORKER AT OUR PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHOM WE D-iSL-iKE -iS REALLY D-iSL-iKABLE FROM H-iS OWN S-iDEH ThAT HE -iS -iNaHERENTLY AND ACTUALLY UNPLEASANT. tH-iS SAME CO-WORKER ThOUGH -iS PERCE-iVED BY OThER PEOPLE/ SAY BY H-iS W-iFE/ AS BE-iNG PLEASANT. bUT HE CANNOT HAVE A NATURE OF BE-iNG PLEASANT AND AT ThE SAME T-iME HAVE A NATURE OF BE-iNG UNPLEASANT--ThESE TWO QUAL-iT-iES ARE CONTRAD-iCTORY AND ONE OBJECT CANNOT BE BOTh AT ThE SAME T-iME. tHEREFORE HE DOES NOT HAVE BOTh OF ThE QUAL-iT-iES. nE-iThER -iS HE L-iKELY TO HAVE NE-iThER OF ThE QUAL-iT-iES TO ANY DEGREE AT ALLH ANY PERSON WE MEET F-iTS SOMEWHERE ON ThE SCALE FROM PLEASANT TO UNPLEASANT. iF HE WERE PLEASANT FROM H-iS OWN S-iDE/ ON H-iS OWN PART/ ThEN EVERYONE WHO EVER MET H-iM WOULD F-iND H-iM L-iKABLE. bUT Th-iS WE CAN SAY ABOUT NO ONE WHO HAS EVER L-iVED. iF HE WERE UNPLEASANT FROM H-iS OWN S-iDE/ -iF HE WERE REALLY UNPLEASANT/ ThEN NO ONE WOULD L-iKE H-iM AT ALL/ AND Th-iS -iS ALSO NOT ThE CASE. sO ThE CO-WORKER WHOM WE D-iSL-iKE HAS NONE OF ThE FOUR POSS-iBLE NATURESH HE -iS NOT PLEASANT BY H-iS VERY NATURE/ HE -iS NOT UNPLEASANT BY NATURE/ HE -iS NOT BOTh/ HE -iS NOT NE-iThER. tHEREFORE HE HAS NO NATURE OF H-iS OWN. tHE WAY HE SEEMS TO BE TO ME/ E-iThER PLEASANT OR UNPLEASANT/ CANNOT BE SOMETh-iNG WH-iCH -iS EMANAT-iNG FROM H-iS S-iDE. hE -iS EMPTY; HE -iS BLANK. hE -iS L-iKE A BLANK SCREEN/ NOT UNPLEASANT FROM H-iS OWN S-iDE/ BUT SEEM-iNGLY UNPLEASANT TO ME BECAUSE SOMETh-iNG -iS MAK-iNG ME SEE H-iM Th-iS WAY. sOMETh-iNG -iS PROJECT-iNG Th-iS NATURE ONTO H-iM. tHE KEY -iS -iN MY OWN PERCEPT-iON. s-iNCE HE CAN HAVE NO NATURE FROM H-iS S-iDE/ AND YET i PERCE-iVE H-iM TO HAVE A NATURE (OF BE-iNG UNPLEASANT)/ ThEN ThE NATURE HE SEEMS TO HAVE MUST BE SOMETh-iNG SUPPL-iED FROM MY S-iDE. aM i CONSC-iOUSLY W-iSh-iNG/ W-iLL-iNG/ ThAT HE SEEM UNPLEASANT? oF COURSE NOT. nO ONE WOULD CONSC-iOUSLY CHOOSE TO MEET UNPLEASANT PEOPLE. iF H-iS APPEAR-iNG UNPLEASANT TO ME WERE JUST A PROJECT-iON FROM MYSELF ThAT i COULD CHANGE AT W-iLL/ ThEN OF COURSE i WOULD CHOOSE TO PERCE-iVE H-iM AS BE-iNG PLEASANT. bUT i CANNOT. aLThOUGH ThE WAY HE APPEARS -iS A PROJECT-iON FROM MY S-iDE (HE H-iMSELF -iS BLANK)/ -iT DOESN'T APPEAR TO BE A MATTER OF CHO-iCE. aPPARENTLY i AM FORCED TO MAKE ThE PROJECT-iON/ TO HAVE ThE PERCEPT-iON/ OF H-iM AS UNPLEASANT. wHAT -iS FORC-iNG ME/ WH-iCH DOESN'T FORCE H-iS W-iFE/ WHO SEES H-iM AS PLEASANT? tHE CONTENT OF MY PERCEPT-iON -iS PA-iNFUL. iT -iS NOT PLEASANT TO SEE SOMEONE AS UNPLEASANT. tHE STUFF OR MATER-iAL OF MY PERCEPT-iON -iS M-iNDH Th-iNK-iNG HE -iS UNPLEASANT -iS A ThOUGHT/ AND -iTS PR-iMARY CAUSE MUST BE A PREV-iOUS ThOUGHT. tHE OBJECT WH-iCH i Th-iNK -iS CAUS-iNG MY D-iSPLEASURE -iS OThER ThAN MYSELFH -iT -iS H-iM. tHE MATER-iAL AND CONTENT AND OBJECT OF MY PRESENT PERCEPT-iON OF H-iM AS UNPLEASANT G-iVE ME ALL ThE NECESSARY CLUESH HE MUST BE COM-iNG FROM/ HE MUST BE FORCED UPON ME/ BY A PREV-iOUS PERCEPT-iON WH-iCH WAS PA-iNFUL AND D-iRECTED TOWARDS ANOThER. aCCORD-iNG TO m-iDDLE-wAY pH-iLOSOPHY/ i MUST HAVE HARMED ANOThER PERSON; ThAT -iS/ PERCE-iVED MYSELF HARM-iNG ANOThER PERSON/ AND Th-iS HAS PLANTED A MENTAL SEED BY WH-iCH i NOW MUST SEE SOMEONE ELSE BE UNPLEASANT TO ME. iF i DO NOT W-iSh TO SEE SOMEONE BE UNPLEASANT TO ME AGA-iN/ EVER AGA-iN/ i MUST ThEREFORE STR-iCTLY AVO-iD BE-iNG/ SEE-iNG MYSELF BE-iNG/ HARMFUL TO ANY PERSON AGA-iN. iN OThER WORDS i MUST BE STR-iCTLY MORAL AND ADHERE TO ThE CARD-iNAL V-iRTUES. iN ThE FUTURE ThEN i W-iLL ONLY PERCE-iVE ThE PEOPLE AND WORLD AROUND ME AS PLEASANT. tH-iS -iS WHAT HAPP-iNESS WOULD BE. aND Th-iS -iS ONLY POSS-iBLE BECAUSE ALL ThE PEOPLE AND WORLD AROUND ME ARE EMPTY/ BLANK/ W-iTh NO NATURE OF ThE-iR OWN--Th-iS MAKES ThEM CHANGEABLE/ Th-iS MAKES ThEM EL-iG-iBLE FOR ME TO PERCE-iVE AS PLEASANT/ -iF i HAVE BEEN GOOD. tHE F-iRST GOOD i CAN DO/ -iN FACT/ -iS TO RECOGN-iZE ThAT -iT -iS i WHO AM MAK-iNG MY UNPLEASANT CO-WORKER UNPLEASANT; UNDERSTAND-iNG Th-iS/ i CAN NOW REACT TO H-iM NOT W-iTh ThE NORMAL ANGER--(WH-iCH WOULD ONLY FORCE ME TO SEE H-iM AS UNPLEASANT AGA-iN/ PERPETUAT-iNG ThE PA-iN OF MEET-iNG H-iM UNPLEASANTLY) BUT RAThER W-iTh AN ATT-iTUDE OF PAT-iENCE AND COMPASS-iON/ WH-iCH W-iLL PLANT SEEDS -iN MY M-iND TO PERCE-iVE H-iM AS PLEASANT -iN ThE FUTURE. iT W-iLL BE AN ART-iF-iC-iAL WORLD ThEN/ ADM-iTTEDLY/ W-iTh PEOPLE AND Th-iNGS ONLY HAV-iNG ThE NATURE ThAT i PROJECT ON ThEM. bUT Th-iS -iS ThE ONLY REAL-iTY ThAT ThEY EVER HAD ANYWAY. iF i CAN LEARN TO PERPETUATE ThE TR-iCK/ BY BE-iNG M-iNDFUL/ ThEY W-iLL NEVER STOP BE-iNG PLEASANT. sO Th-iNGS ARE ONLY WHAT i PERCE-iVE ThEM TO BE/ ONLY WHAT ThEY SEEM TO BE/ AND FROM ThE-iR S-iDE ARE JUST BLANK. tH-iS -iS ThE-iR EMPT-iNESS. eMPT-iNESS DOES NOT MEAN ThAT ThEY DO NOT EX-iST; A DR-iLL AT ThE DENT-iST'S MAY ONLY BE A DR-iLL BECAUSE i SEE -iT ThAT WAY/ BUT -iT ST-iLL HURTS/ AND ST-iLL F-iXES MY TEETh/ -iF ONLY BECAUSE i SEE -iT ThAT WAY. sO EMPT-iNESS DOES NOT -iMPLY ThE EXTREME OF NON-EX-iSTENCE/ ALThOUGH ThE PERCEPT-iONS AND APPEARANCES OF Th-iNGS DO -iMPLY ThAT ThESE Th-iNGS DO NOT EX-iST ThE WAY i ThOUGHT ThEY D-iD--WH-iCH -iS ThE SECOND EXTREME. m-iDDLE-wAY pH-iLOSOPHY ThUS ThREADS A PATh DOWN ThE M-iDDLE OF ThE TWO EXTREMES. tHE STRUCTURE OF ThE oVERV-iEW OF ThE m-iDDLE wAY/ AND OF ThE WORKS UPON WH-iCH -iT -iS BASED/ REFLECTS ThESE CONCEPTS. iT CONS-iSTS OF TEN CHAPTERS/ EACH DESCR-iB-iNG A STAGE OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AT WH-iCH ONE GA-iNS TOTAL MASTERY OF SOME V-iRTUE OF CHARACTER. aT ThE S-iXTh OF ThE TEN STAGES/ ONE GA-iNS A SPEC-iAL AB-iL-iTY TO UNDERSTAND EMPT-iNESS (OR BLANKNESS)/ AND ThUS UNDERSTAND ThE V-iTAL -iMPORTANCE OF MORAL-iTY AND OThER GOOD QUAL-iT-iES WH-iCH W-iLL FORCE H-iM TO PERCE-iVE OThERW-iSE BLANK OR EMPTY OBJECTS AS BE-iNG PLEASANT OR GOOD--AND WHEN EVERY OBJECT -iN ThE WORLD/ Th-iNGS OR PEOPLE/ -iS PERCE-iVED AS PLEASANT--WELL/ Th-iS WOULD BE PARAD-iSE/ AND Th-iS -iS ThE OBJECT OF SP-iR-iTUAL L-iFE. aBOUT ThE eD-iT-iON a NUMBER OF PREV-iOUS ED-iT-iONS WERE CONSULTED -iN ThE PREPARAT-iON OF ThE PRESENT VERS-iON OF ThE oVERV-iEW OF ThE m-iDDLE wAY. oNE WAS PR-iNTED -iN L-iThOGRAPH FOL-iOS AT ThE bAKSA REFUGEE CAMP -iN NORThEAST iND-iA BY REFUGEE SCHOLARS DUR-iNG ThE 1960'S/ ShORTLY AFTER ThE LOSS OF t-iBET. tHE OThER HAS A COLOPHON BY kYABJE tR-iJANG r-iNPOCHE/ ThE JUN-iOR TUTOR OF ThE PRESENT dALA-i lAMA. iT WAS SPONSORED BY sERA mEY kHEN r-iNPOCHE gEShE lOBSANG tHARCH-iN/ AND PR-iNTED BY ThE mONGOL-iAN LAMA wEN. gURU dEVA -iN OFFSET FOL-iOS AT dELH-i -iN 1983. tHESE VERS-iONS HAD RECE-iVED SOME ED-iT-iNG WORK AND WERE BOTh PRESUMABLY BASED ON ThE WOODEN BLOCKPR-iNT FOL-iO ED-iT-iON PR-iNTED AT ThE pOTALA pALACE -iN lHASA/ t-iBET. hERE ThE COLOPHON WAS COMPOSED BY ThE dEMO nOM-iNaHAN nGAWANG jAMPEL dELEK gYATSO (dE-MO nO-M-iN-HAN nGAG-DBANG 'JAM-DPAL BDE-LEGS RYGA-MTSO) "-iN ThE f-iRE dOG YEAR/" WH-iCH OCCURS ONCE EVERY S-iXTY YEARS. tH-iS -iS PROBABLY ThE dEMO dELEK gYATSO MENT-iONED -iN gREAT d-iCT-iONARY (tS-iG-MDZOD CHEN-MO) AS HAV-iNG F-iLLED H-iGH ECCLES-iAST-iCAL POS-iT-iONS DUR-iNG ThE 1750'S/ AND WHO PASSED ON -iN 1777. a f-iRE dOG YEAR OCCURRED -iN 1751/ SO PERHAPS Th-iS WAS ThE DATE WHEN ThE pOTALA ED-iT-iON WAS CARVED. s-iNCE Th-iS -iS ThE OLDEST VERS-iON/ WE HAVE USED -iT AS ThE BAS-iS FOR ThE PRESENT PUBL-iCAT-iON/ AND CONSULTED ThE TWO LATER VERS-iONS TO CULL ThE CORRECT-iONS MADE -iN EACH. tH-iS VERS-iON ALSO CONST-iTUTES ThE ONE CHOSEN FOR RELEASE ON COMPUTER D-iSKETTE BY ThE aS-iAN cLASS-iCS iNPUT pROJECT (acip)/ WHERE ThE OR-iG-iNAL READ-iNG -iS ALSO NOTED FOR EACH PO-iNT AT WH-iCH A CORRECT-iON WAS MADE. tHE -iNPUT OF Th-iS DATA WAS PERFORMED AT ThE cOMPUTER cENTER OF sERA mEY t-iBETAN uN-iVERS-iTY. eACH OF ThE AVA-iLABLE MANUSCR-iPTS CONTA-iNED A S-iGN-iF-iCANT QUANT-iTY OF SPELL-iNG AND OThER ERRORS ThAT MADE ThE PREPARAT-iON OF ThE PRESENT WORK QU-iTE D-iFF-iCULT. a NUMBER OF ThE LEAD-iNG SCHOLARS AT sERA mEY/ -iNCLUD-iNG SEVERAL FORMER ABBOTS/ E-iThER REV-iEWED ThE ENT-iRE TEXT OR WERE CONSULTED ABOUT QUEST-iONABLE READ-iNGS. wE BEL-iEVE ThAT ThE RESULT-iNG TEXT -iS ThE MOST ACCURATE VERS-iON OF ThE WORK PUBL-iShED TO DATE/ ALThOUGH OF COURSE -iT W-iLL HOPEFULLY BE FURThER REF-iNED -iN COM-iNG YEARS. cOP-iES OF Th-iS V-iTAL TEXTBOOK AT ThE uN-iVERS-iTY HAD BECOME QU-iTE D-iFF-iCULT TO OBTA-iN/ AND ThE wEN. lOBSANG tASh-i OF sHUNGPA cOLLEGE VOLUNTEERED TO SPONSOR A REPUBL-iCAT-iON OF ThE WORK/ -iN A wESTERN-STYLE BOOK PR-iNTED FROM ThE acip DATA/ WH-iCH WAS PROV-iDED W-iThOUT CHARGE. wEN. tASh-i HAS PROV-iDED ThE COST OF PR-iNT-iNG 600 COP-iES/ WH-iCH W-iLL BE D-iSTR-iBUTED AMONG NEEDY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF sERA mEY mONAST-iC uN-iVERS-iTY. hE W-iShES F-iRST OF ALL TO DED-iCATE ThE V-iRTUOUS POWER OF Th-iS GOOD DEED TO CLEAR-iNG AWAY ANY AND ALL OBSTACLES TO ThE LONG AND PRODUCT-iVE L-iVES OF kHEN r-iNPOCHE gEShE lOBSANG tHARCH-iN/ ThE uN-iVERS-iTY'S ABBOT; OF ThE GREAT SP-iR-iTUAL TEACHER gEShE yEShE wANGCHUK/ FROM pOMRA cOLLEGE; AND OF H-iS TEACHERS gEShE oGYEN kELSANG/ gEShE tHUPTEN r-iNCHEN/ gEShE tR-iNLEY tOPGYE/ AND gEShE lOBSANG pENDE. hE FURThER DED-iCATES Th-iS GOOD DEED TO H-iS DEPARTED LOVED ONES/ -iNCLUD-iNG H-iS FAThER pADMA dORJE AND OLDER BROThER nGAWANG cHUPEL/ W-iTh ThE PRAYER ThAT ANY BAD DEED ThEY MAY HAVE DONE -iN ThE-iR L-iVES MAY BE CLEANED AWAY AND PUR-iF-iED. hE PRAYS F-iNALLY ThAT Th-iS GOODNESS HELP BR-iNG ABOUT ThE ULT-iMATE SP-iR-iTUAL HOPES OF H-iMSELF AND ThOSE LOVED ONES WHO ARE ST-iLL AL-iVE/ -iNCLUD-iNG ThE wEN. tHUPTEN tSULTR-iM/ H-iS MOThER nYANANG gYAKANG tENZ-iN cHUKY-i/ H-iS OLDER BROThER lOBSANG tSER-iNG/ ThE SON tENZ-iN dONDRUP/ H-iS OLDER S-iSTER lOBSANG dROLKAR/ H-iS OLDER BROThER tSER-iNG tASh-i kY-iMTSANG/ H-iS OLDER S-iSTER wANGMO kY-iMTSANG/ H-iS OLDER S-iSTER cHUDRUN kY-iMTSANG/ AND H-iS OLDER S-iSTER hR-iCHUNG kY-iMTSANG.