This is a dissertation, not a book, 1987, 68199 (UMI
number 8723348. Available from UMI
Dissertation Services, 300 North Zeeb Road, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, Michigan
48106-1346, USA. )
A short description by Andy Wistreich:
Chapter One of the Viamalprabha was translated back in the eighties
by John Newman, a student of Geshe Sopa from Madison, Wisconsin. The translation
was ground-breaking in its time, and was the first section of the Vimalaprabha
to appear in English.
Scholars and practitioners find this opening chapter
very helpful as it lays down the basis for the whole Kalackara tradition and then
goes on to focus on the outer Kalacakra, including the astrology (most of which
is not included in the translation here), and many historical and geographical
reference points for the tradition. Most importantly, the opening sections of
the chapter summarise all five chapters, giving a complete overview of the Kalacakra.
The translation is accessible, and has an air of authority, no doubt reflecting
Newman's personal connection to the tradition, through his teacher Geshe Sopa.
As most people know, the first western initiation by His Holiness the Dalai Lama
took place at Madison in 1981, and the following year, Serkong Rinpoche taught
on Kalacakra there. One can sense the benefits of these connections in Newman's
work, which is more than an academic treatise.
Please
share your opinion of this dissertation with us.
Please note
that we added links to Snow
Lion for many of the books;
if you intend to order these (or other) books
online with them,
then clicking on our links will generate some money for
us to keep the Network going.