396 pp, 2011, American Institute of Buddhist Studies, English
ISBN-10: 0975373447, ISBN-13: 978-0975373446, available from Amazon

General description

This is the first complete English translation of the fourth chapter of the esoteric Buddhist Kalacakratantra text, and its eleventh-century commentary, the Stainless Light (Vimalaprabha), often accorded pride of place as the first volume of the Tibetan Tenjur. This chapter describes in detail the Buddhist tantric practice of the stage of generation, including the instructions on the protection of the place of practice, the meditative practices of the origination of the body and the deities abiding in the body, the yogic practices of the stage of generation, and diverse mundane sadhanas designed to induce the mundane siddhis. The translation is supplemented with copious annotations and references to Tibetan commentaries and other esoteric Buddhist works. It also includes the first critical edition of the Mongolian version of the fourth chapter.

Note from Rudy Harderwijk

This part of the Kalachakra Tantra is particularly difficult to translate. As David Reigle explained to me, the Sanskrit in this chapter is so complex that he often did not manage to make head or tail of it by himself, and he greatly admires Vesna for accomplishing this first translation into a Western language.
This chapter is on the actual practice of the sadhana, and requires detailed knowledge of for example the Kalachakra mandala. When David studied Vesna's book to write a review, he noticed that it contained quite a number of details which can be improved. David then wrote the review you can read here.
Please realize that although David brings up a rather large number of comments, Vesna's translation is still a monumental work. We hope that in the future scholars like Vesna and David will be able to work together to further perfect this essential text of the Kalachakra Tantra. It will probably still take quite a number of years before the entire Kalachakra Tantra and the Vimalaprabha commentary will be translated, but this translation is a huge step forward.

 

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