Atisa and Tibet

The book begins with an in-depth account of the mysterious personality of Dipamkara Shrijnana, the greatest teacher reformer of Tibetan Buddhism, or Bengali Pandit Atisa. The author then explains the Tibetan history of early Buddhism. He also discusses Indo-Tibetan connections and the origins of Tibet. Finally, he examines Buddhism in Tibet starting in the seventh century and ending with Atisa at the end of the eleventh century. Appendices are an invaluable and informative set that is worth taking the time to describe in detail. Appendix A includes Tibetan source-materials on the teachings and life of Atisa. It is translated into English in Appendix B. Appendix B contains a list of works in Kanjur or Tanjur (a total of 219) where Dipamkara is an author, translator, reviser, or other role. Appendix C provides the annotated and literal translations of the following works by Dipamkara, which are preserved in Tibetan translation in Tanjur: Garyagiti (Caryagiti-Vrti), Vimalaratna–lekha, Bodhi­patha-pradipa. Appendix D contains the Tibetan sexagenary cycles with tables for conversion from the Christian calendar to Tibetan calendar and vice versa.