Asanga in the fourth century meditated on Maitreya for twelve years and then was able to meet the Maitreya Buddha (next Buddha) directly, who gave him five works including this text. Asanga then went on to found the Mind-only or Chittamatra school of Buddhism.
This text, which contains both the root verses of Maitreya and a commentary on these verses by Thrangu Rinpoche, begins by giving the characteristics of dharma which is ordinary phenomena as perceive it as unenlightened beings. Phenomena is described in detail by giving its characteristics, its constituents or elements, and finally its source which is the mind. Discussed are the eight consciousnesses especially the alaya consciousness and how it creates the appearance of this world. Understanding dharma allows us to understand how we build up a false illusion of this world and this then leads to our problems in samsara.
Next, the text discusses dharmata or phenomena as it really is, not as it appears, in detail. In describing this sphere of reality or pure being, the text gives the characteristics of dharmata, where it is located, and the kinds of meditation needed to develop a perception of the true nature of reality.
Finally, there is a discussion of how one transforms ordinary dharma into dharmata, i.e. how one reaches awakening or enlightenment. This is discussed in ten famous points and this is actually a guide or a map to how to proceed along the Buddhist path.
This text has been extensively studied in Tibet, particularly among the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions. Now the student can read this profound work and a clear commentary on it by a world-renowned scholar who has been studying and also putting this text into practice for the last half century.


Distinguishing Dharma and Dharmata by Asanga and Maitreya, Thrangu Rinpoche, Sri Satguru Publications, 120 pages, $9.95

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist master known for his deep compassion and the clarity of his teachings. He was selected by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to serve as the principal tutor to His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Oryen Trinley Dorje. Thrangu Rinpoche is a full holder and teacher of the Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. He founded the Namo Buddha retreat center in Nepal, has established two shedras (monastic universities) in Nepal and India, and serves as Abbot of Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia. He also built Tara Abbey, where nuns receive a full dharma education qualifying them to become khenpos or teachers. Thrangu Rinpoche teaches entensively throughout Asia, Europe and the United States. He has centers in Maine and California, and is building the Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Crestone, Colorado.

	Contents: Distinguishing Dharma and Dharmata
	Chapter One
I.	An Introduction to the Treatise	1
	A. The Meaning of the Title (verse 1)	1
	B. The Homage (1b)	6
	C. Why This Text was Written (2)	6
	Chapter Two
II.	The Brief Presentation of the Text	11
	A. The Definition of Dharma and Dharmata (3,4)	11
	B. The Characteristics of Dharma and Dharmata	12
	1. The Characteristics of Dharma (5)	12
	2. The Characteristics of Dharmata (6)	16
	C. The Rationale Behind These Definitions (7,8)	17
	D. The Relationship between Dharma and Dharmata (9)	18
	Chapter Three
III.	The Detailed Explanation of Dharma (10)	27
	A. An Overview of Dharma (11)	27
	1. The Defining Traits	27
	2. The Rationale	27
	3. Being Neither Same nor Different	27
	4. Elements of the World (12)	28
	A. The Common Aspects (13)	28
	B. The Uncommon Aspects (14)	29
	5. The Source	29
	A. The Alaya Consciousness (15,16)	29
	B. The Other Consciousnesses (17)	29
	6. Clearing Away Doubts (18)	33
	Chapter Four
IV.	Realization of Dharmata	43
	A. The Brief Explanation (19)	43
	Chapter Five
V.	B. The Detailed Explanation	51
	1. The Definitive Traits (20a)	51
	2. The Location (20b)	52
	3. Definitive Verification (21)	52
	4. Awareness (22)	53
	5. Mindfulness (23)	53
	6. Immersion (24)	54
	Chapter Six
	C. The Transformation of Dharma into Dharmata (25)	55
	1. Essence of the Transformation (26)	55
	2. Ingredients of the Transformation (27)	56
	3. An Individual's Transformation (28)	58
	4. Traits of the Transformation (29)	59
	5. Realizing what is Required (30)	59
	Chapter Seven
	6. The Foundation for the Transformation (31)	63
	(a) The Focal Requirement (32)	63
	(b) Abandoning Unfavorable Phenomena (33-34)	64
	(c) Stages of Meditation (35)	66
	(d) Defining Traits of Dharmata (36-38)	67
	(e) Benefits of Non-conceptual Wisdom (39)	69
	(f) Thorough Knowledge (40)	70
	(1) Noncon. Wisdom as an Antidote (41)	70
	(2) Characteristics of Noncon. Wisdom (42)	72
	(3) Full Understanding of Distinctive Marks (43)	74
	(4) A Full Understanding (44)	75
	Chapter Eight
	(g) Meditation in the Transformation (45-48)	79
	Chapter Nine
	(h) The Levels and Five Paths (49-52)	85
	Chapter Ten
	(i) The Disadvantages of No Transformation (53)	91
	(j) The Benefits of the Transformation (54)	93
	Chapter Eleven
V.	The Conclusion	95
	A. The Compatibility of Dharma and Dharmata (55)	95
	B. The Author of the Text (56-57)	96
	Glossary	99
	Glossary of Tibetan Terms	111
	Notes	115
	Mipham's General Introduction to the Text	119
	Index	123