The Mahayana path of Buddhism requires the development of vast loving-kindness and compassion. The foundation for developing impartial compassion for all sentient beings is based on understanding the emptiness of self and the emptiness of phenomena.

In Shentong and Rangtong, Thrangu Rinpoche begins with a lucid description of the four major schools of Buddhism and their tenents. Each school had its own view of reality and Rinpoche describes the similarities and differences of these views.

The Middle-way path had two important schools in Tibet: the Shentong and the Rangtong. In the discussion of the Rangtong, Rinpoche shows how important it is to understand the emptiness of persons and of phenomena because this understanding helps develop an accurate view of the world and thus how to proceed in one's practice.

In the discussion of Shentong, Rinpoche describes the empty, luminous clarity of mind and how this is developed in meditation. This clarity is also closely related to understanding Buddha-nature and meditation in the Vajrayana.

Thrangu Rinpoche bases this discussion on Jamgon Kongtrul's encyclopedic text The Treasury of Knowledge.
Shentong and Rangtong: Two Views of Emptiness, Thrangu Rinpoche, Nama Buddha Publications, Paperback, 168 pp, $13.95

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, Ogyen 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 extensively 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: Shentong & Rangtong: Two Views of Emptiness
Editor's Foreword						1
Preface						11
Chapter 1 The Correct View of Buddha-dharma
The Correct View of Buddha-dharma						15
Chapter 2 Why a Correct View is Necessary
I.	Why a Correct View is necessary					23
Chapter 3 Developing the Wisdom that Realizes Egolessness
II.	Developing the Wisdom that Realizes Egolessness					27
	A.	The Egolessness of the Individual				27
	B.	The Egolessness of Phenomena				28
	C.	The Four Incorrect Views				29
Chapter 4 The Four Seals
III.	The Four Seals					35
	A.	Seal 1: Whatever is Composite is Impermanent				35
	B.	Seal 2: Everything that is Impure is Suffering				36
	C.	Seal 3: All phenomena are Empty				37
	D.	Seal 4: Nirvana is Peace				37
Chapter 5 How to Abandon the Two Extremes
IV.	Not Falling into the Two Extremes					39
	A.	The Two Extremes of the Four Traditions				40
		1.	The Great Exposition Tradition			40
		2.	The Sutra-school Tradition			41
		3.	The Mind-only Tradition			42
		4.	The Middle-way Tradition			44
Chapter 6 The Middle-way School
	B.	The Middle-Way School				47
		1.	The Main Characteristic of the Middle-way			47
		2.	The Rangtong Tradition of the Middle-way			48
			a.	Sixteen Emptinesses		48
			b.	Summary of the Four Emptinesses		53
		3.	The Shentong Tradition			54
			a.	The Three Natures		56
			b.	The Fourteen Emptinesses		58
			c.	Emptiness of non-existence of phenomena		64
Chapter 7 The Two Kinds of Egolessness
V.	Analysis of the Two Egolessnesses					69
	A.	The Purpose for Teaching Egolessness				69
		1.	The Two Obscurations			72
		2.	Eliminating the Two Obscurations			72
	B.	Analysis of Egolessness				74
		1.	Egolessness of Phenomena			74
			a.	Essential meaning of Egolessness of Phenomena		74
			b.	The Nature of the Egolessness of Self		79
			c.	Why the Self of Phenomena must be Refuted		79
			d.	Egolessness of Phenom. in Different Traditions		81
			e.	Middle-way Analyses of Egolessness of Phenom.		85
Chapter 8 The Egolessness of the Individual
		2.	The Egolessness of the Individual			89
			a.	Essential Meaning of Egolessness of Individual		89
			b.	The Nature of the Self of the Individual		94
			c.	The Reasons to Negate the Self		95
			d.	Egolessness of Individual in Different Traditions		96
			e.	Middle-way Analyses of Egoless. of Individual		97
		3.	Egolessness of Individual and Phenomena			101
			a.	The Two Egolessnesses as One or Separate		101
			b.	The Purpose of Two-fold Egolessnesses		101
			c.	What must be Refuted Concerning Egolessness		103
			d.	Refuting the Existence of Self and Phenomena		104
			e.	Analysis of Ultimate Truth		105
Chapter 9 The Two Middle-way Schools
		4.	The Definitive Analyses of Middle-way Traditions			109
			a.	The Rangtong School		109
			b.	The Shentong School		112
				i.	Three Phases of Manifestation	116
				ii.	Examples of Buddha-nature	116
				iii.	Difficulty Perceiving Buddha-nature.	118
		5.	The Union of the Profound View and Vast Conduct			118
Chapter 10 The View of the Tantras
VI.	The View of the Tantras					125
	A.	The General Explanation of the Middle-way masters				125
	B.	The Explanation of Gargyi Wangpo, in Particular				128
		1.	Union of Appearances and Emptiness			128
		2.	Union of Clarity and Emptiness			129
		3.	Union of Bliss and Emptiness			129
Chapter 11 The View of the Birthless Union
VII.	The View of the Birthless Union in Brief					131
Chapter 12 Applying these Teachings in our Practice
Applying these Teachings in our Practice						135
Notes						143
Glossary						149
Tibetan Glossary						159
Bibliography						161
Index						165