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Return to Buddhism, Vajrakilaya, Vajrakilaya - A Complete Guide by Garchen Rinpoche Table of Contents, Kyabje Garchen Rinpoche

Text Conventions

“Throughout the commentary, Garchen Rinpoche quotes numerous other texts and Pith Instructions from Great Masters. Such quotations accord with the extensive memorization that was integral to the lama's education in childhood. Their inclusion is a living testament to the centuries-old oral tradition to which Garchen Rinpoche belongs. As the instructions herein are a work of blessing-transmission and not a work of scholarship, I have not sought out academic-style citations of the quotes given by the guru. Rather, I have transcribed the master's words as he spoke them and translated them to the best of my abilities. Transliterations of those Tibetan quotes may be found in the endnotes.” (VkGarR)

“In addition, this book has been laid out according to the general structure of the Practice Manual and supplemental texts known as An Unelaborate Liturgical Arrangement of the Method for Accomplishing Vajrakīla, arranged by the 8th Garchen Trülku, Könchog Gyaltsen. All quotations from the main text are set in sans serif font and drawn from this sadhana, which is found in part 3 of this book.” (VkGarR)

“Tibetan texts are rich in interlinear notes, which provide practice and recitation instructions, detail certain visualizations, and are used as headings, colophons, and the like. They are almost never meant for recitation. In this text, such notes are in italics.” (VkGarR)

“Italics are also used to indicate all initial uses of non-English terminology incorporated into the translation (e.g., khaṭvāṅga). Foreign terms that have already been absorbed into the English lexicon (e.g., mantra) appear without diacritical marks and are not italicized. Mantras and seed syllables (e.g., HŪ) are rendered in small caps.” (VkGarR)

“Since the liturgical texts were translated for English-language recitation with traditional melodies, they bear a unique feature. Specifically, ties appearing underneath letters (as in “Glorious”) indicate that all the encompassed letters should be pronounced as one syllable rather than two.” (VkGarR)

“When arranging the original Tibetan texts, Jamgön Kongtrül included only the Practice Manual, petition, and feast offering as a complete liturgy. In part three of this book, all material not present in these three source texts is indicated by a vertical khaṭvāṅvāṅgaga icon in the left margin. Such supplemental material has been included for one of two reasons: either because it is so commonly understood to be required recitation that it goes without stating among lamas or because it was added by Lama Garchen Rinpoche as a supplement for the purpose of the secret accomplishment retreat.” (VkGarR)

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