Christopher Wilkinson

A Mound of Jewels Christopher Wilkinson

A Mound of Jewels, The Blazing Pyre, and Beautiful Yellow Flowers are three Tantras, or esoteric scriptures, of the Great Perfection. The Great Perfection, also known as the Atiyoga or Dzogchen (rDzogs chen), is a tradition of esoteric Buddhism that upholds instantaneous enlightenment. This tradition arrived in Tibet in the Eighth Century of the Common Era and has been maintained up until this day. The scriptures of the Great Perfection have not survived in any language other than Tibetan, the originals having been lost in time. A Mound of Jewels and The Blazing Pyre both have colophons declaring that they were translated by Vimalamitra working together with Kawa Paltseg. Both of these translators figure prominently in the rise of Buddhism in Tibet during the Eighth Century of our era. The literature of the Great Perfection is divided into three sections or groups: The Mind Section, the Space Section, and the Upadesha Instruction Section. The Upadesha Instruction Section is represented by a famous set of Seventeen Tantras. The three Tantras translated in this volume are among these Seventeen Tantras, and are filled with practical advice and pointing out instructions for the realization of the Great Perfection.