The Essence of Superfine Gold (A Guide on Stages of the Paths to Enlightenment)

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The essence of superfine gold is the most famous literary composition of the third Dalai Lama (1543-1588). It is a condensed but comprehensive commentary on Je Tsongkhapa’s (1357-1419) a song of experience which is the seminal guide on the stages of the path to Enlightenment of the Beings of three capacities although brief this text summarizes the three principal paths of the teachings of the Shakyamuni Buddha.

Also included in this volume is Je Tsongkhapa’s a song of experience puls a brief biography of the third Dalai Lama and the relevant Tibetan texts for both teachings.

Before receiving his doctorate in Buddhist studies at the University of Delhi, India Dr. Chok Tenzin Monalm was awarded the Uma Rabjampa (a master in Buddhist Philosophy) from the institute of Buddhist Dialectics Dharamsala India. At present he is heading the research and Translation Department at the library of Tibetan works and archives Dharmasala.

Chok Tenzin Monlam’s new translation of one of the best loved guides to the practice of the Graduated path is a significant contribution to Buddhist studies. Many important teachers continue to use this text by the Third Dalai Lama now we have a lucid English rendering by a Tibetan academic.

In January 2005 at the request of Geshe Pema Dorjee Director of Bodogn Research and publication center Dharamsala, I translated Je Tsonkhapa’s Lam rim nyams mgur (A song of experience) for him. In April that year while I was in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia as a translator for Lobsang Drakpa Buddhist Centre I was invited to Singapore to be translator at the teachings of the Venerable Lungrik Namgyal Rinpoche the hundred and first Gaden Throne Holder. While back in Dharamsala I made a rough translation into English of the Third Dalai Lama’s famous text lam rim gser zhun ma before going on to Singapore and acting as Rincpocshe’s oral translator for two months. Out of these translations the text grew further.

In December 2006 I joined the library of Tibetan works and archives as head of the research and translation department. In this new capacity it occurred to me that since. His holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama was to give teachings from the Third Dalai Lama’s seminal text after the Monlam Prayer festival in March 2007 it might be helpful for the English speaking section of his audience to be able to refer to a close translation.

Our director Geshe Lhakdor approved my translation and advised me to improve the work which led to me referring to five different versions of this Tibetan text available in out library. It is upon my critical edition which I then produced this English text that titled the essence of superfine gold. While his holiness the Third Dalai Lama composed the text in very accessible colloquial Tibetan it was a great challenge for me to translate it in so everyday a style.

I am very happy to include here a brief biography of the Third Dalai Lama. A song of experience by Je Tsongkhapa along with my critical edition of the Tibetan text.

I dedicate all the merit accumulated from this to the long life of his holiness the fourteenth Dalai Lama and to the people who are working today in every corner of the globe to bring peace harmony and wellbeing to our mother earth. I apologize to the readers for any mistakes found in my translation. And invite your valuable suggestions for further improving and refining the contents for any future edition.