Seeking Wisdom, Embracing Compassion

The Great Treatise by Tsong kha pa (1357-1419) — an encyclopedic review of the development of Buddhist thought from its beginnings — is one of the most important texts of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. For the first time ever, this commentary brings Tsong kha pa’s thought into conversation with the theological and spiritual tradition of Eastern Christian monasticism found in the Philokalia – the anthology of ascetic writings from the fourth to the fourteenth century published in 1782 by Makarios of Corinth (1731-1805) and Nikodemos the Agiorite (1749-1809). Despite significant differences in approaches to anthropology, cosmology, and soteriology, both the Great Treatise and the Philokalia emphasize the complementarity of contemplation and virtues in the pursuit of nirvāna and deification. This commentary includes a detailed synopsis of the Buddhist philosophical content of the Great Treatise, as well as a Christian response to every section that draws on different Philokalic authors such as Maximos the Confessor (580-662) and Gregory Palamas (1296-1357).