The Precious Lamp of Certain Knowledge" by Lama Mipham Rinpoche (Mipham Jamyang Namgyel Gyamtso, 1846-1912), is a comprehensive philosophical account of the Buddhist path. This commentary was given on February 16, 1994 at Rigdzin Ling, the main North American center of Chagdud Gompa Foundation. Translation was provided by (now Lama) Chokyi Nyima (Richard Barron), and the recording of the multi-week session spans 48 cassette tapes.

Please be aware that the text appearing on this site is a preliminary version which has not yet been checked by Khenpo or the translator. Two students of Khenpo are in the process of transcribing and editing the commentary. Thus far (July 16, 1998), the first three tapes (36 manuscript pages in 12 point type) of the teaching are edited and available on this site through the above link.

We are employing the rapid referencing qualities of the World Wide Web in our critical apparatus, such as it is at this time. The teaching itself is an extremely detailed overview of the Mahayana path, which can be of great use both to scholars and beginners. There are extensive notes to the text linked directly to this site. The notes on this site in turn link to other sites where appropriate. Complete, or nearly complete, bibliographies of Buddhist masters mentioned in the text are supplied when possible. Scholars will probably need few references to individuals, schools, and dates and will be more interested in textual details. At this time few of these details are available (though they will be in the future). We hope that the commentary itself will be useful to these individuals.

Due to the volume of referenced information, some of the notes have not yet been created, but are planned. When this is the case, the link from the text will reference a brief page saying so.

The tapes from which the commentary has been transcribed can be ordered from Chagdud Gompa Foundation. The complete set of 48 tapes is $240. This is a special order not listed in their catalog, so you will probably have to call them at 530-623-2714. Osel Dorje Nyingpo does not receive any proceeds from these tapes.

Khenpo has given many commentaries on The Profound Essence Mind Terma of Tara: The Mandala Sadhana Called Essence of the Two Accumulations, A Terma of the Great Terton Chokyur Lingpa (1829-1870). This one was given on April 4, 1997 with Robert Clark, Ph.D. (T.T. Dorje) translating, and was transcribed and put into booklet form.

In The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism, H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche says that Chokyur Lingpa and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo "became like the sun and moon among treasure finders, universally renowned and indisputable".

The form of the commentary on this site is in the process of being changed, but the entire commentary is present through the above link.