Atisa Dipamkara: The Illuminator of the Awakened Mind

The first-ever biography with selected writings of one of the greatest Indian Buddhist masters in history.

Monk, scholar, traveler, and devout follower of the female buddha Tara, Atisa Dipamkara (982-1054) was one of the most influential Buddhist teachers in India and Tibet. Originally from Bengal, he traveled extensively throughout India and Sumatra, and eventually spent the remaining twelve years of his life revitalizing Buddhism in Tibet. Atisa’s teachings laid the foundation for the major philosophic and monastic traditions in the Himalayan region, and he is considered to be the source for the Kadampa school, from which the Geluk tradition of the Dalai Lamas emerged. He is known particularly for his teachings on the stages of the Buddhist path (lam rim) and his instructions on mind training (lojong), which have inspired countless texts and generations of spiritual masters, from Tsongkhapa to Ch gyam Trungpa and His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama.

Due to his influence in the Tibetan world, he is a necessary figure to study for any student or scholar of Tibetan Buddhism. James Apple, a widely published author and professor at the University of Calgary, is a leading expert on Atisa’s life and teachings. This book is sorely needed for both the academic field and for those interested in Buddhism and Buddhist history. As the second publication in the Lives of the Masters series, this will be the most comprehensive work available on this important Buddhist figure.