The Uttara Tantra: A Treatise on Buddha Nature: A Commentary on the Uttara Tantra of Asanga, by Khenchenb Thrangu Rinpoche

A translation of the Root Text and a Commentary on the Uttara Tantra Sastra of Maitreya and Asanga "The Uttara Tantra" is one of the main texts of the Mahayana path. It establishes that there is Buddha-nature in all sentient beings. It is the presence of this essence which makes it possible for all sentient beings, without a single exception, to eventually achieve enlightenment.

This essence, however, does not simply manifest in ordinary beings because it is covered up by the defilements. The Uttara Tantra goes into detail showing what this essence is and how it is covered up. It also discusses the qualities of a person when all the obscurations are removed so the Uttara Tantra is also a guide to Buddhahood. Because the understanding of Buddha-nature is essential for the understanding of the Mahayana path, this text is studied in monastic colleges of all sects in Tibet. However, the root text written by the Maitreya Buddha was written in an extremely terse and subtle language so that the Uttara Tantra is almost always accompanied by a commentary by a lama. This book provides a translation of the original 406 root verses of the Uttara Tantra as well as a commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche allowing this valuable text to be accessible to Western students. The book also includes an extensive Glossary and Glossary of Tibetan terms.