Lamrim

Atisha, the originator of the lam rim textual tradition.

Lamrim (T. lam rim ལམ་རིམ). Translated as "stages of the path". A common abbreviation for jangchup lamkyi rimpa (T. byang chub lam gyi rim pa; English: “stages of the path to enlightenment”). In Tibetan Buddhism, this term refers to a broad methodological framework for the study and practice of the complete Buddhist path to awakening, as well as the name for a major genre of Tibetan literature describing that path. Although usually associated with the Gelug school, literature on "the stages of the path" is found within all four schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The inspiration for this tradition it typically attributed to Atiśa's 11th-century text Bodhipathapradīpa ("Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment").

Generally speaking, the lam rim system presents a gradual approach to studying the central tenets of Mahayana thought. This approach typically includes a presentation of three levels of spiritual capacity: lesser, intermediate, and superior.

Lamrim texts of the Gelug tradition

In the Gelug school, a collection of eight Lamrim works is known as the Eight Great Commentaries (on Atisha's Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment). These are:

1. Lamrim Chenmo: The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim chen mo) by Je Tsong Khapa
2. Lamrim Chungwa: The Medium Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim ‘bring po) by Je Tsong Khapa
3. Lamrim Düdön: The Concise Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim bsdus don) also known as Song of the Stages of the Path (lam rim nyams mgur) by Je Tsong Khapa
4. Lamrim Sershunma: The Essence of Refined Gold – Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim gser zhun ma) by the Third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso.
5. The Easy Path – Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim bde lam) by Panchen Lobsang Chokyi Gyaltsen.
6. The Sacred Words of Manjushri – Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim ‘jam dpal zhal lung) by the Fifth Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso
7. The Swift Path – Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim myur lam) by Panchen Lobsang Yeshe
8. Essence of Fine Speech – Stages of the Path to Enlightenment (lam rim legs gsung nying khu) by Ngawang Drakpa of Dagpo

The 14th Dalai Lama has frequently taught on these works.

Further reading

• Lamrim, Wikipedia
• Lamrim, Rigpa Shedra Wiki
• The Graded Path, StudyBuddhism
• Lamrim Resources, FPMT
• The Lamrim Tradition, Ling Rinpoche's Web site; with the list of 18 Major Lamrim texts
• The Lamrim Tradition Jangchub Lamrim Teaching organization; includes lists of Lamrim texts in Tibetan, English, and other languages

Sources

• Buswell, Robert E.; Lopez, Donald S. (2014), The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism, Princeton University