Book excerpt: The Gateway to Knowledge is a condensation of the Tripitaka and its accompanying commentaries. Consolidating the intent of Buddha Shakyamuni's teachings into a unified body of textbooks, it is the philosophical backbone of the living tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. This rich source book embodies the basics of Prajnaparamita and Madhyamika as well as Abhidharma from both the Mahayana and Hinayana perspectives. Every volume in this series includes the Tibetan text and the English translation on facing pages. "The Tibetan master, Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912) is an exceptional treasure of wisdom, compassion and scholarship. His accomplishments in practice, learning, composition and teaching are immense. Volume III contains explanations on the five skandhas, the Hinayana and Mahayana, Buddha Nature and the conditioned and unconditioned.