while the Mongol Empire was once at its peak it managed the area from China and Korea to Russia on into jap Europe, South-east Asia, and Persia. It used to be in this interval ten 12 months previous Tibetan baby, Phagpa (1235-1280), was once taken to the courtroom of the Khans. knowledgeable there by way of his uncle, Sakya Pandita, he grew up conversing either Mongolian and Tibetan. whereas in his twenties, he created the 1st written alphabet for the Mongolian language. He turned a spiritual consultant to Kublai Khan, and officiated at his install as Emperor. As Kublai Khan had granted him regencies over the 13 myriarchies of Tibet, he used to be titled Chogyal, or “Dharma King.” He used to be on widespread sufficient phrases with the leaders of the Mongol empire, together with Kublai Khan, that he wrote letters to them.

These letters are records of nation that provide us a window into the Yuan Dynasty. Phagpa, as a monk, exhorts the Khans to appreciate the methods of Buddhism, and in addition speaks out on such practices as bloodbath and the cutting off of arms. He speaks out for the best of public meeting. He provides financial theories concerning the taxation of the population, whereas decrying the seizure of resources. whereas doing these items, he additionally speaks to the private issues and scenario of his readers. We learn of the melancholy of Duchess Pundari, for instance, whose reliable husband had died by surprise and whose wealth used to be being stolen.

These letters, being written in a global the place many faiths have been recognized and to readers who weren't inevitably sympathetic to Buddhism, additionally provide us exceptional displays of Buddhist rules as they have been taught to non-Buddhists. the bigger a part of Tibetan Buddhist literature was once written via and for students within the culture. right here we have now preserved Buddhist teachings meant for an viewers no longer already accustomed to the culture. the recommendation for King Hoko, for instance, provides a close clarification of the Buddhist view at the constitution and improvement of the universe.

While those letters have been addressed to just one person, a member of the Mongol courtroom, they have been written with an knowing that they might be learn through many. end result of the terrific presentation each one represents, they've got turn into texts used for instructing by way of Tibetan Lamas during the centuries, or even this day we are going to listen of Lamas giving seminars excited by those letters. i'm hoping that those translations also will serve to provide groups who research the Dharma a competent textual content to paintings from.