user4834: I love the Tibetan tradition - Palyul Vajrayana is specifically the one I'm in.
I would like to learn more about it, but the amount of texts available is just mind-boggling. I'd like to learn Abidhamma, the Lam-rim, and other texts that Tibetan masters have written.
However, many of these texts (of the few that are translated) depend on the knowledge of other Buddhist concepts to be understood. For example, for the Diamond Sutra - I needed understanding of form and emptiness, and still I do not fully understand it because I do not have an understanding of what Dhammas are in Buddhist philosophy.
I know there are resources at fpmt that deal with this specifically. And, if anyone wants to take a look, here they are:
http://fpmt.org/education/programs/basic-program/#12
However, I am ignorant as to what percentage of philosophical understanding this covers, and how much pre-requisite knowledge you need.
TL;DR: Looking for a list of books by teaching that you'd find in a Shedra environment.
If you know such a list, please answer!
Thank you

user6994: The study material of the 'basic-program' provided by the FPMT covers a great deal, but (1) what it covers also depends on the teachings and commentaries you follow (2) and it is a specific traditions and a specific college. You will learn there are various traditions, and various college that propound different point of views. Once you are familiar with one and firm you will understand the other better as well. You can read the study material - root-text, recommended books, transcripts of past BP - but you would not get that much out of it. You would definitely get more by attending a BP, either online or residential. I advise you not to just study on your own. Receiving teachings from a qualified teacher is of utmost importance.
The BP is done in 2 years in some centers, 3 in others, 5 yet in others. Because of this, the transcript of the course given by Geshe Chonyi on buddha nature (with Maitreya's root-text) is relatively short and easy and he quotes Gyaltsab Je's complicated commentary once or twice. Geshe Gyaltsen's transcript, on the other hand, is long and it is a word-by-word Gyaltsabe Je's "oral" commentary that he gave over three months. I know because I attended as interpreter from English to French.
Some study Gyaltsab Je's commentaries while others do not (precisely because it's terse, dry, and not intended for beginners). 
The BP is great. You would learn about Lam Rim (mainly Tsongkhapa's), Tenets (doctrinal classifications), Lorig (epistemology), Buddha nature according to the meaning of the Prajnaparamita but also the third turning, etc. It might have sectarian aspects but these are not avoidable. This is because the FPMT is spiritual, or "religious", although it is academic, it is not oriented towards inter-textuality too much, or historical perspectives. Comparisons (as are done in the context of Tenets) always have an agenda. Still, if you are a practitioner, at some point you will have to dive in a water that you will have come to see as - if not the absolute truth - beneficial, wholesome and functional and aimed to your goal, enlightenment.

user43: Incidentally, Palyul is my hometown monastery; when weather is good I meditate in their stupa park (not the real Palyul, a branch).
As Palyul is Nyingma, their main ngondro text is "The Words of My Perfect Teacher" by Dza Patrul Rinpoche, plus "A Guide to The Words of My Perfect Teacher" by Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang. Although these are considered "beginner" texts, if you study them carefully and do not rush, you will get much value. Especially the second one is very dense and actually not a beginner text at all.
If you feel like you are ready for a complete lamrim, Kangyur Rinpoche's commentary on Jigme Lingpa's Treasury of Precious Qualities, is a refresher text used by lamas getting ready for their final exams. It packs the whole teaching in one volume. (Volume 2 covers tantra but that's completely useless without a live teacher)

4834: <p>I love the Tibetan tradition - Palyul Vajrayana is specifically the one I'm in.</p>

<p>I would like to learn more about it, but the amount of texts available is just mind-boggling. I'd like to learn Abidhamma, the Lam-rim, and other texts that Tibetan masters have written.</p>

<p>However, many of these texts (of the few that are translated) depend on the knowledge of other Buddhist concepts to be understood. For example, for the Diamond Sutra - I needed understanding of form and emptiness, and still I do not fully understand it because I do not have an understanding of what Dhammas are in Buddhist philosophy.</p>

<p>I know there are resources at fpmt that deal with this specifically. And, if anyone wants to take a look, here they are:</p>

<p><a href="http://fpmt.org/education/programs/basic-program/#12" rel="nofollow">http://fpmt.org/education/programs/basic-program/#12</a></p>

<p>However, I am ignorant as to what percentage of philosophical understanding this covers, and how much pre-requisite knowledge you need.</p>

<p><strong>TL;DR: Looking for a list of books by teaching that you'd find in a Shedra environment.</strong></p>

<p>If you know such a list, please answer!</p>

<p>Thank you</p>
 6994: <p>The study material of the 'basic-program' provided by the FPMT covers a great deal, <strong>but</strong> (1) what it covers also depends on the teachings and commentaries you follow (2) and it is a specific traditions and a specific college. You will learn there are various traditions, and various college that propound different point of views. Once you are familiar with one and firm you will understand the other better as well. You can read the study material - root-text, recommended books, transcripts of past BP - but you would not get that much out of it. You would definitely get more by attending a BP, either online or residential. I advise you not to just study on your own. Receiving teachings from a qualified teacher is of utmost importance.</p>

<p>The BP is done in 2 years in some centers, 3 in others, 5 yet in others. Because of this, the transcript of the course given by Geshe Chonyi on buddha nature (with Maitreya's root-text) is relatively short and easy and he quotes Gyaltsab Je's complicated commentary once or twice. Geshe Gyaltsen's transcript, on the other hand, is long and it is a word-by-word Gyaltsabe Je's "oral" commentary that he gave over three months. I know because I attended as interpreter from English to French.</p>

<p>Some study Gyaltsab Je's commentaries while others do not (precisely because it's terse, dry, and not intended for beginners). </p>

<p>The BP is great. You would learn about Lam Rim (mainly Tsongkhapa's), Tenets (doctrinal classifications), Lorig (epistemology), Buddha nature according to the meaning of the Prajnaparamita but also the third turning, etc. It might have sectarian aspects but these are not avoidable. This is because the FPMT is spiritual, or "religious", although it is academic, it is not oriented towards inter-textuality too much, or historical perspectives. Comparisons (as are done in the context of Tenets) always have an agenda. Still, if you are a practitioner, at some point you will have to dive in a water that you will have come to see as - if not the absolute truth - beneficial, wholesome and functional and aimed to your goal, enlightenment.</p>
 43: <p>Incidentally, Palyul is my hometown monastery; when weather is good I meditate in their stupa park (not the real Palyul, a branch).</p>

<p>As Palyul is Nyingma, their main ngondro text is "The Words of My Perfect Teacher" by Dza Patrul Rinpoche, plus "A Guide to The Words of My Perfect Teacher" by Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang. Although these are considered "beginner" texts, if you study them carefully and do not rush, you will get much value. Especially the second one is very dense and actually not a beginner text at all.</p>

<p>If you feel like you are ready for a complete lamrim, Kangyur Rinpoche's commentary on Jigme Lingpa's Treasury of Precious Qualities, is a refresher text used by lamas getting ready for their final exams. It packs the whole teaching in one volume. (Volume 2 covers tantra but that's completely useless without a live teacher)</p>
