254 Pages
A favorite of Tibetans and recommended by the Dalai Lama and other senior Buddhist teachers, this practical guide to inner transformation introduces the fundamental spiritual practices common to all Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
Review
"For all teachings on all practices, whether preliminaries or main, this text is indispensable."—Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, author of Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones and The Wish Fulfilling Jewel --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
410 Pages
All sentient beings without exception have buddha nature—the inherent purity and perfection of the mind, untouched by changing mental states. Thus there is neither any reason for conceit in deeming oneself better than others nor any reason for self-contempt, thinking of oneself as inferior and unable to reach enlightenment. This seeing is obscured by veils which are removable and do not touch the inherent purity and perfection of the nature of the mind as such. The Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra, one of the Five Treatises said to have been dictated to Asanga by the Bodhisattva Maitreya, presents the Buddha's definitive teachings on how we should understand this ground of enlightenment and clarifies the nature and qualities of buddhahood.
Jamgön Kongtrül Lodro Thaye (1813–1899), the profoundly learned and realized master who compiled what are known as the "Five Great Treasures," wrote the outstanding commentary to the Mahayana Uttaratantra Shastra translated here. Called The Unassailable Lion's Roar, it presents Maitreya's text as a background for the Mahamudra teachings in a way that is especially clear and easy to understand.
Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche provided the annotations and the explanations on which the present translation is based. A renowned scholar and highly accomplished yogi, he is a living example of the ongoing tradition of oral transmission. He first visited the West in 1977 at the request of H.H. the Sixteenth Karmapa.
Rosemarie Fuchs has been a student of Khen Rinpoche since 1978, and this translation was done upon his advice.
Editorial Reviews
"The most exciting Buddhist publication of the season. . . . It has succeeded where five previous efforts failed: it finally makes it possible for non-Tibetan speakers to study in traditional contemplative fashion one of Buddhism's principal philosophical works. In previous editions the words were translated, but not in a form we could actually practice. Now, thanks to Rosemarie Fuchs and the other learned students of Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso, an important mahayana meditation practice is ours to use on the cushion in order to directly realize the teachings on the essence and source of buddhahood."—Shambhala Sun "This seminal text clearly details with great clarity the view which forms the basis for Vajrayana and especially Mahamudra practice. Thus it builds a bridge between the Sutrayana and Vajrayana levels of the Buddha's teaching elaborated here in Jamgon Kongtrul's commentary."—Indian International Journal of Buddhist Studies
228 Pages
Imagine that – 84,000 teachings of the Buddha condensed into 37 compact practices. Only thirty seven steps to the lasting happiness of enlightenment. What are we waiting for?
A handbook to smart living and smart Dharma practice with sublime results, this commentary on Togmay Sangpo’s legendary “37 Practices of Bodhisattvas”, by Geshe Tenzin Zopa is presented in Geshela’s inimitable style of transposing the timeless wisdom of the Buddha, Lama Atisha and the Kadampa masters, into today’s iPad culture and Facebook generation.
At first, I was impatient to gobble up what the mighty 37 practices had to say buy the richness of Geshela-s explanation, peppered with humorous anecdotes and pertinent life-stories, made me naturally slow down; savouring the wise and hugely practical advice; taking in the medicine being prescribed through Geshela’s teachings which is sometimes bitter and sometimes sweet; crying for myself and sentient beings; rejoicing at the human potential. Such is the power of the teachings in this book. If one feels one has no time to enrol in extensive Dharma courses but seeking a frank and plainly worded set of instructions for enlightenment, then THIS is the one to read!
This book is dedicated to the unsurpassable HH Dalai Lama, Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche, Khensur Rinpoche Lhundrup Rigsel and Geshe Tenzin Zopa for initiating us into the 37 Steps. Without these unparalleled Gurus, we would be directionless, rudderless, tossed in the ocean of confusion and troubles. To their good health, long lives and fulfilled wishes and may all our actions only please their holy minds.
194 Pages
Luminous Essence is a complete introduction to the world of tantric thought and practice. Composed by the renowned Tibetan master Jamgön Mipham (1846–1912), the text provides an overview of the theory and experiential assimilation of a seminal tantric scripture, the Tantra of the Secret Essence (Guhyagarbha Tantra). Embodying the essence of tantric practice, this text has been a central scripture in Tibetan Buddhism for well over a thousand years. Mipham's explanation of this text, here translated for the first time, is one of the most celebrated commentaries on the Tantra of the Secret Essence, which today occupies an important place in the tantric curriculum of Tibetan monastic colleges. Luminous Essence is a specialized guide meant for initiated tantric practitioners. To fully appreciate and assimilate its message, it should be studied under the guidance of a qualified teacher by those who have received the appropriate empowerments, reading transmissions, and oral instructions.
About the Author
Jamgön Mipham (1846–1912), one of the great luminaries of Tibetan Buddhism in modern times, has had a dominant and vitalizing influence on the Nyingma School and beyond. He was an important member of the Rimé, or nonsectarian movement, which did much to strengthen and preserve the entire tradition. A scholar of outstanding brilliance and versatility, his translated works are eagerly anticipated by English-language readers.
294 Pages
The first Tibetan to attain complete enlightenment was in all probability the woman Yeshe Tsogyal, the closest disciple of Padmasambhava, the master who brought Buddhism to Tibet in the eighth century. This classical text is not only a biography but also an inspiring example of how the Buddha's teaching can be put into practice. Lady of the Lotus-Born interweaves profound Buddhist teachings with a colorful narrative that includes episodes of adventure, court intrigue, and personal searching. The book will appeal to students of Tibetan Buddhism and readers interested in the role of women in Buddhism and world religions.
From Library Journal
In the eighth century, the Indian master Padmasambhava (known as the "Lotus-Born" Guru) introduced Buddhism into Tibet. One of his first disciples, and the closest to him personally, was Yeshe Tsogyal, greatly revered by Tibetans as a NirmanakayaAan enlightened soul who returns to human life to lead others in the way of enlightenment. This is her biography, written by two of her disciples, an ancient text in a genre called namthar, a "tale of liberation." The most similar genre in the West is early hagiographyAChristian saints' lives as written by their disciples, full of effusive praise, virtuous deeds, and miracles. The Padmakara Translation Group specializes in translating important Tibetan texts into European languages. They have included an informative introduction, notes, and glossary. Though the translation is clear and readable, Lady of the Lotus-Born will reward students and scholars rather than the casual browser. Recommended for academic libraries.
328 Pages
The Marvelous Companion is a translation of a collection of thirty-four stories of the previous lives of the Buddha (Jatakas), spoken by the Enlightened One himself and assembled and retold by the first-century master Aryashura.
The Marvelous Companion: Aryashura's Jatakamala is a retelling of thirty-four Jatakas, accounts of the Buddha's previous lives, by the great first century Indian master and poet. This book is essentially a rewording into modern English of an earlier translation by Joseph Speyer, undertaken to make it more accessible to Dharma students.
This particular collection of Jatakas, retold by a renowned Buddhist master and poet, enriches understanding of karma and conveys attitudes and actions that develop perfect compassion. The Jatakas can serve as occasions to reflect upon the moral choices in our lives and open our eyes to the reality of karma, helping us develop the insight and discipline we need to acknowledge and change destructive patterns of behavior. This work is dedicated to Western Dharma students with the wish that the teachings it conveys will illuminate their understanding of karma, the indomitable strength of virtue, and the enlightening power of Bodhisattva compassion. With 34 line drawings.
175 Pages
Treasured by Buddhists of all traditions, The Way of the Bodhisattva (Bodhicharyavatara) is a guide to cultivating the mind of enlightenment, and to generating the qualities of love, compassion, generosity, and patience. This text has been studied, practiced, and expounded upon in an unbroken tradition for centuries, first in India, and later in Tibet. Presented in the form of a personal meditation in verse, it outlines the path of the Bodhisattvas—those who renounce the peace of individual enlightenment and vow to work for the liberation of all beings and to attain buddhahood for their sake.
This version, translated from the Tibetan, is a revision by the translators of the 1997 edition. Included are a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a new translator's preface, a thorough introduction, a note on the translation, and three appendices of commentary by the Nyingma master Kunzang Pelden.
Editorial Reviews:
From Publishers Weekly
One of the many Buddhist masters who have written profoundly and with clarity about the wellsprings of the Buddhist traditions is Shantideva, a seventh-century Buddhist scholar who taught at Nalanda, one of the great monastic universities of ancient India. Shantideva's Bodhicharyavatara, one of the foundational texts of Tibetan Buddhism, deeply influenced the Dalai Lama, who once remarked that his own understanding of the bodhisattva path is based entirely upon Shantideva's text. Bodhisattvas are beings who renounce nirvana and vow to work for the welfare of all beings. The Bodhicharyavatara, which means "An Entry Into the Activities of Enlightenment," is an outline of the path that bodhisattvas should follow as they seek to teach others the path to nirvana. Thus, this collection contains meditation exercises and moral instruction for bodhisattvas to practice as they engage in their work. Shantideva's work is required reading for an understanding of Tibetan Buddhism, and the clarity and crispness of this new translation make it an accessible way into the world of Tibetan Buddhism.
292 Pages
In the history of Tibetan Buddhism, the eleventh-century Indian mystic Naropa occupies an unusual position, for his life and teachings mark both the end of a long tradition and the beginning of a new and rich era in Buddhist thought. Naropa's biography, translated by the world-renowned Buddhist scholar Herbert V. Guenther from hitherto unknown sources, describes with great psychological insight the spiritual development of this scholar-saint. It is unique in that it also contains a detailed analysis of his teaching that has been authoritative for the whole of Tantric Buddhism. This modern translation is accompanied by a commentary that relates Buddhist concepts to Western analytic philosophy, psychiatry, and depth psychology, thereby illuminating the significance of Tantra and Tantrism for our own time. Yet above all, it is the story of an individual whose years of endless toil and perseverance on the Buddhist path will serve as an inspiration to anyone who aspires to spiritual practice.
280 Pages
The Tibetan Buddhist practice of Nyungne (“nyoong-nay”) has been gaining increased attention in Buddhist centers across North America. Participants say the practice purifies them both physically and spiritually. This volume is the only comprehensive treatment in English of these powerful teachings.
Nyungne is a profound, two-and-a-half-day practice, a length of time especially helpful for people whose schedules cannot accommodate long-term retreat. It involves the keeping of strict vows; the second day is devoted to complete silence and fasting. The meditation centers on the recitations, mantras, and guided visualizations of the Thousand-Armed Chenrezig, the embodiment of all the buddhas’ loving-kindness and compassion. Translated as “abiding in the fast,” Nyungne is said to be effective in the healing of illness, the nurturing of compassion, and the purification of negative karma.
Wangchen Rinpoche is a student of Dorje Chang Kalu Rinpoche, with whom he lived and traveled from an early age. He is a master practitioner of Nyungne. He lives in Los Angeles, California.
Editorial Review:
"In this book, Wangchen Rinpoche has given clear and comprehensive instruction on how to undertake the Nyungne practice. Not only that, but by including stories of the great past masters who have undertaken the practice, accounts of the benefits it has brought, as well as auxiliary practices and recitations, he offers a wealth of background information that will serve as a rich source of knowledge and inspiration." — H.H. the Dalai Lama
236 Pages
The book's target audience includes a wide range of ages, from first-year middle school students to young professionals. The Buddha's teachings and Buddhism are presented in simple writings in the first chapters, and then progress to include abundant and complex information in later chapters.
138 Pages
A fifth-century Indian Buddhist monk, Bodhidharma is credited with bringing Zen to China. Although the tradition that traces its ancestry back to him did not flourish until nearly two hundred years after his death, today millions of Zen Buddhists and students of kung fu claim him as their spiritual father.
While others viewed Zen practice as a purification of the mind or a stage on the way to perfect enlightenment, Bodhidharma equated Zen with buddhahood and believed that it had a place in everyday life. Instead of telling his disciples to purify their minds, he pointed them to rock walls, to the movements of tigers and cranes, to a hollow reed floating across the Yangtze.
This bilingual edition, the only volume of the great teacher's work currently available in English, presents four teachings in their entirety. "Outline of Practice" describes the four all-inclusive habits that lead to enlightenment, the "Bloodstream Sermon" exhorts students to seek the Buddha by seeing their own nature, the "Wake-up Sermon" defends his premise that the most essential method for reaching enlightenment is beholding the mind. The original Chinese text, presented on facing pages, is taken from a Ch'ing dynasty woodblock edition.
341 Pages
BDK English Tripiṭaka Series
This one volume brings together Huangbo Xiyun's Essentials of the Transmission of Mind (Ch’üan-hsin fa-yao), Myōan Eisai's A Treatise on Letting Zen Flourish to Protect the State (Kōzengokokuron), Eihei Dōgen's A Universal Recommendation for True Zazen (Fukanzazengi), and Keizan Jōkin's Advice on the Practice of Zazen (Zazenyōjinki). Four works complete in one volume.
Essentials of the Transmission of Mind records the teachings of Huangbo Xiyun, the founder of the Huangbo branch of the Chan School in China, and was compiled by one of his lay disciples, Peixiu. This work sets forth with extreme concision the substance of Chan. Xiyun was the teacher of Linji Yixuan (Jpn. Rinzai Gigen), the founder of the Linji (Jp. Rinzai) School, and as a result this record of his teachings has been frequently referred to in China and Japan as a work expounding the fundamentals of the Linji School of Chan. Huangboshan in the title refers to Mt. Huang-bo, the mountain where Xiyun lived, and Duanji was his title as a Chan Master.
Source
Ch. Huangboshan Duanji chanshi chuanxin fayao (黄檗山斷際禪師傳心法要), compiled by Pei-xiu. 1 fascicle.
A Treatise on Letting Zen Flourish to Protect the State is a treatise advocating that the recognition of Zen as an independent Buddhist school was necessary for both the sake of Buddhism and the prosperity of the state. The author, Eisai, had transmitted the Rinzai (Ch.: Lin-ji) School of Zen to Japan, but in doing so he met with strong criticism from the Tendai and other traditional schools of Buddhism. In reply he composed this work, emphasizing that the propagation of Zen was in fact equivalent to protecting the land of Japan. The work consists of ten chapters, with all discussions supported by quotations from Buddhist scriptures. A short biography of Eisai by an unknown author has also been added as an introduction.
Source
Jp. Kōzen gokoku ron (興禪護國論), composed by Eisai. 3 fascicles.
A Universal Recommendation for True Zazen was written in 1227 by Dōgen, the founder of the Japanese Sōtō School of Zen, immediately after his return to Japan from China. It elucidates the true significance of zazen (sitting meditation) and emphasizes the importance of its practice. Dōgen considered zazen not to be a means for attaining enlightenment but to be in fact the whole of Buddhist practice, and maintained that practicing zazen was equivalent to the very state of a buddha. Written to spread his ideas on zazen in their undiluted form, the work formed the basis for the establishment of the Sōtō School. A short work, consisting of a mere 786 characters, its contents are said to reveal their meaning only over time.
Source
Jp. Fukan zazengi (普勧坐禪儀), composed by Dōgen. 1 fascicle.
Advice on the Practice of Zazen was written by Keizan Jōkin, of the Japanese Sōtō School of Zen, who is also known by the honorific title of “Great Founder” (Jp. Taiso) and was the founder of Sōji-ji Temple. The work discusses the purpose and significance of Zazen as well as giving concrete advice for the actual practice ofZazen, and is an indispensable work for all monks of the Sōtō School. It deals with extremely practical matters such as the importance of moderation in eating for regulating one’s physical condition, and strictly admonishes against wearing extravagant or soiled clothing and indulging in such recreational activities as singing, dancing, and music. In addition, it also goes on to make clear that Zazen as practiced in the Sōtō School does not correspond to only “meditation” as included in the “Three Disciplines” of precepts, meditation and wisdom, but embraces in fact all three of these disciplines.
Source
Jp. Zazen yōjin ki (坐禪用心記), composed by Keizan Jōkin. 1 fascicle.
Source: www.bdkamerica.org
173 Pages
BDK English Tripiṭaka Series
This fourth-century "Compendium of the Mahayana" attempts to systematize Buddhist thought into a unified whole from the standpoint of the Yogācāra (Mind-Only or Consciousness-Only) School. Complete in one volume.
The Summary of the Great Vehicle, sometimes called the “compendium of the Mahayana,” presents an attempt to systematize Buddhist thought into a united whole from the standpoint of the Mind-Only School (Vijñānavāda). The essentials of Mahāyāna Buddhism are arranged under ten headings, to each of which is devoted a single chapter. This work became the basic text of the She-lun School in China(Shoron in Japan) , which takes its name from a shortened version of the Chinese name of the work.
Source
Skt. Mahāyānasaṃgraha, composed by Asaṅga. Translated into the Chinese by Paramārtha as She dasheng lun (攝大乘論). 3 fascicles.
Source: www.bdkamerica.org
280 Pages
This biography of Yeshe Tsogyal, the closest disciple of Padmasambhava, is written by one of her fellow disciples. The book tells the dramatic story of her flight from home, her life as a queen of Tibet, the stages of her spiritual training, and her enlightened accomplishments. The most important woman in the Nyingma lineage, she received all of Padmasambhava's teachings and was instrumental in transmitting them to future generations. This text demonstrates the qualities and attitudes essential for the pursuit of the Vajrayana. A rediscovered Terma text. Adopted for courses at five universities. Includes full color thankas, line drawings, map, and glossary.
Source: www.promienie.net
272 Pages
BDK English Tripiṭaka Series
Buddhacarita: In Praise of Buddha's Acts is a biography of Śākyamuni written by Aśvaghoṣa, the great Buddhist poet of the first century A.D. (v. No. 93). Whereas the extant Sanskrit text begins with Śākyamuni’s birth and, describing his youth and mental anguishes, ends with his defeat of Māra, the Chinese version deals with the rest of his life as well, thus forming a complete biography. This latter half is not, however, an addition which was appended to the text in China, but has simply been lost from the original Sanskrit. This biography, then, is especially valuable for representing the full scope of the original work.
As noted in the Translator's Introduction to the volume, the Chinese version lacks the full poetic and literary refinement of the extant Sanskrit version.
Source
Skt. Buddhacarita, translated by Tán Wúchèn [var. Fafeng] into the Chinese as Fo suoxing zan (佛所行讃). 5 fascicles.
Source: www.bdkamerica.org
259 Pages
This volume collects the biographies of three great Mahayana masters (Aśvagoṣha, Nagarjuna, and Vasubahndhu), 65 Chinese nuns from the fourth to sixth centuries, and an account of the life and travels in South Asia of the fifth-century Chinese monk Faxian.
Remarkable lives of monks and nuns who furthered the Dharma in its journey from India to Sri Lanka and China.
The Life of Aśvaghoṣa Bodhisattva is a biography of Aśvaghoṣa (ca. A.D. 100-160). Biographical references to Aśvaghoṣa are to be found in a number of other works too, but there are discrepancies in contents, dates and place-names. This text remains valuable as an important biography of the famous poet-scholar.
Source
Translated into the Chinese by Kumārajīva as Maming pusa zhuan (馬鳴菩薩傳). 1 fascicle.
The Life of Nāgārjuna Bodhisattva is a biography of Nāgārjuna (ca. A.D. 150-250), who is revered by all Buddhist schools in Japan as the “Founder of the Eight Schools.”
Source
Translated into the Chinese by Kumārajīva as Longshu pusa zhuan (龍樹菩薩傳). 1 fascicle.
This Biography of Dharma Master Vasubandhu catalogs the achievements of this scholar-monk, regarded as having laid the foundations of the Yogācāra School of Mahāyāna Buddhism. While Vasubandhu is celebrated in many works, this is the only independent biography.
Source
Translated into the Chinese by Paramārtha as Posoupandou fashi zhuan (婆藪槃豆法師傳).
This text contains the biographies of 65 Chinese Buddhist nuns (Skt. bhikuṇī, Ch: biqiuni) who lived during the approximately 160-year period between the Eastern Chin and Liang Dynasties. According to the introduction, in former times many virtuous nuns were to be met with, but at the time of the Liang Dynasty when this work was compiled there were few nuns to be found rigorously observing the monastic precepts. Accordingly the author brought together various inscriptions, the recollections of elderly people and other relevant records into this single volume in order to provide examples for future nuns.
Source
Ch. Biqiuni zhuan (比丘尼傳), composed by Bao-chang. 4 fascicles.
The Journey of the Eminent Monk Faxian is a record by Faxian himself of his travels in India, and is also known as the Record of Buddhist Kingdoms and the Account of Travels in India Faxian set out on his journey in search of the Dharma in C.E. 399, and passing through Central Asia via the Southern Route, reached Northwest India, and moved on to Central India, visiting temples and shrines on the way. He then made pilgrimages to various sites associated with Śākyamuni, studied Buddhist scriptures and the monastic code, and made copies of numerous texts. From India he crossed over to Ceylon and then returned to China by sea, arriving in 412. This work is an account of his observations and experiences during this journey. It is a valuable source of information on Buddhism and Buddhist culture in India and Central Asia at the start of the fifth century, and is the oldest extant account by a Buddhist monk of his travels in India.
Source
Ch. Gaoseng Faxian zhuan (高僧法顯傳), recorded by Faxian. 1 fascicle.
Source: www.bdkamerica.org
228 Pages
Secret Buddhism reveals the essentials of Vajrayana, mantras, empowerments, the six yogas of Naropa, Chod, Pure Land, and the six bardos. A history of the Kagyupa and Shangpa Lineages and some explanation of the principles of Tibetan medicine complete this survey of Tibetan Buddhism.
Source: www.promienie.net
265 Pages
Deity, Mantra, and Wisdom contains four of the most cherished Tibetan Buddhist commentaries on the practices of visualization, mantra recitation, and meditative absorption. These three elements form the core of development stage meditation, one of the most important practices of Buddhist Tantra. The authors of these timeless classics—Jigme Lingpa, Patrul Rinpoche, and Getse Mahapandita—have all profoundly shaped Tibetan Buddhism with their vast scholarship and deep spiritual realization. In these eloquent and inspiring writings, they explain the fundamental philosophy of the development stage, showing not only its profound insights into the nature of reality, but also how to make this view a living experience through the practice of meditation.
The four works here translated for the first time are: "Ladder to Akanistha" by Jigme Lingpa, "Clarifying the Difficult Points in the Development Stage" by Patrul Rinpoche, "The Four Stakes That Bind the Life-Force" by Patrul Rinpoche, and "Husks of Unity" by Getse Mahapandita Tsewang Chokdrub.
Source: www.promienie.net
278 Pages
This lucid translation of a rare Tibetan text makes available for the first time to Western readers the remarkable life story of Princess Madarava. As the principal consort of the eighth century Indian master Padmasambhava before he introduced tantric Buddhism to Tibet, Mandarava is the Indian counterpart of the Tibetan consort Yeshe Tsogyal. Lives and Liberation recounts her struggles and triumphs as a Buddhist adept throughout her many lives and is an authentic deliverance story of a female Buddhist master. Those who read this book will gain inspiration and encouragement on the path to liberation.
Source: www.promienie.net
245 Pages
In this rare gem from Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, we learn more than just the details of this particular Medicine Buddha practice; Rinpoche has kindly included many basic principles of tantric theory and practice in general. Anyone engaged in any Vajrayana practice will find this teaching extremely useful.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
One of the key deities in the intricate pantheon of Vajrayana Buddhism is the Medicine Buddha. A person who appropriately venerates this figure is promised to experience an "increase in healing powers... and a decrease in physical and mental illness and suffering." In 1999, Thrangu (Everyday Consciousness and Buddha-Awakening) led a retreat in Washington State where he explicated the Medicine Buddha Sadhana (traditional liturgy) and the Sutra of the Medicine Buddha. Chapters in the book are edited transcripts of his teaching sessions at this retreat. The first portion of the book is largely a detailed, verse-by-verse commentary on and guide to practicing the sadhana, highlighting such topics as the importance of visualization, making offerings to the deity and why certain symbolic objects are auspicious. The next section is the text of the sadhana itself, in Sanskrit and in translation. Thrangu then exegetes the sutra (scripture) underlying the liturgy, explaining the Medicine Buddha's 12 "aspirations"-the vows he made to illuminate, benefit, heal and prosper all beings-and describing the benefits of "recollecting" and supplicating him. Thrangu rounds out the book with a discussion of the Vajrayana view of gods and spirits. This is no introduction to Vajrayana Buddhism: a working knowledge of basic concepts is assumed, and the text is dense and often extraordinarily detailed. Yet the book is informative and conversational in tone, and may benefit advanced students specifically seeking to understand the Medicine Buddha practice.
70 Pages
"This teaching is on the deity called Arya Tara. If we examine the nature of Arya Tara from the point of what is called the definitive meaning, the true meaning, then she is Yum Chen Mo, the Great Mother. Arya Tara is called the Great Mother because she embodies the ultimate meaning of dharma, the ultimate meaning of emptiness - the dharmakaya. The ultimate meaning of dharma is like a mother in the sense that it is the source from which buddhas obtain enlightenment and bodhisattvas obtain realization. The dharmakaya is what gives rise to, or gives birth to all buddhas and bodhisattvas. Therefore, this ultimate meaning of the dharma, which is the dharmakaya, is called Yum Chen Mo, the Great Mother." excerpt from pages 3-4.
Source: www.promienie.net
236 Pages
This translation of a fundamental Tantric text reveals the richness and profundity of the intellectual and contemplative traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. The text describes the Four Foundation Practices that all practitioners of Vajrayana Buddhism must complete. The nature of impermanence, the effects of karma, the development of an enlightened attitude, and devotion to the guru are among the subjects treated in this book.
Three eminent contemporary Tibetan Buddhist masters—Kalu Rinpoche, Deshung Rinpoche, and Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche—explain the significance of The Torch of Certainty for modern-day students and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.
Source: www.promienie.net
984 Pages
Madhyamaka is a potent and universally accessible means of calming our suffering and awakening to our innate wisdom. The Center of the Sunlit Sky artfully rescues this brilliant teaching from its unwarranted reputation for intellectual opacity and reinstates it as a supremely practical tool kit for everyday living. The aim of this book is to take Madhyamaka out of the purely intellectual corner into which it unjustly gets boxed. It is an attempt to show how Madhayamaka actually addresses and works with all of our experiences in life.
The book follows the original Indian sources as well as the standard commentaries on Madhyamaka in the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. At the same time, these materials are adapted for a contemporary audience, combining the familiar sharpness of Madhyamaka reasonings (launching a massive assault on our cherished belief systems) with exploring the practical relevance of the Madhyamaka way of mind training.
Source: www.promienie.net
482 Pages
Jamgön Kongtrül's Treasury of Knowledge in ten volumes is a unique encyclopedic masterpiece embodying the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were presented in Tibet. Tibetan Buddhist teachers expected their students to study Buddhist philosophical texts as well as practice reflection and meditation; present-day students have also realized that awakening has its source in study as well as in reflection and practice. The Elements of Tantric Practice sets forth the essential components of the path of highest yoga tantra, a system of meditation that unites wisdom and compassion in its two phases of practice. The first phase, that of creation, relies primarily on the use of the imagination to effect personal transformation. The phase of completion allows the practitioner to perfect the process of transformation by training in methods that manipulate the energies and constituents of the mind and body. The result of this path is the direct experience of the fundamental nature of mind and phenomena. The Elements of Tantric Practice concerns the meditative processes of the inner system of secret mantra—that of highest yoga tantra—and is based primarily on tantric sources. The author introduces the subject by describing the path of tantra and its underlying principles. The main body of the book deals with two major elements essential to all highest yoga tantras: the practice of the creation phase and that of the completion phase. For the first phase, Kongtrül describes the visualization sequences in which ordinary perceptions are transformed into the forms of awakening and explains how these practices purify the stages of cyclic existence—life, death, and rebirth. The creation phase prepares the practitioner for the techniques of the completion phase, which entail focusing directly on the channels, winds, and vital essences that form the subtle body. Kongtrül presents the key elements of a variety of tantras, including the Guhyasamaja and Yamari, belonging to the class of father tantras and the Kalachakra Hevajra Chakrasamvara Mahamaya Buddhakapala and Tara mother tantras. All these tantras share a common goal: to make manifest the pristine awareness that is the union of emptiness and bliss.
Source: www.promienie.net
212 Pages
Creation and Completion represents some of the most profound teachings of Jamgon Kongtrul (1813-99), one of the true spiritual and literary giants of Tibetan history. Though brief, it offers a lifetime of advice for all who wish to engage in-and deepen-the practice of tantric Buddhist meditation.
The original text, beautifully translated and introduced by Sara Harding, is further brought to life by an in-depth commentary by the contemporary master Thrangu Rinpoche. Key Tibetan Buddhist fundamentals are quickly made clear, so that the reader may confidently enter into tantra's oft-misunderstood "creation" and "completion" stages.
In the creation stage, practitioners visualize themselves in the form of buddhas and other enlightened beings in order to break down their ordinary concepts of themselves and the world around them. This meditation practice prepares the mind for engaging in the completion stage, where one has a direct encounter with the ultimate nature of mind and reality.
This book contains both a clearly printed, very readable Tibetan text and a lucid, almost flawless English translation
This edition comes with a new commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche and a long, thoughtful introduction on visualization practice. Even though advanced practitioners will want to study this book, it's also designed to help beginners.
Editorial Reviews
"Creation and Completion contains both a clearly printed, very readable Tibetan text and a lucid, almost flawless English translation. An excellent book." (Religious Studies Review)
"Creation and completion meditation is the cornerstone of tantric Buddhist practice, and draws upon a rich array of techniques and presumptions relating to moral culitvation. This book will be of great interest to both scholars and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism." (Janet Gyatso, Hershey Chair of Buddhist Studies, Harvard University)
"An exceptionally important text. It will answer all questions and resolve all doubts about Vajrayana practice." (Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche)
"Mahamudra meditation is a 'completion stage' practice--completion because, like zazen, it represents fruition on the spot as opposed to a gradual buildup. Tantric techniques that develop gradually to that completion are called 'creation stage' practices. Sarah Harding's translation of Jamgon Kongtrul's Creation and Completion covers both bases but is especially useful for its detailed treatment of the visualization practices in the creation stage. It is, in fact, a point-by-point guide to this contemplative world of imagined mandalas and deities. This edition comes with a new commentary by Thrangu Rinpoche and a long, thoughtful introduction on visualization practice. Even though advanced practitioners will want to study this book, it's also designed to help beginners." (Buddhadharma)
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752 Pages
Tibetans accord The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa a classic status comparable to that of the Mahabharata and the Bible, and revere its author as probably the best single exemplar of the religious life. Milarepa was an eleventh-century Buddhist poet and saint, a cotton-clad yogi who avoided the scholarly institutions of his time and wandered from village to village, teaching enlightenment and the path to Buddhahood through his spontaneously composed songs. Wherever he went, crowds of people gathered to hear his sweet sounding voice "singing the Dharma."
The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa, says the book's translator, "has been read as the biography of a saint, a guide book for devotions, a manual of Buddhist yoga, a volume of songs and poems, and even a collection of Tibetan folklore, and fairy tales." With titles like "The Salvation of the Dead," "A Woman's Role in the Dharma," and "Challenge from a Wise Demoness," Milrepa's poems are filled with fascinating tales of miraculous encounters and colorful imagery, and present a valuable insight into the living quality of Tibetan Buddhism. Central as this book is to Tibetan culture, the arcane dialect and obscurity of many original passages daunted translators for centuries; this was the first complete version of the classic to appear in the West.
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240 Pages
One of the most beloved stories of the Tibetan people and a great literary example of the contemplative life
The Life of Milarepa, a biography and a dramatic tale from a culture now in crisis, can be read on several levels. A personal and moving introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, it is also a detailed guide to the search for liberation. It presents a quest for purification and buddhahood in a single lifetime, tracing the path of a great sinner who became a great saint. It is also a powerfully evocative narrative, full of magic, miracles, suspense, and humor, while reflecting the religious and social life of medieval Tibet.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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162 Pages
Foreword by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
Translated from the Tibetan by Erik Pema Kunsang
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.
The student of The Gateway to Knowledge can begin to comprehend the meaning of the major works on Buddhist philosophy and of the traditional sciences. When you want to extract their meaning you need an “expert system,” a key. The Gateway to Knowledge is like that key, a magical key – it opens up the treasury of precious gemstones in the expansive collection of Buddhist scriptures. “
— Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
184 Pages
A Collection of Padmasambhava's Advice To The Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal and Other Close Disciples
From the terma treasure revelations of Nyang Ral Nyima Ozer, Guru Chowang, Pema Ledrel Tsal, Sangye Linpa, Rigdzin Godem and Chokgyur Linpa.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, from Introductory Teachings
“ Don’t mistake mere words to be the meaning of the teachings. Mingle the practice with your own being and attain liberation from samsara right now.” - Padmasambhava
Padmasambhava is the primary master of Vajrayana, the teachings for our time. Out of his great compassion and wisdom, he instructed his main disciple Yeshe Tsogyal to conceal terma treasures to be revealed at the destined time for future practitioners. The profundity of this advice is meant to be personally applied by all individuals in all circumstances. It is a classic work, which contains valid truth for anyone who sincerely wants to follow a spiritual path.
“The chief compiler of Padmasambhava’s teachings was Yeshe Tsogyal, an emanation of a female Buddha. There may be some people who believe that only men can attain enlightenment, but her life is proof to the opposite. The awakened state of mind is neither male or female.”
196 Pages
The profound Treasure Instructions of Padmasambhava to the Dakini Yeshe Tsogyal
—Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Treasures from Juniper Ridge combines meditation and pith practice instructions in a way that is easy to apply and comprehend. It is a compilation of discovered teachings, termas, by the greatest master of Vajrayana Buddhism, Padmasambhava, hidden by his female disciple, Yeshe Tsogyal. Treasures is replete with pieces that are direct, profound, fresh, and pertinent to our times.
These various revelations are for all levels of practitioners. They provide indepth explanations of assorted aspects of practice, including: deity, death and dying, non-conceptual meditation and recognizing mind nature. The book outlines ways to apply these teachings for the modern student, while remaining true to traditional principles. “Padmasambhava’s pith instructions are extremely important because he is not just a legendary figure or an ancient myth. He is an actual person who continuously carries out spontaneous activities, including manifesting as treasure revealers, so that there is always a fresh, unimpaired teaching that people can practice. This also ensures that Padmasambhava’s spiritual influence and blessings are unceasing.
The special quality of these terma teachings is that they provide a method for accomplishment that is appropriate for each specific generation, period of time, and individual person who meets them. The treasure teachings he gave on the Juniper Ridge of Crystal Pearls contain the essential meaning of hundreds of such instructions.”
256 Pages
Machig Labdron is popularly considered to be both a dakini and a deity, an emanation of Yum Chenmo, or Prajnaparamita, the embodiment of the wisdom of the buddhas. Historically, this Tibetan woman, a contemporary of Milarepa, was an adept and outstanding teacher, a mother, and a founder of a unique transmission lineage known as the Chöd of Mahamudra. This translation of the most famous biography of Machig Labdron, founder of the unique Mahamudra Chöd tradition, is presented together with a comprehensive overview of Chöd's historical and doctrinal origins in Indian Buddhism and its subsequent transmission to Tibet.
Chöd refers to cutting through the grasping at a self and its attendant emotional afflictions. Most famous for its teaching on transforming the aggregates into an offering of food for demons as a compassionate act of self-sacrifice, Chöd aims to free the mind from all fear and to arouse realization of its true nature, primordially clear bliss and emptiness.
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1042 Pages
This encyclopedia is a historically focused work that provides an introduction to the doctrinal, ethical, social and spiritual ideas that inform the various traditions of Buddhism and the changes they have undergone over more that 2500 years.
Editorial Reviews
Buddhism, according to the editor in chief of this encyclopedia, "is one of the three major world religions, along with Christianity and Islam." Unlike the other two, however, Buddhism lacks substantial reference works in Western languages. The majority are single-volume works, defining terms, concepts, deities, etc. The Encyclopedia of Buddhism, on the other hand, "seeks to document the range and depth of the Buddhist tradition in its many manifestations."
The nearly 500 entries are alphabetically arranged, signed by their authors, and conclude with see references and supplemental bibliographies. Article length ranges from 50 to 4,000 words. There are illustrations throughout, including three maps on the diffusion of Buddhism in Asia as well as an eight-page insert of color plates in each volume. The set ends with several time lines of Buddhist history and a good index. Given the long history Buddhism has enjoyed and the many different cultural regions and national traditions in which it has developed, two volumes are not enough to do the subject justice. Consequently, the entries tend to be thematic and inclusive in nature, with specific mention of, say, an individual or place being made within a broader survey article. While the cosmological, doctrinal, and ritual aspects of Buddhism are covered extensively, entries also treat the cultural, social, and political contexts that have shaped and been shaped by Buddhist thought (e.g., Economics, Education, Law). Entries for geographic locations provide nice historical surveys of the development of Buddhism to the present day and include the U.S and Europe. Buddhism's interaction with other world religions and philosophies (e.g., Christianity and Buddhism, Communism and Buddhism, Jainism and Buddhism) is treated. Finally, recognizing that Buddhism is a force in the world today, the editor has included entries that provide Buddhist perspectives on issues of contemporary concern (e.g., Abortion, Gender, Modernity and Buddhism).
The editor is correct to point out that covering Buddhism in its entirety is impossible in so short a work. Nevertheless, the Encyclopedia of Buddhism is a welcome addition to the reference literature for the tradition itself and, more broadly, Buddhist and Asian studies. Public and academic libraries serving readers with interest in these areas would do well to acquire it. RBB - American Library Association.
The Mahāratnakūta Sūtra is one of the five major sutra groups in the Mahāyāna canon. Of the two great schools of Buddhism, Mahāyāna has the greatest number of adherents worldwide—it prevails among the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Tibetans, and Vietnamese—and contains within it a number of movements, notably Zen, which have been of growing interest in the West in recent decades. Yet despite this increased attention and enormous following, translations of Mahāyāna scriptures have been scarce and fragmentary; clearly, a comprehensive translation of a major work within the canon was called for.
This volume addresses that need. It contains 22 of the 49 Sūtras of the Mahāratnakūta (or "Treasury") Sūtra, many translated for the first time in a Western language, selected and arranged to give the modern reader a progressive introduction to one of the world's major religious traditions. Subjects covered include Māyā and miracles, the teachings on Consciousness, Emptiness, and monastic discipline, the Mystical Light of the Tathāgata, and the devotional practice of Pure Land, making this a comprehensive source book of Mahāyāna Buddhism hitherto unavailable in English. The book also includes an introduction to provide historical and interpretive guidance, annotations that assist in the comprehension of difficult passages, and an extensive glossary that will be valuable to specialist and layman alike. A team of scholars, working in Taiwan, spent eight years translating the Treasury's million words from Chinese, using Tibetan texts for comparison and checking each Sūtra with an international board of scholars. In the course of translating from the original, special effort was made to retain both the devotional style appropriate for religious reading and the precision required by the scholar, while presenting the material with a clarity and flow that would make it accessible to the Western layman. The editors then selected, arranged, and annotated the 22 Sūtras presented here.
Published in cooperation with The Institute for Advanced Studies of World Religions.
Published recently within this current decade, In this succinct teaching presented in 2006 by His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa in Bodhgaya, India, students are guided through a shortened version of the preliminaries for mahamudra practice, which His Holiness composed with the aim of benefiting practitioners from developed countries who often lead busy lives. The complete practice, in Brief Recitations, is written in English, Tibetan, and Tibetan transliteration, and complete instructions for the Four Special Preliminaries are provided, with the exception of guru yoga. His Holiness guides students through the details of each practice, including the visualizations of Refuge, Vajrasattva purification, and Mandala offerings, often punctuated with his good humor. A summary of the practice sequences and a list of precepts of the refuge vow are also included in two appendices.
Published recently in 2014, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye s classic text The Torch of True Meaning gives clear and concise instructions on the preliminary and main practices of mahamudra meditation. But it not only teaches mahamudra, it describes vividly what is necessary for any meditation practice. It is presented here in a new translation that includes the previously unpublished final chapter of Jamgn Kongtrul s work, a brief yet inspiring description of the actual practice of mahamudra. Paired with Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye s instructions is The Chariot That Travels the Noble Path, the standard practice text for the mahamudra preliminaries in the Karma Kagyu lineage, in a new version compiled by the Seventeenth Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje. Together, these two works are essential for anyone who wants to practice mahamudra.
Sādhanā Pecha Texts within the Kagyü tradition in Tibetan with transliterations and translated to English.
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