Lady of the Lotus-Born  The Life and Enlightenment of Yeshe Tsogyal by Gyalwa Changchub and Namkhai Nyingpo, translated by the Padmakara Translation group

The first Tibetan ever to attain complete enlightenment was in all probability the woman  Yeshe Tsogyal, closest disciple of Padmasambhava, the master who introduced the Buddhist teachings to Tibet in the eighth century. This book is not only a biography but an inspiring example of how Buddha's teaching may be practiced. Lady of the Lotus Born is also a colorful and intriguing picture of Tibet at the beginning of the Buddhist era -- a time of upheaval, when royal patronage was striving to foster the new teachings in the face of powerful opposition. Although a text of great antiquity, it nevertheless expresses a tradition that is still alive today and is an archetypal description of the teacher-disciple relationship. Yeshe Tsogyal follows the complete Buddhist path, including the Dzogchen teachings, and herself becomes a Guru of great power and wisdom. Passages of profound teachings are offset by episodes of exploit and adventure, spiritual endeavor, court intrigue, and personal encounter. It is a dramatic story, full of beauty and song, and offers an intimate glimpse of Tsogyal's feelings aspirations, hardships, and triumphs. Lady of the Lotus Born is a terma, or Dharma Treasure, written and concealed in the eighth century for future generations by the accomplished masters Namkhai Nyingpo and Gyalwa Changchub, the disciples of Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal. The text was discovered nearly a thousand years later in the seventeenth century by the Terton (Dharma Treasure finder) Taksham Samten Lingpa, who, by interpreting the symbolic script of the dakinis (reproduced at the beginning of each chapter), revealed the text in its entirety as it has been handed down to us. The story of the life of Yeshe Tsogyal is not merely an absorbing historical document. It is, above all, one of the most inspiring examples of how the aBuddha's teachings may be put into practice. In the early days of Buddhism in Tibet, many of the sacred texts were translated several times from Sanskrit, each version complementing the others and contributing to a complete understanding of the original. In the same spirit, although this extraordinarily important text has already been made available to English readers by the skilled efforts of both Tarthan Rinpoche and his students and of our friend Keith Dowman, we feel that in these early days of Buddhism in the West, to produce another translation, as a way of further acquainting ourselves with the life of Yeshe Tsogyal, may be of some benefit. Throughout this undertaking, we have felt immense gratitude to all the great masters of our tradition, whose compassionate activities have kept Yeshe Tsogyal's teachings a living source of inspiration even today. The question is sometimes asked whether Buddhism is a system of belief and practice applicable only in a particular social context. This text, however, describes for us a struggle for spiritual freedom in a whole range of existential predicaments; those of princess, renunciate, ascetic, or teacher, to name but a few -- a whole spectrum of circumstances on which the teachings shed their light and open up new and fresh opportunities. Again, it might be suggested that the tradition of Tibetan Buddhism in the development of which Yeshe Tsogyal played such a crucial role, is something suitable only for Tibetans. But here again, we find that for Yeshe Tsogyal herself, the Buddhadharma was far from being a foreign, exotic practice imported from India; it was the means to reach the very essence of human experience. Neither is it possible to dismiss this text as the glorification of arduous trials. For on the contrary, it is clear that Yeshe Tsogyal consciously decided to tell her story as a help to us in our own lives. She simply shares, without asking for pity or admiration, presenting her experience not as 'mystical' or superhuman, but as something profoundly natural and human. Her youthful disillusionment with the ways of the world, her introduction to the teachings, and her training in them, step by step, are all told simply and straightforwardly. In fact, it is her ability to make positive and creative use of whatever came her way that is the greatest of all the messges that come to us in her wonderful biography. It is this that makes her life so extraordinary. May all who read it find encouragement and inspiration! -Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche This is another translation of the same text which was published a Sky Dancer by Keith Dowman; friends who know Tibetan say that Lady of the Lotus Born is a more accurate translation. Available in hardcover only. The same text was also translated by Dharma Publishing as Mother of Knowledge -THS

Land of No Buddha Reflections of a Sceptical Buddhist ~ by Richard Hayes

~~ Witty, honest and thought provoking, Hayes casts a critical eye over modern society and the teachings of Buddhism as they flow into the West. Written with a perspective that comes from over twenty years of study and practice, this book examines the pitfalls of awaiting those who search for the truth. A sceptical Buddhist , Hayes nevertheless proposes the radicle path of the Buddha- becoming free from self-indulgent passions and delusions- to those seeking genuine wisdom, not just slogans to stick on the bumpers of their cars. Regardless of the tone any given essay may have, each is presented with the same purpose, which is not so much to persuade people to adopt my point of view as to encourage people to give further thought to a variety of features of North American society that deserve prolonged and careful reflection. The themes of Buddhism are woven into all the essays, but they are by no means the only themes. North American society is founded primarily on the principle of post-medieval Christian thought, and one cannot say much about North America without speaking of her intellectual and spiritual roots. There is, therefore, quite a bit said about Christianity in these pages, and it is expected that much of their thinking will take the form of informed disagreement and reasoned opposition. Speaking further of the tone of the essays, the faint-hearted reader should be warned in advance that I do occasionally inadvertently ride roughshod over people's most dearly held sentiments and prejudices. My sense of indignation at some forms of human folly and injustice does not always find gentle and diplomatic expression, partly because I think the crises we face in this world are so urgent that we no longer have time always to be superficially polite. But even when my expression seems harsh, it is never my intention to hurt any reader's feelings or to stir up anyone's anger against anyone else. Above all, I never intend to direct my invective towards any particular person or group of people; rather, the intended target is always folly as such, a property in which we all have a share from time to time. Despite these intentions, I do occasionally learn that a reader has been offended by something I have written. Let me apologize in advance for any offense that may be taken by any reader of my words. An apology is also in order for the inordinate amount of autobiographical material in these essays. It is there not because there is anything about my own experiences and reflections that makes them especially worthy of recording for posterity, but for the simple reason that I cannot easily escape the intimately familiar prison of my own memories. It is hoped that the autobiographical matter will not be obtrusive but will be heard as just one more indistinguishable voice in the choir made up of those who have watched in dismay as the human race has accelerated the destruction of an entire planed through individual and collective forms of greed, through ideological blindness, through national and ethnic arrogance and indivivualistic complacency, and through a genetic and inescapable short-sightedness that predisposes all of us to experience the vast problems of life as a series of stereotypical images to which we can only react by gluing stickers on the bumpers of our cars, croaking shallow slogans and raising our fists against the many demons that we ourselves invent to blame for all that goes wrong. During the decades that I have been alive I have heard these demons called by such names as the Communist threat, capitalist imperialism, fundamentalist intolerance, secular humanist amorality, or patriarchal misogyny, If I live another decade or two, I expect I shall hear the demons renamed several times over. There are those who have come to realize that no one has any solutions to the human condition and who with all their remaining strength resist being led astray by the hysterical spiritual leaders, demagogues, despots, and totalitarians who would have us believe that there are simple solutions or any solutions at all. And among those who resist the purveyors of simple-minded panaceas, there are some who nevertheless refuse to yield to despair but who seek instead to face whatever form the horror of humanity may take with some degree of humour and cheerful dignity and an unimpaired sense of beauty and justice. Let mine be a voice in their choir. And let them forgive me for occasionally being off-key. -from the Preface by the author

The Large Sutra on Perfect Wisdom with the divisions on the Abhisamayalankara translated and edited by Edward Conze

Some 2000 years ago Buddhism experience a major reformation through a movement called the Mahayana or "Great Vehicle," which dominated religious thought in Asia for many centuries and still exerts considerable influence. The basic Mahayana texts, sermons ascribed to the Buddha and called "sutras" in Sanskrit, discussed the "perfect wisdom." The "Large Sutra on Perfect Wisdom" took shape between 50 and 200 A.D. in southern India during one of the most momentous outbursts of religious creativity in human history. "This is a translation of one of the most important expressions of Mahayana Buddhism by the foremost Western authority on the 'perfect wisdom literature.' ... It warrants careful study by anyone wishing to 'get into' the thought-world and the experiential frame of reference of Mahayana Buddhism." -Religious Studies Review Edward Conze has presented us with a tome for which every student of Buddhism should be grateful. For he has given us the full translation of the original and major sutra of the wisdom literature which had until now only been available in English in 'condensations' and fragments. The copious references and annotations clarify most of the problems which scholars and laymen will ask. Apart from the sensitive translation the significant and reassuring fact is that this work was produced by one who not only has published extensively in Buddhism, but has a sound appreciation of the matter discussed and possesses the philosophic insight to convery the meaning intelligibly." -Asian Student

Legend of the Great Stupa Padmasambhava and Yeshe Tsogyal // Keith Dowman (translator)

~~ Translation of two Tibetan texts including The Legend of the Great Stupa, contains a life story of Pamdasambhava, the other a brief history of Buddhism in Tibet told symbolically in the story of the Great Stupa of Kathmandu, Nepal. The story surrounding the Great Stupa is a legendary Tibetan tale of incarnation, adoration, disaster and rebirth. It is a Tibetan means of instructing the visionary along the spiritual path, a path which begins with an initial flash of insight into whatever is ultimately possible and ends with the attainment of complete realization. The method is given in a narrative between Guru Padma Sambhava and his entrouarge of aspiratns and takes place in the rarified vibration of the temple mandala of Samyeling, the most ancient of the revered shrines of Tibet. The text has been used in ritual for several centuries to eradicate habitual mental reaction patterns of distortion and stupour by causing a faithful concentration upon both sound and meaning . The efficacy of this ritual, which is called 'Liberation through Hearing' must be personally experienced. The text belongs to the category of scriptures called Thso.drol [pronounced terdol] which means that by concentration on the sound and by understanding the full meaning of the words, the illumination and insight generated destroy the bondage of the mind to habitual patterns of behavior and naive conceptions of the nature of the cosmos. Any trace of scepticism, any reservation or doubt precludes the effective reward. The hearer must have complete faith in the power of the spoken word and in the infallible intuition of the Great Guru in whom the words arose. Although the intellect may fail to follow the many threads implicit in the text and although what is not written is often more telling than what is, an open mind capable of intuitively resolving paradox is released from the narrow groove of biased judgement, composing tangled emotion. In Dharma, the written word is held as sacred as the Buddha being from whom it arose, and every word written by a Lama, a 'Superior,' has the mark of truth upon it. The understanding reader in his practice of Dharma reads uncritically, without erasing, interpolating or modifying the meaning, and allows the words to form mental patterns which the author inteneds, keeping faith that this pattern is efficacious in producing a desirable end. A critical intellect reinforces the selfish attitude which the ritual recitation is effective in neutralizing or reshaping. This Thos.drol should instruct as it illuminates as it sounds. There is little interest in this legend to the historian or the chronicler. Although undeniable historical facts are woven into the story, the legend portrays a typical disdain for factual exactitude. Rather, the mood, the nature of the moment to be perfecterd and the internal coherence of the metaphor take precedence. In Tibetan Buddhadharma-related literature, history is treated as an analogue to progress on the Bodhisattva Path; physical geography parallels and symbolizes the structure and topography of the mind; biography details the means of attaining Buddhahood; and philosophy describes the various visions which appear at different levels of experience. While Western science has enabled man to develop and manipulate his material environment to solve the perennial problems of food, shelter and clothing and also to gratify his lusts, the culture of Tibet, the Land of Snows, has directed man to harmonize the elements within his own being, to incorporate the internal compassion which flows from this harmony and to experience exterior existence with simple sensual attentiveness and spontaneous and continuous communication. -the Introduction

Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava as recorded by  Yeshe Tsogyal ~~ Rediscovered in 1326 by Terchen Urgyan Lingpa Gustave-Charles Toussaint, Kenneth Douglas, Gwendolyn Bays (translation) Corrected using the original Tibetan manuscripts and introduced by Tarthang Tulku

~~ The multidimensional and at times 'hidden' aspects of Padmasambhava are looked upon with perplexity by many historians and scholars, but Guru Rinpoche's life is more than just historical reality.  It is the culmination of compassionate action manifesting in human form.  Beautiful hardcover edition in two volumes featuring 108 Cantos, 58 color prints, including the 8 manifestations of Guru Rinpoche, the 25 heart disciples and more. In 1326 Urgyan Lingpa, preordained revealer of the terma, took from the heart of the fierce deity guarding the door of the Crystal Rock Cave of Yarlung, the Padma bKa'i Thang -- which has remained concealed within the image for over five centuries. This terma (treasure) text was one of the many biographies of Padmasambhava which were psychically sealed and placed in safe-keeping by Padmasambhava and his disciple's in the eight century for the sake of future generations. Although it is not quite the longest of most comprehensive of these biographies, it is one of the most definitive. It is indeed a treasure, having the complexity and brilliance of a finely-cut crystal, its facets the 108 cantos. The first eleven cantos show Padmasambhava in the lineage of the Buddha Amitabha, who sends emanations into the numberless worlds for the sake of all those caught in the endless cycles of existence. Padma, as Amitabha's spiritual 'son', helps the beings lost in the dark ages for whom the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas have not appeared. Padmasambhava is more powerful in these dark times than other teachers, for he and his teachings of the Vajrayana are as indestructible as a diamond and as pure as a lotus from which he is born. Guru Padma's wisdom can illuminate the darkest of places, and bring light to the most hellish of beings. The Vajrayana teachings are able to cut through the most powerful negativities. In frightful cemeteries and among the thunderous cries of demonic creatures, Padmasambhava tames the wild and evil-doers who would crush any ordinary being. He triumphs by embodying forces of transmutation rather than forces of destruction, and leads the fierce beings to the Dharma. Padmasambhava turns the fires of death and destruction into fires of revitalization - cemeteries turn into palaces of wisdom, blood-drinking demons become Dharma Protectors. Padmasambhava's actions in the world are like the process that creates diamonds out of coal. Because of its adamantine nature, the Vajrayana is the quickest way to enlightenment. However, because the Vajrayana incorporates all aspects of experience in its teachings, those who would follow its system need a teacher such as Padmasambhava who can skillfully apply the teachings in all circumstances. Yet even with such a teacher who is in the direct lineage of the Vajrayana, the teachings can still be misinterpreted - a disciple's selfish ego can quickly lead to wrong views and misuse of power. Such is the case of Rudra Tarpa Nagpo who renounces his teacher and becomes the most frightful of demonic beings. Rudra is like the ego -- which continually attempts to convince us that selfish pleasures are the way to escape suffering and thus the way to become enlightened. Rather than becoming humble in the face of the Dharma, Rudra's ego wishes to compete for power with his Guru -- he projects his ambition and dissatisfaction by finding fault in his teacher. This gives Rudra an excuse to ignore the teacher's words -- particularly those which he finds disagreeable. It thus becomes difficult for teachers to help disciples. The Vajrayana, however, can cut through such ego activity using a form of compassion which joins wrathfulness and peacefulness -from the Introduction by Tarthang Tulku

The Life and Teaching of Naropa translated with commentary by Herbert V. Guenther

~~ 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 world-renowned Buddhist scholar Herbert V. Guenther from hitherto unknown sources, describes with great  insight the spiritual development of this scholar- saint of the Orient. It is unique in that it  also contains the detailed analysis of his teaching that have 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 for our own tiem of Tantra and Tantrism. 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. More than a quarte of a century ago I had the fortune to discover a Tibetan text that I subsequently translated under the title The Life and Teaching of Naropa, and was able to study the ideas it contained under the expert guidance of my teacher and friend, Lama Dam-chos Rin-chen, a follower of the 'Brug-pa (Bhutanese) bka'-brgyus-pa tradition, which emphasizes Naropa's teaching in all its ramifications. I soon realized that this "biography" (rnam-thar) - the Tibetan term describes the manner in which a person grows up spiritually and in this process regains his freedom as an existential experience - was a unique human document. Because of its rich psychological content, it was eagerly studied by psychologists and many of those who by profession dealt with living persons. The topics discussed in the original text are today as valid as they were at Naropa's time, and some of Naropa's insights have been reconfirmed by modern cognitive sciences. There is one other point that makes Naropa's life so relevant for modern man. This is the tension between novelty and confirmation. Naropa (originally) stands for the literalist, the reductionist caught in the objectivist's fallacy. He has to suffer for his folly until Tilopa, who stands for the visionary and speaks from lived-through experience, enters upon the scene. By pointing out that the images through which psychic life expresses itself are just images, guiding images, not entities to be reduced to and concretized into some banality or another. Tilopa sets Naropa straight and releases him from his self-imposed fetters. It may be pointed out that only recently it has been suggested that Naropa's date may have been about sixty years earlier (956-1040) than the date I had calculated (1016-1100). The arguments for this earlier date pose just as many problems as arguments for the later date, one such problem being the uncertainty about the respective age of the student and teacher when they met. However, if Naropa should have lived as early as suggested, the demise of Buddhism in India as a spiritual movement of its own would have occured much earlieer than hitherto assumed. Already in Naropa's teaching there are elements which make his conception of them hardly distinguishable from their Brahmanical interpretation, specifically in the field of psycho-physiological phenomena. Whatever the case may be, the impact of Naropa's teaching on the intellectual life of the Tibetans and on their experiential assessing of man's inner life cannot be underestimated, even if in course of time forces within the tradition were at work to reduce his ideas, vibrant with a life of their own, to dogmatic tenets in order to prevent their further development, which might make pet notions obsolete. The re-issue by Shambhala Publications of a work that in itself has become a classic reflects the publisher's awareness, shared by many serious philosophers, that Buddhism as an experiential discipline may play a still larger role in man's life than has hitherto been imagined. -Preface by the author

Life of Gampopa The Incomparable Dharma Lord of Tibet by Jampa Mackenzie Stewart, Introduction by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa

~~ The first complete life story of one of the forefathers of the Kagyu lineages compiled from numerous Tibetan biographies, this comprehensive and inspiring rendition highlights the details of Gampopa's meditative experiences and insights into the realization of Mahamudra. Includes a 20 page essay on the history of the Kagyu lineage and an extensive glossary. Gampopa Sonam Rinchen (1079-1153 ce) evokes reverence among Tibetans of all backgrounds and religious affinities. Gampopa was the founder of the Dakpo Kagyupa Order, and thus the spiritual father of most Kagyupa branches established by his disciples. While Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa were all widely recognized as the three original Tibetan masters of the Kagyupa tradition, the rapid spread of Kagyupa monasteries, teachings, and adherents was essentially due to Gampopa's preeminence in Buddhist teachings and attainment. Like many great teachers, Gampopa had an eclectic training. In his younger years Gampopa married and practiced medicine. During early adulthood, when his wife and children suddenly died during an epidemic, he felt a strong urge to renounce the worldly life and pursue religious studies. He entered a Kadampa monastery and became a fully ordained monk. He studied the teachings of the Three Vehicles under many Kadampa masters in the U region of Tibet. The Kadampa order was established under the guidance of the great Indian teacher, Dipankara Atisha, during the eleventh century, the period of the Buddhist renaissance in Tibet. Gampopa was widely regarded as belonging to the highest rank of lamas, reverentially called "Khedrup Nyidan" - one who has achieved both scholarship and self-realization. By virtue of his diligence, moral strength, and intellectual sensitivity he became a very accomplished scholar and a compassionate teacher. Then he felt a strong urge to seek out the renowned Milarepa in one of his many mountain caves, high up in the Jomo Langmo (Mt. Everest) ranges. The climax of Gampopa's life was his meeting with Milarepa, whose fame was then reverberating throughout Tibet. While Gampopa was overwhelmed with joy at meeting Milarepa, Milarepa also felt great pleasure in meeting Gampopa. Earlier, Milarepa had experienced a prophetic vision about the qualities and destiny of his would-be disciple. There is some similarity between the way Gampopa and Naropa found fulfillment of their cherished aspirations through their respective teachers. Both Gampopa and Naropa were highly accomplished scholars and Dharma practitioners with stable and secure positions. Naropa was the abbot of the famed Nalanda University in India, while Gampopa was a lineage holder of the Kadampa order. They both left the comfort of their positions to follow wild mahasiddha yogis of the Mahamudra lineage, under whose guidance they attained the full fruition of Buddhahood. But where Tilopa succeeded with Naropa through his seemingly crazy and cruel treatment, Milarepa brought Gampopa to fruition through respect and kindness. Though endowed with a different personality and character from that of his revered teacher, Gampopa nevertheless embodied the full wisdom of Marpa's and Milarepa's attainment. Milarepa ultimately chose Gampopa over his long-time disciple Rechung, to be the supreme upholder of the entire Kagyupa teachings. Milarepa himself proclaimed Gampopa to be a great bodhisattva. He entrusted Gampopa with the task of guiding the Kagyupa Order, thus realizing the prophecy of Buddha that a reincarnation of the Bodhisattva Chandra Prabha Kumara would emerge as a young physician from south Tibet and would illuminate the "Land of the Snowy Mountains" with his teachings. -the Introduction by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa

Life of Marpa the Translator Seeing Accomplishes All by Tsan Nyön Heruka Nalanda Translation Committee directed by Chogyam Trungpa

~~ The life of the 11th c. translator, who was also a farmer, scholar, and teacher is one of the most renowned saints in Tibetan history. In the West, Marpa is best known through his teacher, the Indian yogin Naropa, and his closest disciple, Milarepa. This lucid and moving translation of a text composed by the author of The Life of Milarepa and The Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa documents the fascinating life of Marpa, who, unlike many other Tibetan masters, was a layman, a skillful businessman who raised a family whle training his disciples. As a youth. Marpa was inspired to travel to India to study the Buddhist teachings, for at that time in Tibet, Buddhism had waned considerably through ruthless suppression by an evil king. The author paints a vivid picture of Marpa's three journeys to India: precarious mountain passes, desolate plains teeming with bandits, greedy customs-tax collectors. Marpa endured many hardships, but nothing to compare with the trials that ensued with his guru Naropa and other teachers. Yet Marpa succeeded in mastering the tantric teachings, translating and bringing them to Tibet, and extablishing the Practice Lineage of the Kagyus which continues to this day. "We hope that presenting Marpa's life example will be of use to those who are practicing Buddhism, as well as to those who are purely interested in how Buddhism comes from one culture to another. We have done this translation in the hope that it may enlighten people through the profound and powerful messages that come across in the example of Marpa's activity." -from the Preface by Chogyam Trungpa

Life of Shabkar The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin The King of Wish-granting Jewels That Fulfills the Hopes of All Fortunate Disciples Who Seek Liberation The detailed narration of the life and liberation of the great vajra-holder Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol, refuge and protector for all sentient beings of this dark age translated by Mathiew Ricard, edited by Padmakara Translation Group foreword by HHDL XIV Nalanda Translation Committee directed by Chogyam Trungpa

~~ The Life of Shabkar has long been recognized by Tibetans as one of the masterworks of their religious heritage. Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol devoted himself to many years of meditation in solitary retreat after his inspired youth and early training in the province of Amdo under the guidance of several extraordinary Buddhist masters. With determination and courage, he mastered the highest and most esoteric practices of the Tibetan tradition of the Great Perfection. He then wandered far and wide over the Himalayan region expressing his realization. Shabkar's autobiography vividly reflects the values and visionary imagery of Tibetan Buddhism as well as the social and cultural life of early nineteenth centruy Tibet. Shabkar's life is the world of the Buddhist adept, a world of intense self-discipline, but also of humor, vision, and joy... Shabkar's wit and playfulness, his magnificent flights of imagination, his persistence in exposing hypocrisy - these are the qualities which suffuse his work. -Matthew Kapstein, University of Chicago The vast religious literature of Tibet can be divided into two kinds of books; those dealing with Buddhist teaching in a technical, analytical way, intended for those who have trained in logic and philosophy, and those which contain advice. The latter category consists of works which present the Dharma in a way that is accessible to people without special training. It includes, on the one hand, books which deal with the Stages of the Path, Mind Training, and so forth, and, on the other, books of an inspirational nature containing the lives of great practitioners, spiritual songs, and so forth. The special quality of these books lies in their universal appeal. The Life of Milarepa and his Hundred Thousand Songs, for example, are treasured in almost every Tibetan household and also would often be the only additional book that meditators took into retreat with them. I am, therefore, delighted to know that the life-story of another more recent great practitioner, Shabkar Tsogdruk Rangdrol, is also to be published in English. Regarded by many as the greatest yogi after Milarepa to gain enlightenment in one lifetime, he also lived the life of a wandering mendicant teaching by means of spiritual songs. Shabkar is particularly celebrated for the absolute purity of his approach to his lama and his personal practice, which freed him from the snare of sectarianism. He is also affectionately remembered for his kindness of his gently teasing humor. This work will undoubtedly make a great contribution to the growing store of Tibetan literature translated into English, providing a source of inspiration to Buddhist practitioners and general readers alike. I am glad of this opportunity to express my gratitude and admiration to Matthieu Ricard and other friends who have labored long under expert guidance to produce it. -H.H. the Dalai Lama, from the foreword

Light of Wisdom Vol I The Root Text, Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo by Padmasambhava as recorded by Yeshe Tsogyal and revealed and decoded byJamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Chokgyur Lingpa; the commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great/ the notes, Entering the Path of Wisdom by Jamyang Drakpa as recorded by Jokyab Rinpoche, supplemented with clarifying remarks by HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and HE Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche // Erik Pema Kunsang (trs.)

~~ Light of Wisdom is a combination of three texts: The Gradual Path of Wisdom (Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo) is a record of oral teachings of Padmasambhava, transcribed by his chief female disciple, Yeshe Tsogyal. Padmasambhava, known as the Second Buddha, is renowned for establishing the Tantric teachings of Buddhism in Tibet during the ninth century. He predicted that his oral teachings, concealed in the form of terma, or "hidden treasures," would be revealed at an appropriate future time. The Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo is a sacred scripture of this terma literature. The Light of Wisdom is a commentary on the above text by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, who provides extensive and accessible explanations of the meaning of Padmasambhava's concise text. The first part of this work is translated here. Entering the Path of Wisdom consists of annotations on the commentary, written by Jamyang Drakpa, a student of Jamgon Kongtrul, and recorded by Jokyab Rinpoche and Chogyur Lingpa with a commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great. This book will be of special interest to students of Buddhism for its clear overview from a Vajrayana perspective of teachings particular to Hinayana and Mahayana Buddhism. The Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, the title of which is translated as the Gradual Path of the Wisdom Essence, is a sacred scripture that records oral teachings of the Second Buddha, Padmasambhava, given while he blessed Tibet with a fifty-five year visit during the ninth century. This most precious, concise, profound teaching of Padmasambhava is a condensation of the entire path to enlightenment and, in its full version, it contains the pith instructions of the Three Inner Tantras: Maha, Anu, and Ati Yoga. Padmasambhava himself describes Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo in the following words: The essence of the causal and resultant vehicles, Especially the core of the realization of the three sections of the inner tantras, Linking together the ground with the path, Makes you abandon the temporary defilements along with their tendencies, Realize fruition, and quickly accomplish the welfare of self and others. In this way it is in conformity with each yet exalted above them all. The path of the wisdom essence, the epitome of all, Is a magical means for realizing fruition. Merely seeing it causes the great splendor of blessings to shower down. By hearing it one understands the meaning, and experience and realization bursts forth spontaneously. By practicing it for six months, giving up distractions, The wisdom of the three vajras will naturally manifest. Since Samantabhadra, Vajrasattva and Padmakara Are ultimately indivisible and spontaneously complete as one, I am the emanation-basis for all the infinite tantras, The essential meaning and the oral instructions. Yet in appearance I manifest in all kinds of ways as magical displays of deeds in different modes of appearing, Such as emerging miraculously in Dhanakosha Or being born from a womb and so forth, For the sake of guiding the disciples on the Jambu Continent. -from the Translator's Introduction

Light of Wisdom Vol II The Root Text, Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo by Padmasambhava as recorded by Yeshe Tsogyal and revealed and decoded byJamyang Khyentse Wangpo and Chokgyur Lingpa; the commentary by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great/ the notes, Entering the Path of Wisdom by Jamyang Drakpa as recorded by Jokyab Rinpoche, supplemented with clarifying remarks by HH Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and HE Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche // Erik Pema Kunsang (trs.)

Volume 2 of the Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, a hidden treasure text of Padmasambhava, The Gradual Path of the Wisdom Esence and its commentary The Light of Wisdom by Jamgon Kongtrul the Great. Annotations on the commentary Entering the Path of Wisdom spoken by Jamyang Drakpa and recorded by Jokyab Rinpoche are included as well as clarifications from other masters.  Volume 2 presents in-depth explanations of the Vajrayana Buddhist perspective. It begins with the nature of empowerment and the tantric commitments followed by clarification of the development stage. The root text of Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, a terma revealed by the great treasure-finder Chokgyur Lingpa, and its commentary by Kongtrul Rinpoche, the great translator in person, form together a complete scripture that embodies all the tantras, statements and instructions of the Nyingma School of the early translations, which is most rare to find in the past, present, or future.  -Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche The Light of Wisdom, Vol. II, has as its main focus the practice of the development stage. Padmasambhava's precious pith instructions are clarified by Jamgon Kongtrul, one of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism. Based on Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's advice, I have structured the root text, commentary and notes to span several volumes. Each of these texts are sequential continuations from the previous volume. When asked about how to approach the many levels of teachings contained in the Lamrim, Rinpoche said: "It is correct that it is quite complex to practice the entire Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo. You can use what is directly appropriate. If you practicer development stage you should use the instructions on that according to the intent of the vase empowerment. When practicing the secret empowerment you should use the instructions on the nadis and pranas. When practicing the knowledge empowerment, use the teachings concerning the mental consort. When practicing the 'cutting through of primordial purity,' you should use the teachings on Dzogchen. This same principle goes for all other root texts. The whole Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo is for you to use for your entire life. It contains the complete path." -Erik Pema Kunsang, from the Preface

Lion's Roar An Introduction to Tantra Chögyam Trungpa

This book is based on two historic seminars of the 1970's, in which Chögyam Trungpa introduced the tantric teachings of Tibetan Buddhism to his western students for the first time. Each seminar bore the title "The Nine Yanas." Yana, a Sanskrit word meaning "vehicle," refers to a body of doctrine and practical instruction that enables students to advance spiritually on the path of buddhadharma. Nine vehicles, arranged in successive levels, make up the whole path of Buddhist practice. Teaching all nine means giving a total picture of the spiritual journey. The author's nontheoretical, experiential approach opens up a world of fundamental psychological insights and subtleties. He speaks directly to a contemporary western audience, using earthy analogies that establish the ancient teachings in the midst of ordinary life.  The two seminars that make up this book were given by Vidyadhara the Venerable Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche, in May 1973 in San Francisco and December 1973 in Boulder, Colorado, respectively. Each bore the title "The Nine Yanas." Yana is a Sanskrit word meaning "vehicle." It refers to a body of doctrine and practical instruction that enables students to advance spiritually on the path of buddhadharma. Nine yanas, arranged as successive levels, make up the whole path. Teaching nine yanas means giving a total picture of the spiritual journey. To give this total picture in 1973 meant a new departure for the Vidyadhara Trungpa Rinpoche in his teaching in the West. It meant introducing tantra, or vajrayana, because the last six of the nine yanas are tantric yanas. Until the San Francisco seminar, though students understood that the Vidyadhara's ultimate perspective was tantric, and though he often spoke in general terms about the tantric approach, specific details were taboo. He turned aside prying questions about tantra with humor, derision, intimidation, evasion, or whatever other means was handy. Then he embarked on a new phase in his teaching. In May he gave the San Francisco seminar, introducing tantra for the first time as a level of teaching that could actually become available to his students if they worked through the preceding levels. In the fall he taught the Vajradhatu Seminary, the first in a long series of yearly three-month practice-and-study intensives that took the form of detailed instruction on the nine yanas. The seminaries were not public. Here students who had already received appropriate training were prepared to enter upon tantric practice. Immediately after that first seminary, in December, the Vidyadhara taught the nine yanas to the public again in Boulder, once again holding out the possibility of the complete path. This time, after each of his own talks, he has one of his students fresh from seminary explain something of what he had understood and experienced there. Tantra is an astonishing doctrine. It seems to come out of primordial depths of experience and run at all kinds of odd angles to convention and conceptual thinking. It eludes these two would-be stabilizers of human experience; therefore the presentation of it is shocking and raw. One of the slogans that comes out of the tantric Buddhist tradition of Tibet is tampe ton ni jikpa me, which the Vidyadhara chose to translate, "The proclamation of truth is fearless." He made that the motto of Vajradhatu, the religious organization he founded, and that motto strongly characterizes the seminars we have before us. Traditionally the elements of a situation in which the dharma is transmitted are enumerated as the right teacher, teaching, place, time, and students. All five shape the event. The last three factors shaping these two seminars can be evoked most simpy by recalling that this was the time in America of hippies and the "spiritual supermarket." It was a period that was a crack between periods. One social minibubble of manners and outlooks had been punctured and let, another had yet to inflate. It was a moment of openness, of exuberance and candor. Perhaps these elements provide a partial explanation of the extraordinary qualities of the Vidyadhara Trungpa Rinpoche's teaching. In it, there is a near absence of protective reserve. Guarding and cherishing the essence of tradition, he steps beyond its stone walls to meet his students on open ground. He does notrely on established doctrinal formulations, but speaks form a non-conceptual, essential understanding of things and explains them in terms experiential for his audience. After he hsas already made an experience clear, he might say, "In fact the traditional metaphor is..." or "The traditional term for this is..." He sometimes referred to his unique style of displaying the inner heart of the teaching without focusing on its outer details as "finger-painting" can directly communicate insight far beyond the pale of conventional understanding. He does not presen tus with airtigh rehearsals of doctrine. To any audience, then or now, such presentation can become like displays in a glass case in a museum, remote though perhaps fascinating. Instead, here, the complete teachings of buddhadharma are presented fresh and raw, with their odor intact , as personal experience. They are the mighty roaring of a great lion of dharma. Many of those who first heard them are tantric practitioners today. -from the Editor's Foreword by Sherab Chodzin, Nova Scotia, 1991

The Long Discourses of the Buddha A Translation of the Digha Nikaya by Maurice Walshe

This book offers a complete translation of the Digha Nikaya, the long discourses of the Buddha, one of the major collections of texts in the Pali Canon, the authorized scriptures of Theravada Buddhism. This collection - among the oldest redords of the historical Buddha's original teachings, given in India two and half thousand years ago - consists of 34 longer-length suttas, or discourses, distinguished as such from the middle length and shorter suttas of other collections. These suttas reveal the gentleness, compassion, power, and penetrating wisdom of the Buddha. Included are teachings on mindfulness (Mahasattipatthana Sutta); on morality, concentration and wisdom (Subha Sutta); on dependent origination (Mahanidrana Sutta); on the roots and causes of wrong views (Brahmajala Sutta); and al long description of the Buddha's last days and passing away (Mahaparinibbana Sutta); along with a wealth of practical advice and insight for all those travelling along the spiritual path. Venerable Sumedho thera writes in his foreword: "[These suttas] are not meant to be 'sacred scriptures' that tell us what to believe. One should read them, listen to them, think about them, contemplate them, and investigate the present reality, the present experience, with them. Then, and only then, can one insightfully know the truth beyond words." Introduced with a vivid account of the Buddha's life and times and a short survey of his teachings, The Long Discourses of the Buddha brings us closer in every way to the wise and compassionate presence of Gotama Buddha and his path of truth.

Lotus-Born The Life Story of Padmasambhava Yeshe Tsogyal // Erik Pema Kunsang (translator) Marcia Binder Schmidt (editor)

~~According to HH Dilgo Khyentse, this is the most authoritative scripture regarding how the Dharma was planted in Tibet. Originally titled The Sanglingma Life Story, this text was recorded by Yeshe Tsogyal, concealed in the 9th c. at Sanglingma (Copper Temple) in Samye and revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Oser in the 12th c.. Includes "A Clarification of the Life of Padmasambhava" by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol as well as an extensive glossary and index. The Lotus-Born: The Life Story of Padmasambhava, commonly called Sanglingma, is a translation of a biography of the great master recorded by his foremost Tibetan disciple, the dakini Yeshe Tsogyal. The name Sanglingma means "Copper Temple." It refers to a temple built at Samye by one King Trisong Deutsen's queens. Yeshe Tsogyal concealed this biography in the ninth century under the statue of the tantric deity Hayagriva on the temple's shrine. The terma treasure was revealed by Nyang Ral Nyima Oser (1124-1192). In later centuries it became known after its place of discovery. Jamgon Kongrtul the First (1813-1899) felt this life story of Padmasambhava was important enough to be in the first volume of his famous collection of terma treasures known as Rinchen Terdzo. The Sanglingma itself belongs to the Kathang literature, a class of Buddhist scriptures that narrates the biography of Padmasambhava as it was written down by his close Tibetan students. Many of these biographies were concealed as terma treasures to protect them against the changes of time. Centuries later they would be revealed by a terton, a reincarnation of an accomplished student of Padmasambhava who had made the aspiration to benefit people in future generations. The Sanglingma is a religious scripture read by devoted followers of Padmasambhava to keep his miraculous deeds and compassion in mind. Why was Padmasambhava so important? Due to his great realization and spiritual power, he created the conditions for the propagation of the Vajrayana teachings in this world. In Tibet, he tamed spirits hostile to the Buddhadharma and pacified negative forces, allowing for the completion and consecration of the magnificent temples of Samye. Moreover, through Master Padma's unfailing compassion and diverse skillful means, he hid numerous teachings for future generations. These terma teachings would be revealed when the conditions were auspicious and the benefit most appropriate for the people of that particular time. Even in recent times, Padmasambhava's treasure teachings continue to be revealed. Judging from the past and discerning the present, the impact of Padmasambhava is inconceivable. To clarify doubts about Padmasambhava, I would like to suggest to the reader to investigate the concise version of Padmasambhava's life by Jamgon Kongtrul the First as contained in Dakini Teachings. Secondly, there are several English books available that are mentioned at the end of the bibliography. Finally, I will present a condensation of the writings of Tsele Natsok Rangdrol concerning the Lotus-Born Master. During the latter part of his life, Tsele Natsok Rangdrol, who is also reputed to be one of Jamgon Kongtrul's prior incarnations, was asked eighteen questions about the life story of Padmasambhava contained in the Kathang literature. Several of his replies are directly relevant to the translation of the Sanglingma present in this book. I have therefore taken the liberty to extract and summarize the most pertinent parts of his eminent advice on how to view the historical and personal background of the Lotus-Born Master. They are presented in the following essay entitled "Clarifying the True Meaning." In the back of the book I have included a bibliography of Tibetan historical source material related to Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, and Vairochana. Together with the oral teachings I have been fortunate enough to receive, these precious writings form the basis for the notes and the explanations in the glossary. I sincerely wish that enclosing the names of these scriptures may inspire further translations to illuminate the historical background for the precious Vajrayana teachings. -Erik Pema Kunsang, from the Translator's Preface