The commentary translated in these pages is unusual and rare. But if the commentary is a rarity, its subject matter—the seven-line invocation of Padmasambhava—is one of the best-known prayers in the Tibetan Buddhist world.The overall significance of the Seven-Line Prayer is perhaps best appreciated in relation to a practice called guru-yoga, or "union with the nature of the guru." The purpose of guru-yoga is to purify and deepen the student's relationship with his or her teacher. I...

This small collection of commentaries and verse by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the twentieth century, contains exposition on different stages of the Buddhist path from the perspective of meditative experience and actually putting the teachings into practice. Originally given orally to Western students, the texts afford a rare glimpse into the direct transmissions of a master teacher. The commentaries are on ?• The Wheel of Investigation and...

Follow the timeless wisdom in these four newly translated texts from Tibetan masters and “happiness, a sense of well-being, and all other forms of excellence will rise before you.”Drawn from a long tradition of secular Tibetan teachings on how to live a good life, these four texts from Tibetan masters provide clear and succinct instructions for creating happiness, success, harmonious relationships, and just communities.In the spirit of the writings of the S...

A traditional biography on the life of Mipham Rinpoche--one of the greatest 19th-century masters--from Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of the greatest 20th-century masters.The first half of this volume comprises the first-ever English translation of the biography of Mipham Rinpoche written by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, a teacher to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well as an entire generation of other teachers and students throughout the Himalayan region and the West. Com...

Gesar of Ling is well known in Tibetan history, literature, and folklore. But, for Buddhist practitioners, he is an enlightened tantric protector and deity—an emanation of Padmasambhava. Engaging in Gesar practice is meant to generate positive circumstances and increase one’s experiences and realization in Buddhist practice.Gesar of Ling is widely known as the hero of Tibet’s national oral epic, considered the longest epic in the world. But he is also the focus of ...

Unraveling the subtle processes that condition our thinking and experience, Maitreya's teaching reveals a powerful path of compassionate vision and spiritual transformation.Middle Beyond Extremes contains a translation of the Buddhist masterpiece Distinguishing the Middle from Extremes. This famed text, often referred to by its Sanskrit title, Madhyāntavibhāga, is part of a collection known as the Five Maitreya Teachings. Maitreya is held...

The first English translation of Mipham Rinpoche's commentary on the "wisdom" chapter of Shantideva's classic text, in which Mipham explains Madhyamaka philosophy from the perspective of the Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.Shāntideva’s guide to the training of a Bodhisattva is one of the most important and beloved texts in the Tibetan tradition. The ninth chapter, however, dealing with Madhyamaka, the Middle Way, the most profound wisdom view of Mahayana Bud...

An instructional presentation of exercises rooted in the tradition of Dzogchen for enhancing self-awareness and developing clarity within sleep and dream states throughout all moments of the day and night.In Buddhist Dream Yoga, Chögyal Namkhai Norbu gives instructions for developing clarity within the sleep and dream states. He goes beyond the practices of lucid dreaming that have been popularized in the West by presenting methods for guiding dre...

Outlining the difference between appearance and reality, this work shows that the path to awakening involves leaving behind the inaccurate and limiting beliefs we have about ourselves and the world around us and opening ourselves to the limitless potential of our true nature. By divesting the mind of confusion, the treatise explains, we see things as they actually are. This insight allows for the natural unfolding of compassion and wisdom.According to tradition, Maitreya, the Buddh...

A Garland of Views presents both a concise commentary by the eighth-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava on a chapter from the Guhyagarbha Tantra on the different Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical views, including the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), and an explicative commentary on Padmasambhava’s text by the nineteenth-century scholar Jamgön Mipham (1846–1912).Padmasambhava’s text is a core text of the Nyingma tradition because it provides the basis fo...

From the noble lotus pond of pure conduct,The swan of intelligence calls.By the white wings of the three practices of the teachings,May all wise sentient beings be happy.—Kunkhyen LongchenpaWith the wish to inspire and motivate practitioners, Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche has translated a selection of wisdom teachings into direct and simple English that retains the power of the original writings and their emphasis on practice. The authors are five of the...

A translation of a popular Buddhist work on worldly ethics by Tibet's most famous philosopher.Leadership. Power. Responsibility. From Sun Tzu to Plato to Machiavelli, sages east and west have advised kings and rulers on how to lead. Their motivations and techniques have varied, but one thing they all have had in common is that their advice has been as relevant to the millions who have read their works as it has been to the few kings and princes they were, on the su...