This is a unique and powerful presentation of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism on the five elements: earth, water, air, fire, and space. In their gross and subtle forms, these elements combine to make up the infinite illusory display of phenomenal existence. Through teachings, stories, and his distinctive use of language, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche relates how the energies of the elements manifest within our everyday world, in individual behavior and group traditions, relationships and solitu...

This book contains the direct counsel and imperishable wisdom speech of Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, one of the great realized Nyingma masters of our age. Many problems arise when modern values clash with the precious teachings of the Buddha. Western Dharma students are faced with obstacles born of materialism, attachment to self, and resistance to traditional doctrines like karma, rebirth, and devotion to the Guru, while Asian students under the influence of modernity risk succumbing to...

Tulku Pema Rigtsal weaves together personal stories and Buddhist teachings, offering practical guidance on compassion, kindness, and wisdom.This personal and practical exploration of the Buddhist path blends together the author’s own journey with the timeless wisdom of his teachers and lineage. Through vivid stories, historical anecdotes, and direct teachings, the narrative illuminates the transformative power of compassion, kindness, and wisdom. Drawing on the fou...

Buddhism teaches that enlightenment is our natural state; the problem is that we do not recognize this state, owing to the mind's confusion about its true nature. Thinley Norbu presents the Buddhist view in a way meant to clear up misconceptions and awaken the reader's innate wisdom. Thinley Norbu is a distinguished teacher of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism and the author of The Small Golden Key and Magic Dance.

The moment you invoke me, I, Padmasambhava,Have no choice but to come to bless you.Of all the heartfelt devotional prayers used as a support for Dharma practice, the Seven-Line Prayer is the most essential, often repeated many thousands of times by practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. This concise prayer invokes the blessings of Padmasambhava, also called Guru Rinpoche ("Precious Teacher") and known as the Buddha of our time. Guru Rinpoche brought the Dharma ...

Welcoming Flowers is a pointed critique of the Buddhism chapter of Pope John Paul II’s 1994 best seller, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, written by the highly respected Buddhist teacher Thinley Norbu. In responding to the false charges of Buddhists’ indifference to the world and rejection of reality, Norbu clarifies the Buddhist doctrines of detachment and enlightenment. In addition, he covers the topics of good and evil, human nature, karma, cosmology, and dualistic mind...

In colorful, bustling Boudhanath—Buddhism's great pilgrimage site in Nepal—a small group of students gathered to speak with Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche in an informal, relaxed atmosphere. This is the record of their lively dialogue, which the author described as "using the traditional method of question and answer to connect ordinary experience with sublime Dharma in a flexible way." The contents cover a wide range of inquiry: How should Westerners understand the Tibetan Buddhist teachin...

Like a spontaneous cascade of wisdom nectar, the open and natural words of Thinley Norbu Rinpoche, uncomplicated by scholarly elaboration, flow here in the tradition of the direct transmissions of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas of the past. Through commentary on the Preliminary Practices (Ngöndrö) prayer from the treasure text of the great master Tragtung Düdjom Lingpa, insights into many central practices emerge in order to deepen understanding of the foundations of Vajrayana Buddhism. Also inc...

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...

In this autobiographical narrative, Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche sets a magical scene as he describes his early years in "Snowland" (Tibet) as one of seven children of the renowned Nyingma master Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche. After touching on his youthful training and experiences, Rinpoche describes how he traveled and taught in many different nations and cities in the East and West. Shifting between poetic observations and earthy humor, he shares stories of worldly and spiritual events accomp...

An in-depth presentation of one of the most profound traditions of Tibetan Buddhism--the Dudjom lineage--beginning with the Buddha and tracing the origins and development of the lineage through its Indian and Tibetan masters.The Ruby Rosary is Thinley Norbu's commentary on a short prayer written by his father, His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, who was a revered leader of the Nyingma lineage of Tibetan Buddhism as well as a "revealer of treasures" in the Tibeta...

In The Small Golden Key, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche explains in simple, concise language the important ideas and practices of Buddhism, with special attention to the Vajrayana teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. He discusses the origins of Buddhism in India and its spread to Tibet; the important lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, with emphasis on the Nyingma school; the differences between the Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana teachings; the outstanding features of the Mahayana; and some of the...