Most of us tend to dismiss the importance of our dreams. Even if we sense a deeper meaning, we are generally unable to say what a dream symbolises or see its connection to the important aspects of our everyday life. The Tibetan Art of Dream Analysis reveals how for over a thousand years Tibetan dream masters have been able to see the deep link between the dream world and the waking one. Through them we understand why nightly dreams can give clear signs of health warnings, conflicts, or foretell events yet to happen such as death, a birth, or other harbingers of wealth and happiness. This book provides a useful list of dream symbols and their hidden meanings as well as case studies of easy to read analyses of dreams. Those interested in going beyond merely understanding what a dream might mean will find, within its pages, very detailed, step-by-step approaches as practised by dream yoga masters long ago. For the truly committed this book holds out the ultimate goal of spiritual enlightenment for someone prepared to undertake the rigorous journey of an adept dream yoga practitioner.

"The Lama of Appearances" provides an introduction to an important Tibetan teaching that is little known here in the West, and that is that nature herself, the world of appearances, is a perfect reflection of the mind, and can be a trusted guide to learning and practicing dharma, in particular where there is no dharma teacher available. This full-color book contains 130 hi-res close-up photos of nature along with three dharma-related articles. The first, mentioned above, is an introduction to using the natural world for training in the dharma. The second article is the personal history of how the author went through preliminary and advanced practices in Tibetan Buddhism and achieved some preliminary recognition of the true nature of the mind. This is a personal story of learning meditation and other Tibetan practices, with all of their joys and trials. In particular, this story is about the author's adventures learning Mahamudra meditation, and how to practice it. And last, "The Seven Points of Mind Training," one of the key texts in Tibetan Buddhism, is presented, with all fifty-nine of its slogans, accompanied by full-page color photographs.

This book presents a Great Vehicle sutra of the third turning of the wheel of dharma which has not been translated until now and which is regarded as specially important for two reasons. Firstly the sutra deals with the issue of whether a bodhisatva can live a householder's life and effectively practice dharma at a high level. In the time when the Buddha gave this discourse it was regarded in Indian culture as a whole that it was necessary to leave the household and additionally to become ordained as a monk or nun in order to practice dharma at the highest level. The Buddha ends the sutra by saying that not only is it possible to practise whilst living as a householder but that a householder bodhisatva can be a much more capable and effective bodhisatva than a bodhisatva living the celibate life of an ordained bodhisatva. The person who petitioned the Buddha for his authoritative statements on this matter was a householder bodhisatva named "Uncouth." His concerns, which are the main issues in the sutra, result in the sutra fitting very closely with the situation of today's Western Buddhists, most of whom do not wish to leave home and become mendicants and most of whom are equally determined that this should not mean that they are relegated to a life which has been officially stamped as lesser than that of an ordained life. These have become prominent issues for Western Buddhists at this time and a careful consideration of the actual meaning embodied in this sutra can be a very fruitful exercise for today's Western Buddhists. I have found that investigating the sutra carefully raises many issues of great relevance and interest to today's Western Buddhists, but more than that, the issues are raised in the environment of the Buddha giving his authoritative statements about them. We found it to be very provocative but very rich at the same time.

This book offers practical esoteric information about meditative practices at the time of the full moon. It is an inviting and easy way to work with the heightened spiritual energies over a five-day period each month and use them for personal and planetary transformation. When rhythmically aligned with the cycles of the moon, meditation profoundly affects one's personal life, and also has an uplifting influence upon humanity as a whole. The meditations found in Full Moon Magic are wisely designed and beautifully presented. They offer individuals, and groups, a well-structured program for monthly full-moon meditations, as well as a deep and meaningful understanding of the transformational energies available through each of the signs of the zodiac.

The Tree of Wisdom by Nagarjuna is a treatise on morals and ethics written over 2,000 years ago. This commentary on moral living is very similar to other text such as the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, the Hsin Hsin Ming by Seng Ts'an, the Enchiridion by Epictetus, and Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. It remarkable that this is only the second English translation of this ancient text from this incredible Indian philosopher. The first translation into English was done by W.L. Campbell in 1918. At the time of Campbell's translation, there was so already much lost to history in the allegories that the meaning couldn't be extrapolated for all the verses. This version has been interpreted into a more modern new age style yet it still possess the essence of the message that Nagarjuna implied. I prefer to use the word interpretation over the word translation as this is more of a rendering constructed to clarify the meaning in such a way that it is easy to grasp the concepts. However, there are a few verses that have been left in the original Campbell translation as their relevance hasn't change. The primary difference between the Tree of Wisdom and the Tao Te Ching is the Tree of Wisdom takes a more "matter of fact" practical approach to life where the Tao Te Ching is more spiritual and esoteric. Both text have the same basic underlying principles, they are just different paths to the same goal. The text itself consist of 260 verses containing just over 8,000 words. In the tradition of Buddhism, there are a few verses that will leave you confused. This is natural as in the contemplation of the verse, the understanding will become clear. One major difference in this translation and Campbell's is the use of the way. Where the word "way" is used, it is to imply the way of the Tao Te Ching. This is to serve in helping give a clearer understanding the principles that the text is conveying. I encourage those who are not familiar with the Tao Te Ching to read it as the two text complement each other.

Following the fall of the Tibetan empire and the ensuing "period of fragmentation," the twelfth and thirteenth centuries saw tremendous religious efflorescence in Tibet. Although the Tibetan scholars and adepts of this period continued to draw from the texts and practices of Indian Buddhism, they also began to craft distinctly Tibetan intellectual and spiritual traditions. Hundreds of important masters lived and worked during this time, some of whom founded institutions that still exist today. Equally important were the scholars who lived on the margins of institutionalized Buddhism, teachers and meditators whose works, despite their great creativity, have been largely forgotten.
Jose Cabezon offers a study of the life and most important extant work of one such figure, Rog Bande Sherab, also known as Rogben (1166-1244). Rogben studied under some of the greatest teachers of his day. An itinerant scholar and yogi, he devoted his life to collecting important textual cycles and meditation techniques. Rogben's most important work, The Lamp of the Teachings, cuts across the genres of history, doctrinal studies, and doxography. It is one of the earliest philosophically robust explanations of the "nine vehicle" system of the Ancient or Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. TheBuddha's Doctrine and the Nine Vehicles is the first scholarly study of Rog Bande Sherab, a pivotal figure in both the Pacification (Zhiche) and Ancient traditions of Tibet, and one of the most original thinkers in Tibetan intellectual history."

This book contains a translation of an actual sutra of the Buddha. It is a very short but particularly important sutra from the Great Vehicle teachings given in the third turning of the wheel. The sutra is important for two reasons. Firstly, it is one of the five "condensed" sutras, sutras which sum up the five very large sutras of the Great Vehicle sutras-the Avatamsaka, and so on. This sutra sums up the meaning of the major sutra called The Nirvana Sutra in which the Buddha gives many final instructions before passing away. Therefore, it is regarded that the Point of Passage Wisdom sutra teaches final teachings of the Buddha in a very condensed way. This sutra is so important that the early Dharma Kings of Tibet recited it daily. Secondly, this sutra is one of the ten sutras cited by the Other Empty (Zhantong) school in support of their position. These ten sutras are called the "Profound Meditation System" sutras by the Other Empty school because they are considered to convey the ultimate approach to view and meditation taught by the Buddha to his regent Maitreya. Of the ten sutras, this sutra, despite is very short length, is one of the most interesting. It gives, in an economy of words, a complete instruction on the view and meditation of the profound meditation system. In doing so, it explicitly shows the ultimate meaning of the third turning sutras and explicitly shows that the Other Empty or Zhantong approach is the ultimate intent of the Buddha. As a point of further interest, the seeds of Mahamudra and Dzogchen practice can be very clearly seen in this sutra and practitioners of those systems will also find it very interesting to see what the Buddha says about this.

2012 Reprint of 1960 New York Edition. Exact facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Lama Anagarika Govinda, born Ernst Lothar Hoffman, was the founder of the order of the Arya Maitreya Mandala and an expositor of Tibetan Buddhism, Abhidharma, Buddhist Meditation as well as other aspects of Buddhism. He was also a painter and poet. This title is a complete explanation of the esoteric principles of Mantra that also clarifies the differences between Hindu and Tibetan yoga. Translated into many languages, this is an important text for any student of Buddhism. With bibliography, index, and illustrations. Contents: Om: the path of universality -- Mani: the path of unification and of inner equality -- Padma: the path of creative vision -- Hum: the path of integration -- Om mani padme hum: the path of the great mantra -- Ah: the path of action.

The life history of a re-incarnated Tibetan Buddhist lama as he progresses from a humble beginning in a totalitarian society to a state of difficult yet full engagement with the Buddhadharma.

Suitable for students of Tibetan religion and culture who are also versed in classical Tibetan language, this title provides an edited and corrected transcription the original Tibetan textual autobiographies of four Tibetan lamas of the Dolpo region, three of whom were born in the 16th century and one in the 17th. The present volume provides an edited and corrected transcription the original Tibetan textual autobiographies of four Tibetan lamas of the Dolpo region, three of whom were born in the 16th century and one in the 17th. An accompaniment to

Oral Commentary on Mahamudra by His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche given in San Francisco in 1997. Translated by Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen.

Lama Chopa is a practice of guru devotion special to the Gelugpa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. In the Gelugpa tradition, there are many guru yoga sadhanas, but Lama Chopa is the most popular and sacred text. A special practice of Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), the founder of the Gelugpa School, Lama Chopa was compiled by the first Panchen Lama, Panchen Lozang Chokyi Gyaltsen (1570-1662), who was the teacher of the fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682). Lama Chopa became so popular in Tibet and Mongolia that almost every monk of the Gelugpa tradition had it memorized, and recited it on a daily basis, both in the temple as a group practice, and individually. Lama Chopa is considered to be an Anuttarayoga Tantra or Highest Yoga Tantra practice. As indicated by the opening words, "Arising within the sphere of great bliss, I manifest as a Guru Yidam," it contains the idea of personal transformation through the practitioner merging his or her mind with the guru as the meditational deity. The essence of the practice is to see the guru as an Enlightened Being, a Buddha, and to receive his or her blessings in return. This new translation by Rob Preece, with a preface by HH the Dalai Lama's official translator and a foreword by Zasep Tulku Rinpoche, contains all the traditional melodies and sacred hand gestures required to perform the prayer in its traditional form.

Combining an autobiography written with humor and a record of the personal discovery of the deepest wisdom teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of Dzogchen appears at first glance to be an unlikely partnering. Beginning the main story at the 50-year mark also seems a bit unusual. Ms. Fleming takes the reader from one incongruous event to the next with lighthearted asides and anecdotes and translates them into universal principles that have marked her progress on the path of spiritual self discovery. Multiple examples of real life applications provide a map for those who may wish to set off on their own spiritual journey.

Jamgon Mipam (1846-1912) is one of the most extraordinary figures in the history of Tibet. Monk, mystic, and brilliant philosopher, he shaped the trajectory of Tibetan Buddhism's Nyingma school. This introduction provides a most concise entree to this great luminary's life and work. The first section gives a general context for understanding this remarkable individual who, though he spent the greater part of his life in solitary retreat, became one of the greatest scholars of his age. Part Two gives an overview of Mipam's interpretation of Buddhism, examining his major themes, and devoting particular attention to his articulation of the Buddhist conception of emptiness. Part Three presents a representative sampling of Mipam's writings.

Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone!

In Travels in the Netherworld, Bryan J. Cuevas examines a fascinating but little-known genre of Tibetan narrative literature about the delok, ordinary men and women who claim to have died, traveled through hell, and then returned from the afterlife. These narratives enjoy audiences ranging from the most sophisticated monastic scholars to pious townsfolk, villagers, and nomads. Their accounts emphasize the universal Buddhist principles of impermanence and worldly suffering, the fluctuations of karma, and the feasibility of obtaining a favorable rebirth through virtue and merit. Providing a clear, detailed analysis of four vivid return-from-death tales, including the stories of a Tibetan housewife, a lama, a young noble woman, and a Buddhist monk, Cuevas argues that these narratives express ideas about death and the afterlife that held wide currency among all classes of faithful Buddhists in Tibet. Relying on a diversity of traditional Tibetan sources, Buddhist canonical scriptures, scholastic textbooks, ritual and meditation manuals, and medical treatises, in addition to the delok works themselves, Cuevas surveys a broad range of popular Tibetan Buddhist ideas about death and dying. He explores beliefs about the vulnerability of the soul and its journey beyond death, karmic retribution and the terrors of hell, the nature of demons and demonic possession, ghosts, and reanimated corpses. Cuevas argues that these extraordinary accounts exhibit flexibility between social and religious categories that are conventionally polarized and concludes that, contrary to the accepted wisdom, such rigid divisions as elite and folk, monastic and lay religion are not sufficiently representative of traditional Tibetan Buddhism on the ground. This study offers innovative perspectives on popular religion in Tibet and fills a gap in an important field of Tibetan literature.

1894. This book is an historic outline of Lamaism in Sikhim. Waddell describes the Lamaism or Tibetan Buddhism religion while providing information based on his own personal studies of Lamas while living with them. Illustrations.

1893. This volume is a compilation of speeches and lectures delivered by Sri Sarat Chandra as to what he saw and learnt about the little known works of Indian Aryans in the countries beyond the Himalayas during his sojourn in Tibet.

THE BRILLIANCE OF NAKED MIND tells of the secret visions of the legendary warrior, Gesar, King of Ling. It is a collection of stories and invocations that are the ground for Gesar, King of Ling's pursuit of enlightened society. The texts include vivid biographies of Tilopa, embodiment of lineage; Kukkuripa, embodiment of compassion; the sisters Mehkhala and Kanhala, essence of unified devotion and prajna; and King Indrabhuti, exemplar of enlightened sovereignty. These are followed by an extensive account of all the rulers of the Kingdom of Shambhala which concludes: "Shambhala opens, In the unchanging now of heart-light. To which you always return." The texts are loosely bound together in a retelling of Gesar's conquest of the Demon Lord, Satham, King of Jang. They are aspects of the myriad worlds he passes through. Each world contains its own wakefulness for Gesar and for us to discover.

An English translation of the manuscript autobiographies of four Tibetan lamas of the Dolpo region, three of whom were born in the 16th century and one in the 17th. It offers reader an important insight into medieval Tibetan religious life. This English translation of the manuscript autobiographies of four Tibetan lamas of the Dolpo region, three of whom were born in the 16th century and one in the 17th, offers the reader important insight into medieval Tibetan religious life. The manuscript records of these lives were discovered by the author/translator, an eminent

This teaching, the path of all Buddhas of the past and of the future that contains all the deep meanings of all the Sutras combined in a practical way, is known as the Mind Training or Pith Instructions, presented by the great masters in the most practical way through their own experience. The history of this teaching is this. When the great Lama Sakyapa was twelve years old, his spiritual master suggested that since he was the son of a great spiritual master he should study the teaching; however, in order to study the teaching he needed first to acquire wisdom. In order to acquire wisdom, he had to practise Manjushri, the manifestation of all the Buddhas' wisdom. Sakyapa's spiritual master, Pari Lotsawa, one of the greatest translators, gave him the initiation of Manjushri and all the teachings related to Manjushri and then asked his disciple to do a meditation retreat. After completing six months of meditation, one day in his pure vision he saw Manjushri in person sitting on a jewel throne, his hands in the teaching mudra, with two Bodhisattva attendants, one on each side. Then the main deity Manjushri gave this teaching, which is made up of four lines: If you have attachment to this life, you are not a religious person. If you have attachment to the world of existence, you do not have renunciation. If you have attachment to your own purpose, you have no Enlightenment Thought (Bodhicitta). If grasping arises, you do not have the view. All the paths of the Sutrayana are included in these four lines.

Shakya Shri was one of the greatest masters of the Drukpa Kagyu around the end of the nineteenth century. He was renowned for having practised and accomplished both the Mahamudra traditions of the Drukpa Kagyu and the Great Completion (Dzogpa Chenpo) tradition that had come to him through his root guru, Khamtrul Rinpoche. He taught students either Mahamudra or Great Completion or a mixture of both, whatever was suitable for them. This book presents two texts from his Collected Works. Each one presents a specific aspect of innermost Dzogchen practice though the first text, on the introduction to the nature of mind, is fully applicable to essence Mahamudra, too. We chose the two texts because they highlight specific aspects of these practices that are not explained in any other texts available from us. As with several other texts on Thorough Cut, each text offers instruction on a key aspect of the teaching. The first text is specifically on the topic of introduction to the nature of mind (sometimes called pointing out instruction). It is hard to find a text which, like this one does, specifically discusses this key technique of the higher tantras. The text will be of interest to anyone who is practising Mahamudra or Dzogpa Chenpo. The second text continues by giving instruction on how to realize the nature of mind after it has been introduced to the disciple. This text specifically explains the practices of the Thorough Cut (Tregcho) of Great Completion. This text also includes specific instructions on the special preliminary practice of innermost Great Completion called Parting into Sides (Tibetan, rushen).