One moment of total awareness is one moment of perfect enlightenment." This is the ultimate insight of Dzogchen, or "the Great Perfection," the pinnacle teaching of Tibetan Buddhism. With his previous bestselling books including Awakening the Buddha Within, American-born Tibetan Buddhist teacher Lama Surya Das has taught millions about the innate wakefulness and liberation that can be our natural ways of being. Now, with Natural Radiance, he offers his first complete daily practice program for the personal experience of the "swift and direct path" of Dzogchen. Dzogchen affirms that we are all Buddhas by nature infinitely open, luminous, compassionate, wise, and free. This profound realization, say the teachings, cannot be understood intellectually or studied mentally, but it can be passed from teacher to student through the spoken word. With Natural Radiance, you can now learn these time - honored practices as they have been shared for centuries through direct transmission from an accomplished master of the tradition. Join Lama Surya Das as your trusted guide to help you awaken to the sky like nature of mind what is known in Tibetan as rigpa, or total and pure presence. "This is the time of Dzogchen," says Lama Surya Das, "when we most need this immediate teaching of the inherent perfection of being the natural state of enlightenment." Includes CD with seven guided Dzogchen techniques.

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

Heartfelt Advice offers readers an overview of basic Buddhist topics in small, easily digestible bites that illuminate the main principles of Buddhist practice. Lama Dudjom Dorjee skillfully guides students through the vast array of considerations on the path, highlighting what is essential as he presents practical ways to apply Buddhist wisdom to life in the modern world. Suitable for those seeking daily Buddhist inspiration, each of the book's ninety-five sections also works as a stand-alone unit. Newcomers to Buddhism will welcome the clarity of the presentation, and more seasoned students will find Heartfelt Advice to be a useful study companion.

Daring Steps stands out among the multitude of books on Tibetan Buddhism as being a uniquely accessible overview of the Buddhist path that encompasses all three yanas, or traditional Buddhist spiritual paths. Ringu Tulku renowned for both his insight and approachable style consistently brings the teachings back to the reader's own experience as he reveals the vital role of each path in the attainment of genuine realization. Daring Steps draws on several venerable sources, among them the Buddha's earliest teachings and a Vajrayana text by the yogi known as Crazy Khyentse. The author takes us from the most basic meditation practice to the rarefied realm of Mahamudra, touching on a dazzling range of teachings and techniques along the way. This lively presentation will be welcomed as both a trustworthy introduction for the beginning student and an indispensable reference for practitioners at every stage of the path.

2010 Reprint of 1924 Edition. In 1924 Spalding published this first and most important volume of Life and Teaching of the Masters of the Far East. It describes the travels to India and Tibet of a research party of eleven scientists in 1894. During their trip they claim to have made contact with "the Great Masters of the Himalayas," immortal beings with whom they lived and studied, gaining a fascinating insight into their lives and spiritual message. This close contact enabled them to witness many of the spiritual principles evinced by these Great Masters translated into their everyday lives, which could be described as 'miracles'. Such examples are walking on water, or manifesting bread to feed the hungry party. These books have remained consistently popular with spiritual seekers, those interested in the philosophy of the East and those who enjoy a good story because of their accessible nature and easy-to-follow format. However, despite most of the action taking place in India, the Great Masters make it clear that the greatest embodiment of the Enlightened state is that of the Christ (as personified by Jesus): "The Masters accept that Buddha represents the Way to Enlightenment, but they clearly set forth that Christ IS Enlightenment, or a state of consciousness for which we are all seeking - the Christ light of every individual; therefore, the light of every child born into the world."

His Holiness the Dalai Lama describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. However, to millions of people around the world, he embodies the highest human aspiration: to be happy. His messages of compassion, altruism, and peace are articulated in a unique secular ethic for our times and supported with techniques and practices that can help us achieve these ideals. He is the Dalai Lama--or simply, His Holiness--the epitome of the Buddhist model of loving-kindness and an incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of infinite compassion and mercy. Evoking global respect and admiration, he is both a prophet and a statesman for our troubled times, yet he's intensely human and accessible. He's an inspiration to millions, yet many feel as if he touches and speaks to them personally. He is a Buddhist but belongs to all humanity. His Holiness is one of the most recognizable--and recognized--faces in the free world.
This remarkable book is an edited compilation of mostly personal conversations spanning nearly 20 years between the Dalai Lama and Rajiv Mehrotra, one of his early disciples who's now the trustee and secretary of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility, which was established with the funds from the Nobel Peace Prize. Here, the Dalai Lama is a teacher to a spiritual aspirant; a divine master and a temporal leader; an ambassador for Tibet and a lovable guru-philosopher to the whole world; a practitioner of the 2,500-year-old teachings of Buddhism; a Tibetan Buddhist and an interfaith ambassador; and an intense practitioner of mind-training and an inveterate optimist. His multiple hats may appear contradictory at times, but he balances them all, living his life with ease and happiness.
Within these pages, the Dalai Lama's disarming candor, his deep empathy for his student's quest, and his wisdom--garnered not just from texts and scriptures, but also from an active engagement with life--offer invaluable insights to us all on how we may find true happiness in our lives.

The relationship between a teacher and student can be a most rewarding and life-enhancing experience, yet it can also be fraught with problems and misunderstandings. For Westerners working with Eastern teachers, the difficulties can be compounded by cultural differences, language barriers, and divergent expectations. Wise Teacher, Wise Student examines the teacher-student relationship as it is understood in the Tibetan Buddhist context. The author surveys a wide spectrum of situations, exploring the causes of potential pitfalls. In illuminating the sources of misunderstandings, he offers methods to heal wounds and encourage healthy relationships.

Buddhist teachings provide numerous methods for bringing greater meaning and happiness into our lives and into our relationships with others. In "A Complete Guide to the Buddhist Path," Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche reveals these methods in direct, vibrant, down-to-earth language. At the core of this work lies "The Jewel Treasury of Advice," a text composed by Drikung Bhande Dharmaradza (1704-1754), the reincarnation of Drikung Dharmakirti. Khenchen Rinpoche interprets these ancient teachings with compassion, humor, and a keen awareness for their relevance in contemporary Western life. Those who sincerely want to study and practice the Buddha's teachings will find this an indispensable guide.

This guide provides readers with essential background information for studying and practicing with Patrul Rinpoche's "Words of My Perfect Teacher-- "the text that has, for more than a century, served as the reliable sourcebook to the spiritual practices common to all the major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. By offering chapter-by-chapter commentary on this renowned work, Khenpo Pelzang provides a fresh perspective on the role of the teacher; the stages of the path; the view of the Three Jewels; Madhyamika, the basis of transcendent wisdom; and much more.

Study and Practice of Meditation gives a vivid and detailed account of the meditative practices necessary to develop a calm, alert mind that is capable of penetrating the depths of reality. The Buddhist meditative states known as the concentrations and formless absorptions are best known in the West from Theravada scriptures and from Vasubandhu s Treasury of Manifest Knowledge. In this book the reader is exposed to Tibetan Buddhist views on the mental states attained through meditation as described by three contemporary Tibetan lamas. The book discusses the ways in which certain meditative states act as bases of the spiritual path, as well as the nature of meditative calm and the prerequisites for cultivating and attaining it. In addition to reviewing and translating Tibetan sources, the author considers their major Indian antecedents and draws comparisons with Theravadin presentations.

The Kalachakra Tantra--Kalachakra means wheel of time--is a tradition of Buddhist theory and practice whose root text treats a fantastic expanse of knowledge ranging from observations of the cosmos to investigations of meditative states and vital bodily energies. In the Tibetan-speaking world, a public Kalachakra initiation remains the most sought-after eveny in the life of a devout Buddhist. The Fourteenth Dalai Lama has long had a strong connection with the Kalachakra Tantra and brought the initiation to the West in 1981, performing it in the U.S., Switzerland, Spain, and Australia. This volume has been created to celebrate his long involvement with the Kalachakra teachings.

Ritual is one of the most pervasive religious phenomena in the Tibetan cultural world. Despite its ubiquity and importance to Tibetan cultural life, however, only in recent years has Tibetan ritual been given the attention it deserves. This is the first scholarly collection to focus on this important subject. Unique in its historical, geographical and disciplinary breadth, this book brings together eleven essays by an international cast of scholars working on ritual texts, institutions and practices in the greater Tibetan cultural world - Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and Mongolia. While most of the chapters focus on Buddhism, two deal with ritual in Tibet's indigenous Bon religion. All of the essays are original to this volume. An extensive introduction by the editor provides a broad overview of Tibetan ritual and contextualizes the chapters within the field of Buddhist and Tibetan studies. The book should find use in advanced undergraduate courses and graduate seminars on Tibetan religion. It will also be of interest to students and scholars of ritual generally.

A systematic study of the Tibetan charms and amulets, mantras and cakras that have afforded their wearers protection for centuries and which remain a living tradition today. Drawing from indigenous works of the 19th century, the author illustrates and explains 109 amulets and their accompanying mantras, as well as 102 cakras, primarily associated with the Nyingma-pa and Bon traditions. The author also employs the amulets and cakras to reveal details of the myriad gods, demons and other supernatural beings-many incorporated into Buddhism from earlier belief systems-that comprise the Tibetan pantheon.

Mind Training is a comprehensive practice that is suitable for all types of students. It contains the entire path and does not depend on a person's background. Mind Training nurses and cultivates the Buddha Nature, that pure seed of awakening that is at the very heart of every sentient being. It has the power to transform even egotistical self-clinging into selflessness. Put into practice diligently, it is enough to lead you all the way to awakening. In "The Path to Awakening", Shamar Rinpoche gives his own detailed commentary on Chekawa YeshE Dorje's "Seven Points of Mind Training", a text that has been used as a basis for transformative practice in Tibetan Buddhism for close to a thousand years. Clear, accessible, and yet profound, this book is filled with practical wisdom, philosophy, and meditation instructions.

Mahamudra, the highest level of teaching within Tibetan Buddhism, rewards study and practice with the realization of the very nature of mind itself. There is not a single experience which is not subsumed within the realizations of Mahamudra. On his first tour of the United States, H.H. Chetsang Rinpoche gave detailed instructions in Mahamudra methods. He carefully explained each of the five stages of Mahamudra and taught its main meditational practices. He also gave precise instructions on posture and breathing for meditation and answered many common questions using the teachings of Tilopa and Gampopa to illustrate his various points. ...the clearest presentation of Mahamudra meditation practice available in English.--Wisconsin Bookwatch

a complete guide to the practice of White Tara

Longchempa Trime Oser (1308-1363) was one of the most important Dzogchen masters of Tibet. His scriptural learning and realization were equal to those of the famous saints who graced the land of India, and true to his words of advice, his wa a disciplined life spent in foresr and mountain hermitages. Longchempa's Thirty Words of Advice are like nuggets of gold offered to us in his open hand so that their inspiration can turn our mind to a sincere and uncorrupted spiritual practice. With his clear introduction to the principles and practice of Dzogchen, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu sets in context the thirty words of advice and then proceeds to explain each one as the basis of Longchempa's spiritual experience, in a way that is relevant to usas individual in our time.

Whereas Western society views death as the last taboo, the Tibetan tradition incorporates meditation on death into everyday life. Tibetan Buddhists believe that a conscious awareness of one's own impermanence allows a person to live a happy, fulfilled life. Over the centuries, the Tibetans have developed a wide-ranging literature on death, including inspirational poetry and prose, prayers, and practical works on caring for the dying. This fascinating book presents nine short Tibetan texts. Important writings by the Second, Seventh, and Thirteenth Dalai Lamas and by Karma Lingpa, author of "The Tibetan Book of the Dead," are included. It covers topics such as meditation techniques to prepare for death, inspirational accounts of the deaths of saints and yogis, and methods for training the mind in the transference of consciousness at the time of death.

"Treasures of the Sakya Lineage" is one of the first in-depth looks into the Sakya lineage of Tibetan Buddhism (one of the four major schools) available in English. The book includes a foreword by the head of the lineage, H. H. Sakya Trizin Rinpoche, and an introduction by Dzongsar Khyentse. A rich collection of teachings on a variety of pertinent subjects by key figures, this book provides the reader with a thorough overview of the history, view, key lineage figures, and crucial teachings. This book will be indispensable for Western students of the Sakya lineage, for whom there is very little English language literature available. A great resource for scholars, students, and practitioners of all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, this volume contains essays from the key members of the Sakya school, including: H. H. Sakya Trizin, Khenpo Appey, Sakya Pandita, Peter Della Santina, Jetsun Dragpa Gyaltsen, Chogye Trinchen, Choegyal Phagpa, and Migmar Tseten.

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.

"Indestructible Truth " is one of the most thorough introductions to the Tibetan Buddhist world view ever published; at the same time it is also one of the most accessible. The author presents complex and sophisticated teachings and practices in nontechnical language, using engaging stories and personal anecdotes to illustrate his points. "Indestructible Truth " presents Tibetan Buddhism in its traditional form but also shows how the Tibetan traditions are applicable to the problems and challenges of modern life in the West.
In "Indestructible Truth, " Tibetan Buddhism is introduced not as an exotic religion, but rather as an expression of human spirituality that is having a profound impact on the modern world. In addition, it presents the point of view of meditation and the practice of the spiritual life, paying special attention to contemplative practice and meditation as taught in the Kagyu and Nyingma schools.

This compelling study of the Ri-me movement and of the major Buddhist lineages of Tibet is comprehensive and accessible. It includes an introduction to the history and philosophy of the Ri-me movement; a biography of the movement's leader, the meditation master and philosopher known as Jamgon Kongtrul the Great; helpful summaries of the eight lineages' practice-and-study systems, which point out the different emphases of the schools; an explanation of the most hotly disputed concepts; and an overview of the old and new tantras.
Jamgon Kongtrul the Great (1813-1899) is a giant in Tibetan history, renowned for his scholarly and meditative achievements, but also for his energetic yet evenhanded work to unify and strengthen the different lineages of Buddhism. The Ri-me movement, led by Kongtrul and several other leading scholars of the time, was a unifying effort to cut through interscholastic divisions and disputes that were occurring between the different lineages. These leaders sought appreciation of the differences and acknowledgment of the importance of variety in benefiting practitioners with different needs. The Ri-me teachers also took great care that the teachings and practices of the different schools and lineages, and their unique styles, did not become confused with one another. This lucid survey of the Ri-me movement will be of interest to serious scholars and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.