In a very intimate, informal setting, Thinley Norbu, one of the most articulate voices of Tibetan Buddhism, gives a no-holds-barred explanation of the challenges Westerners face in authentically learning, practicing, and transmitting Buddhism, highlighting both the obstacles and the way to navigate beyond them.

In colorful, bustling Boudhanath--Buddhism's great pilgrimage site in Nepal--a group of Westerners gathered to speak with Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche about topics both mundane and sublime. This is the record of their lively dialogue. First published in an exclusive private edition some forty years ago, "Echoes" has now returned to reach a larger and broader audience who will be eager to share in this intimate exchange of questions and answers with a revered teacher.

In this book, Yaroslav Komarovski argues that the Tibetan Buddhist interpretations of the realization of ultimate reality both contribute to and challenge contemporary interpretations of unmediated mystical experience. The model used by the majority of Tibetan Buddhist thinkers states that the realization of ultimate reality, while unmediated during its actual occurrence, is necessarily filtered and mediated by the conditioning contemplative processes leading to it, and Komarovski argues that therefore, in order to understand this mystical experience, one must focus on these processes, rather than on the experience itself. Komarovski also provides an in-depth comparison of seminal Tibetan Geluk thinker Tsongkhapa and his major Sakya critic Gorampa's accounts of the realization of ultimate reality, demonstrating that the differences between these two interpretations lie primarily in their conflicting descriptions of the compatible conditioning processes that lead to this realization. Komarovski maintains that Tsongkhapa and Gorampa's views are virtually irreconcilable, but demonstrates that the differing processes outlined by these two thinkers are equally effective in terms of actually attaining the realization of ultimate reality. Tibetan Buddhism and Mystical Experience speaks to the plurality of mystical experience, perhaps even suggesting that the diversity of mystical experience is one of its primary features.

"Beyond Words" is an introductory compendium on the Dzogchen teachings written by Judy Allan and Julia Lawless, both long-time students of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu. Interwoven with poignant quotes from past and present Dzogchen teachers and commentarial sources, the authors lucidly present a concise overview of the fundamental principles of this inexpressibly profound path. The book is a perceptive distillation of the central points of this extremely simple, but not easy, teaching, making it accessible to readers coming from various perspectives, from inquisitive newcomers to seasoned practitioners. Inspiring anecdotes involving masters of various traditions make Beyond Words both highly readable and insightful, a welcome companion on this journey to inner transformation.
"Aimed at the general reader, "Beyond Words" is a lucid introduction to the profound teachings of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen Atiyoga) - the conclusive spiritual practices of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. Drawing on quotations from translated materials and secondary sources, the authors outline the philosophical, historical and practical perspectives of Dzogchen, as presented by their mentor Chogyal Namkhai Norbu." Dr Gyurme Dorje (SOAS), The Centre for Himalayan Studies "Beyond Words is an exceptionally useful and inspiring digest of Dzogchen (Great Perfection) teachings and the teachers associated with them. The ancient prediction that Dzogchen would benefit many during these degenerate times, makes this comprehensive introduction especially relevant. The authors have made these profound teachings accessible and Beyond Words will be useful to both inexperienced and seasoned readers"
-- Tsultrim Allione, author of "Women of Wisdom"
"An easily readable introduction to the principles of Dzogchen, as revealed by the renowned contemporary Tibetan master, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu. The text is enriched with many inspiring anecdotes of various Buddhist masters, which adds a poetic and experiential dimension to this book."
Robert Beer, author of "The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs""

The Social Life of Tibetan Biography explores the creation of Tibetan religious authority in Tibetan cultural areas throughout East, Inner, and South Asia through engaging with the relationship between textual biography and social community in the case of the Eastern Tibetan yogi Tokden Shakya Shri (1853 1919). It explores the different mechanisms used by Shakya Shri s community in the creation of his biographical portrait to develop his lineage, including the use of biographical tropes, details of interpersonal connections, educational and patronage networks, and representations of sacred site creation and maintenance. In doing so, this study decenters Tibetan and Himalayan religious history through recognizing that peripheries could act as alternative centers of authority for diverse Tibetan Buddhist communities."

Tertoen Sogyal was a 19th century visionary saint whose mastery of meditation led him to become the revered teacher to the 13th Dalai Lama. Known for his deep spiritual insights and service to the nation of Tibet, Tertoen Sogyal's ability to harness the power of the mind was born of his own profound understanding of the Buddha's teachings while engaging in the world. Tertoen Sogyal's life of striving for perfection against great odds is an example of courageous diligence appreciated by spiritual practitioners of all traditions. And his practical instructions on meditation and opening one's heart in devotion are as relevant today as they were during his lifetime. In Fearless in Tibet, Matteo Pistono shares Tertoen Sogyal's essential teachings and life story; from the challenges Tertoen Sogyal faced during his early yogic training, to exploring the mystic's inner world of visions and spiritual revelations, to how he worked to bring peace and harmony in Tibet and China. Fearless in Tibet is a journey where the readers will gain their own insight for today's challenges whether that means transforming negativity into opportunity, or resting in awareness of the present moment, or recognizing the awakened state is already present within.

The Cloud of Nectar is Oriol Aguilar's annotated translation of the biography of Nyagla Pema Dudul, a 19th century master, terton, and well-known exponent of the practice and realization of Total Perfection (Dzogchen) written by Yeshe Dorje. Born in the rugged eastern Tibetan region of Khams, despite an auspicious birth accompanied by miraculous signs and prognostications, like the great 11th century mystic Milarepa, as a fatherless youth Padma Dudul suffered great personal loss, severe deprivation, and repeated violence. A social outcast, his early attempts to obtain spiritual instruction were cruelly thwarted. Time and again, after a vicious beating as he struggled to avoid the starvation that claimed his brother's life, propelled by empathy even toward his attackers, he would renew his quest for bodily and spiritual sustenance. Increasingly recognized for his spiritual attainments, he sought and exchanged teachings with some of the region's leading figures of Buddhist and Bon learning and practice. Generously sharing his spiritual treasure, he gathered a large number of followers and founded Kalzang monastery, which survives to this day. But despite his fame and spiritual influence, Pema Dudul never held a position in any religious hierarchy, choosing instead the austere yet joyous lifestyle of a wandering yogi and remaining in solitary meditation retreat for extended periods until, upon his passing, he attained the Rainbow Body. In this important scholarly work, through his substantial Introduction Oriol Aguilar precisely places his subject in that fertile time and place in which both the struggle to preserve traditional learning and practice and exceptional spiritual creativity flourished against a backdrop of social and political unrest. Although the biography is filled with descriptions of wondrous visions and dreamlike encounters, its vividly frank presentation of the life of Pema Dudul conveys a sense of proximity and relevance rarely found in works of this genre.

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."

Even at twelve years old, Chris Lemig knows he's gay. He just doesn't want to believe it. Spurred on by intolerance, ignorance and fear, he takes his first steps into the closet and so begin twenty-three years of drinking, drugs and attempted suicides. It's only after he wakes up one morning, beaten and still bleeding from a hate crime, that he finally finds the courage to come out and make a change. Renewed and refreshed, he finds sanity and healing in the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and without looking back, sets off on an inspired pilgrimage to India and Nepal. The Narrow Way is the harrowing and sometimes beautiful story of a man who lost his mind only to find it again in a strange new religion, in a strange new place, halfway across the world.

This book presents a clear and straightforward road map to how we might end our experience of suffering and discover happiness, drawn by the most celebrated spiritual master of Tibetan Buddhism: His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. In this insightful volume, not only does His Holiness describe what religion can contribute to mankind, but he also accentuates the significance of truly practising religion and understanding what it is that mankind really needs. Familiar for his ever-smiling face and his message of love, compassion and peace, he explains the three turnings of the wheel of dharma; the purpose and the means of generating the mind of enlightenment; and the twelve links of dependent arising, among other things. This new title offers an easily accessible and illuminating glimpse into the core of Tibetan Buddhism.

This fascinating collection by Buddhist writer Francesca Hampton explores modern situations in both India and America through the prism of Tibetan Buddhist teachings. From a lonely paddle boarder contemplating suicide on the dark Pacific, to a wayward Tibetan lama on a Greyhound bus, to a journalist who reconnects with a journey begun in a previous life in an interview with the Dalai Lama, it is a welcome addition to the emerging genre of Buddhist fiction.

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.

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.

En "El camino de la iluminacion," Su Santidad el Dalai Lama extrae practicas de meditacion del Budismo tradicional para presentar paso a paso ejercicios contemplativos disenados para expandir la capacidad de enriquecimiento espiritual del lector, junto con marcas claras para reconocer su progreso.
Repleto de anecdotas personales y de recuentos intimos de las experiencias del Dalai Lama, "El camino de la iluminacion" ofrece al lector todo el conocimiento, el apoyo, la guia y la inspiracion necesarias para ser exitoso en su vida espiritual.
In "Becoming Enlightened," His Holiness the Dalai Lama draws from traditional Buddhist meditative practices to present step-by-step contemplative exercises designed to expand the reader's capacity for spiritual growth, along with clear milestones to mark progress.
Complete with personal anecdotes and intimate accounts of the Dalai Lama's experiences, "Becoming Enlightened "gives readers all the wisdom, support, guidance, and inspiration" "they need to become successful in their spiritual" "lives.

The life of the Sixth Dalai Lama does not end with his supposed death at Kokonor in November 1706, on the way to Beijing, and an audience with the Manchu Emperor Kangxi. This book, the so-called Hidden Life, presents a very different Tsangyang Gyamtso, neither a louche poet nor a drinker, but a sober Buddhist practitioner, who chose to escape at Kokonor and to adopt the guise of a wandering monk, only appearing some years later, after many fantastical and mystical adventures, in what is today Inner Mongolia, where he oversaw monasteries and lived as a Buddhist teacher. The Hidden Life was written by a Mongolian monk in 1756, ten years following the death of the lama, his spiritual teacher, whom he identifies as Tsangyang Gyamtso, and in whose identity as the Sixth Dalai Lama he clearly has complete faith. However, as one might imagine, there is nowadays no agreement among the wider Tibetan, Mongolian and Tibetological scholarly community as to whether this man was a charlatan or deluded, or whether he was indeed the Sixth Dalai Lama. The text is divided into four parts. The first part gives an account of the background and birth of the Sixth Dalai Lama, while the opening section of the second part (which is in direct speech, dictated by the lama) continues on, through the political intrigue in Lhasa at the end of the seventeenth century, to the lama's escape at Kokonor. The remainder of the second part consists of a visionary narrative, in which the lama travels through Tibet and Nepal, and in which he encounters divine figures, yetis, zombies and a man with no head, all of which is presented as fact. The third and longest part is an account of the final thirty years of the lama's life, and his activity in Mongolia as an influential Buddhist teacher, including a lengthy and moving description of his death. The final part includes a list of his students and, most interestingly perhaps, a theological and philosophical justification for the coexistence of the Sixth and Seventh Dalai Lamas.

The Labrang Tibetan Buddhist Monastery in Amdo and its extended support community are one of the largest and most famous in Tibetan history. This crucially important and little-studied community is on the northeast corner of the Tibetan Plateau in modern Gansu Province, in close proximity to Chinese, Mongol, and Muslim communities. It is Tibetan but located in China; it was founded by Mongols, and associated with Muslims. Its wide-ranging Tibetan religious institutions are well established and serve as the foundations for the community's social and political infrastructures. The Labrang community's borderlands location, the prominence of its religious institutions, and the resilience and identity of its nomadic and semi-nomadic cultures were factors in the growth and survival of the monastery and its enormous estate. This book tells the story of the status and function of the Tibetan Buddhist religion in its fully developed monastic and public dimensions. It is an interdisciplinary project that examines the history of social and political conflict and compromise between the different local ethnic groups. The book presents new perspectives on Qing Dynasty and Republican-era Chinese politics, with far-reaching implications for contemporary China. It brings a new understanding of Sino-Tibetan-Mongol-Muslim histories and societies. This volume will be of interest to undergraduate and graduate student majors in Tibetan and Buddhist studies, in Chinese and Mongol studies, and to scholars of Asian social and political studies.