This book is based on two historic seminars given by the author in the 1970s. In them the author introduced the tantric teachings of Tibetan Buddhism to his Western students for the first time. Each seminar bore the title "The Nine Yanas." Yana, a Sanskrit word meaning "vehicle, " refers to a body of doctrine and practical instruction that enables students to advance spiritually. Nine vehicles, arranged as successive levels, make up the whole path of Buddhist practice. Teaching all nine means giving a total picture of the spiritual journey. The author's nontheoretical, experiential approach opens up a world of fundamental psychological insights and subtleties. He speaks directly to a contemporary Western audience, using earthy analogies that establish the ancient teachings of the Buddha firmly in the midst of ordinary everyday life.

Westerners wanting to know about tantra--particularly the Buddhist tantra of Tibet--often find only speculation and fancy. Tibet has been shrouded in mystery, and "tantra" has been called upon to name every kind of esoteric fantasy. In "The Dawn of Tantra " the reader meets a Tibetan meditation master and a Western scholar, each of whose grasp of Buddhist tantra is real and unquestionable. This collaboration is both true to the intent of the ancient Tibetan teachings and relevant to contemporary Western life.

"The Quintessence Tantras of Tibetan Medicine" is a thorough, detailed, and systematic analysis of the characteristics of healthy and diseased bodies. Discussed are the diagnostic techniques of pulse and urine analysis, principles of right diet, right lifestyle, and behavioral factors--and a treasury of knowledge about the beneficial applications of herbs, plants, spices, minerals, gems, etc. Also included are the subtle and psychological techniques of therapeutics, and the ethics and conduct required of a Tibetan physician--a warrior-like person equipped to overcome even the most formidable internal and external obstacles.

The Tibetan word "bardo" is usually associated with life after death. Here, Chogyam Trungpa discusses bardo in a very different sense: as the peak experience of any given moment. Our experience of the present moment is always colored by one of six psychological states: the god realm (bliss), the jealous god realm (jealousy and lust for entertainment), the human realm (passion and desire), the animal realm (ignorance), the hungry ghost realm (poverty and possessiveness), and the hell realm (aggression and hatred). In relating these realms to the six traditional Buddhist bardo experiences, Trungpa provides an insightful look at the "madness" of our familiar psychological patterns and shows how they present an opportunity to transmute daily experience into freedom.

While yoga has become a common practice for health and well-being, Tibetan yoga still remains a mystery. Translated as 'magical movements', Tibetan yoga can improve physical strength and support positive emotional and mental health, healing the body-energy-mind system with a full sense of awareness. In Tibetan Yoga for Health & Well-Being, Alejandro Chaoul PhD focuses on the five principal breaths of Tibetan medicine and yoga, and how special body movements for each of these breaths engage the five chakras of the body. Alongside photos of each movement, Chaoul will guide you through the physical practice with a focus on simplicity and accessibility. He shares his experiences of daily practice in different cultures, and provides a contextual understanding of the history of Tibetan yoga so that you can fully incorporate its ancient teachings in your present day lifestyle.

Dzogchen (Great Perfection) goes to the heart of our experience by investigating the relationship between mind and world and uncovering the great secret of mind's luminous nature. Weaving in personal stories and everyday examples, Pema Rigtsal leads the reader to see that all phenomena are the spontaneous display of mind, a magical illusion, and yet there is something shining in the midst of experience that is naturally pure and spacious.

"Masters of Meditation and Miracles "presents colorful biographies of thirty-five realized teachers whose lives were full of peace, enlightenment, and amazing miracles. They flourished in Tibet, the Roof of the World, in its golden days. These teachers belong to the Longchen Nyingthig lineage of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, a cycle of mystical teachings revealed by the great scholar and adept Jigme Lingpa. From the first master, Garap Dorje, to the present, each spiritual personality has his or her own distinctive role to play in this great lineage. In retelling their stories in his own words, the author has sought to bring out their inner feelings as well as their external activities: how they faced and healed physical pain, how they dealt with emotional turmoil, how they overcame spiritual or meditative illusions, and most important, what experiences they had when they awakened their own inner Buddha Mind and Buddha qualities. These biographies not only provide great sources of teachings on meditation, but will also kindle a spiritual flame in the hearts of readers.

For over three decades, Pico Iyer, one of our most cherished travel writers, has been a friend to the Dalai Lama. Over these years through intimate conversations, he has come to know him in a way that few can claim. Here he paints an unprecedented portrait of one of the most singular figures of our time, explaining the Dalai Lama's work and ideas about politics, science, technology, and religion. For Buddhist and non-Buddhist alike, The Open Road illuminates the hidden life and the daily challenges of this global icon.

A collection of Chogyam Trungpa's early teachings in North America--on buddha nature, emptiness, the feminine principle, and the three bodies of enlightenment.

At the beginning of a North American teaching career that would span seventeen years, the meditation master Chogyam Trungpa conducted five pivotal seminars covering various dharmic topics. The transcripts from these seminars are collected here so that readers can experience them right at home. Comprising twenty-six talks in total, each one followed by a Q&A, "Glimpses of the Profound" is sure to provoke glimpses of all kinds: glimpses that inspire you to look further, glimpses that give you confidence, glimpses that upset the apple cart, glimpses that open your heart, glimpses that undermine falsity, glimpses that awaken you to your boundless potential.

This book was originally published as four separate volumes by Vajradhatu Publications. Judith L. Lief has written a new introduction."

The art of composing spontaneous songs that express spiritual understanding has existed in Tibet for centuries. Over a hundred of these profound songs are found in this collection of the works of the great teachers of the Kagyu lineage, known as the Practice Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism.
Many readers are already familiar with the colorful life of the yogin Milarepa, an early figure in the Kagyu lineage, some of whose songs are included here. Songs by over thirty other Buddhist teachers are also presented, from those of Tilopa, the father of the lineage, to those of the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, as well as several songs by Chogyam Trungpa, the noted teacher of Buddhism in America who directed the translation of "The Rain of Wisdom."
The diversity of the songs mirrors the richness of Tibetan Buddhism and gives us clear portraits of some of its most eminent teachers. Their longing for truth, their heartfelt devotion, and their sense of humor are all reflected. These poems share a beauty and intensity that have made them famous in Tibetan literature. With its vivid imagery and deep insight, "The Rain of Wisdom" communicates a profound and timeless understanding.

All of us experience obstacles as part of our journey, in life and on the spiritual path. In many cases, we think of them as purely something unpleasant to overcome, or as a mistake that needs correcting. Here, Chogyam Trungpa takes a radically different approach to such obstacles, teaching that unexpected chaos, confusion, and emotional upheavals can actually be used as fuel for the journey--an energy that can transform confusion into sanity and wisdom. He illustrates this transformative principle through telling the lively history of the Trungpa tulkus (a lineage within the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism), of which he was the eleventh incarnation. Trungpa referred to his lineage as the "Mishap Lineage"""because of the ups and downs and colorful lives that were typical of his predecessors, and true of his own life as well. The stories of the Trungpas are seen as a guide for the practitioner's journey and help us to understand how important lineage and community remain for us today.

Re-creating the speech that the Dalai Lama gave a few years ago to more than 10,000 people in southern France, this spiritual account shares some of the Dalai Lama's most important teachings and Buddhism's main principles, especially those concerning "Dzogchen," or the Great Perfection. The ways that the mind can transform itself through love, compassion, and an understanding of the world along with practical advice on how to implement Buddhist practices into everyday life are also discussed. "Recreando el discurso que dio el Dalai Lama hace unos anos a mas de 10.000 personas de todo el mundo en el sur de Francia, este relato espiritual comparte algunos de sus principales ensenanzas y los principios claves del budismo, especialmente los de" Dzogchen," o la Gran Perfeccion. Tambien se discuten las maneras en las cuales la mente puede transformarse a traves del amor, la compasion y una comprension de la realidad, y consejos practicas para poner en practica el budismo en la vida diaria."

This commentary on Padampa Sangye's classic verses of advise to Tibetan villagers of Tingri--by renowned and beloved meditation master Dilgo Khyentse--offers guidance for people trying to lead a dharmic life in the workaday world. These hundred verses, studied for centuries by Tibetans and students of Buddhism, contain a complete survey of the Tibetan Buddhist path. Dilgo Khyentse's lively explication of each stanza brings to light subtleties and amplifies the richness of the words and their pertinence to our lives. These two venerable teachers advise us in relating to everyday difficulties such as loneliness, craving, family squabbles, competition in business, disagreements with neighbors, and betrayal by friends--as challenging to us as they have been to meditators for centuries.

Thirty of the most creative, eloquent, and energetic Tibetan Buddhist teachers of Westerners in recent decades are featured in this collection of teachings that are certain to be highly treasured by all students of Buddhism. The contributors are masters who helped establish Buddhism in the West, founding centers in North America, Great Britain, Australia, and Europe; publishing books in English; and gaining recognition among Western Buddhists. Their teachings, drawn exclusively from the spoken word as given in talks and seminars, convey the directness and power for which the oral tradition is so valued in Buddhism. The book highlights the teachings of the practice lineages, the branch of Tibetan Buddhism that emphasizes meditation practice, personal experience, and spiritual realization. Selections are thematically organized, including topics such as the major approaches to the spiritual path, meditation and other practices, Buddhist ethics, tantric practice, and the role of the teacher. Includes the following teachers: Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche - Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche - Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche - Deshung Rinpoche - Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche - Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche - Dudjom Rinpoche - Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche - The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche - Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche - Gen Lamrimpa - The Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche - Kalu Rinpoche - Venerable Khandro Rinpoche - Khenpo Konchog Gyaltsen - Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche - Lama Lodo - Lama Thubten Yeshe Rinpoche - Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche - Nyoshul Khenpo Rinpoche - Ringu Tulku Rinpoche - Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche - Sogyal Rinpoche - Tarthang Tulku Rinpoche - Thinley Norbu Rinpoche - Thrangu Rinpoche - Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche - TulkuThondup Rinpoche - Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche - Lama Zopa Rinpoche

In these teachings, Dudjom Rinpoche calls upon us to follow the Buddha's instructions to "get a grip on our minds". He points the way to giving up our habitual ways of behaving in order to liberate ourselves from suffering. He also offers advice on how to view the Vajrayana teachings - which are said to be so powerful that they can be dangerous if misunderstood or practised incorrectly. This is a useful book of wisdom from an influential teacher.

The Tibetan Buddhist meditation practice known as "Dzogchen" (pronounced ZOG-chen) is a practical method for accessing the pristine, clear awareness that lies beneath the chatter and confusion of our daily thoughts. "The Dzogchen Primer " provides the keys for understanding Dzogchen and putting it into practice.
Marcia Schmidt, a long-time Buddhist practitioner, has gathered here the most accessible, down-to-earth writings published on this subject and has organized them into a study guide for the serious beginner on the Buddhist path. The collection includes writings from such well-known and venerable masters as Milarepa, Padmasambhava, Shantideva, Chogyam Trungpa, and Tulku Urgyen.
The concept of Dzogchen is said to lie beyond the confines of our beliefs, our intellectual constructs, our ordinary understanding. A Dzogchen master writes, "We need to dismantle our fixation on the permanence of what we experience. A normal person clings to his experiences as being 'real, ' concrete, and permanent. But if we look closely at what happens, experience is simply experience, and it is not made out of anything. It has no form, no sound, no color, no taste, no texture; it is simply empty cognizance."
"The Dzogchen Primer " includes an informative editor's preface as well as two forewords by prominent Tibetan masters that provide fundamental background information that will be helpful to readers new to this subject. The book also includes short, descriptive guiding notes intended to assist both independent students and teachers leading workshops.