For practitioners on the paths of Dzogchen and Mahamudra, one of the greatest joys is to personally receive oral instructions from a realized teacher. The excitement of being able to train based on that advice is further enhanced by the stimulation and support that guidance manuals provide. All of the selections presented in Perfect Clarity offer incredible teachings that are inspiring and vital. Pith instructions are so simple and direct that we can easily apply them without fear of mistakes.
These days, the most effective style of teaching is not lengthy scholarly explanations but rather direct guidance manuals The Dzogchen tantras themselves were written in a style that shrouds and conceals the meaning so that only a master who is extremely well-versed in oral instructions and treatises is able to clarify the meaning. On the other hand, based upon oral instructions a guidance manual is a short, comprehensive teaching written in a clear and simple manner. Such summaries of the Mahamudra and Dzogchen teachings contain all the teachings that a worthy practitioner requires to reach the state of primordial enlightenment in this very life.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
The amazing collection in Perfect Clarity is rounded out by an introduction by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, a preface by Marcia Dechen Wangmo, biographical data of the authors, a glossary, line drawings and photos and Tibetan source material references.

In life and in death, in meditation and in sleep, every transitional stage of consciousness, or bardo, provides an opportunity to overcome limitations, frustrations, and fears. The profound teachings in this book provide the under- standing and instruction necessary to turn every phase of life into an opportunity for uncontrived, natural liberation.
Like the Tibetan Book of the Dead, "Natural Liberation" is a term, a "hidden treasure" attributed to the eighth-century master Padmasambhava. Gyatrul Rinpoche's lucid commentary accompanies the text, illuminating the path of awakening to the point of full enlightenment. "Natural Liberation" is an essential contribution to the library of both scholars and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.

"Dispeller of Obstacles" is the first in a new series that will include video, audio, photos, and commentaries to support practice and is the heart essence of the accomplished 9th-century master Padmasambhava. This hidden treasure is a revelation with a rich history that is explained in the book. In addition to the root text and classical commentaries by Chokgyur Lingpa and Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, the treasure-revealers themselves, there are also explanations by modern-day masters such as Tulku Urgyen and Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoches. This extensive cycle contains teachings and practices for the preliminaries up to and including Dzogchen. Linking to a fresh treasure has the power to imbue us with hot and juicy blessings that invigorate our being and generate devotion and joy. Just as we prefer to have fresh food, these treasure teachings are endowed with a very special quality that has not been interpolated by anyone else, but has come directly from Padmasambhava by means of one of his disciples appearing as a present-day incarnation. The teaching is then spread to people for their immediate practice.

Padmasambhava, the Indian mystic and tantric Buddhist master, is second only to Buddha Shakyamuni as the most famous personage in the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism. In the ninth century, he made the journey across the Himalayan Mountains to establish Buddhism for the people in that country. Now, more than 1,000 years later, we are able to hear and be touched by his voice as contained within this collection of oral advice. The selections in Dakini Teachings are timely advice - short, direct instructions relating to the three levels of Buddhist practice: Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. The main emphasis of Padmasambhava's teaching is that spiritual knowledge must be personalized and not remain as mere theory. The book includes an introductory discourse by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and a short biography of Padmasambhava by Jamgon Kongtrul the First.

Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche exactly defines deity practice from the Dzogchen perspective, offering key points on how to engage in this discipline as a pure Dzogchen yogi. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was one of the greatest Dzogchen Masters of the last century. His teaching style was direct, simple, and powerful, a comfortable ambiance created by his compassionate humility that opened one up to being able to absorb his profound words. He was fearless in teaching the view, meditation, and conduct of the Great Perfection, due to the strength of his realization. Although Dzogchen Deity Practice uses the peaceful and wrathful practice as its basis, the efficacy of these teachings on development and completion stage practices apply to many other sadhanas as well. It is a hands on guide to engaging in the skillful methods of Vajrayana that prepare us for this life's experiences as well as what will unfold when we die and are in the intermediate state or the Bardo. The beautiful poetry offered expresses a reality beyond our mundane everyday life and helps our minds to be open and aware.

The Light of Wisdom, the Conclusion, presents detailed explanations of the activities of a Vajra Master and Buddhist practices to clear away hindrances on the path and enhance realization. The book is a combination of three texts:
The root text, The Gradual Path of the Wisdom Essence is oral instructions of Padmasambhava, recorded by his chief female disciple, Yeshe Tsogyal. Padmasambhava established the Buddhist doctrine in Tibet during the eight century. He concealed teachings in the form of hidden treasures, to be revealed at an appropriate time in the future. The Light of Wisdom by Jamgon Kongtrul, one of the most prominent Buddhist masters of nineteenth-century Tibet, is an extensive commentary on this sacred scripture. Entering the Path of Wisdom consists of annotations on the commentary by Jamyang Drakpa, a student of Jamgon Kongtrul, dictated to Jokyab Rinpoche.
The root text of Lamrim Yeshe Nyingpo, a terma revealed by the great treasure-finder Chokgyur Lingpa, and its commentary by Kongtrul Rinpoche, the great translator in person, form together a complete scripture that embodies all the tantras, statements and instructions of the Nyingma School of the early translations, which is most rare to find in the past, present, or future. ...I find it important that all Dharma practitioners study and reflect upon this book.
? Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

It is correct that it will be quite difficult to practice the entire Gradual Path of the Wisdom Essence, so you should use what is directly appropriate for your training. It is never said that you should practice an entire root text as Light of Wisdom contains the complete path for different kinds of individuals, both of Hinayana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. But since its title is the Wisdom Essence, it means that its ultimate practice is Dzogchen.
? Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

These ancient texts, attributed to the great Tibetan meditation master Padmasambhava, offer traditional Vajrayana Buddhist teachings on the nature of the fundamental elements that make up our world. The translator's commentaries show us a practical view of how to use these life-energies for personal development.

" Don't mistake mere words to be the meaning of the teachings. Mingle the practice with your own being and attain liberation from samsara right now."
Padmasambhava
Padmasambhava is the primary master of Vajrayana, the teachings for our time. Out of his great compassion and wisdom, he instructed his main disciple Yeshe Tsogyal to conceal terma treasures to be revealed at the destined time for future practitioners. The profundity of this advice is meant to be personally applied by all individuals in all circumstances. It is a classic work, which contains valid truth for anyone who sincerely wants to follow a spiritual path.
"The chief compiler of Padmasambhava's teachings was Yeshe Tsogyal, an emanation of a female Buddha. There may be some people who believe that only men can attain enlightenment, but her life is proof to the opposite. The awakened state of mind is neither male or female."
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, from Introductory Teachings

Written in the eighth century, "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" is the most important of many mortuary texts of the Nyingma sect of Tibetan Buddhism and is commonly recited by or to a person facing imminent death. Robert A. Thurman's expert translation--with in-depth commentary, supplementary and background information, and even the occasional illustration--presents the Buddhist tradition in terms that even the most inexpert of readers can understand. What emerges in the pages is Buddhism's profound message that death, far from being an end point, is actually a primary step on the path to liberation. "Escrito en el siglo VIII, "El libro tibetano de los muertos "es el mas importante de varios textos mortuorios de la secta Nyingma del budismo tibetano, y normalmente es recitado por o se le recita a una persona a punto de morir. La traduccion experta de Robert A. Thurman--la cual incluye comentarios exhaustivos, informacion suplementaria y de fondo y hasta algunas ilustraciones--presenta esta tradicion budista en terminos que hasta el mas inexperto de los lectores podra entender. Lo que resalta en estas paginas es el mensaje profundo del budismo que la muerte, lejos de ser un punto final, es un paso primario en la senda hacia la liberacion."

A text belonging to the same cycle as "The Tibetan Book of the Dead," this instruction on the method of self-liberation presents the essence of Dzogchen, "The Great Perfection," regarded in Tibet as the highest and most esoteric teaching of the Buddha. Teaching the attainment of Buddhahood in a single lifetime, this text was written and concealed by Guru Padmasambhava in the eighth century and rediscovered six centuries later by Karma Lingpa. The commentary by the translator is based on the oral teachings of Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche and Lama Tharchin Rinpoche.

This work offers a new translation of the ancient Buddhist text originally composed by Padmasambhava, an Indian spiritual master of the eighth century. Hidden in the mountains of Tibet, the text remained concealed until the 14th century when it was discovered and revealed by Karma Lingpa. A manual of instructions designed to facilitate the inner liberation of the dead or dying person at the moment of death, this new translation of one of the world's greatest spiritual classics includes a detailed introduction by Dzogchen Buddhist master Chogyal Namkhai Norbu.

A core text of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, presented in English for the first time, with commentary by Jamgon Mipham, one of the Nyingma tradition's most lucid and brilliant minds. A concise commentary by the eighth-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava on a chapter from the "Guhyagarbha Tantra," which gives an overview of the different Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical views, including the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), with an explicative commentary by the nineteenth-century scholar Jamgon Mipham (1846-1912). Padmasambhava's text is a core text of the Nyingma tradition because it provides the basis for the system of nine vehicles (three sutra vehicles and six tantra vehicles) that subsequently became the accepted way of classifying the different Buddhist paths in the Nyingma tradition. Mipham's commentary is the one most commonly used to explain Padmasambhava's teaching. Mipham is well known for his prolific, lucid, and original writings on many subjects, including science, medicine, and philosophy, in addition to Tibetan Buddhist practice and theory.

El Bardo Thodol, tambien llamado El Libro Tibetano de los Muertos, es la guia espiritual de iniciacion en el arte de la muerte. Traducido por primera vez al espanol, prologado y anotado por Juan Bautista Bergua, incluye ademas un relato personal. Aparentemente escrito por Padma Sambhava, el monje tibetano fundador del lamaismo, El Bardo Thodol son textos funerarios donde se detallan las practicas y ceremonias que deben realizarse para que el proceso de la muerte transcurra armonicamente. El Bardo es un estado intermedio entre la Muerte y el "Renacimiento," y tradicionalmente se cree que dura 49 dias. El objetivo consiste en preparar la conciencia del difunto para el siguiente "renacer" al mundo material. Segun la tradicion tibetana, el libro debe ser leido al menos una vez en la vida, ya que permite conocer de antemano lo que sucedera. Como lo describe el propio Juan B. Bergua: "Los ritos funerarios propiamente dichos comprenden la lectura del Bardo para que sepa lo que le va a ocurrir...para alcanzar el Paraiso Occidental de Amitaba." Ediciones Ibericas y Clasicos Bergua fue fundada en 1927 por Juan Bautista Bergua, critico literario de los clasicos y celebre autor de una gran coleccion de obras de la literatura clasica. Las traducciones de Juan B. Bergua, con sus prologos, resumenes y anotaciones son fundamentales para el entendimiento de las obras mas importantes de la antiguedad. LaCriticaLiteraria.com ofrece al lector a conocer un importante fondo cultural y tener mayor conocimiento de la literatura clasica universal con experto analisis y critica.