Illumination of the Path to Freedom by His Holiness the First Dalai Lama Gyalwa Gendun Drup

Illumination of the Path to Freedom by His Holiness the First Dalai Lama Gyalwa Gendun Drup (1391-1474), is a commentary to a much older Tibetan classic:  The Treasure House of Knowledge, written by the Master Vasubandhu (350 AD). Dalai Lama starts out with an entertaining discussion about Tibetan versus Sanskrit – Tibet versus India: “If a commentary [...]

Dzogchen: Four introductory texts on Dzogchen

These books are meant as introductions to the Mahayana Buddhist system know as Dzogchen. There are indications that Dzogchen is a practice that is hundreds of years older than Buddhism itself, but it has been incorporated as advanced techniques into  the practices of Tibetan Buddhism. The four books are from the Berzin Archiches, you might [...]

Living Nonduality – Enlightenment Teachings of Self-Realization by Robert Wolfe

Living Nonduality – Enlightenment Teachings of Self-Realization – is a major modern work on Nondualism by Robert Wolfe. The book is release under a Creative Commons Attribute. See Robert Wolfes website here. From the intro: “The teachings of nonduality have begun to come of age in the West, recognized at last as the central essence [...]

The Yellow Book by Zimey Rinpoche

The Yellow Book by Zimey Rinpoche, with the original title: Thunder of the Stirring Black Cloud: The Oral Transmission of the Intelligent Father, was written in 1973 and first published in 1974. The book marks the culmination of the controversy between the Dalai Lama and Shugden-practitioners. In 1996 the Dalai Lama announced that Dorje Shugden was [...]

The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep

Hello all, sorry for the 3 weeks break. I have spend some time in Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India, up near the border to China, but now I am back and ready to serve the lions fresh meat. Thanks to all who have signed up for the newsletter, and those of you who have joined [...]

The Buddha-Carita or The Life of Buddha by Aevaghosa

The Buddha-Carita, or The Life of Buddha by Aevaghosa edited and translated by Edward B. Cowell is the original biography of the Buddha. The text is translated directly from sanskrift scriptures written in the fifth century. From the translators foreword: The Buddha-carita was translated into Chinese by Dharmarakùa in the fifth century, and a translation of this was [...]

G. Gurdjieff’s Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man

The Institute for the Harmonious Development of Man by the G. I. Gurdjieff system is practically the continuation of the Society that went under the name of the “Seekers after Truth.” This Society was founded in 1895 by a group of various specialists, including doctors, archaeologists, priests, painters, etc., whose aim was to study supernatural phenomena. During the existence of [...]

Teachings from Tibet by Dalai Lama other Tibetan Lamas

In the 1970s and ‘80s most of the great lamas left Tibet, but were still alive and teaching, mainly in India. Many of the teachings in this book were given at Tushita Mahayana Meditation Center, New Delhi, by lamas in exile. Two of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s teachings are also present in this book, the chapters Seeking [...]

How to Practice the Buddhadharma – A Lamp Illuminating the Path to Liberation

How to Practice the Buddhadharma with the subtitle: A Lamp Illuminating the Path to Liberation by Sera Je Lharam Geshe Tsulga is a practical explanation of how to put the Buddha’s teachings into practice, with emphasis on the early stages of the path, guru devotion and the importance of dharma in light of reincarnation. The book gives excellent and throughout instructions [...]

Seven Points for Developing a Good Heart by Kadampa Geshe Chekawa Yeshe Dorje (1101-1175)

Seven Points for Developing a Good Heart with the subtitle Advices for Training Oneself in the Greater Way is a root text written down by the Tibetan master Kadampa Geshe Chekawa Yeshe Dorje (1101 – 1175). He was also the the author of the celebrated root text, Training the Mind in Seven Points. The following version [...]

Two new translations of parts of Songs of Milarepa

Here are two new free translations of parts of Songs of Milarepa from the Tibetan Padma Karpo Translation Commitee. The first is A Song of Milarepa – Milarepa and the Geshe In Drin, a song about the approach of the Kadampa geshe who is stuck at the level of words and the approach of the yogi [...]

Unending Auspiciousness – The Sutra of the Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels

I just received a mail from  The Tibetan Padma Karpo Translation Committee announcing the publishing of a major translation. The Sutra of the Recollection of the Noble Three Jewels is compilation of the Buddha’s teachings called “the recollections”. The recollections are widely used throughout all Buddhist traditions as a way of remembering the Three Jewels and deepening faith [...]

SELECTIONS FROM THE BONPO BOOK OF THE DEAD Collected and translated by John Myrdhin Reynolds

Selections form the Bonpo Book of the Dead. The selected translations from the Bonpo tradition of Dzogchen presented here are parts of the translating of all the relevant Tibetan texts from the Zhang -zhung Nyan-gyud collection. From the translators foreword: “In these commentaries which I provide to the translations, I elaborate upon the view of Dzogchen in [...]

Mirror of Wisdom – Teachings on Emptiness – by Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen

Mirror of Wisdom with the subtitle ‘Teachings on Emptiness’ is Geshe Tsultim Gyeltsen commentaries on the emptiness section of ‘Mind Training Like the Rays of the Sun’ and ‘The Heart Sutra’. The subject of emptiness is very profound. Here, Geshe-la gives us clear and extensive instructions on the topic so that we may come to understand [...]

The Gelug-Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra by Dalai Lama and Alexander Berzin

The Gelug-Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra by Dalai Lama and Alexander Berzin presents contains two brilliant commentaries by the Dalai Lama. Berzin’s overview of mahamudra discusses the relation of mind, appearances and reality and offers practical techniques for overcoming problems due to excessive worry, anxiety and disturbing thought. This treasury of practical instruction contains extensive teachings on [...]