Sangye Khandro

Sangye Khandro

Sangye Khandro is an American woman who studied Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language with Tibetan masters in India and Nepal. She has studied and translated many important Tibetan Buddhist texts. She is a cofounder of Light of Berotsana, a nonprofit organization for translators of Tibetan texts.

Sangye Khandro

Sangye Khandro is an American woman who studied Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan language with Tibetan masters in India and Nepal. She has studied and translated many important Tibetan Buddhist texts. She is a cofounder of Light of Berotsana, a nonprofit organization for translators of Tibetan texts.

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GUIDES

Jigme Lingpa: A Guide to His Works

See Also: Some Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul
Guides to Other Important Nyingma Figures: RongzompaLongchenpa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche | Mipham Rinpoche | Gesar

It is hard to overstate the importance of Jigme Lingpa to the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.  This itinerant yogi, along with Rongzom Mahapandita, Longchenpa, and-later-Mipham Rinpoche, are like four pillars of the tradition.

He is considered the incarnation of both the great master Vimalamitra and the Dharma king Trisong Detsen. After becoming a monk, he had a vision of Mañjuśrīmitra which caused him to change his monks robes for the white shawl and long hair of a yogi. In his late twenties, he began a long retreat during which he experienced visions and discovered termas. A subsequent retreat a few years later was the container for multiple visions of Longchenpa, the result of which was the Longchen Nyingthig tradition of terma texts, sadhanas, prayers, and instructions.

Latest Release

copper colored mountainThe Copper-Colored Mountain: Jigme Lingpa on Rebirth in Padmasambhava’s Pure Land

Translated and commentary by Georgios T. Halkias and Christina Partsalaki

The Copper-Colored Mountain is the pure land of Padmasambhava, the Indian master who brought Buddhism to Tibet. One way in which Buddhist practitioners may be reborn in this pure land is by making aspiration prayers. This work includes a translation of one of the most famous of these aspiration prayers, composed by Jigme Lingpa, and the authors’ verse-by-verse analysis of it. Drawing on both traditional commentaries and contemporary scholarly texts, the authors show how Jigme Lingpa encodes many features of Tibetan Buddhist tantric practice in these verses, and thus they provide a feast of meaning for tantric practitioners.

tulku thonduop

Tulku Thondup Rinpoche

An Overview

What many consider the best source for understanding Jigme Lingpa's relevance, and his milieu is Tulku Thondup Rinpoche's Masters of Meditation and Miracles: Lives of the Great Buddhist Masters of India and TibetWhile the biographical coverage of him only comprises about 18 pages, this work provides the clearest scope of the overall world of Jigme Lingpa, his line of incarnations, and the tradition and branches of teachings that stem from him.  Here is Tulku Thondup Rinpoche's account of his revelation of the Longchen Nyingtik.

Masters of Meditation and Miracles

$34.95 - Paperback

By: Tulku Thondup

"At twenty-eight, he discovered the extraordinary revelation of the Longchen Nyingthig cycle, the teachings of the Dharmakāya and Guru Rinpoche, as mind ter. In the evening of the twenty-fifth day of the tenth month of the Fire Ox year of the thirteenth Rabjung cycle (1757), he went to bed with an unbearable devotion to Guru Rinpoche in his heart; a stream of tears of sadness continuously wet his face because he was not in Guru Rinpoche's presence, and unceasing words of prayers kept singing in his breath.

He remained in the depth of that meditative experience of clear luminosity ('od gsal gyi snang ba) for a long time. While being absorbed in that luminous clarity, he  experienced flying a long distance through the sky while riding on a white lion. He finally reached a circular path, which he thought to be the circumambulation path of Charung Khashor, now known as Bodhnath Stūpa, an important Buddhist monument of giant structure in Nepal.

In the eastern courtyard of the stūpa, he saw the Dharmakāya appearing in the form of a wisdom ḍākinī. She entrusted him with a beautiful wooden casket, saying:

For the disciples with pure mind,
You are Trisong Detsen.
For the disciples with impure mind,
You are Senge Repa.
This is Samantabhadra's mind treasure,
The symbolic scripts of Rigdzin Padma[sambhava], and
The great secret treasures of the ḍākinīs. Signs are over!

jigme lingpaThe ḍākinī vanished. With an experience of great joy, he opened the casket. In it he found five rolls of yellow scrolls with seven crystal beads. At first, the script was illegible, but then it turned into Tibetan script. One of the rolls was the Dug-ngal Rangtrol, the Sadhana of Avalokiteshvara, and another was Nechang Thukkyi Drombu, the prophetic guide of Longchen Nyingthig. Rahula, one of the protectors of the teachings, appeared before him to pay respect. As he was encouraged by another ḍākinī, Jigme Lingpa swallowed all the yellow scrolls and the crystal beads. Instantly, he had the amazing experience that all the words of the Longchen Nyingthig cycle with their meanings had been awakened in his mind as if they were imprinted there. Even after coming out of that meditative experience, he remained in the realization of intrinsic awareness,
the great union of bliss and emptiness.

Thus, the Longchen Nyingthig teachings and realization, which were entrusted and concealed in him by Guru Rinpoche many centuries earlier, were awakened, and he became a tertön, the discoverer of the Longchen Nyingthig cycle of teachings."

The Works of Jigme Lingpa

The Lam Rim

The Treasury of Precious Qualities, in two volumes in English, is a lamrim (stages of the path) text that goes from the foundations of Buddhism all the way through Dzogchen.

Volume One covers the basics of the sūtra teachings, but in such vivid and moving detail, it stands alone in its power to move the mind.  Topics include: the value of human existence; impermanence of the outer world and living beings; the paths depending on beings' capacities; karma; the sufferings of samsara; the four wheels of practice; refuge; the four boundless attitudes; bodhichitta; and the pāramitās.

Volume Two covers the Vajrayāna approach; the tantric teachings of the vidyādharas; the ground of Dzogchen; the path of the practice of Dzogchen; and the result—the kāyas and wisdoms.

These two volumes received the Shantarakshita Award for Excellence in Translation.

Mind Training

Steps to the Great Perfection: The Mind-Training Tradition of the Dzogchen Masters is a compilation of teachings on the seven contemplations, an ancient system of mind-training (lojong) teachings that has been preserved as part of a rare set of instructions on Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection. This book is a unique take on the practice because, although the lojong teachings of the Kadam tradition are well known, this is the first time the mind-training teachings from the Dzogchen tradition have been presented in an English translation. Most Western scholars and practitioners are unaware that such mind-training techniques even exist in Dzogchen. The contemplations themselves are vividly described, and some unfold as dramatic stories in which the meditator imagines himself or herself as the main character. Thus, they are quite accessible for beginning practitioners.

Steps to the Great Perfection

$24.95 - Paperback

By: Cortland Dahl & Jigme Lingpa

Ngöndro: The Foundational Practices

Perhaps the most famous aspect of Jigme Lingpa's Longchen Nyingtik is the ngöndro or foundational practices that all practitioners complete before going on to more specialized practices.  It is this text that is the basis for works such as Patrul Rinpoche's Words of My Perfect Teacher, and the Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher.

Cortland Dahl compiled and translated a set of works on these practices, Entrance to the Great Perfection: A Guide to the Dzogchen Preliminary Practices, and this includes two works by Jigme Lingpa.

The first is Instructions on the Common Great Perfection Preliminaries of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse.  This covers the four thoughts (the freedoms and advantages we have, impermanence, the shortcomings of samsara, and karma) and the benefits of liberation and serving a spiritual teacher.

The second is Instructions on the Unique Great Perfection Preliminaries of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse.  This includes the practices of refuge, generating bodhichitta, mandala offerings, purification practice through Vajrasattva, and guru yoga.

Guru Rinpoche

On the specific subject of guru yoga, part of Jigme Lingpa's cycle of Longchen Nyingtik includes an outer  guru yoga practice entitled Wish Fulfilling Jewel.  Commentaries on this by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche are available as Guru Yoga and in slightly longer form as Wish-Fulfilling Jewel: The Practice of Guru Yoga according to the Longchen Nyingthig Tradition (the latter is also included in the third volume of his Collected Works.)

Tantra and Dzogchen

Deity, Mantra, and Wisdom: Development Stage Meditation in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra, includes Jigme Lingpa's Ladder to Akaniṣṭha: Instructions on the Development Stage and Deity Yoga.  [Note, the paperback edition releases February, 2020]. As translators Cortland Dahl and Andreas Doctor describe,

"Jigme Lingpa provides an overview of the theory and practice of the development stage, balancing philosophical inquiry with instructions on the more practical aspects of tantric meditation. The first section of the text presents the theoretical framework for development stage practice. . . .

As the basis for his presentation, Jigme Lingpa draws primarily from the Mahāyoga tantras and the commentarial literature of this tradition. Not surprisingly, his discussions often center on the Tantra of the Secret Essence, the most influential Mahāyoga scripture. He also gives considerable attention to less well-known texts, however, such as the Tantra of the Perfect Secret and the Heruka Galpo Tantra. In terms of philosophical interpretation, his views often mirror those of Longchenpa (kLong chen pa, 1308–1364), whom he met face-to-face in a series of three transformative visions and whose writings deeply influenced his own.

. . . Jigme Lingpa discusses the links between the various elements found in development stage meditation, the aspects of saṃsāra they are meant to purify, and the result that ensues once the practice has been perfected. In the second section, the focus is on practice. Here, Jigme Lingpa outlines the stages of meditation, offering practical advice on how to identify and surmount obstacles and progress in practice. The text concludes with a presentation of the fruition of development stage practice. In this section, Jigme Lingpa frames his discussion around the levels of realization and the various aspects of the enlightened state. . . .

In characteristic style, Jigme Lingpa does not shy away from difficult points and controversial topics when discussing the development stage. His tendency to tackle difficult issues head-on does not always make for easy reading, but it does offer the reader an insight into the depth and subtlety of tantric theory and the difficult issues that have occupied someof the great saints and scholars of the Vajrayāna tradition. For this reason, Ladder to Akaniṣṭha is valuable not only as a manual on the theory and practice of the development stage, but also as an introduction to the complex tantric philosophy of the Tantra of the Secret Essence and the Mahāyoga tradition as a whole."

Here is Andreas Doctor, one of the translators, discussing the book:

In Red Tara: The Female Buddha of Power and Magnetism, scholar Rachel Stevens devotes five pages to Jigme Lingpa's tradition of the Twenty-One Taras, received through the lineage of Rongzompa. She discusses the history and specific iconography of this Longchen Nyingtik tradition.

Red Tara

$29.95 - Paperback

By: Rachael Stevens

Nyoshul KhenpoThe Fearless Lion's Roar: Profound Instructions on Dzogchen, the Great Perfection by Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche includes his commentary on Jigme Lingpa’s The Lion’s Roar That Vanquishes the Diversions and Errors of Hermits Who Meditate upon the Heart Essence which is translated here in full. 

Both the above work and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche's third volume of his Collected Works (and the ebook-short entitled Pith Instructions) includes A Wondrous Ocean of Advice for the Practice of Those in Retreat in Solitude along with the respective commentaries by each.

The Pocket Chogyam TrungpaChögyam Trungpa Rinpoche includes a translation of the Lion's Roar in his short book Mudra: Early Poems and Songs.

Mudra

$16.95 - Paperback

By: Chogyam Trungpa

His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tibetan BuddhismHis Holiness the Dalai Lama brings up Jigme Lingpa throughout his Dzogchen: Heart Essence of the Great Perfection.  A new edition is out in April, 2020.

Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse is a collection of translations by Anne Carolyn Klein of Jigme Lingpa, Adzom Paylo, Mipham Rinpoche, and Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche.  This will include access to audio of chants that act as supports to the practices of the Longchen Nyingtik in both English (with Professor Klein and her sangha) and Tibetan by the incredibly voiced Jetsun Kacho Wangmo.  Here is one of the tracks of her chanting Calling the Lama from Afar.

One of the most important practice cycles from Jigme Lingpa's Longchen Nyingtik is the "Rigdzin Düpa", or "Gathering of Vidyādharas".  This sadhana, the main inner Guru sadhana, includes of ritual and meditation manuals which bring together tantra and Dzogchen.  The book Gathering of the Vidyadharas: Text and Commentaries on the Rigdzin Düpa, includes three works by Jigme Lingpa: a prayer invoking his incarnations, The Casket of Siddhis which is a recitation manual, and The Crucial Points of Visualization for the long-life practice.  Other contributors to this work include Patrul Rinpoche, Khenpo Chemchok, Khangsar Tenpé Wangchuk, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, and Jamgon Kongtrul.

Jigme Lingpa's Yeshe Lama [a new revised and updated edition will be available in April, 2020] is the most important practice manual on the Great Perfection teachings of the Nyingma tradition. Jigme Lingpa stated, "Realization of the pure awareness that transcends the mind is the specialty of the Great Perfection." Beginning with the preliminary prerequisites, the entire Great Perfection path is spelled out clearly and succinctly in this work, which is meant to be studied and practiced by qualified practitioners who are committed to completing the prerequisites before entering the path of Dzogchen.


Note that even to open this book, one must have received empowerment and have been introduced to the nature of the mind by a qualified master. The teachings and practices taught in 
Yeshe Lama encompass the innermost cycle of upadesha teachings and clearly define the Dzogchen practices of trekchö, cutting through to original purity, and tögal, crossing over with spontaneous presence. These are the swift practices that can lead to the attainment of the rainbow body and the complete attainment of buddhahood, and this is the same path that has been followed by many of the great spiritual adepts of India and Tibet. Consequently, if one studies and trains in the Yeshe Lama correctly and with deepest respect and diligence, the possibility of enlightenment within one lifetime is within reach.

Note that this is a restricted text, and here is the translator of it, Sangye Khandro, explaining why:

Yeshe Lama

$85.00 - Hardcover

By: Lama Chonam & Jigme Lingpa & Sangye Khandro

Yeshe Lama

$59.95 - Paperback

By: Lama Chonam & Jigme Lingpa & Sangye Khandro

Chöd

While not by Jigme Lingpa, Anam Thubten's Into the Haunted Ground: A Guide to Cutting the Root of Suffering discusses and features Jigme Lingpa's Chöd.  Part 2 moves chapter by chapter through the sections of The Dakini’s Laughter Chöd sadhana by Jigme Lingpa: refuge, bodhicitta, mandala, guru yoga, feast practice, and dedication. Even though the sections are part of a particular liturgy of a formal practice, his teachings are not exclusive to it but rather present the sadhana’s profound principles as life lessons.

Into the Haunted Ground

$19.95 - Paperback

By: Anam Thubten

Additional Resources

A new biography is forthcoming in Shambhala Publications' Lives of the Masters series by Kurtis Schaffer.  Here he is discussing why he chose Jigme Lingpa as his subject.

Another excellent source for shorter translations of Jigme Lingpa's work is the priceless Lotsawa House section on Jigme Lingpa.

And for a more academic take, Janet Gyatso takes a look at Jigme Lingpa's secret autobiography in her Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary

Finally,  Sam van Schaik has made some very interesting contributions on Jigme Lingpa including an article on Jigme Lingpa's thob yig, "a genre of writing in which the author establishes the lineage for each of the texts for which he holds transmission" as well as a scholarly analysis of his collected works.

...
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Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche: A Reader's Guide

Related Reader's Guides

Guides to Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul
Guides to Other Important Nyingma Figures: RongzompaLongchenpa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche

Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912)

Mipham Rinpoche is a celebrated Nyingma scholar and practitioner. He is revered for being a prolific writer and for reinvigorating the Nyingma monastic university tradition with his commentaries on central Indian Buddhist texts including the Five Treaties of Maitreya, Chandrakirti's Introduction to the Middle Way, Shantarakshita's Adornment of the Middle Way, and his commentary on Shantideva's Wisdom Chapter. In addition, he is well known for his lengthly composition, The Epic of Gesar of Ling, which arose out of Tibet's oral tradition and is said to be equivalent to the Greek Iliad or the Odyssey. Lama Mipham was a student of the famed Nyingma master, Patrul Rinpoche, and was the principle teacher of Shechen Gyaltsap Rinpoche who went on to teach beloved teachers such as Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö.

Powerful in his striving and discernment,

A yogi [kusalī] of great learning and experience,

Who labored long in search of the deep meaning:

My great confederate, master Mipham...

-words of Lozang Rabsel from Lion of Speech: The Life of Mipham Rinpoche

Books On The Life of Mipham Rinpoche

$27.95 - Hardcover

Lion of Speech
The Life of Mipham Rinpoche
By Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

Jamgön Mipham (1846–1912) is one of the great luminaries of Tibetan Buddhism in modern times. He has had a dominant and vitalizing influence on the Nyingma school in particular and, despite spending most of his life in retreat, is one of Tibet’s most prolific authors.

The first half of this volume comprises the first-ever English translation of the biography of Mipham Rinpoche written by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche.

In keeping with the identification of Mipham as an emanation of Manjushri, the lion of speech, the second half comprises a selection of Mipham’s writings, designed to give the reader an experience of Mipham’s eloquent speech and incisive thought. It includes both a new translation of The Lion’s Roar: A Comprehensive Discourse on the Buddha-Nature and A Lamp to Dispel the Dark, a teaching of the Great Perfection, as well as excerpts from previously published translations of his works on Madhyamaka and tantra.

$34.95 - Paperback

Jamgon Mipham
His Life and Teachings
By Douglas Duckworth with select translations of Mipham Rinpoche's work

Jamgön Mipam (1846–1912) is one of the most extraordinary figures in the history of Tibet. Monk, mystic, and brilliant philosopher, he shaped the trajectory of Tibetan Buddhism’s Nyingma school. This introduction provides a most concise entrée to this great luminary’s life and work. The first section gives a general context for understanding this remarkable individual who, though he spent the greater part of his life in solitary retreat, became one of the greatest scholars of his age. Part Two gives an overview of Mipam’s interpretation of Buddhism, examining his major themes, and devoting particular attention to his articulation of the Buddhist conception of emptiness. Part Three presents a representative sampling of Mipam’s writings.

Prominent Shedra (Monastic University) Texts with Commentary By Mipham Rinpoche

Texts from the Madhyamaka Tradition

Madhyamaka, or the Middle Way, is founded on the idea that all phenomena are empty of an inherent, unchanging, and permanent ‘nature.’ Nagarjuna, believed to be the first proponent of Madhyamaka, identified two aspects of truth: the relative, being the functional aspect of the phenomenal world, and the ultimate, which is beyond conventions and mental elaboration.

$32.95 - Paperback

Introduction to the Middle Way
Chandrakirti's Madhyamakavatara with Commentary by Ju Mipham
By Mipham; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

Introduction to the Middle Way presents an adventure into the heart of Buddhist wisdom through the Madhyamika, or "middle way," teachings, which are designed to take the ordinary intellect to the limit of its powers and then show that there is more.

This book includes a verse translation of the Madhyamakavatara by the renowned seventh-century Indian master Chandrakirti, an extremely influential text of Mahayana Buddhism, followed by an exhaustive logical explanation of its meaning by the modern Tibetan master Jamgön Mipham, composed approximately twelve centuries later. Chandrakirti's work is an introduction to the Madhyamika teachings of Nagarjuna, which are themselves a systematization of the Prajnaparamita, or "Perfection of Wisdom" literature, the sutras on the crucial but elusive concept of emptiness.

$39.95 - Paperback

The Adornment of the Middle Way
Shantarakshita's Madhyamakalankara with Commentary by Jamgon Mipham
By Mipham; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

In the Madhyamakalankara, Shantarakshita synthesized the views of Madhyamaka and Yogachara, the two great streams of Mahayana Buddhism. This was the last great philosophical development of Buddhist India.

In his brilliant and searching commentary, Mipham re-presented Shantarakshita to a world that had largely forgotten him, defending his position and showing how it should be understood in relation to the teaching of Chandrakirti. To do this, he subtly reassessed the Svatantrika-Prasangika distinction, thereby clarifying and rehabilitating Yogachara-Madhyamaka as a bridge whereby the highest philosophical view on the sutra level flows naturally into the view of tantra. Mipham’s commentary has with reason been described as one of the most profound examinations of Madhyamaka ever written.

$29.95 - Paperback

$39.95 - Hardcover

The Wisdom Chapter
Jamgön Mipham's Commentary on the Ninth Chapter of The Way of the Bodhisattva
By Mipham; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

Shāntideva’s guide to the training of a Bodhisattva is one of the most important and beloved texts in the Tibetan tradition. The ninth chapter, however, dealing with Madhyamaka, the Middle Way, the most profound wisdom view of Mahayana Buddhism, has always posed unique challenges to readers. This commentary by the great scholar Mipham Rinpoche presents in quite straightforward terms Shantideva’s exposition of emptiness, the essential foundation of all Buddhist doctrine, demonstrating that it is not only compatible with, but in fact crucial to, the correct understanding of other important Buddhist teachings such as karma, rebirth, and the practice of compassion. Mipham interprets Shāntideva according to the view of the Nyingma school, which in some respects was at variance with the religiously and politically dominant interpretation of the text in Tibet at that time. As a result, his commentary stirred up a furious debate. With the addition of a critique of Mipham Rinpoche’s view by a prominent scholar of the time, along with Mipham’s response, that debate is beautifully captured in this volume.

Mipham's Commentaries on the Five Treatises of Maitreya

These works are part of a collection known as the Five Maitreya Teachings, a set of philosophical works that have become classics of the Indian Buddhist tradition. Maitreya, the Buddha’s regent, is held to have entrusted these profound and vast instructions to the master Asaṅga in the heavenly realm of Tuṣita.

$22.95 - Paperback

Middle Beyond Extremes
Maitreya's Madhyantavibhaga with Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham
By Mipham and Khenpo Shenga; translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee

Middle Beyond Extremes contains a translation of the Buddhist masterpiece Distinguishing the Middle from Extremes. This famed text, often referred to by its Sanskrit title, Madhyantavibhaga, is part of a collection known as the Five Maitreya Teachings. Maitreya is held to have entrusted these profound and vast instructions to the master Asanga in the heavenly realm of Tusita.

Distinguishing the Middle from Extremes employs the principle of the three natures to explain the way things seem to be as well as the way they actually are. It is presented here alongside commentaries by two outstanding masters of Tibet’s nonsectarian Rimé movement, Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham.

Distinguishing Phenomena from Their Intrinsic Nature PB

$18.95 - Paperback

Distinguishing Phenomena from Their Intrinsic Nature
Maitreya's Dharmadharmatavibhanga with Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham
By Mipham and Khenpo Shenga; translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee

The Buddhist masterpiece Distinguishing Phenomena from Their Intrinsic Nature, often referred to by its Sanskrit title, Dharmadharmatāvibhanga, is part of a collection known as the Five Maitreya Teachings, a set of philosophical works that have become classics of the Indian Buddhist tradition. Maitreya, the Buddha's regent, is held to have entrusted these profound and vast instructions to the master Asanga in the heavenly realm of Tusita. By divesting the mind of confusion, the treatise explains, we see things as they actually are. This insight allows for the natural unfolding of compassion and wisdom. This volume includes commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham, whose discussions illuminate the subtleties of the root text and provide valuable insight into the nature of reality and the process of awakening.

$69.95 - Hardcover

Ornament of the Great Vehicle Sutras
Maitreya's Mahayanasutralamkara with Commentaries by Khenpo Shenga and Ju Mipham
By Mipham and Khenpo Shenga; translated by Dharmachakra Translation Committee

The Buddhist masterpiece Ornament of the Great Vehicle Sūtras, often referred to by its Sanskrit title, Mahāyānasūtrālaṃkāra, is part of a collection known as the Five Maitreya Teachings, a set of philosophical works that have become classics of the Indian Buddhist tradition. Maitreya, the Buddha’s regent, is held to have entrusted these profound and vast instructions to the master Asaṅga in the heavenly realm of Tuṣita.

The Ornament provides a comprehensive description of the bodhisattva’s view, meditation, and enlightened activities. Bodhisattvas are beings who, out of vast love for all sentient beings, have dedicated themselves to the task of becoming fully awakened buddhas, capable of helping all beings in innumerable and vast ways to become enlightened themselves. To fully awaken requires practicing great generosity, patience, energy, discipline, concentration, and wisdom, and Maitreya’s text explains what these enlightened qualities are and how to develop them.

$24.95 - Paperback

Maitreya's Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being
By Mipham ; translated by Jim Scott

Distinguishing Phenomena and Pure Being was composed by Maitreya during the golden age of Indian Buddhism. Mipham's commentary supports Maitreya's text in a detailed analysis of how ordinary, confused consciousness can be transformed into wisdom. Easy-to-follow instructions guide the reader through the profound meditation that gradually brings about this transformation. This important and comprehensive work belongs on the bookshelf of any serious Buddhist practitioner—and indeed of anyone interested in realizing their full potential as a human being.

Listen to Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche teach on the Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras

Stephen Gethin from the Padmakara Translation Group discusses his translation of A Feast of the Nectar of the Supreme Vehicle, Mipham RInpoche's commentary on the Ornament of the Great Vehicle Sutras Mahayanasutralamkara.

$69.95 - Hardcover

A Feast of the Nectar of the Supreme Vehicle
An Explanation of the Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras
By Mipham; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

A monumental work and Indian Buddhist classic, the Ornament of the Mahāyāna Sūtras (Mahāyānasūtrālamkāra) is a precious resource for students wishing to study in-depth the philosophy and path of Mahāyāna Buddhism. This full translation and commentary outlines the importance of Mahāyāna, the centrality of bodhicitta or the mind of awakening, the path of becoming a bodhisattva, and how one can save beings from suffering through skillful means.

The Epic of Gesar of Ling

An interview with Sangye Khandro and Lama Chonam on the creation and relevance of this landmark translation of The Epic of Gesar.

The Epic of Gesar of Ling
Gesar's Magical Birth, Early Years, and Coronation as King
By Mipham Rinpoche; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

The epic of Gesar has been the national treasure of Tibet for almost a thousand years. An open canon of tales about a superhuman warrior-king, the epic is still a living oral tradition, included on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This book is a translation of the beginning portion of this enormous corpus that Mipham Rinpoche compiled.

Born in the pure lands the son of two wisdom deities, Gesar takes rebirth in the human realm in order to defeat the demon kings who had taken over the empires of Asia and to thus liberate the people from suffering. His jealous uncle Trothung proves to be the first major threat to this goal, but Gesar outwits him every time using magic. In the last chapters of the book, he and Trothung’s son face off in a high-tension horse race to decide who will win the throne of Ling and the hand of the coveted Princess Drugmo in marriage.

Gesar’s story is popularly read as an allegory, with Gesar representing the ideal of spiritual warriorship—that is, fearlessness in the face of obstacles on the path to enlightenment. Just as Gesar rides his flying steed, we too can ride the energy of our inherent dignity, confidence, and strength, subduing inner demons and claiming victory.

Hardcover | Ebook | Paperback

$49.95 - Paperback


$120.00 - Hardcover

Born in the pure lands the son of two wisdom deities, Gesar takes rebirth in the human realm in order to defeat the demon kings who had taken over the empires of Asia and to thus liberate the people from suffering. His jealous uncle Trothung proves to be the first major threat to this goal, but Gesar outwits him every time using magic. In the last chapters of the book, he and Trothung’s son face off in a high-tension horse race to decide who will win the throne of Ling and the hand of the coveted Princess Drugmo in marriage.

Book cover for The Taming of the Demons From the Epic of Gesar of Ling
 Ebook | Paperback

$39.95 - Paperback

This volume recounts stories of Gesar fending off demons and liberating his foes as an enlightened leader. While the first three volumes cover Gesar’s birth, youth, and rise to power, this volume recounts the martial victories and magical feats that made him a legendary figure in Tibet and beyond.

More Commentary By Mipham Rinpoche

A Garland of Views Audiobook
Read by Simon Callow

Garland of Views 3d Padmakara
 Ebook | Paperback

$22.95 - Hardcover

A Garland of Views
A Guide to View, Meditation, and Result in the Nine Vehicles
By Padmasambhava and Jamgon Mipham; translated by Padmakara Translation Group

A Garland of Views presents both a concise commentary by the eighth-century Indian Buddhist master Padmasambhava on a chapter from the Guhyagarbha Tantra on the different Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical views, including the Great Perfection (Dzogchen), and an explicative commentary on Padmasambhava’s text by the nineteenth-century scholar Jamgön 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.

More Books By Mipham Rinpoche

The Just King

$24.95 - Paperback

The Just King
The Tibetan Buddhist Classic on Leading an Ethical Life
By Mipham; translated by Jose Cabezon

Leadership. Power. Responsibility. From Sun Tzu to Plato to Machiavelli, sages east and west have advised kings and rulers on how to lead. Their motivations and techniques have varied, but one thing they have in common is that the relevance of their advice has reached far beyond the few individuals to whom they were originally addressing. Over the centuries, millions have read their works and continue to be inspired by their teachings.

The nineteenth-century Buddhist monk and luminary Jamgön Mipham’s letter to the king of Dergé, whose small kingdom straddled China and Tibet during a particularly turbulent period, is similar in the universality of its message. This work, however, is unique in that it stresses compassion, impartiality, self-control, and virtue as essential for long-lasting success—whether as a leader or an individual trying to live a meaningful life. Mipham’s historic contribution to ethics and governance, until now little studied outside of Buddhist circles, teaches us the importance of protecting life, implementing fair taxation, supporting environmental sustainability, aiding the poor, and safeguarding freedom of religion. Both present-day leaders and those they lead will find this classic work, finally available in English, profoundly illuminating on political, societal, and personal levels.

$24.95 - Paperback

Mo
Tibetan Divination System
By Mipham; translated by Jay Goldberg

The Tibetan divination system called "Mo" has been relied upon for centuries to give insight into the future turns of events, undertakings, and relationships. It is a clear and simple method involving two rolls of a die to reveal one of the thirty-six possible outcomes described in the text. This Mo, which obtains its power from Manjushri, was developed by the great master Jamgön Mipham from sacred texts expounded by the Buddha.

Dzogchen and Tantra

Dzogchen

Mipham Rinpoche's Beacon of Certainty, a very important text used by Nyingma monastic colleges, includes an in-depth treatment of Madhyamaka, tantra, and Dzogchen.

He also wrote a song expressing the view of Dzogchen which Thrangu Rinpoche uses to illustrate the unitty of the paprroaches of Dzogchen, Mahamudra and Madhyamaka in Harmony of Views: Three Songs by Ju Mipham, Changkya Rolpay Dorje, and Chögyam Trungpa.

Fundamental Mind , which also includes a sixteen-page biography of Mipham Rinpoche by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche, consists of the first volume of his trilogy called the Three Cycles of Fundamental Mind,  a Nyingma text on ultimate reality that emphasizes   the introduction of fundamental mind through a lama's instructions.

There are also a few selections contained in other books, including In Praise of Dharmadhatu by Nagarjuna with commentary by the Third Karmapa, Rangjung Dorje. This book contains a few selections by Mipham Rinpoche.   In the first, from his Exposition of the Madhyamakalamkara, he emphasizes the critical importance of directly connecting with the experience of Dzogchen by first gaining certainty in primordial purity-otherwise one ends up with a view that will get one nowhere.

In Straight from the Heart there is a short teaching which is a pith instruction on Mahamudra

In Dream Yoga and the Practice of Natural Light, Chapter 10 consists of a short Dzogchen text by Mipham Rinpoche on the nature of mind entitled The Quintessential Instructions of Mind: The Buddha No Farther Than One's Palm.

Tantra

Mipham Rinpoche's work on Tantra is also very extensive. His main work in English is his commentary on the Guhyagarbha Tantra, which is the essence of the eighteen Mahayoga tantras.   There are two translations of this: The Essence of Clear Light, which includes the Tibetan, and Luminous Essence.   For this text, it is really important that they be read by those who have received the initiation and have permission and guidance from a qualified teacher specifically for this text.   By all accounts, there is no point to read these without having completed the proper preparation.

In White Lotus: An Explanation of the Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Padmasambhava, he gives a detailed explanation of this foundational prayer, explaining to us how to understand it according to its many layers of meaning.

White Lotus

$18.95 - Paperback

Books With Selections by Mipham

Two other works include wonderful pieces by Mipham Rinpoche that we should mention. As mentioned above, he really reinvigorated the Nyingma tradition during a time when there were many critics who did not properly understand it. The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great: A Study of the Buddhist Lineages of Tibet includes a scathing eight-page rebuttal of critics of the Nyingma tantras.

A short but extremely moving prayer by Mipham Rinpoche in praise to Yeshe Tsogyal called The Longing Melody on Faith  is included in Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's masterpiece on ngondro, or the preliminary practices, A Cascading Waterfall of Nectar.

Mipham Rinpoche also wrote a short text on the Treasure tradition entitled The Gem that Clears the Waters: An Investigation of Treasure Revealers, in which he presents a funny, honest look at the terma tradition.   This is included in Tibetan Treasure Literature.

Mipham Rinpoche is central to the curriculum at the vast Buddhist community of Larung Gar, founded by His Holiness Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche.  It is therefore no surprise to find Mipham RInpoche's work throughout the 2021 release of Voices from Larung Gar: Shaping Tibetan Buddhism for the Twenty-First Century.  In particular, there is a translation of Mipham Rinpoche's Wangdu, Great Clouds of Blessings: The Prayer That Magnetizes All that Appears and All That Exists.   This is a practice that is credited for making Larung Gar the important center that it remains to this day.  Khenpo Sodargye provides a detailed explanation of this magnetizing practice over thirty pages, the benefits of which he describes as follows:

"By relying on the prayer, one gains, in the outer sense, the ability to benefit all living beings, while its inner effect offers one the ability to control discursive thoughts and thereby attain full control of the body and the mind."

Voices from Larung Gar

$24.95 - Paperback

By: Holly Gayley & Jamgon Mipham

In Ruby Rosary, Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche quotes Mipham Rinpoche at length - over eight pages, describing the life and impact of Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo (Rongzom Mahapandita).

"The teachings of the Early Translation school constituted the principal practice of the Great Rongzom. In particular, all the Secret Mantra teachings of the Early Translation school—the instructions given by Padmasambhava, Vimalamitra, Vairotsana, and others—were contained within and transmitted to Rongzompa. His main practice was the Nyingma teachings. He mastered the approach and accomplishment of Mātaraḥ, Yamarāja, and Vajrakīla, and with this power he subjugated all the gods and demons of the eight classes throughout Tibet, who offered him their life essence."

The Ruby Rosary

$39.95 - Hardcover

By: Thinley Norbu

Related Literature

On the Path to EnlightenmentThere are many other books where Mipham Rinpoche's work and influence is discussed.

Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre refers to his contributions to the Gesar epic, his book on how to prepare colors, ink, and gold for thangka painting, as well as his vast contributions to philosophical literature.

The recently released anthology by Matthieu Richard, On the Path to Enlightenment, has four short pieces by Mipham Rinpoche.

The Buddhist Psychology of Awakening (to be published in 2019 by Shambhala) also contains an evaluation of his contribution to the understanding of Abhidharma.

Mipham Rinpoche Today

In his remarkable book Incarnation, Tulku Thondop Rinpoche says:

This great scholar and adept said, at the time of his passing, "After this life, I will never take rebirth in this mundane world. I will remain only in pure lands. However, because of the power of aspirations, it is natural that the display of my tulkus as the Noble Ones will appear as long as samsara remains. " When people urged him to live longer, he said, "I certainly will not live. I will not take rebirth either. I am going to Shambhala in the North. "

But his legacy is very much with us today, directly through his teachings and the many masters who continue to pass them on in the East and West.

Your Mind is Your Teacher

In Brilliant Moon, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who was one of the most influential teachers of our generation, talks about Mipham Rinpoche throughout, with over 170 references to him.

It is no surprise that Mipham Rinpoche's teachings continue to appear in the written and oral teachings of many contemporary teachers.   As one example in many, Khenpo Garwang's recently released Your Mind Is Your Teacher is a detailed instruction on contemplative or analytical meditation based on Mipham Rinpoche's Wheel of Analytical Meditation.

We look forward to seeing more and more of Mipham Rinpoche's material to be published in English in the coming years.

Additional Resources

lotswa houseSelect translations from Mipham can be found under the 'Mipham Rinpoche Series' on Lotsawa House

BDRCAnd for Tibetan readers, TBRC/BDRC of course provides downloadable pdfs of Mipham Rinpoche's works in Tibetan

More can be found on Longchenpa's live on Treasury of Lives

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EVENTS

Sangye Khandro: The Art and Craft of Translating the Dharma

Saturday, April 27, 2024 from 10:00am-11:30am MDT |

Tara Mandala is honored to welcome a beloved teacher to our community and the wider Buddhist community in the West, Sangye Khandro, for a special dharma talk on the art and craft of translating the dharma. In this intimate session, Sangye Khandro will share reflections and stories from her over forty years of experiences as a translator and practitioner, giving us a glimpse into the often hidden and arduous work of bringing to the English speaking world the profound Tibetan teaching

Click here for more information about this event

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