Foreword by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama xi
Foreword by His Holiness the Seventeenth Gyalwa Karmapa xiii
Editor's Preface xv

PART 1: SURVEYING THE PATH 1

1. The Nature of the Path 3
Buddhism: The Science of Mind 5
Preparing for the Journey 7
The Stages of Mahamudra and Dzogchen 10
Entering the Path 16

PART 2: THE MAHAMUDRA JOURNEY 19

2. Mahamudra: The Great Seal 21
The Glacier Mountain 23
Mahamudra Lineage History 28
Three Classifications of Mahamudra 30
Perspectives on the Mahamudra Journey 35

3. The Path That Brings Experience 39
The Four Common Preliminaries: The Four Reminders 40
The Four Uncommon Preliminaries 46
The Four Special Preliminaries 47

4. Ground Mahamudra: The Groundless Ground 48
Two Aspects of Ground: Emptiness and Ego 49
Breaking through Obstacles to Enlightenment 70
Generating Perfect Mind 71
The Inseparability of Samsara and Nirvana 75

5. The Path of Instructions: Mahamudra Shamatha 80
Mahamudra Pointing-Out Instructions 81
Three Stages of Resting 86
Three Methods of Resting 88
General Techniques of Shamatha Meditation 94
Nine Stages of Resting the Mind 100

6. The Path of Instructions: Mahamudra Vipashyana 111
Vipashyana Pointing Out 111
Coemergent Mind: The Dharmakaya 113
Coemergent Thought: The Display of Dharmakaya 113
Coemergent Appearance: The Light of Dharmakaya 116
Working with the Pointing-Out Instructions 117

7. The Path to Enlightenment: The Four Yogas of Mahamudra 128
One-Pointedness 128
Nonfabrication 129
One Taste 130
Nonmeditation 131

8. Fruition Mahamudra: The Three Kayas 134
Transcending Reference Points 135
The Wisdom of the Buddha 135
The Three Kayas in Everyday Life 140

9. Mantra Mahamudra 142
Names of the Secret Mantrayana 143
Shunyata and Sacred Outlook 146
Qualities and Marks of the Mantrayana Path 147
The Three Vajras 152
The Teacher-Student Relationship 154

10. Essence Mahamudra: The Mind of Nowness 159
Wild Awakening 159
The Ground of Essence Mahamudra 161
The Path: Mahamudra Shamatha and Vipashyana 163
The Fruition: The Stainless Trikaya 169

PART 3: THE DZOGCHEN JOURNEY 175

11. Dzogchen: The Nine-Yana Journey 177
The Great Exhaustion 178
The Lineage of Dzogchen 180
Not Losing the Way 182
The Nine Stages of the Path 183

12. The Shravakayana and the Pratyekabuddhayana 186
The Shravakayana: Vehicle of the Hearers 186
The Three Stages of Meditation 188
The Four Noble Truths 193
Pratimoksha: Individual Salvation 199
The Pratyekabuddhayana: Vehicle of the Solitary Realizers 200
The Hinayana Journey 203

13. The Bodhisattvayana 205
The Greater Vehicle 205
The Fence of "Mine" 207
Nurturing the Seed of Enlightenment 208
Relative and Ultimate Bodhichitta 209
The Six Paramitas 214
The Bodhisattva 217
The Two Main Streams of the Mahayana Lineage 223
The Emotions: Friends and Enemies 226
The Chittamatra and Madhyamaka Schools 228
The Ground of the Two Truths 231

14. Entering the Vajrayana 237
Taking Risks 237
Entering the Royal Banquet 238
View and Meditation 240
The Vehicle of Austerity and Awareness 240

15. The Final Breakthrough 247
The Vehicle of Overpowering Means 247
The Guru in the Dzogchen Lineage 248
Maha Yoga 248
Anu Yoga 248
Ati Yoga 251
Waking Up 255

Notes 257
Glossary 261
Nalandabodhi Centers 277
Editors' Acknowledgments 283
Illustration Credits 286
Index 287
About the Author 302