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The Path Is the Goal: A Basic Handbook of Buddhist Meditation (1995) According to the Buddha, meditation is an essential element needed on the path to attaining basic sanity or enlightenment. The teachings given here on the outlook and technique of meditation provide the foundation that every practitioner needs to awaken as the Buddha did. Chögyam Trungpa teaches us to let go of the urge to make meditation serve our ambition; thus we can relax into openness. We are shown how the deliberate practice of mindfulness develops into awareness, and we discover the world of insight that awareness reveals. We learn of a subtle psychological stage set that we carry with us everywhere and unwittingly use to structure all our experience—and we find that meditation gradually carries us beyond this and beyond ego altogether to the experience of unconditioned freedomm
The fifty-nine provocative slogans presented here—each with a commentary by Trungpa Rinpoche—have been used by Tibetan Buddhists for eight centuries to help meditation students remember and focus on important principles and practices of mind training. They emphasize meeting the ordinary situations of life with intelligence and compassion under all circumstances. Glimpses of Abhidharma (1975) The Abhidharma is a collection of Buddhist scriptures that investigate the workings of the mind and the states of human consciousness. In this writing, Trungpa Rinpoche discusses the development of ego as it is explained in the Abhidharma.From the Buddhist perspective, the creation of ego is a neurotic process based on fundamental ignorance of our true situation. Trungpa Rinpoche shows how an examination of the formation of the ego provides us with an opportunity to develop real intelligence. He also presents the practice of meditation as the means that enables us to see our psychological situation clearly and directly. Glimpses of Abhidharma is a provocative interpretation of ego and psychology, presented in a highly personal and humanistic context. Glimpses of Shunyata (1993) In this work Trungpa Rinpoche gives a very earthy description of the ground, path, and fruition of shunyata, or emptiness, from a practitioner’s perspective. Based on a seminar given in April 1972 at Karme Choling, it includes lively discussion periods evoking the on-the-spot experience being described.Glimpses of Mahayana (2001) Based on the seminar “The Complete Teachings of Mahayana,” given at Karme Choling, March 29 through April 4, 1973, this book presents the mahayana path in an engaging and provocative style. The author describes it as being “about spirituality as a discipline and how we can exercise that discipline in day-to-day life.” Included among many topics is an in-depth look at buddha nature in all its aspects, the notion of embryonic enlightenment, and the discovery that we are heir to a deep and profound compassion that we can discover if we just “look!”Selected Writings “An Approach to Meditation” (1973), based on a talk at the 1971 conference of the Association for Humanistic Psychology, is among Trungpa Rinpoche’s clearest presentations of the ground of meditation, both theory and practice.“Taming the Horse, Riding the Mind” (1984) is based on “Educating Oneself without Ego,” a 1983 seminar given at Naropa Institute. “How to Meditate” (1979) is a brief, delightful talk to young people. “The Spiritual Battlefield” discusses the five skandhas, the building blocks of ego, and sem, lodrö, and rikpa, which are particular aspects of mind and intellect. “The Birth of Ego” (1980) deals with the five skandhas that make up ego, and how the confusion of neurosis can be transformed or conquered. “The Wheel of Life: Illusion’s Game” is the only published teaching in which Trungpa Rinpoche gives an in-depth description of the twelve nidanas. “Seven Characteristics of a Dharmic Person” (1979) reveals the qualities one can develop to lead a dharmic life. “Dharmas without Blame” (1973) and “Buddhadharma without Credentials” (1973) are two evocative pieces that proclaim a basic sanity that does not need reference points. They are also a scathing condemnation of spiritual materialism and what Trungpa Rinpoche refers to as “counterfeiting the teachings.” “Compassion” (1976) is one of the talks on mind training that was used as the basis for the book Training the Mind and Cultivating Loving-Kindness. “The Lion’s Roar” (1997) is about the workability of the emotions and of every situation we come across in life. “Aggression” (1998) talks about how a basic emotional stance, deep-seated anger and resentment, can prevent us from knowing ourselves and from identifying with the dharma. “Is Meditation Therapy?” (1989) makes it clear that there are important distinctions between the two disciplines. “Becoming a Full Human Being” (1985) argues for a definition of health based on buddha nature and suggests a therapeutic model in which spontaneity and humanness are extended to others, based on the natural human capacity for warmth and caring. “The Meeting of Buddhist and Western Psychology” (1983) talks about incorporating the Buddhist tradition of abhidharma into Western psychology. “Creating an Environment of Sanity” (1983) and “Intrinsic Health” (1979) stress the importance, in a therapeutic context, of an uplifted physical environment, as well as a psychological environment of openness and warmth. “From a Workshop on Psychotherapy” (1975) presents a dialogue with health professionals and therapists at the first session of Naropa. “Space Therapy and the Maitri Community” discusses the development of ego and neurosis in terms of the five skandhas and the five buddha families, and also gives some background on the development of the Maitri community, a therapeutic community for working with disturbed individuals. “Relating with Death” (1997) is a very immediate discussion of being with a dying person and how to be helpful to him or her. Five articles stem from Trungpa Rinpoche’s participation in the Christian-Buddhist Meditation conferences held at Naropa in the 1980s:
“Farming” (1972) is a delightful departure from Trungpa Rinpoche’s usual discussion of the Buddhist path. It turns out that spiritual farming is all about the Heart Sutra. “Work” (1972) talks about common attitudes encountered in working in the world and also addresses juicy subjects such as relating to money. “Sex” (1995) is a provocative, heartfelt, and practical look at love, passion, and communication. Four articles—“Hearty Discipline” (2000), “Transpersonal Cooperation at Naropa” (1975), “Sparks” (1975), and “Education for an Enlightened Society” (1993)—are about the philosophy and practice of education at Naropa, but more broadly they are about how we learn and teach in an environment of sanity and cooperation. |
