Pema Wangyal

PEMA WANGYAL (b. 1945), the first son of Kangyur Rinpoche, is the main resident master of the three-year Nyingmapa retreats in Dordogne, France, director of the Association du Centre d’Etudes de Chanteloube, and founder of the Padmakara Translation Group. Under the guidance of Kyabje Kangyur Rinpoche, Kyabje Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche, and other great masters of Tibetan Buddhism, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche has studied extensively, his learning confirmed by years of intensive practice. At the request of Dharma groups and institutions around the world, Rinpoche has been active as a teacher since 1975, giving public talks, leading seminars, and providing individual guidance. Since 1980, Rinpoche has personally supervised the traditional three-year retreat of intensive study and practice in Dordogne, France. In 1999, he inaugurated a series of retreats in parallel with the three-year retreat, thus enabling Buddhist practitioners with family responsibilities to engage in serious and sustained practice.

Padmakara Translation Group

The Padmakara Translation Group, based in France, has a distinguished reputation for its translations of Tibetan texts and teachings. Its work has been published in several languages and is renowned for its clear and accurate literary style.

"In this precious work of pure intention, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche touches deeply the fundamental practices of Vajrayana Buddhism as expressed in the well-known concise text by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche, The Preliminary Practice of the New Treasure (Dudjom Tersar Ngöndro). Speaking from his own profound personal experience as well as the ancient timeless teachings, he explains how to enter the direct path to enlightenment, which is available to anyone open to the joyous diligence of meditation practice. I am absolutely confident that whoever reads, understands, and contemplates the lessons of this book will have everything needed to journey the entire path laid out by the buddhas; their heirs, the bodhisattvas; and the great masters of perfect awareness." —Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche, author of Our Pristine Mind

"[A] concise, motivating introduction to Tibetan Buddhist practices." —Publishers Weekly

"Impressively well-written, organized and thoroughly reader-friendly in presentation, Awakening Wisdom is exceptionally informative and highly recommended." —Midwest Book Review