Tibetan Buddhism Guides
Sometimes the Only Thing to Do is Pray: An Excerpt from A Dakini’s Counsel
Sometimes The Only Thing to Do is Pray A Selection from Chapter 1 Excerpted from A Dakini's Counsel: Sera Khandro's Spiritual Advice and Dzogchen Instructions By Sera Khandro Translated by Christina Monson About This Title Sera Khandro Dewai Dorje was a modern Tibetan Buddhist teacher who single-pointedly pursued a life of Dharma while balancing family life and public [...]Heart Advice: Pronouncements Before Passing A Selection from Chapter 8 Excerpted from A Dakini's Counsel: Sera Khandro's Spiritual Advice and Dzogchen Instructions By Sera Khandro Translated by Christina Monson About This Title Sera Khandro Dewai Dorje was a modern Tibetan Buddhist teacher who single-pointedly pursued a life of Dharma while balancing family life and public teaching. This collection [...]
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Bodhisattva’s Jewel Garland: An Excerpt from Kadam, Part One
Bodhisattva's Jewel Garland: A Root Text of Mahāyāna Instruction from the Precious Kadam Scripture Excerpted from Kadam: Stages of the Path, Mind Training, and Esoteric Practice, Part One By Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye Translated by Artemus B. Engle About Kadam The third volume of this series covers the teachings and practices of the Kadam lineage. This tradition [...]
Women in Buddhism Throughout history women have played a vital role in the preservation and presentation of Buddhism. The Buddha himself expressed deep respect for his mother and as several contemporary Buddhist scholars have pointed out, women have played a significant role in helping to shape and preserve Buddhism. That is certainly true for Buddhism [...]
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Remembering Tulku Thondup Rinpoche (1939-2023) It is with the most profound sadness that we share that Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, one of the great lamas of our time, passed away on December 29th, 2023. This is also the anniversary of Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche with whom he had a profound connection. We are bereft. Tulku Rinpoche was [...]
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The Passing of Christina Monson Christina's Masterpiece Available May, 2024 Paperback | Ebook $26.95 - Paperback Add to Cart We are deeply saddened to share the news that Christina Monson—teacher, translator, and disciple of Chatral Rinpoche among others—passed away November 19, 2023. Christina's book, A Dakini's Counsel: Sera Khandro's Spiritual Advice and Dzogchen Instructions will [...]
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Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Learn More Reader Guides to some of the 10th & 11th century masters of Tibet See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries During this period, there was an influx [...]
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Masters of the 8th Century Learn More Reader Guides to some of the 8th century masters of Tibet See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Tibetan Masters of the Eighth Century The eighth century was an incredible flouring of the [...]
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The Indian Masters Learn More Reader Guides to the Indian masters especially Important to Tibetan Buddhism See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Indian Mahayana Masters from the 2nd-8th Centuries The Tibetan traditions all look back to India as the [...]
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Gampopa Learn More A Reader's Guide to Milarepa's disciple and the founder of the Dakpo Kagyu Gampopa: A Guide for Readers Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries The Kagyu Tradition | Karma Kagyu | Drikiung Kagyu | Drukpa Kagyu | Shangpa Kagyu [...]
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Marpa Learn More A Reader's Guide to the Great Lotsawa Marpa: A Guide for Readers Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries The Kagyu Tradition | Karma Kagyu | Drikiung Kagyu | Drukpa Kagyu | Shangpa Kagyu Tilopa | Naropa | Marpa | [...]
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Naropa Learn More Image from Seeing the Sacred in Samsara A Reader's Guide to the great Mahamudra master Naropa: A Guide for Readers Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries The Kagyu Tradition | Karma Kagyu | Drikiung Kagyu | Drukpa Kagyu | [...]
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Tilopa Learn More Image from Seeing the Sacred in Samsara A Reader's Guide to the great 11th century Indian Tantric master. Tilopa: A Guide for Readers Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries The Kagyu Tradition | Karma Kagyu | Drikiung Kagyu | [...]
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Rongzom Mahapandita Learn More A Reader's Guide to the 11th century pillar of the Nyingma tradition, Rongzom Chokyi Zangpo Rongzom Mahapandita: A Guide for Readers to the Great Rongzompa Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Nyingma | Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig [...]
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The Guhyagarbha Tantra: A Reader’s Guide to the Glorious Secret Essence
The Guhyagarbha Tantra Learn More A guide to the King of Tantras of the Nyingma Tradition Image from the cover of The Life and Visions of Yeshe Tsogyal See Also: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul ___________________ Guru Rinpoche | Mandarava | Rongzompa | Longchenpa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche | Sera [...]
Yeshe Tsogyal Learn More Kharchen Yeshe Tsogyal was a princess and queen of King Tritson Detsen until she became a disciple of Guru Rinpoche and achieved complete freedom Image from the cover of The Life and Visions of Yeshe Tsogyal See Also: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul ___________________ Guru Rinpoche | [...]
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Guru Rinpoche Learn More Guru Rinpoche Pamasambhava is one of the most important figures in Tibetan Buddhism, and is absolutely central in the practice of the Nyingma Tradition in particular. Some Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul Guides to Other Important Nyingma Figures: Rongzompa | Longchenpa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul [...]
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Rabjam Rinpoche in US September and October 2023: A Reader’s Guide
Rabjam Rinpoche in US September - October 2023 Rabjam Rinpoche will be offering teachings and empowerments in New York, Montana, and Colorado in September and October 2023. Below you will find reading recommendations to complement these special teachings and empowerments. New York September 30-October 4 Montana October 6-11 Colorado October 13-15, Lojong Teachings October 19: [...]
Tangtong Gyalpo: A Guide for Readers Tangtong Gyalpo (1361-1485 CE), or "The King of the Empty Plain," was a Buddhist mahasiddha, physician, blacksmith, architect, and civil engineer. He's also known by the names Chakzampa, the "Iron Bridge Builder," and Tsondru Zangpo, "Excellent Persistence." Many people believe he was an emanation of both Padmasambhava (known as [...]
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Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso: A Guide for Readers Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist teacher in the Kagyu tradition. Born to a nomad family in Ngangchen, Kham (the eastern region of Tibet), Khenpo Tsültrim began his training under Lama Zopa Tarchin at an early age. He later attended intensive retreats and continued his training [...]
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Buddhist Mindfulness: A Guide for Readers Buddha Statue at Mahabodhi (Bodh Gaya, India) Today the term "mindfulness" has become a buzzword heard everywhere from elementary schools to corporate offices to the military. Generally speaking, when we use the term in secular life, we're referring to the ability to purposefully place our attention on our present [...]
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Remembering Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche It is with great heartache that we share that Ven. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, a prominent teacher of the Karma Kagyu School, has passed at the age of 91 on June 4, 2023. We'd like to take a moment to appreciate this remarkable master and prolific author. We are happy to [...]
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The Works of B. Alan Wallace: A Guide for Readers B. Alan Wallace has authored, translated, edited, and contributed to more than forty books on Tibetan Buddhism, science, and culture. With fourteen years as a Buddhist monk, he earned a BA in physics and the philosophy of science and then a PhD in religious studies. [...]
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Remembering Rigdzin Shikpo We are sad to share the news that Rigdzin Shikpo (Michael Hookham) passed away on April 28th, 2023. A short bio of him is included in Recalling Chögyam Trungpa: "Rigdzin Shikpo, a qualified master of the Nyingma tradition, has studied and practiced Buddhism for over fifty years. Before meeting his main teacher, [...]
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Tara the Liberator: A Guide for Readers Ārya Tārā (Sanskrit), also known as Jetsun Drölma in Tibetan, or simply "Tārā" is a meditation deity and an important figure in Buddhist thought, history, and practice. While often described as a goddess or protectress, she is considered a liberator for her ability to remove obstacles, especially fear [...]
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A Reader's Guide to Madhyamaka A Reader's Guide to Madhyamaka (The Middle Way) Madhyamaka (Sanskrit) or Uma (Tibetan) is a system of Buddhist thought first articulated by the 2nd century Indian Buddhist master Nāgārjuna and elucidated further by subsequent Indian and Tibetan masters such as Chandrakirti, Shantideva, Aryadeva, Longchenpa, and Tsongkhapa, to name a few. The premise [...]
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Doha and Gur: Indian and Tibetan Songs of Realization Bhutanese painted thanka of Milarepa (1052-1135) from the late 19th-early 20th Century, Dhodeydrag Gonpa, Thimphu, Bhutan Doha and Gur Doha (Sanskrit) or Nam Gur (Tibetan, Gur for short), is often translated as "Songs of Realization." This form of poetry is often sung or recited spontaneously and is [...]
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Related Reader's Guides See Also: Dudjom Tersar Home Page | Rebirths of the Dudjom Lineage | The Nyingma School | Longchen Nyingtik | Namcho & Palyul | Associated Reader Guides: | Jigme Lingpa | Longchenpa | Mipham Rinpoche | Patrul Rinpoche | Shechen Gyaltsap Gyatrul Rinpoche Gyatrul Rinpoche from the cover of Meditation, Transformation, and Dream [...]
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A Guide to Tibetan Language Learning Programs The modern Tibetan language derives from the 7th-9th century Old Tibetan and is spoken by 6 million people in the world with over 200 dialects. Primarily spoken in the Tibetan Plateau, Nepal, India, and Bhutan, the Tibetan language is represented in a range of Buddhist culture, literature, philosophical [...]
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Related Reader's Guides Related Tibetan Lineages: Jonang | Shangpa Kagyu | Kagyu Guides to Other Important Tibetan Buddhist Figures: Jamgon Kongtrul | Longchenpa | Tsongkhapa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche Jetsün Taranatha, Kunga Nyingpo (1575-1634) Portrait of Taranatha, courtesy of the Jonang Foundation Jetsun Taranatha (1575-1634), also known as Kungpa Nyingpo, was a great [...]
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Tibetan Buddhism in 2022 Read More We published many books of interest from the Vajrayana traditions of Tibet, Bhutan, and the Indian Himalayas See our other Year in Review Guides: Theravada/Pali/Insight | Zen and Chan | Tibetan Buddhism Yoga | Personal Development | Kids Books Receive a 30% discount on these titles through January 2nd [...]
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Thinley Norbu Rinpoche: A Guide for Readers
The Small Golden Key: To the Treasure of the Various Essential Necessities of General and Extraordinary Buddhist Dharma On this short book, Rinpoche wrote, “The Small Golden Key , which I wrote in Honolulu, is predominantly very compact. In it, I hastily synthesized the essence of different Dharma ideas according to the three yanas.” Here Rinpoche […]
Rebirths of the Dudjom Lineage Learn More A visual guide to the primary rebirths of the Dudjom lineage as described in Thinley Norbu Rinpoche's The Ruby Rosary. The Dudjom lineage is one of the most important in the Nyingma tradition. A famous prayer written by Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje, is called the Pearl Necklace [...]
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See More: Lives of the Masters Series | Atisha | Tsongkhapa | Aryadeva | Jamgon Kongtrul | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche | Mipham Rinpoche The Life of the Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339 CE) Rangjung Dorje, the 3rd Karmapa, was the head of Karma Kagyu, a sub-school of the Kagyu tradition. Well known for his [...]
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The Treasury of Knowledge Learn More A guide to ten volumes of the Sheja Kun La Khyabpé Dzö, or Treasury of Knowledge, one of Jamgon Kongtrul's masterpieces covering the entire path of Vajrayana. Image: Tsadra Rinchen Drak, where Kongtrul spent many years in retreat Explore the Treasury of Knowledge Home Page of the Work Kalu [...]
Continue Reading >> The Treasury of Knowledge Learn More A guide to ten volumes of the Sheja Kun La Khyabpé Dzö, or Treasury of Knowledge, one of Jamgon Kongtrul's masterpieces covering the entire path of Vajrayana. Image: Tsadra Rinchen Drak, where Kongtrul spent many years in retreat Explore the Treasury of Knowledge > Home Page of the Work [...]
Continue Reading >> The Complete Nyingma Tradition Learn More In 1838, Choying Tobden Dorje, a Buddhist yogi-scholar of eastern Tibet, completed a multivolume masterwork that traces the entire path of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism from beginning to end. Explore the Complete Nyingma Tradition Home Page of The Complete Nyingma Tradition >The Books of The Complete Nyingma [...]
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The Complete Nyingma Tradition Learn More In 1838, Choying Tobden Dorje, a Buddhist yogi-scholar of eastern Tibet, completed a multivolume masterwork that traces the entire path of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism from beginning to end. Explore the Complete Nyingma Tradition Home Page of The Complete Nyingma Tradition The Books of The Complete Nyingma [...]
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The Complete Nyingma Tradition Learn More In 1838, Choying Tobden Dorje, a Buddhist yogi-scholar of eastern Tibet, completed a multivolume masterwork that traces the entire path of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism from beginning to end. Explore The Complete Nyingma Tradition Home Page of The Complete Nyingma Tradition The Books of The Complete Nyingma [...]
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The Complete Nyingma Tradition Learn More In 1838, Choying Tobden Dorje, a Buddhist yogi-scholar of eastern Tibet, completed a multivolume masterwork that traces the entire path of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism from beginning to end. Explore the Complete Nyingma Tradition >Home Page of The Complete Nyingma Tradition The Books of The Complete Nyingma [...]
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Artwork from Kuan Yin © Wen Hsu (Bala Kids, 2021) Losar Tashi Delek! Heartfelt wishes for an auspicious and happy Year of the Water Tiger This year, Tibetan New Year (Losar) falls on March 3, 2022. In accord with the qualities of the water tiger, may you embrace the spontaneous and enthusiastic dynamism of the tiger while cooling the heat [...]
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Se Also: The Dudjom Tersar Tradition | A Readers Guide to Dudjom Rinpoche, Jigdral Yeshe Dorje It is with unbearable sadness that we learned yesterday of the devastating news that His Holiness Dudjom Yangsi, Sangye Pema Shepa passed away at the age of 32 on February 13th of 14th*, 2022. This is a devastating loss [...]
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Kyabje Thupten Thrinle Palzang, the fourth Dodrubchen (Dodrupchen) Rinpoche passed away on January 25, 2022. An incalculable loss for the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism and for several of us here at Shambhala Publications who knew and loved Rinpoche. The fourth in a succession of masters whose name means "great siddha from the region of [...]
Continue Reading >> Some Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul Other Contemporary Nyingma Figures: Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche | Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse | Thinley Norbu | Phakchok Rinpoche | Khandro Rinpoche Tulku Thondup: A Guide to His Works Read our remembrance to Tulku Thondup Rinpoche who passed away on December 29, 2023. Tulku Thondup Rinpoche [...]
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Tibetan Buddhism in 2021 Read More We published many books of interest from the Vajrayana traditions of Tibet, Bhutan, and the Indian Himalayas See our other Year in Review Guides: Theravada/Pali/Insight | Chan, Zen, Mahayana | Tibetan Buddhism Receive a 30% discount on these titles through January 2nd using code 2021YE at checkout We are [...]
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Longchenpa A Guide to His Works Quite possibly the most revered and prolific Nyingma master of all time, Longchenpa was an extraordinary practitioner, scholar, and poet. Known for writing some of the greatest works on Dzogchen, The Great Perfection, today's Nyingma teachers continue to draw from his seemingly infinite well-spring of beautifully composed and profoundly [...]
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Shechen Gyaltsap See Our Reader's Guide Shechen Gyaltsap (1871-1926) was the disciple and heart-son of Mipham Rinpoche, one of the most prominent Nyingma scholars of the late 19th and early 20th century See Also: The Nyingma School | Longchen Nyingtik | Namcho & Palyul | Dudjom Tersar Associated Reader Guides: Dudjom Rinpoche | Jigme Lingpa [...]
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About Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche Dzigar Kongtrul was born in the Northern Indian province of Himachal to his parents Neten Chokling Rinpoche and Mayum Tsewang Palden. During his monastic education, he was trained in the Nyingma school's Longchen Nyingtik lineage under his root guru, the renowned Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. Additionally, he studied extensively under Tulku Urgyen [...]
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A Reader’s Guide to Shantideva and the Way of the Bodhisattva
Shantideva and The Way of the Bodhisattva Learn More A Reader's Guide to the Essential Work on the Bodhisattva Path A Reader's Guide to the Way of the Bodhisattva See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Nagarjuna | Aryadeva | Asanga | Shantideva | Xuanzang | The Seventeen Pandits of Nalanda The great nineteenth-century [...]
The Treasury of Precious Instructions Learn More The eighteen volumes of the Treasury of Precious Instructions or Dam-ngak Rinpoché Dzö by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet’s greatest Buddhist masters, is a shining jewel of Tibetan literature Palpung Monastery, Tibet Explore the Treasury of Precious Instructions Page Navigation Menu Home Page of the Treasury [...]
Continue Reading >> The Treasury of Precious Instructions Learn More The eighteen volumes of the Treasury of Precious Instructions or Dam-ngak Rinpoché Dzö by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet’s greatest Buddhist masters, is a shining jewel of Tibetan literature Palpung Monastery, Tibet Explore the Treasury of Precious Instructions Page Navigation Menu Home Page of the Treasury [...]
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The Treasury of Precious Instructions Learn More The eighteen volumes of the Treasury of Precious Instructions or Dam-ngak Rinpoché Dzö by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet’s greatest Buddhist masters, is a shining jewel of Tibetan literature Palpung Monastery, Tibet Explore the Treasury of Precious Instructions Page Navigation Menu Home Page of the Treasury [...]
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Matthew Kapstein on Dam Ngak (special instruction) based on the Treasury of Precious Instructions
The Treasury of Precious Instructions Learn More The eighteen volumes of the Treasury of Precious Instructions or Dam-ngak Rinpoché Dzö by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet’s greatest Buddhist masters, is a shining jewel of Tibetan literature Palpung Monastery, Tibet Explore the Treasury of Precious Instructions Home Page of the Treasury History of the [...]
The Treasury of Precious Instructions Guide for Readers This guide to exploring The Treasury of Precious Instructions includes selections from the text, words of advice and praises from distinguished Tibetan teachers, audio and video series from the translators, and helpful resources. Use the navigation menu below to explore each page and discover this truly remarkable [...]
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We are very sad to share the news that we have lost an important translator Elio Guarisco, who passed away from covid on November 27, 2020. Elio was born in Como, Italy in 1954. In the early 1970s he met and studied with major exponents of the Theravada tradition in India. He then studied Buddhist [...]
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“the only war that matters is the war against the imagination.” —Diane di Prima Onehandclapping, CC BY-SA 3.0 We just learned that Diane di Prima passed away on October 25th, 2020. While we did not publish any of her extraordinary stand-alone works, she and her work appear in many Shambhala Publications books. Though I had [...]
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We learned yesterday, August 3rd, 2020, that our author and friend Steven Goodman passed away after a long illness. I first met Steven in the 1990s when Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche introduced us and said to me, "Steven is not an ordinary scholar, he is very special" and went on to extoll his genuine connection [...]
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The Litany of the Names of Manjushri or Chanting the Names of Manjusri (’jam dpal mtshan brjod; Skt. Manjushrinamasamghiti) and also referred to as The King of All Tantras and Net of Magical Manifestation of Manjushri, is an extremely important tantric text, relied on by all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism. In particular it is [...]
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Patrul Rinpoche See Our Reader's Guide Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) was one of the greatest Tibetan teachers of the nineteenth century. Famous for his precise and direct style, he shunned high monastic office and lived the life of a homeless wanderer, writing his book in a rustic hermitage under an overhanging rock. Praise to Patrul Rinpoche [...]
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Om Mani Padme Hung: An Explanation of the Six-Syllable Mantra The following is an excerpt from The Small Golden Key by Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche More on Thinley Norbu can be found at Kunzangatshal.org and Lotsawa House The Small Golden Key$19.95 - PaperbackBy: Thinley Norbu Add to Cart OM closes the door to the suffering of [...]
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Buddhist End-of-Life Care An excerpt from Living Is Dying What can we do for our dying loved ones, especially if they are not spiritually minded, let alone Buddhist? Does encouraging the dying and the dead to take refuge and arouse bodhichitta really help? And can non-Buddhists understand the bardo teachings? These are very good questions. Confidence [...]
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Related Reader's Guides Guide to the Sakya Tradition Guides to Other Important Sakya Figures: Chogyal Phagpa | Sakyasribhadra Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen (1182-1251) Sakya Pandita Kunga Gyeltsen (1182-1251), commonly referred to as Sapan, was one of five founding masters of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the principle disciple of Drakpa Gyeltsen and a [...]
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The Life of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo: An excerpt from Tulku Thondup Rinpoche's Masters of Meditation and Miracles According to Nyingma tradition, Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo is the body incarnation of Jigme Lingpa. 259 He became one of the greatest masters, in whom the lineages of all of Tibetan Buddhism find their confluence. He became a prominent [...]
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We know your lives have been profoundly changed by the impact of the ongoing global health crisis. We know you are concerned for yourselves, for your loved ones, for your communities. We know so many people are suffering right now, and are afraid. And we want to help. We want you to know that though we [...]
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I am sad to share the news that Gyurme Dorje, one of the giants of Tibetan translation and practice passed away on February 5th, 2020, the anniversary of the passing of his teacher, Kangyur Rinpoche. Gyurme spent a decade in Asia and sat at the feet at many of the greatest masters of our day: [...]
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The paragraphs below come from the foreword of Mipham Rinpoche's White Lotus: An Explanation of the Seven-Line Prayer to Guru Padmasambhava. These words were penned by Wulstan Fletcher of the Padmakara Translation Group and we suspect many will resonate with his articulate and constructive advice on how to deal with our own tendencies to be cynical, reinterpret, [...]
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This free eBook is available from the following vendors: Amazon Apple Kobo Nook What is compassion? Much more than just being nice, compassion is about looking deeply at ourselves and others and recognizing the fundamental goodness we all share. It’s about opening up to the vulnerable space inside every one of us and letting our [...]
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a quick glimpse into His Holiness’s teachings from roughly two dozen published works. His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama: A Reader's Guide by Shambhala Publications His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, often referred to by Tibetans as Gyalwa Rinpoche or Kundun, is widely regarded as a figurehead and ambassador of Tibetan Buddhism and culture to the [...]
Continue Reading >> the Mahabodhi temple that marks the spot where the Buddha attained enlightenment. In July 2013, multiple bombs exploded in Bodh Gaya, India, in and around the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage site, the Mahabodhi temple that marks the spot where the Buddha attained enlightenment. In response, Shambhala Publications offers this free eBook consisting of excerpts from some [...]
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Lama Tharchin Rinpoche's foreword to Wisdom Nectar Lord of one hundred families of enlightenment, illustrious holy spiritual master, at your feet I bow! All past, present, and future victors who live in the ten directions converge in the same glorious form: the great master from Oddiyana, Lotus-Born. With his vajra command, he enthroned, empowered, and [...]
Continue Reading >> Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche: A Guide for Readers Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche (1933 – June 4, 2023) was an eminent teacher of the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. He was appointed by the Dalai Lama to be the personal tutor for His Holiness the Seventeenth Karmapa and has authored many books, including Tilopa’s Wisdom, Naropa’s Wisdom, The Mahamudra Lineage [...]
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Jigme Lingpa A Guide to His Works Learn More A guide to the works available in English from Jigme Lingpa, the founder of the Longchen Nyintik tradition and a central figure in the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. See Also: Some Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul Guides to Other [...]
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[Note: This article on Buddhist publishing was originally written by Nikko Odiseos, president of Shambhala Publications for the blog Vajrayanaworld.com as requested by Lama Dechen Yeshe Wangmo. As the blog is no longer, we are hosting it here with a few small updates.] My longtime friend Lama Wangmo asked if I would pen a few [...]
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Sign Up for 5 Free Videos and a Meditation Practice from Pema Chödrön! ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO RECEIVE A SERIES OF 5 VIDEOS AND A MEDITATION PRACTICE. In her first new book of spiritual teachings in over seven years, Pema Chödrön offers fresh wisdom, heartfelt reflections, and the signature humor and insight that have [...]
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Buddha Nature Read More In the eleventh century, the great Tibetan scholar-practitioner Gampopa (1079–1153) began his composition known as The Jewel Ornament of Liberation with an exposition on the cause for awakening. What is the cause for awakening? In the Vajrayana and third turning traditions of Buddhism it is buddha nature. Buddha nature is our [...]
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The Six Paramitas Learn More The Six Paramitas, or "Perfections," are a fundamental set of teachings for Mahayahana Buddhism Statue of Bodhisattva Guan Yin (Avalokiteshvara) The six paramitas, or transcendent perfections, are an essential concept in the practice of Mahayana Buddhism. They are so fundamental in fact that the “Vehicle of the Perfections” is a [...]
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Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche & Pema Chödrön in Conversation | Free Video Offering
Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche and Pema Chödrön Discuss the Innate Tenderness of Our Hearts ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO ACCESS THE COMPLETE VIDEO INTERVIEW. In this interview, Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche sits down with Pema Chödrön to discuss his book, Training in Tenderness, cultivating compassion, and the innate tenderness of our hearts known as tsewa. After entering [...]
The following talk is from Anyen Rinpoche and Allison Choying Zangmo’s Course: Living the Dharma: How to Practice Buddhism and Make It Count. We have made this final talk available here as a podcast as we think this is one of the most important, powerful, and clear presentations on the importance of Sangha, or spiritual [...]
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Khandro Tsering Chödrön, from The Life and Times of Jamyang Chokyi Lodro One of the most remarkable Buddhist women of the 20th century surely was Khandro Tsering Chödrön. Born in 1925, she became the spiritual consort of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö, one of the most important teachers of the 20th century. As Tulku Thondup, who [...]
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The Role of the Teacher in Tibetan Buddhism: A Reader’s Guide to the Teacher-Student Relationship
The Teacher-Student Relationship Learn More To truly understand Tibetan Buddhism, one must come to grips with the unique role of the teacher, the dynamics of the teacher-student relationship, and the possibilities that having a teacher can open up. To truly understand Tibetan Buddhism, one must come to grips with the unique role of the teacher, [...]
Journey to Enlightenment: The life of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche By Matthieu Ricard An inspiring portrait of one of the great spiritual leaders of the twentieth century, this book follows Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche in his travels to Tibet, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, revisiting important places from his past. His birthplace in eastern Tibet, the monastery [...]
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The following is an excerpt from Inseparable Across Lifetimes by Holly Gayley A Letter from Tāre Lhamo The tenth letter Tāre Lhamo sent to Namtrul Rinpoche during their correspondence. This is a duet that Tāre Lhamo composed between Devī and Pema. Devī means “goddess” in Sanskrit and translates the second part of her name, Lhamo, [...]
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Milarepa: A Reader's Guide Learn More There are few figures more beloved in the Buddhist Himalayas than the 11th century yogi-hero Milarepa. Namkading Cave area where Milarepa spent many years in retreat Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries The Kagyu Tradition | [...]
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A Guide to Sera Khandro Learn More Sera Khandro (1892 - 1940), also known as Kunzang Dekyong Wagmo, was one of the great masters of the early 20th century and the English speaking world is fortunate now that both her story and her writings have been emerging more and more. Explore Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar [...]
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The following article appeared in Volume 5 (Winter, 1976) of the Shambhala Review of Books and Ideas, a magazine that was part of Shambhala Publications (unaffiliated with Shambhala International or the Shambhala Sun), a magazine that ran a few issues in the mid 1970's. This interview with Dudjom Rinpoche was conducted by Shambhala Publications' staff with [...]
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The Future Is Open Good Karma, Bad Karma, and Beyond Karma “Karma is like a game of chess. Wherever you are on the board at this moment is the result of your past actions. But whatever you are going to do in the next moment depends on the present situation.” —Chögyam Trungpa ENTER YOUR EMAIL [...]
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Preparing the Ground | An Excerpt from Becoming Bodhisattvas
The following is an excerpt from Becoming Bodhisattvas By Pema Chodron Becoming Bodhisattvas$29.95 - PaperbackBy: Pema Chödrön Add to Cart I have often wondered how the first glimmers of bodhichitta come about. How do any of us go from being completely self-absorbed in the “dungeons of samsara” to connecting with even a glimpse of the longing [...]
Radically Happy: A User’s Guide to the Mind ENTER YOUR EMAIL TO RECEIVE TWO PLANS FOR HAPPINESS AND THE FIRST CHAPTER OF RADICALLY HAPPY AS A PRINTABLE PDF. Spending time with someone you love, laughing at a funny story, eating your favorite food—we experience happiness in many different ways, but maintaining that feeling can often be [...]
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Using Every Activity to Support the Present Moment We are excited to share two bonus meditation and mindfulness exercises with you created by Phakchok Rinpoche and Erric Solomon, the authors of Radically Happy. Exercise 1 Walking Meditation Begin by standing in a natural position, eyes open, facing whichever direction you are about to travel in. Keep [...]
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The Secret Is Nonattachment Getting Hooked In Tibetan there is a word that points to the root cause of aggression, the root cause also of craving. It points to a familiar experience that is at the root of all conflict, all cruelty, oppression, and greed. This word is shenpa. The usual translation is “attachment,” but [...]
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The Heart Sutra: A Reader's Guide This is part of a series of articles on the arc of Zen thought, practice, and history, as presented in The Circle of the Way: A Concise History of Zen from the Buddha to the Modern World. You can start at the beginning of this series or [...]
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The Gift of Sadness | An Excerpt from Sadness, Love, Openness
Sadness Is Not the End Meditating While Thinking There is, however, one particular method that benefits everyone alike: acknowledging that nothing lasts. We instinctively feel that things are going to stay more or less the same and that the people around us will remain, but that’s not the case. If we can, we should try [...]
The Fruit of Tenderness | An Excerpt from Training in Tenderness
Benefiting Others When we carefully and diligently water our seed of tsewa, applying all the wisdom and skillful means we can gather, that seed will eventually grow into a magnificent tree bearing abundant fruit. This is the third metaphor in Chandrakirti’s homage to the tender heart. The fruit manifests as an ever-increasing desire and ability [...]
A Short Biography of Kathog Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, also known as Khenpo Ngaga and Khenpo Ngakchung (1879–1941) Excerpted from The Guide to the Words of My Perfect Teacher Khenpo Ngawang Pelzang, also known as Osel Rinchen Nyingpo Pema Lendrel Tsel and popularly called Khenpo Ngakchung or Ngaga, is a remarkable example of a particular kind [...]
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Tsongkhapa Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Tibet's most important figures Ganden Monastery, founded by Tsongkhapa Related Reader Guides: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Lives of the Masters Series | Atisha | Aryadeva The Kadam Tradition | The Gelug Tradition | Madhyamaka Milarepa | His Holiness the Dalai Lama The Life of Tsongkhapa [...]
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Free Download | 20 Lojong Cards from Pema Chödrön’s Compassion Cards
Pema Chödrön’s Compassion Cards: Teachings for Awakening the Heart in Everyday Life The practice of lojong has been the primary focus of Pema’s teachings and personal practice for many years. Here, you can read an introduction to the 11th-century mind-training practice, the first 20 traditional slogans, and Pema’s commentary. Print them out and display one [...]
Buddhist Poetry: A Reader Guide Read More Shambhala Publications publishes numerous books of Buddhist poetry, and we’ve gathered some of our favorites here. Jump to sections on this page: Recent Releases | Chan and Zen Poetry | Indian Poetry | Tibetan Poetry | Southeast Asian Poetry | Contemporary Buddhist Poetry Related Books and Articles Recent [...]
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Kurtis Schaeffer, Lives of the Masters series editor, introduces the series with this note: "Buddhist traditions are heir to some of the most creative thinkers in world history. The Lives of the Masters series offers lively and reliable introductions to the lives, works, and legacies of key Buddhist teachers, philosophers, contemplatives, and writers. Each volume [...]
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Tsongkhapa was born in 1357 in the Tsongkha valley of Amdo province in northeast Tibet. The miraculous events that occurred at his birth aroused the interest of the master Chöje Döndrup Rinchen (Chos rje Don grub rin chen), who had studied and lived in central Tibet and who founded two monasteries in Amdo after his [...]
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The World Is Round or Spherical | An Excerpt from Gendun Chopel
from Melong Gendun Chopel contributed both poetry and essays to Melong (“Mirror”), the Tibetan-language newspaper published in Kalimpong by the Tibetan Christian from Khunnu, Dorje Tharchin, also known as Tharchin Babu. Its full title in Tibetan was Mirror of the News from Various Regions. In the June 28, 1938, issue, Gendun Chopel published an essay [...]
The Seven-Line prayer to Guru Rinpoche, Padmasambhava, is one of the most ubiquitous and important prayers, performed across lineages and in particular the Nyingma tradition who commence nearly every practice with it. What follows is a brief introduction and Reader’s Guide to this short but extremely profound verse. The Padmakra Translation Group has provided some [...]
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An excerpt from the introduction to the Collected Works of Chogyam Trungpa, Volume Five. Selections from the sadhana itself are included in this volume. The Background Next in Volume Five are the excerpt from The Sadhana of Mahamudra and an article about the meaning of the text. The sadhana, which Trungpa Rinpoche "discovered" in [...]
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A Commentary on The Way of the Bodhisattva by H. H. the Fourteenth Dalai Lama Many Kinds of Wisdom 1. All these branches of the Doctrine The Enlightened Sage expounded for the sake of wisdom. Therefore they must cultivate this wisdom Who wish to have an end of suffering. There are many kinds [...]
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Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s impact on the transmission of Buddhism to the West cannot be overstated. In the quarter century he spent in the West, he taught tens of thousands of students, in many cases introducing them to Buddhism for the first time. His legacy is nearly impossible to measure, but one gauge is his literary [...]
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Kalu Rinpoche and the Translation of The Treasury of Knowledge Below Sarah Harding shares the story of how Kalu Rinpoche came to take on the task of translating Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye's The Treasury of Knowledge, an immense feat that took the skills and dedication of many that will be treasured by all who are [...]
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Related Reader's Guides Guide to the Sakya Tradition Guides to Other Important Sakya Figures: Sakya Pandita | Sakyasribhadra Drogön Chögyal Phagpa Lodrö Gyaltsten (1235-1280) Drogon Chogyal Phagpa Lodro Gyaltsen (1235-1280), better known to the world as Chögyal Phagpa (or Phakpa) is one of the five great founding masters from the Sakya tradition in Tibet. In [...]
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Introduction to The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Vol. 8
CLICK HERE to read the complete introduction from The Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa, Volume Eight. See more about the Collected Works of Chögyam Trungpa here.
The Emphasis of the Gelug Tradition in Western Scholarship on Madhyamaka
While its no longer true in many universities, the presentation of Tibetan Buddhism in western academia—and the books that came out of it—was heavily skewed towards the Gelug philosophical view and its traditions. There are various reasons for this, but the following from the Translator's Introduction of the Padmakara Translation Group's The Wisdom Chapter: Jamgön [...]
Book Club Discussion | Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa
by Kate White Kate, our Production Coordinator/Designer, sums up our August meeting of the new Shambhala Publications Book Club! August’s book selection was Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. We invite you to take part by sharing your comments below. There are a lot of different kinds of people who work at Shambhala [...]
The Nyingma Summer Seminar: Reflections on a Buddhist Retreat
By Sanje Phillips This July, I attended the Nyingma Summer Seminar at the Mangala Shri Bhuti retreat land in Ward, Colorado, with Dzigar Kongtrül Rinpoche, Elizabeth Mattis Namgyel (wife), and Dungse Jampal Norbu (son). Over one hundred attendees with varied demographics sat daily meditation sessions, participated in the teachings, endured periods of silence and the usual [...]
Reflections on Secular Buddhism: An Excerpt from Thinley Norbu
Secular Buddhism is for many an oxymoron. Here, the incomparable teacher Thinley Norbu Rinpoche shares some words on the subject. "There have also been lectures available on the Internet about "the secular Buddha." This kind of negative characterization cannot be given for the origin of all positive qualities. Buddha is ceaseless, everywhere and in every [...]
What follows is a guide to some of our books and other resources available on Shambhala.com that relate to the Drikung Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. The Drikung lineage comes from Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa through Phagmo Drupa and Jigten Sumgön, who is considered the root of the tradition. His most famous work, the Gongchik, or “Single [...]
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One of the commonalities of the many traditions within Buddhism is the centrality of the messages in the Buddha’s very first teaching in Sarnath, shortly after attaining enlightenment in Bodhgaya. He held back from actually teaching the first people he met including the Burmese traders (who tradition tells us brought back some of his hair, [...]
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Steve Buscemi and Sam Bercholz Discuss A Guided Tour of Hell
Steve Buscemi and Sam Bercholz on the new book A Guided Tour of Hell: A Graphic Memoir A Guided Tour of Hell$24.95 - HardcoverBy: Samuel Bercholz & Pema Namdol Thaye Add to Cart
A Lecture Series on Asanga’s Bodhisattvabhumi with Translator Artemus Engle
In conjunction with the Tsadra Foundation, premier translator and scholar Artemus Engle brings Asanga's masterpiece, the Bodhisattvabhumi, to life, unlocking what can be an intimidating text and making its important and power to light. Part 1: Part 2: The Bodhisattva Path to Unsurpassed Enlightenment$59.95 - HardcoverBy: Artemus B. Engle & Asanga Add to Cart See [...]
Padmakara Translation Group Receives the 2017 Shantarakshita Award
Wulstan and Helena at the Asura Cave in Nepal At the June, 2017 Tsadra Translation and Transmission conference which Shambhala Publications was a sponsor of, we were delighted that Wulstan Fletcher and Helena Blankleder were honored with the Shantarakshita award for excellence in translation. Wulstan receiving the award from the Tsadra Foundation's Eric Colombel To [...]
Sakyasribhadra: A Reader’s Guide to the 12th Century Kashmiri Pandita
Image from HAR Sakyasribhadra, also known as Sakyasri or Khache Panchen, was an important Kashmiri pandita in the 12th and early 13th centuries who came to Tibet. His full biography is on the Treasury of Lives site. He has a connection with many of the lineages in Tibet extant during his visit. He is well [...]
On 14 April 2010, my aunt was wrapping up her prayers and enjoying her morning tea when she felt the windows in her room rattle and the bed beneath her shift. She ran out of her room to join the rest of the family in the yard. “Tsering Wangmo, Kyegu is gone. Everything is gone [...]
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Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye A Guide for Readers Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye (1813–1900) was a versatile and prolific scholar and one of the most outstanding writers and teachers of his time in Tibet. He was a pivotal figure in eastern Tibet’s nonsectarian movement and made major contributions to education, politics, and medicine. Jump to: Books [...]
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Interested in learning Tibetan or deepening your existing Tibetan language skills? Below is a guide to help you choose the right resources for your needs. We offer two tracks: one for those who plan on traveling or spending a longer period of time in India, Nepal, Bhutan, China, and Tibet; and another for those who [...]
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Khenpo Shenga (1871–1927) There are thirteen classics of Indian Mahayana philosophy, still used in Tibetan centers of education throughout Asia and beyond, particularly the Nyngma tradition, with overlap with the others. They cover the subjects of vinaya, abhidharma, Yogacara, Madhyamika, and the path of the Bodhisattva. They are some of the most frequently quoted texts [...]
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What Is Kalachakra Tantra? The Kalachakra, or “Wheel of Time,” tantra and cycles of teachings and practices are, on the surface, well known among practitioners and those interested in Tibetan Buddhism. Yet it is considered one of the highest teachings of tantra—a highly complex one where initiates take many years accomplishing the practice. The visualization for an [...]
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Mandarava Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's main disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples This series of blog [...]
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Dreaming Yourself Awake$19.95 - PaperbackBy: Brian Hodel & B. Alan Wallace Add to Cart This recent piece from CBS considers that lucid dreaming might actually be possible. But for those for whom understanding the mind on an experiential level is a way of life, lucid dreaming is not only possible, but can serve as a [...]
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama's visit to Boston His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave an excellent teaching on Kamalashila's Stages of Meditation at MIT. Below are the texts mentioned by His Holiness in his talk. For those interested in going deeper, you will find them complementary to the teaching: Stages of Meditation - A commentary [...]
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Kharchen Pelgyi Wangchuk Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's main disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples The biography [...]
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Langdro Konchok Jungne Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's 25 disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Langdro Konchok [...]
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Sokpo Pelgyi Yeshe Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's main disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Sokpo Pelgyi [...]
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This series of blog posts are meant to be resources guides to complement the biographies of the great masters and scholars on the Treasury of Lives site. Nyak Jñānakumara, also known as Yeshe Zhonnu was ordained by Santarakshita and was a student of Guru Rinpoche, Vairotsana, and Yudra Nyingpo but is better known for his [...]
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Denma Tsemang Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's main disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Denma Tsemang: A [...]
Continue Reading >> "At 12:10 am on July 24, Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche passed into parinirvana. His death was not only a deep shock, but a truly tragic loss to the world of spirituality in general and Buddhism in particular-well, actually a tragic loss to the world, period. Traleg was one of what can truly be called a genuine [...]
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Kawa Peltsek – The Fully Accomplished Translator of Shantideva
Kawa Peltsek Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's 25 disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Kawa Peltsek was [...]
Odren Pelgyi Wangchuk Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's 25 disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Image courtesy [...]
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Nanam Dorje Dudjom Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's main disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Nanam Dudjom [...]
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Lang Pelgyi Senge Learn More A Reader's Guide to one of Guru Rinpoche's main disciples See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Guru Rinpoche | Yeshe Tsogyal | Mandarava| Kawa Peltsek | More of Guru Rinpoche's 25 Disciples Lang Pelgyi [...]
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Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche A Guide to His Works Learn More Denkok Valley, birthplace of Khyentse Rinpoche. Photo my M. Ricard. Explore Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul Guides to Important Nyingma Figures: Rongzompa | Longchenpa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche | Sera Khandro | Mipham Rinpoche | Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche [...]
Continue Reading >> Image from http://www.rigpashedra.org/ His Holiness the Dalai Lama has often said that Tibetan Buddhism is none other than the Buddhism of India in the tradition of Nalanda, the great center of Buddhist learning that was located in present-day Bihar, India. Many of the greatest masters and scholars in Indian Buddhism resided-and often presided-at this [...]
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Aryadeva Learn More A Reader's Guide to Nagarjuna's disciple See Also: Profiles of early Indian Mahayana figures | Tibetan Masters of the 8th Century | Tibetan Masters of the 10th-11th Centuries Nagarjuna | Aryadeva | Asanga | Shantideva | Xuanzang | The Seventeen Pandits of Nalanda Mahayana Buddhist philosophy This article for the Great Masters [...]
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The following is an account of the discovery and recognition of the Seventeenth Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje, excerpted from The History of the Karmapas: The Odyssey of the Tibetan Masters with the Black Crown The Last Testament Most of his previous reincarnations left behind a Last Testament giving indications of their rebirth. But in 1981, [...]
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Steve Jobs read Chögyam Trungpa, according to Bianca Bosker in the Huffington Post article "The Steve Jobs Reading List: The Books and Artists That Made the Man. " Bosker reports that, "during his freshman year at Reed College, Jobs befriended Daniel Kottke, who went on to work at Apple, and together they devoured books such [...]
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Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, author of Into the Heart of Life , Reflections of a Mountain Lake, and Cave in the Snow, and who is profiled in the recently released Dakini Power, just returned from a pilgrimage in China, following the footsteps of Xuanzang and visiting the Four Sacred Mountains and four Buddhist rock grottoes. [...]
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Intermediate States: Bardos and Living and Dying from Ancient India to 21st Century New York The term bardo, often translated as "intermediate state" is a term that entered the popular imagination in the West with the publication of W.Y. Evans-Wentz's 1927 translation of The Great Liberation by Hearing in the Intermediate States, which he rendered [...]
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Mipham Rinpoche A Guide to His Works Related Topics Nyingma Lineages: Dudjom Tersar | Longchen Nyingtig | Namcho & Palyul Nyingma Masters: Rongzompa | Longchenpa | Jigme Lingpa | Patrul Rinpoche | Mipham Rinpoche Jamgön Mipham Rinpoche (1846-1912) Mipham Rinpoche is a celebrated Nyingma scholar and practitioner. He is revered for being a prolific writer and [...]
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His Holiness the Dalai Lama Learn More We publish over two dozen books by His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. See also: Tsongkhapa: A Guide to His Life and Works | Kalachakra Tantra Reader Guide | Works by the Dalai Lamas | Readers Guide to His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama Other Tibetan Buddhist Traditions: [...]
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Lojong: Training the Mind Learn More Lojong, or mind training, is a core practice in all the lineages of the Tibetan tradition. Lojong, or mind training, is a core practice in all the lineages of the Tibetan tradition. They can perhaps best be characterized as a method for transforming our mind by turning away from [...]
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Guide to the Works of Dudjom Rinpoche Learn More Explore the many books by His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche as well as resources for the Dudjom Tersar Lineage. See Also: Dudjom Tersar Home Page | Rebirths of the Dudjom Lineage | Dudjom Yangsi Memorium The Nyingma School | Longchen Nyingtik | Namcho & Palyul | Associated [...]
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The History of the Treasury of Precious Instructions The following excerpt on The Treasury of Precious Instructions is from Ringu Tulku’s The Ri-me Philosophy of Jamgön Kongtrul the Great. This excerpt is part of the Guide to The Treasury of Precious Instructions Use the navigation menu above to explore each page and discover this truly remarkable and [...]
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In our second On Translation video series cosponsored with the Tsadra Foundation, we are pleased to share this recording of Sarah Harding (Naropa University and the Tsadra Foundation) & Larry Mermelstein (Nalanda Translation Committee). The Eight Practice Lineages: Part 1-Translation Process and Issues with Sarah Harding and Larry Mermelstein from Shambhala Publications on Vimeo. This [...]
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How to Build a Caravan of Joy: a review of The Mishap Lineage
Excerpt reprinted with permission from Tricycle Magazine Reviewed by Stuart Smithers I almost met Chogyam Trungpa. When I arrived at the steps of the New York Historical Society, just off Central Park, there was a notice posted on the massive wooden doors: Trungpa RinpocheÕs talk had been canceled for health reasons. I was disappointed, and [...]Larung Gar’s Kagyu Curriculum: A Talk by Khenpo Karma Jamyang Gyaltsen
Shambhala Publications, the Tsadra Foundation, and the Tibet Himalaya Initiative at the University of Colorado were pleased to present this talk by Khenpo Karma Jamyang Gyaltsen on the Kagyu curriculum of Buddhist study and practice in Tibet’s largest center for monastic and lay study and practice. Khenpo Jamyang is a senior teacher at the Larung [...]
By Chensiyuan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons About Larung Gar Larung Gar, or “The Encampment of the Larung Valley”, is a magical, incredible place. Located in the remote high-altitude grasslands in the region of Golok in the far east of Tibet, outside of the Chinese demarcated Tibetan Autonomous Region in the province [...]
Continue Reading >> The Way of the Bodhisattva Lecture Series Learn More Led by the Padmakara Translation Group's Wulstan Fletcher Few texts are more frequently taught and quoted, have as colorful a history, and as much relevance to Buddhists today more than the eighth-century Indian Buddhist monk Shantideva’s The Way of the Bodhisattva. The Dalai Lama has said that “if I [...]
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Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism and Meditation in Action
Reviewed by Charles Prebish In the spring of 2002, following a short bout with cardiac problems, I decided to move most of my books from my university office to my home study to allow me to work in a more relaxing environment. By some odd chance-probably karmically inspired-the very first books I grabbed down off [...]New! When Things Fall Apart: The App There is a fundamental opportunity for happiness right within our reach—yet we usually miss it, ironically, while we are caught up in attempts to escape pain and suffering. Drawn from traditional Buddhist wisdom, Pema Chödrön’s When Things Fall Apart reveals her radical and compassionate advice for what [...]
Continue Reading >> A Resource Guide for The Way of the Bodhisattva* We are pleased to share the following resources for the Bodhicharyavatara, or The Way of the Bodhisattva. Readers Guide - A guide to the many translations, commentaries, and deep dives into specific chapters published by Shambhala Publications and others. A Brief History - A very brief history of this [...]
Continue Reading >> The Story Behind the Bodhicharyavatara The text with the Sanskrit title Bodhicharyavatara (shortened from the longer Bodhisattvacharyavatara)—usually known in English as either The Way of the Bodhisattva or A Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life—is by far the best-known work attributed to the eighth-century Indian monk Shantideva. It would be impossible to adequately summarize its importance and impact in [...]
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This talk with Wulstan Fletcher of the Padmakara Translation Group, facilitated by CU Professor Holly Gayley, will be of great interest not just for translators—for whom it will be invaluable—fbut for any practitioners or scholars interested in the transmission of Buddhism in the west. The talk focuses on the translation of the text itself and [...]
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Anne Klein Discusses Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche’s Life and Work
We were pleased to have Anne Klein, professor at Rice University and founder of the Dawn Mountain Buddhist center, pay us a visit and talk about her 2016 work, a translation of and introduction to the great Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche's Strand of Jewels: My Teachers Essential Guidance on Dzogchen. Also see our interview with Khetsun [...]
We were pleased to have Dza Kilung Rinpoche founder of Pema Kilaya and the Kilung Foundation. Rinpoche paid a few visits to our Shambhala Publications' Prajna Studios in Boulder and we are delighted to share a series of videos where he discusses his book, The Relaxed Mind. We will also be offering a course with him [...]
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Tibetan Calendar Learn More A calendar showing the key practice days according to the Tibetan calendar based on the Phugpa tradition, the most widely used system Recent Releases in Tibetan Buddhism See All Books Upcoming Releases in Tibetan Buddhism See All Books See Also Special practice days of the Tibetan calendar An Overview of Tsok Upcoming Tibetan [...]
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