Author: Great Vajradhara
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1949163172
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
A new presentation of Tantra with its most renowned commentary by one of the foremost translator/scholar teams of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. This volume is a translation of the first twelve chapters of The Glorious Esoteric Community Great King of Tantras (Sri Guhyasamaja Maha-tantra-raja), along with the commentary called The Illuminating Lamp (Pradipoddyotana-nama-tika), a commentary in Sanskrit on this tantra by the seventh-century Buddhist intellectual and tantric scholar-adept Chandrakirti. Regarded by Indo-Tibetan tradition as the esoteric scripture wherein the Buddha revealed in greatest detail the actual psycho-physical process of his enlightenment, The Esoteric Community Tantra is a preeminent text of the class of scriptures known to Indian Buddhist scholar-adepts as great yoga tantra, and later to their Tibetan successors as unexcelled yoga tantra. The Illuminating Lamp presents a system of interpretive guidelines according to which the cryptic meanings of all tantras might be extracted in order to engage the ritual and yogic practices taught therein. Applying its interpretive strategies to the text of The Esoteric Community Tantra, The Illuminating Lamp articulates a synthetic, “vajra vehicle” (vajrayana) discourse that locates tantric practices and ideals squarely within the cosmological and institutional frameworks of exoteric Mahayana Buddhism.
The Esoteric Community Tantra with The Illuminating Lamp
Author: Great Vajradhara
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1949163172
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
A new presentation of Tantra with its most renowned commentary by one of the foremost translator/scholar teams of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. This volume is a translation of the first twelve chapters of The Glorious Esoteric Community Great King of Tantras (Sri Guhyasamaja Maha-tantra-raja), along with the commentary called The Illuminating Lamp (Pradipoddyotana-nama-tika), a commentary in Sanskrit on this tantra by the seventh-century Buddhist intellectual and tantric scholar-adept Chandrakirti. Regarded by Indo-Tibetan tradition as the esoteric scripture wherein the Buddha revealed in greatest detail the actual psycho-physical process of his enlightenment, The Esoteric Community Tantra is a preeminent text of the class of scriptures known to Indian Buddhist scholar-adepts as great yoga tantra, and later to their Tibetan successors as unexcelled yoga tantra. The Illuminating Lamp presents a system of interpretive guidelines according to which the cryptic meanings of all tantras might be extracted in order to engage the ritual and yogic practices taught therein. Applying its interpretive strategies to the text of The Esoteric Community Tantra, The Illuminating Lamp articulates a synthetic, “vajra vehicle” (vajrayana) discourse that locates tantric practices and ideals squarely within the cosmological and institutional frameworks of exoteric Mahayana Buddhism.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1949163172
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 450
Book Description
A new presentation of Tantra with its most renowned commentary by one of the foremost translator/scholar teams of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism. This volume is a translation of the first twelve chapters of The Glorious Esoteric Community Great King of Tantras (Sri Guhyasamaja Maha-tantra-raja), along with the commentary called The Illuminating Lamp (Pradipoddyotana-nama-tika), a commentary in Sanskrit on this tantra by the seventh-century Buddhist intellectual and tantric scholar-adept Chandrakirti. Regarded by Indo-Tibetan tradition as the esoteric scripture wherein the Buddha revealed in greatest detail the actual psycho-physical process of his enlightenment, The Esoteric Community Tantra is a preeminent text of the class of scriptures known to Indian Buddhist scholar-adepts as great yoga tantra, and later to their Tibetan successors as unexcelled yoga tantra. The Illuminating Lamp presents a system of interpretive guidelines according to which the cryptic meanings of all tantras might be extracted in order to engage the ritual and yogic practices taught therein. Applying its interpretive strategies to the text of The Esoteric Community Tantra, The Illuminating Lamp articulates a synthetic, “vajra vehicle” (vajrayana) discourse that locates tantric practices and ideals squarely within the cosmological and institutional frameworks of exoteric Mahayana Buddhism.
Overview of Buddhist Tantra
Author: Bsod-nams-grags-pa (Paṇ-chen)
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
The overview of Buddhists Tantra, subtitled General Presentation of the Classes of Tantra, Captivating the Minds of the Fortunate Ones, is a scholarly exposition of the framework of Tantric practice presented by its author, Panchen Sonam Dragpa, in a methodical and accessible manner. Detailed explanations within this book include: the historical emergence of Buddhism in our world as interpreted by various Buddhists traditions; the differing tenets of the sects, and the differences between the vehicles(yanas); the doors to the path to liberation; and the classes of Tantric practice leading to that state of liberation.
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 186
Book Description
The overview of Buddhists Tantra, subtitled General Presentation of the Classes of Tantra, Captivating the Minds of the Fortunate Ones, is a scholarly exposition of the framework of Tantric practice presented by its author, Panchen Sonam Dragpa, in a methodical and accessible manner. Detailed explanations within this book include: the historical emergence of Buddhism in our world as interpreted by various Buddhists traditions; the differing tenets of the sects, and the differences between the vehicles(yanas); the doors to the path to liberation; and the classes of Tantric practice leading to that state of liberation.
Two Esoteric Sutras
Author:
Publisher: BDK America
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
This volume contains The Adamantine Pinnacle Sutra and The Susiddhikara Sutra, two important texts in the corpus of Buddhist Tantric literature. These texts include a general introduction in the conventional format of Buddhist scriptures and a supplementary introduction that describes the nature of Mahavairocana, equatable with the Dharma-body, first primarily from the perspective of his aspect as the essence of the Sixteen Bodhisattvas in the Dharma, Great, and Samaya Mandalas, and then in his capacity as the essence of the Dharma-realm. The body describes the samadhis characteristic of the Yoga Tantras, an exposition of the rites of initiation, a description of the rites to be performed by the teacher in the mandala, the manner in which he is to initiate the disciple, and how the disciple is to obtain various types of "success" and "seal-knowledge" required for performing rituals associated with the Great Mandala "Adamantine Realm", along with miscellaneous rules.
Publisher: BDK America
ISBN:
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
This volume contains The Adamantine Pinnacle Sutra and The Susiddhikara Sutra, two important texts in the corpus of Buddhist Tantric literature. These texts include a general introduction in the conventional format of Buddhist scriptures and a supplementary introduction that describes the nature of Mahavairocana, equatable with the Dharma-body, first primarily from the perspective of his aspect as the essence of the Sixteen Bodhisattvas in the Dharma, Great, and Samaya Mandalas, and then in his capacity as the essence of the Dharma-realm. The body describes the samadhis characteristic of the Yoga Tantras, an exposition of the rites of initiation, a description of the rites to be performed by the teacher in the mandala, the manner in which he is to initiate the disciple, and how the disciple is to obtain various types of "success" and "seal-knowledge" required for performing rituals associated with the Great Mandala "Adamantine Realm", along with miscellaneous rules.
The Great Secret of Mind
Author: Tulku Pema Rigtsal
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834829045
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
Dzogchen (Great Perfection) goes to the heart of our experience by investigating the relationship between mind and world and uncovering the great secret of mind's luminous nature. Weaving in personal stories and everyday examples, Pema Rigtsal leads the reader to see that all phenomena are the spontaneous display of mind, a magical illusion, and yet there is something shining in the midst of experience that is naturally pure and spacious. Not recognizing this natural great perfection is the root cause of suffering and self-centered clinging. After introducing us to this liberating view, Pema Rigtsal explains how it is stabilized and sustained in effortless meditation: without modifying anything, whatever thoughts of happiness or sorrow arise simply dissolve by themselves into the spaciousness of pure presence. The book is divided into chapters on the view, meditation as the path, conduct, the attainment, and the four bardos. Each chapter consists of mini-sections that can be read as stand-alone Dharma talks. Pema Rigtsal has studied and lived with several authentic Dzogchen masters and has surprising stories to tell about their unconventional methods to introduce students to the subtle view of Dzogchen.
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834829045
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 300
Book Description
Dzogchen (Great Perfection) goes to the heart of our experience by investigating the relationship between mind and world and uncovering the great secret of mind's luminous nature. Weaving in personal stories and everyday examples, Pema Rigtsal leads the reader to see that all phenomena are the spontaneous display of mind, a magical illusion, and yet there is something shining in the midst of experience that is naturally pure and spacious. Not recognizing this natural great perfection is the root cause of suffering and self-centered clinging. After introducing us to this liberating view, Pema Rigtsal explains how it is stabilized and sustained in effortless meditation: without modifying anything, whatever thoughts of happiness or sorrow arise simply dissolve by themselves into the spaciousness of pure presence. The book is divided into chapters on the view, meditation as the path, conduct, the attainment, and the four bardos. Each chapter consists of mini-sections that can be read as stand-alone Dharma talks. Pema Rigtsal has studied and lived with several authentic Dzogchen masters and has surprising stories to tell about their unconventional methods to introduce students to the subtle view of Dzogchen.
White Lotus
Author: Jamgon Mipham
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834825678
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
The commentary translated in these pages is unusual and rare. But if the commentary is a rarity, its subject matter—the seven-line invocation of Padmasambhava—is one of the best-known prayers in the Tibetan Buddhist world. The overall significance of the Seven-Line Prayer is perhaps best appreciated in relation to a practice called guru-yoga, or "union with the nature of the guru." The purpose of guru-yoga is to purify and deepen the student's relationship with his or her teacher. It is introduced as one of the preliminary practices, and it remains crucial—in fact, its importance increases—as one progresses through the more advanced levels of the tantric path. The cultivation of devotion to the guru and the blending of one's mind with his or her enlightened mind is, in the words of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, "the most vital and necessary of all practices and is in itself the surest and fastest way to reach the goal of enlightenment." Regarding the origin of this commentary, Mipham refers in the colophon to an event that triggered the abrupt appearance in his mind of the hidden meaning of the prayer. It is interesting to note that the language Mipham uses suggests that the commentary itself is not an ordinary composition but perhaps a treasure teaching, specifically a "mind-treasure" or gongter.
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834825678
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 146
Book Description
The commentary translated in these pages is unusual and rare. But if the commentary is a rarity, its subject matter—the seven-line invocation of Padmasambhava—is one of the best-known prayers in the Tibetan Buddhist world. The overall significance of the Seven-Line Prayer is perhaps best appreciated in relation to a practice called guru-yoga, or "union with the nature of the guru." The purpose of guru-yoga is to purify and deepen the student's relationship with his or her teacher. It is introduced as one of the preliminary practices, and it remains crucial—in fact, its importance increases—as one progresses through the more advanced levels of the tantric path. The cultivation of devotion to the guru and the blending of one's mind with his or her enlightened mind is, in the words of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, "the most vital and necessary of all practices and is in itself the surest and fastest way to reach the goal of enlightenment." Regarding the origin of this commentary, Mipham refers in the colophon to an event that triggered the abrupt appearance in his mind of the hidden meaning of the prayer. It is interesting to note that the language Mipham uses suggests that the commentary itself is not an ordinary composition but perhaps a treasure teaching, specifically a "mind-treasure" or gongter.
Vajrasattva Meditation
Author: Yeshe Phuntsok
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1614292051
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
Walk step by step through the stages of this tantric ritual of purification with inspired commentary and forty full-color illustrations. The force of our past actions makes it hard to attain our goals, including success in meditation. And so Buddhism has developed methods for purifying our past, clearing the obstacles to success and fulfillment. One of the most popular methods for karmic housekeeping, one common to all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, is the preparatory practice of visualizing the buddha Vajrasattva and reciting his hundred-syllable mantra. It is considered an essential foundation for the success of spiritual endeavor. The practice of Vajrasattva is often the first experience practitioners have of trying to perform tantric ritual. Combining prayers, visualizations, mantra recitations, and multiple styles of meditation, it can be hard for those who did not grow up in the tradition to know how to proceed. This friendly volume by a young Tibetan lama with many followers in China lays out the practice step by step accompanied by sixty color illustrations.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1614292051
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 207
Book Description
Walk step by step through the stages of this tantric ritual of purification with inspired commentary and forty full-color illustrations. The force of our past actions makes it hard to attain our goals, including success in meditation. And so Buddhism has developed methods for purifying our past, clearing the obstacles to success and fulfillment. One of the most popular methods for karmic housekeeping, one common to all schools of Tibetan Buddhism, is the preparatory practice of visualizing the buddha Vajrasattva and reciting his hundred-syllable mantra. It is considered an essential foundation for the success of spiritual endeavor. The practice of Vajrasattva is often the first experience practitioners have of trying to perform tantric ritual. Combining prayers, visualizations, mantra recitations, and multiple styles of meditation, it can be hard for those who did not grow up in the tradition to know how to proceed. This friendly volume by a young Tibetan lama with many followers in China lays out the practice step by step accompanied by sixty color illustrations.
The Weaving of Mantra
Author: Ryûichi Abé
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 9780231528870
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 620
Book Description
The great Buddhist priest Kûkai (774-835) is credited with the introduction and establishment of tantric -or esoteric -Buddhism in early ninth-century Japan. In Ryûichi Abé examines this important religious figure -neglected in modern academic literatu
Publisher: Columbia University Press
ISBN: 9780231528870
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 620
Book Description
The great Buddhist priest Kûkai (774-835) is credited with the introduction and establishment of tantric -or esoteric -Buddhism in early ninth-century Japan. In Ryûichi Abé examines this important religious figure -neglected in modern academic literatu
Stilling the Mind
Author: B. Alan Wallace
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0861716493
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
In his previous book, The Attention Revolution, bestselling author Alan Wallace guided readers through the stages of shamatha, a meditation for focusing the mind. In Stilling the Mind, he uses the wisdom of Dzogchen--the highest of all the meditation traditions--to open up the shamatha practice into a space of vast freedom. Here, Wallace introduces us to Dudjom Lingpa's Vajra Essence, one of the most cherished works of the Nyingma school from which Dzogchen stems. With his trademark enthusiasm and keen intelligence, Wallace makes obscure concepts intelligible to contemporary readers and allows us to glimpse the profound realizations of a great nineteenth-century spiritual adept.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 0861716493
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
In his previous book, The Attention Revolution, bestselling author Alan Wallace guided readers through the stages of shamatha, a meditation for focusing the mind. In Stilling the Mind, he uses the wisdom of Dzogchen--the highest of all the meditation traditions--to open up the shamatha practice into a space of vast freedom. Here, Wallace introduces us to Dudjom Lingpa's Vajra Essence, one of the most cherished works of the Nyingma school from which Dzogchen stems. With his trademark enthusiasm and keen intelligence, Wallace makes obscure concepts intelligible to contemporary readers and allows us to glimpse the profound realizations of a great nineteenth-century spiritual adept.
The Treasury of Knowledge: Book One
Author: Jamgon Kongtrul
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 1559398825
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 280
Book Description
In Tibetan religious literature, Jamgön Kongtrül's Treasury of Knowledge in ten books stands out as a unique, encyclopedic masterpiece embodying the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were preserved in Tibet. In his monumental Treasury of Knowledge, Jamgön Kongtrül presents a complete account of the major lines of thought and practice that comprise Tibetan Buddhism. This first book of The Treasury which serves as a prelude to Kongtrul's survey describes four major cosmological systems found in the Tibetan tradition—those associated with the Hinayana, Mahayana, Kalachakra, and Dzogchen teachings. Each of these cosmologies shows how the world arises from mind, whether through the accumulated results of past actions or from the constant striving of awareness to know itself.
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 1559398825
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 280
Book Description
In Tibetan religious literature, Jamgön Kongtrül's Treasury of Knowledge in ten books stands out as a unique, encyclopedic masterpiece embodying the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were preserved in Tibet. In his monumental Treasury of Knowledge, Jamgön Kongtrül presents a complete account of the major lines of thought and practice that comprise Tibetan Buddhism. This first book of The Treasury which serves as a prelude to Kongtrul's survey describes four major cosmological systems found in the Tibetan tradition—those associated with the Hinayana, Mahayana, Kalachakra, and Dzogchen teachings. Each of these cosmologies shows how the world arises from mind, whether through the accumulated results of past actions or from the constant striving of awareness to know itself.
Guide to the Deities of the Tantra
Author: Vessantara
Publisher: Windhorse Publications
ISBN: 1909314277
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 198
Book Description
Vessantara explains the key characteristics of the Tantra, introduces its many Deities, and explores its symbolism. This guide provides the foundations for a gradual and thorough understanding of Tantric Buddhism, encouraging confidence in the exploration of its many themes and lavish forms. Mantra recitation and colourful visualizations of the Deities lie at the heart of the Tantric practice and Vessantara provides beautiful meditations on each of the key figures while also explaining the reasoning, theory and history behind each practice.
Publisher: Windhorse Publications
ISBN: 1909314277
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 198
Book Description
Vessantara explains the key characteristics of the Tantra, introduces its many Deities, and explores its symbolism. This guide provides the foundations for a gradual and thorough understanding of Tantric Buddhism, encouraging confidence in the exploration of its many themes and lavish forms. Mantra recitation and colourful visualizations of the Deities lie at the heart of the Tantric practice and Vessantara provides beautiful meditations on each of the key figures while also explaining the reasoning, theory and history behind each practice.