The wish for freedom, the altruistic intention, and the wisdom realizing emptiness constitute the essence of the Buddhist path. In this teaching, Geshe Sonam Rinchen explains, in clear and readily accessible terms, Je Tsongkhapa’s (1357–1419) famed presentation of these three essential topics.

Author:An oral teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen, translated and edited by Ruth Sonam

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Author: Tsewang Gyalpo Arya ; edited by Lauren Alderfer, Kalsang Khedup ; illustration, Ugyen

Publication: Paljor publications

Link to information

Author: Emily Jan

Publication: Dharma Publishing

Author: Rosalyn White

Publication: Dharma Publishing

Author: Alan B. Wallace, Zara Houshmand (Editor)

Publication: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Author: Guy Newland

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Author: Geshe Sonam Rinchen

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Author: H.H. Dalai Lama, Tsongkhapa & Jeffrey Hopkins

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“Deity Yoga describes the profound process of meditation in Action and Performance Tantras. It is composed of three parts: Heart of Mantra by the Dalai Lama is a lucid exposition of the meditative rites of deity yoga—the distinctly tantric process in which yogis visualize themselves in the form of a Buddha’s divine body as a manifestation of compassionate wisdom. The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra, parts 2 and 3 by Tsong-ka-pa, details the practices of Action and Performance Tantras.

Special deity yoga techniques for the development of the heart, mind, and physical form of a Buddha are presented in a coherent series of yogic exercises. The mudras (hand gestures) that accompany the meditations are clearly illustrated. A supplement by Jeffrey Hopkins outlines in detail the structure of Action Tantra practices, as well as the need for the development of special yogic powers.

This work forms the basis of higher tantric practices and explains the meditative rites of deity yoga. It is the sequel to Tantra in Tibet and is part of the “”Wisdom of Tibet”” series published under the auspices of the Dalai Lama, each volume of which has been specially chosen by His Holiness as revealing a true oral tradition.”

Author: H.H. the Dalai Lama, Tsong-ka-pa and Jeffrey Hopkins (also trans. & ed.)

Publication: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

“When circumstances are challenging, how do we react? This book offers methods to help us develop greater inner strength and openness to life by changing the habit of what Rob Preece calls “self-preoccupation”–the tendency to act from a narrow perspective dominated by insecurity and isolation. When we learn to look outside this mentality and truly cherish others as well as ourselves. We create a happier, relaxed mind and more fulfilling relationships, as well as realizing our life’s purpose in a meaningful way.

A long-time Buddhist practitioner and psychotherapist, Preece shares traditional meditations and practices for awakening the mind and heart including tonglen, but he also offers a Jungian perspective on these and his own sense-cultivated during many years’ experience-of the ways in which Westerners may need to re-see these practices to benefit most from them. Preece’s insightful fusion of East and West will help readers tap inner resources of compassion and integrity in order to flourish in times of uncertainty and ultimately generate the altruistic aspiration to realize the awakened mind for the benefit of all living beings. Rob offers meditation practices, at the end of many chapters to help the reader digest and integrate the book’s information.”

Author: Rob Preece

Publication: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

The Four Immeasurables—the cultivation of loving-kindness, compassion, empathetic joy, and equanimity—is a rich suite of practices that open the heart, counter the distortions in our relationships to ourselves, and deepen our relationships to others. Alan Wallace presents a unique interweaving of teachings on the Four Immeasurables with instruction on meditative quiescence, or shamatha practice, to empower the mind. This book includes both guided meditations and lively discussions on the implications of these teachings for our life.

Author: B. Alan Wallace, edited by Zara Houshmand

Publication: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

This concise and extremely accessible presentation of the path of Tibetan Buddhism by the world’s best-known Buddhist teacher shows how to apply Buddhist principles in our lives. Lighting the Way contains three fundamental Buddhist teachings given by the Dalai Lama to Western students. His Holiness often refers to this short work as one of his main sources of inspiration for the practice of compassion. The Dalai Lama’s commentary on Atisha’s “Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment” discusses in a lucid and inspiring manner one of the most important texts for serious practitioners of Buddhism.

Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The Dalai Lama explains the principles of meditation in a practice-oriented format especially suited to Westerners. Based upon the middle section of the Bhavanakrama by Kamalashila, a translation of which is included, this is the most extensive commentary given by the Dalai Lama on this concise but important meditation handbook. It is a favorite text of the Dalai Lama, and he often takes the opportunity to give teachings on it to audiences throughout the world. In his words, “This text can be like a key that opens the door to all other major Buddhist scriptures.” Topics include the nature of mind, how to develop compassion and loving-kindness, calm abiding wisdom, and how to establish a union of calm abiding and special insight.

Author: H.H. the Dalai Lama, trans. by Ven. Geshe Lobsang Jordhen, Losang Choephel Ganchenpa, and Jeremy Russell

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“The Dalai Lama opens the door to the topic of Yoga Tantra with an extraordinarily detailed teaching on a classic text. Rarely in the Dalai Lama’s lifetime has he given teachings of such a nature on this topic. There follows a translation of the Yoga Tantra section of Dzong-ka-ba’s The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra, one of his most important works and a monument of Tibetan Buddhist literature. Jeffrey Hopkins concludes this book with an outline of the steps of Yoga Tantra practice. This is an invaluable book for anyone who is practicing or interested in Buddhist tantra in general.

This is the third book in a series presenting The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra. The first two books are Tantra in Tibet and Deity Yoga. Tantra in Tibet, part one of The Great Exposition, describes the differences between the Lesser and Great Vehicles, and between the Sutra and Mantra Great Vehicles. Deity Yoga, parts two and three of The Great Exposition, presents Action Tantra and Performance Tantra.”

Author: H.H. the Dalai Lama, Dzongkaba, and Jeffrey Hopkins (and ed.)

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Six important commentaries on the popular Tibetan tantric system, including original works by Tilopa and Naropa (the 11th-century Indian masters who first formulated it from various Buddhist tantric legacies) as well as Tibetan writings by Tsongkhapa the Great, Gyalwa Wensapa, the First Panchen Lama, and Lama Jey Sherab Gyatso. The Six Yogas–inner heat, illusory body, clear light, consciousness transference, and forceful projection.

Author: Translated, edited and introduced by Glenn Mullin

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

ACTIVATING BODHICHITTA
There is no more powerful mind than bodhicitta. There is no more joyous mind than bodhicitta. For the accomplishment of one’s own ultimate purpose, the awakening mind is supreme, and to accomplish the purpose of all other living beings there is nothing superior to bodhicitta. The awakening mind is the unsurpassable way to collect merit. To purify obstacles bodhicitta is supreme. For protection from interferences bodhicitta is supreme. It is the unique, all-encompassing method. Every kind of ordinary and supra-mundane power can be accomplished through bodhicitta. Thus, it is absolutely precious.
Even though we personally may find difficulty in immediate and thorough generation of such a mind, we should at least direct our thoughts towards it. To train our mind in such an ultimately altruistic manner from the very beginning of our practice of Dharma is vitally important.
A MEDITATION ON COMPASSION
All beings wish to be happy and free from misery. Although scientific development, modern weapons and abundant material progress may alleviate the temporary effects of dissatisfaction, such external means can never totally eradicate its fundamental cause. The true solution is to cultivate deep human compassion, love and respect for others. By cultivating such altruistic and beneficial attributes, the cause of suffering, self-cherishing, will gradually diminish. This, in turn, will promote unity and harmony among human beings of all nations.
Although compassion is cultivated in one’s own mind, the embodiment of it is the deity known as Avalokiteshvara (Tib. Chan-ra-zig). The various aspects that are visualized in meditation practices and represented in images and paintings are merely the interpretative forms of Avalokitephvara, whereas the actual definitive form is compassion itself.
“”The Inseparability of the Spiritual Master and Avalokitdhvara: a Source of all Powerful Attainments” sadhana was composed by the XIV Dalai Lama when he was nineteen years of age and was first printed in Tibet in the Wood-Horse year (1954).”

Author: His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama

Publication: Library of Tibetan Works & Archives

“The story of the founder of Buddhism is one of the world’s great archetypal tales of spiritual awakening. He was born Siddhartha Gautama in the sixth century BCE, the son of a prince who ruled a small kingdom in what is now Nepal. Siddhartha led a sheltered existence until the age of twenty-nine, when he left his life of ease and set out to find a solution to the problem of suffering. For years he wandered as a homeless ascetic, practicing severe austerities that brought him to the brink of death but no nearer to his goal. He then abandoned asceticism for a “middle way.” Sitting down under a tree, he vowed to remain there until he realized the truth. After a night of deep meditation, his Enlightenment came at dawn, and he was thereafter known as the Buddha, the “Awakened One.”

Author: Sherab Chodzin Kohn

Publication: Shambhala Dragon Editions

This book masterfully clarifies the nature of tantric practice. In contrast to the approaches of conventional religion, tantra does not attempt to soothe the turmoil of existence with consoling promises of heaven and salvation. The tantric practitioner chooses to confront the bewildering and chaotic forces of fear, aggression, desire, and pride, and to work with them in such a way that they are channeled into creative expression, loving relationships, and wisely engaged forms of life. In order to make the processes of tantra psychologically intelligible for a contemporary reader, Rob Preece makes judicious use of the work of modern psychotherapy, forging a compelling link between a Western tradition that hearkens back to the alchemical traditions of our own past and the comparably alchemical strategies of Tibetan Buddhist tantric practices. In keeping with the pragmatic and therapeutic aims of both psychotherapy and Buddhist meditation, The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra never loses sight of the central importance of applying these ideas to the concrete realities of day-to-day life. By illuminating the richly symbolic language of tantra through the intermediate language of psychology, The Psychology of Buddhist Tantra points to the transformative nature of tantric practices.

Author: Rob Preece

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

With the intimate freshness of a personal teaching, this book presents the main practices of the Mahayana Buddhist path. It details the attitudes cultivated in meditation—ranging from turning away from cyclic existence to developing love and compassion for all beings, to understanding the profound view of emptiness.

Author: Kensur Lekden, trans. & ed. by Jeffrey Hopkins

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

This sparkling collection of Dharma teachings by Tenzin Palmo addresses issues of common concern to Buddhist practitioners from all traditions. Personable, witty, and insightful, Tenzin Palmo presents an inspiring and no-nonsense view of Buddhist practice.

Author: Ven. Tenzin Palmo

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

In India, at the place where the Buddha attained enlightenment, it became a well-established tradition for the Dalai Lama to spend several days each year giving teachings to Buddhists from all over the world. Following his teachings, he held informal group discussions with Western students of Buddhism. In these lively exchanges, the Dalai Lama exhibits clear and penetrating insight into issues that are most important to Western students. Some of the topics discussed are: psychology, Christianity, being a practicing Buddhist in the West, spiritual teachers, reincarnation, emptiness, tantra, protector deities, liberation, meditation, compassion, disciplining others, the power of holy places, and retreats.

Author: The Dalai Lama, trans. & ed. by Jose Cabezon

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“To stabilize the mind in one-pointed concentration is the basis of all forms of meditation. Gen Lamrimpa was a meditation master who lived in a meditation hut in Dharamsala and who had been called to teach by the Dalai Lama. He leads the meditator step-by-step through the stages of meditation and past the many obstacles that arise along the way. He discusses the qualities of mind that represent each of nine levels of attainment and the six mental powers.

This book was previously titled Shamatha Meditation.”

Author: Gen Lamrimpa, translated by B. Alan Wallace, edited by Hart Sprager

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The practice of Yamantaka is one of the most widely practiced deities within the Gelug tradition. It was Tsongkhapa’s foremost personal deity, from whom he received direct visions that were a constant source of empowerment, inspiration, instruction, and even personal advice. Because of this, the Gelug tradition contains many unique and unexceled oral instructions on the practice of Yamantaka. These lineages fall into two main streams. The quintessential instruction of both of these lineages, including both their generation and completion stage teachings, are contained the two commentaries presented in this volume. The first commentary addresses the Thirteen-Deity practice and contains a wellspring of oral instructions that provide rich and highly accessible details concerning the practice of Yamantaka that are equally applicable to the Solitary Hero practice. The second commentary is concerned with the Solitary Hero practice and contains many extraordinary instructions that have not been written down in other texts but have been preserved through the oral lineage. This text is part of a highly secretive volume containing many texts on Solitary Hero Yamantaka, entitled the Eighteen Steps of Solitary Hero. The combination of these two texts gives the reader an unprecedented panoramic perspective on the entire spectrum of Vajrabhairava practice in both its Thirteen-Deity and Solitary Hero aspects. Also included in this amazing volume is the extensive sadhana of the Solitary Hero composed by Kyabje Pabongkha that can be used as a reference to facilitate a more thorough understanding of the commentaries.

Author: Ngulchu Dharmabhadra and the Fifth Ling Rinpoche, Losang Lungtog Tenzin Trinley, translated by David Gonsalez

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“Buddha and his teachings can be considered one of the greatest contributions of Indian Civilization to mankind. Born as a prince to the powerful Shakya King, Siddhartha had everything in the world he could think of. He was provided with a happy and luxurious life, away from the suffering and misery of the human world.

However, as destiny would have it, forsaking all the riches and glamour of the palace, he took to a life of a wandering ascetic in search of the truth. “

Author: Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, illustrated by Ngawang Dorjee

Publication: Paljor publications

Using firsthand experience with her own family of seven, Kerry Lee Maclean shows how important it is for families to regroup on a daily basis to briefly check in with themselves and each other, bringing a stillness of mind and heart to all they experience throughout the day.

Author: Kerry Lee MacLean

Publication: On the Spot! Books

Provides a history of Buddha and his life and teachings, and offers teens the tools of Buddhism to deal with life in a new and more spiritual way.

Author: Franz Metcalf, illust. by Monk Song Yoon

Publication: Transition Vendor

The real test of our Buddhist practice happens not on the cushion or in the protected space of retreat, but moment-to-moment in daily life, particularly when we find ourselves in uncomfortable situations. How do we respond? In this book, one of the most respected Western figures of contemporary Buddhism, Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, offers insights gleaned from more than forty years of engagement with Buddhist practice. Her perspective is vast, with a well-grounded understanding of how the timeless Buddhist teachings apply to the demands and challenges of modern life.

Author: Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, foreword by H.H. the Gyalwang Drukpa

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The All-Seeing Boy believed that there must be a way to make people happy. Then he met the mysterious hobo Jason Carper Esquire who taught him about the blue sky of happiness . . . and our inherent, somewhat magical ability to bring happiness to others.

Author: Nick Kettles, illustrated by Serena Sax Hallam

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“All of us have attitudes. Some of them accord with reality and serve us well throughout the course of our lives. Others are out of alignment with reality and cause us problems. Tibetan Buddhist practice isn’t just sitting in silent meditation, it’s developing fresh attitudes that align our minds with reality. Attitudes need adjusting, just like a spinal column that has been knocked out of alignment. In this book, B. Alan Wallace explains a fundamental type of Buddhist mental training which is designed to shift our attitudes so that our minds become pure wellsprings of joy instead of murky pools of problems, anxieties, fleeting pleasures, hopes, and frustrations. Wallace shows us the way to develop attitudes that unveil our full capacity for spiritual awakening.

The author draws on his thirty-year training in Buddhism, physics, the cognitive sciences, and comparative religion to challenge readers to reappraise many of their assumptions about the nature of the mind and physical world. By explicitly addressing many practical and theoretical issues that uniquely face us in the modern world, Wallace brings this centuries-old practice into the twenty-first century.”

Author: B. Alan Wallace

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions—beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?”—and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction—as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life. Buddhism for Beginners is an ideal first book on the subject for anyone, but it’s also a wonderful resource for seasoned students, since the question-and-answer format makes it easy to find just the topic you’re looking for, such as:

What is the goal of the Buddhist path?
What is karma?
If all phenomena are empty, does that mean nothing exists?
How can we deal with fear?
How do I establish a regular meditation practice?
What are the qualities I should look for in a teacher?
What is Buddha-nature?
Why can’t we remember our past lives? “

Author: Thubten Chodron

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The Six Perfections of generosity, ethical discipline, patience, enthusiastic effort, concentration, and wisdom are practiced by Bodhisattvas who have the supreme intention of attaining enlightenment for the sake of others. These six are perfections because they give rise to complete enlightenment. Practice of them also insures the attainment of an excellent body and mind in the future and even more favorable conditions for effective practice than those we enjoy at present. Generosity leads to the enjoyment of ample resources, ethical discipline gives a good rebirth, patience leads to an attractive appearance and supportive companions, enthusiastic effort endows the ability to complete what is undertaken, fostering concentration makes the mind invulnerable to distraction, and wisdom discriminates between what needs to be cultivated and what must be discarded and leads to greater wisdom in the future.

Author: Geshe Sonam Rinchen, trans. and ed. by Ruth Sonam

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Lucid and economical, this introductory text delivers a brisk, fast-moving survey of Tibetan Buddhism. For many years Powers’s nearly 600-page Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism has served as the field’s most authoritative and comprehensive overview of Tibet’s distinctive Buddhist tradition. A Concise Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism explains the core Buddhist doctrines and the practices of meditation and tantra and provides a survey of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

Author: John Powers

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“Tara, the feminine embodiment of enlightened activity, is a Buddhist deity whose Tibetan name means “liberator,” signaling her ability to free beings from the delusion and ignorance that keep them trapped in ever-recurring patterns of negativity. She embodies a challenge, but one that is profoundly nurturing: to transform our minds and become like her, reflecting the tranquility, compassion, and wisdom that make her so beautiful.

Thubten Chodron describes a simple meditation on Tara, explaining its benefits and its application to daily life. She also presents two well-loved praises—“Homage to the Twenty-one Taras” and “A Song of Longing for Tara, the Infallible”—together with reflections on their meanings for modern practitioners.”

Author: Thubten Chodron

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“This extraordinary book clearly outlines and discusses the methods for transforming both body and mind through the highest forms of tantric practice. Highest Yoga Tantra is the pinnacle of tantric systems found in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Part One discusses the practices common to sutra and tantra. Part Two presents the generation stage of Highest Yoga Tantra. Part Three covers the entirety of the completion stage yogas (i.e., physical isolation, verbal isolation, mental isolation, illusory body, clear light, and union). Part Four compares the Kalachakra and Guhyasamaja stages of completion. Remarkable for its definitive clarity, this exposition of the stages of Highest Yoga Tantra is the first of its kind in the English language and a must for anyone interested in these highest tantras.”

Author: Daniel Cozort

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Nagarjuna is renowned for his penetrating analysis of reality. In the Precious Garland, he offers intimate counsel on how to conduct one’s life and how to construct social policies that reflect Buddhist ideals. The advice for personal happiness is concerned first with improving one’s condition over the course of lifetimes, and then with release from all kinds of suffering, culminating in Buddhahood. Nagarjuna describes the cause and effect sequences for the development of happiness within ordinary life, as well as the practices of wisdom, realizing emptiness, and compassion that lead to enlightenment. He describes a Buddha’s qualities and offers encouraging advice on the effectiveness of practices that reveal the vast attributes of Buddhahood. In his advice on social and governmental policy, Nagarjuna emphasizes education and compassionate care for all living beings. He also objects to the death penalty. Calling for the appointment of government figures who are not seeking profit or fame, he advises that a selfish motivation will lead to misfortune. The book includes a detailed analysis of attachment to sensual objects as a preparation for realization of the profound truth that, when realized, makes attachment impossible.

Author: analyzed., trans., and ed. by Jeffrey Hopkins

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The Seventh Dalai Lama wrote extensive commentaries on the Tantras and over a thousand mystical poems and prayers. Meditations to Transform the Mind is a highly valued collection of spiritual advice for taming and developing the mind.

Author: The Seventh Dalai Lama, trans., ed. and intro. by Glenn Mullin

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

We all want to find happiness and be free from suffering. Happiness comes from positive mental states and actions, and suffering from the opposite. The twelve-part process of dependent arising shows how actions underlain by ignorance propel us from one rebirth into another, keeping us trapped in suffering, and how through understanding reality correctly we can break this cycle. The four noble truths, the twelve links of dependent arising, and the two truths regarding conventional and ultimate reality, all interrelated, form the very core of the Buddha’s teaching. The many different practices of sutra and tantra become meaningful and purposeful only when they are based on a good understanding of these fundamental and seminal principles. This oral teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen is based on the Rice Seedling Sutra and the twenty-sixth chapter of Nagarjuna’s Treatise on the Middle Way.

Author: Geshe Sonam Rinchen, trans. & ed. by Ruth Sonam

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

This short gem of a book shows how distorted perceptions and disturbing emotions—arising from our misunderstanding of reality—can be completely uprooted, resulting in freedom from suffering.

Author: Geshe Sonam Rinchen, trans. & ed. by Ruth Sonam

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“All the world’s major religions emphasize the importance of the practice of love, compassion, and tolerance. This is particularly true in the Buddhist traditions, which unanimously state that compassion and love are the foundation of all paths of practice. To cultivate the potential for compassion and love inherent within us, it is crucial to counteract their opposing forces of anger and hatred.

In this book, the Dalai Lama shows how through the practice of patience and tolerance we can overcome the obstacles of anger and hatred. He bases his discussion on A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, the classic work on the activities of Bodhisattvas—those who aspire to attain full enlightenment in order to benefit all beings. “

Author: H.H. the Dalai Lama, trans. by Thupten Jinpa, foreword by Lopon Claude D’Estree

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

How do we free ourselves from the demon of self-concern? These instructions are found in Eight Verses for Training the Mind, one of the most important texts from a genre of Tibetan spiritual writings known as lojong (literally “mind training”). The root text was written by the eleventh-century meditator Langritangpa. His Holiness the Dalai Lama refers to this work as one of the main sources of his own inspiration and includes it in his daily meditations.

Author: Geshe Sonam Rinchen, trans. & ed. by Ruth Sonam

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Realizing emptiness or grasping the true nature of reality lies at the heart of the Buddhist path. In this book, Gen Lamrimpa offers practical instruction on Madhyamaka, insight meditation aimed at realizing emptiness. Drawing on his theoretical training as well as his extensive meditative experience, he explains how to use Madhyamaka reasoning to experience the way in which all things exist as dependently related events.

Author: Gen Lamrimpa, translated by B. Alan Wallace, edited by Ellen Posman

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The relationship between a teacher and student can be a most rewarding and life-enhancing experience, yet it can also be fraught with problems and misunderstandings. For Westerners working with Eastern teachers, the difficulties can be compounded by cultural differences, language barriers, and divergent expectations. Wise Teacher, Wise Student examines the teacher-student relationship as it is understood in the Tibetan Buddhist context. The author surveys a wide spectrum of situations, exploring the causes of potential pitfalls. In illuminating the sources of misunderstandings, he offers methods to heal wounds and encourage healthy relationships.

Author: Alexander Berzin

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Deity yoga is the meditative practice of imagining oneself as an ideal being, fully endowed with compassion, wisdom, and their resultant altruistic activities. The idea is that by imagining being a Buddha one gets closer to actually achieving Buddhahood. Tantric Techniques offers a complete system of Tantric meditation comparing the views of three seminal Tibetan authors on deity yoga and on issues such as how to safeguard against psychological inflation and how to use negative emotions on the path.

Author: Jeffrey Hopkins

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Guru yoga is the force that gives vitality to a serious practitioner’s meditation. Combining the essential aspects of the sutra path with the profound tantric techniques that activate the latent spiritual forces within us, it lays the framework of the entire Buddhist path and sets down the guidelines for undertaking a complete form of practice on a daily basis. Tantric meditation depends largely upon inspiration, and this practice taps the inspiration of unbroken lineage.

Author: the Dalai Lama, trans. by Thupten Jinpa

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Virupa was given several names throughout his life, and when he was a monk he tried to do his meditation practice as much as he could. But even though he spent many years meditating, he was bothered by disturbing dreams. And when he did as he was instructed to do by his spiritual guidance, it backfired and people often became upset with him. But because of his dedication he developed great spiritual powers which protected him from harm, and even saved his life. When people rejected him he lived in the forest and wore only flowers, and lived an unconventional life, but eventually he found his spiritual home. He saved many animals from sacrifice, and performed miracles.

Author: written and illustrated by H.E. Dagmo Kalden D. Sakya, foreword by H.H. the Sakya Trizin

Publication: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

Bringing his experience as a monk, scientist, and contemplative, Alan Wallace offers a rich synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions along with a comprehensive range of meditation practices interwoven throughout the text. The guided meditations are systematically presented, beginning with very basic instructions, which are then gradually built upon as one gains increasing familiarity with the practice.

Author: B. Alan Wallace

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

In 1988, Gen Lamrimpa, a Tibetan monk, led a one-year retreat in the Pacific Northwest, during which a group of Western meditators devoted themselves to the practice of meditative quiescence (shamatha). This book is a record of the oral teachings he gave to this group at the outset of the retreat. The teachings are brought to life by Gen Lamrimpa’s warmth, humor, and extensive personal experience as a contemplative recluse. An invaluable practical guide for those seeking to develop greater attentional stability and clarity, this work will be of considerable interest to meditators, psychologists, and all others who are concerned with the potentials of the human mind.

Author: Gen Lamrimpa, translated by B. Alan Wallace, edited by Hart Sprager

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The preliminary practices of Tantra aren’t a hurdle to be gotten through in order to get somewhere else; they’re an extraordinarily rich collection of practices which have much to offer as a means of cultivating and maturing the practitioner’s psychological ground. They can enable experiences to unfold, and they can clear the way when there seem to be problems or hindrances practitioners are struggling with. In Preparing for Tantra, Preece draws on his experience as a Tantric Buddhist practitioner, meditation teacher, and psychotherapist to explain how to make the preliminary practices psychologically meaningful and spiritually transformative. He examines each of the practices with an eye to revealing how they may be used to heal and transform psychological trauma and offers practical suggestions for integrating them into daily life—as well as ensuring that practitioners are prepared psychologically, emotionally, and energetically to start out safely on the tantric path. Preparing for Tantra is an accessible guidebook for engaging in ngondro, the preliminary practices that are done before engaging in a long tantric retreat. These practices are also powerful tools for purifying negativities and alleviating guilt, healing difficult experiences, and enriching our minds with goodness so that we will be able to progress in our Dharma practice and gain realizations of the path.

Author: Rob Preece

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Shantarakshita’s The Ornament of the Middle Way is among the most important Mahayana Buddhist philosophical treatises to emerge on the Indian subcontinent. In many respects, it represents the culmination of more than 1300 years of philosophical dialogue and inquiry since the time of the historical Buddha Shakyamuni. Shantarakshita set forth the foundation of a syncretic approach to contemporary ideas by synthesizing the three major trends in Indian Buddhist thought at the time (the Madhyamaka thought of Nagarjuna, the Yogachara thought of Asanga, and the logical and epistemological thought of Dharmakirti) into one consistent and coherent system. Shantarakshitas’s text is considered to be the quintessential exposition or root text of the school of Buddhist philosophical thought known in Tibet as Yogachara-Svatantrika-Madhyamaka. In addition to examining his ideas in their Indian context, this study examines the way Shantarakshita’s ideas have been understood by and have been an influence on Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Specifically, Blumenthal examines the way scholars from the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism have interpreted, represented, and incorporated Santaraksita’s ideas into their own philosophical project. This is the first book-length study of the Madyamaka thought of Shantarakshita in any Western language. It includes a new translation of Shantarakshita’s treatise, extensive extracts from his autocommentary, and the first complete translation of the primary Geluk commentary on Shantarakshita’s treatise.

Author: James Blumenthal

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“The lamrim (stages of the path) presentation of Buddhist teachings has become a core topic of study at many Buddhist centers in the West. For busy practitioners, the lamrim gives a concise and easily graspable picture of the Buddhist path. Best-selling author Thubten Chodron has a unique ability to present these teachings. In this volume, she provides clear explanations of the stages of the path, while the audio tracks on the accompanying CD contain guided meditations on each of the topics covered in the text. The meditation teachings of lamrim, says Buddhist teacher Thubten Chodron, are like ready-made clothes that are easy to wear: they’re systematized so that we can wear them right away, so we can learn and practice them in an organized fashion.

Lamrim can be translated in various ways: “stages of the path”, “steps on the path”, or “gradual path”. “Gradual path” reminds us that the process of transforming the mind, unlike so many other things in our hurry-up society, is a slow and thoughtful one. These systematic teachings are the subject of this book and the accompanying CD. The lamrim presents a step-by-step method to tame the mind, and each person will find meaning and insight according to his or her level of understanding. As readers practice these meditations repeatedly, their comprehension and experience will transform and deepen, even though the words used to spark the meditation sessions remain the same.
The first section of Guided Meditations discusses how to establish a daily practice, how to set up an altar, and how to approach the two kinds of meditation—stabilizing and analytical. The second presents the meditations. The third supplies an overview, instructions for working with distractions, antidotes to mental afflictions, advice for newcomers, and suggestions on how to deepen Dharma practice. The accompanying CD contains over fourteen hours of guided meditations, led by Thubten Chodron. Individuals who live far from Buddhist teachers or Dharma centers will appreciate the personal guidance offered with these meditations, enabling them to begin and continue a daily meditation practice.

This a new and expanded version of Guided Meditations on the Lam Rim, and the recording was previously published in a 14-CD format under that name.”

Author: Thubten Chodron, fore. by the Dalai Lama

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

What does it mean that we are constantly changing? How do people confront ideas like death and change? Asked to contribute to an exhibit celebrating the work of the Dalai Lama, multimedia artists David and Hi-Jin Hodge interviewed over a hundred people about impermanence and change in their lives. Their subjects ranged from philosophers, gardeners, economists, spiritual leaders, doctors, and patients. The result was incredibly moving. The Hodges’s installation consisted of a large circular arrangement of mounted iPods on which the interviews played simultaneously, each on its own screen. Now this unique record has been made available for a wider audience; it includes both a book and a DVD so that the interviews can be viewed as they were seen in the original exhibit. Though impermanence is a central Buddhist concept, it’s also a universal concern. We all grow up, change, and eventually pass into another state. Impermanence: Embracing Change provides a range of voices both profound and heartwarming that address these questions.

Author: David Hodge and Hi-Jin Hodge

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

We always have a choice, Pema Chödrön teaches: We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us and make us increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder. Here Pema provides the tools to deal with the problems and difficulties that life throws our way. This wisdom is always available to us, she teaches, but we usually block it with habitual patterns rooted in fear. Beyond that fear lies a state of openheartedness and tenderness. This book teaches us how to awaken our basic goodness and connect with others, to accept ourselves and others complete with faults and imperfections, and to stay in the present moment by seeing through the strategies of ego that cause us to resist life as it is.

Author: Pema Chodron

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Providing a rare glimpse of feminine Buddhist history, Niguma, Lady of Illusion brings to the forefront the life and teachings of a mysterious eleventh-century Kashmiri woman who became the source of a major Tibetan Buddhist practice lineage. The circumstances of her life and extraordinary qualities ascribed to her are analyzed in the greater context of spiritual biography and Buddhist doctrine. More than a historical presentation, Niguma’s story raises the question of women as real spiritual leaders versus male images of feminine principle and other related contemporary issues. This volume includes the thirteen works that have been attributed to Niguma in the Tibetan Buddhist canon. These collected works form the basis of an ancient lineage Shangpa, which continues to be actively studied and practiced today. These works include the source verses for such esoteric practices as the Six Yogas, the Great Seal, and the Chakrasamvara and Hevajra tantric practices that are widespread in Tibetan traditions. Also included is the only extant biography, which is enhanced by the few other sources of information on her life and work.

Author: Sarah Harding, a Tsadra Foundation Series book

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

Source of Supreme Bliss contains the first English translations of important commentaries on the Highest Yoga Tantra system of the Heruka Chakrasamvara Five Deity practice. Included is a lucid, practical, and deeply profound explanation of the generation stage by Ngulchu Dharmabhadra. This is followed by an extremely rare and profound commentary by the First Panchen Lama Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen on the completion stage. Also included is a commentary on how to perform a proper retreat of Chakrasamvara. The latter half of the book comprises translations of the ritual texts associated with the commentaries. Everything needed to engage in the practice of Heruka Five Deity is included within the pages of this book, which will be indispensable for anyone who undertakes this practice and will provide rich and profound insights for those interested in Highest Yoga Tantra in general. Line drawings provided by Andy Weber.

Author: Ngulchu Dharmabhadra and the First Panchen Lama, Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen, translated by David Gonsalez

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

The Extremely Secret Dakini of Naropa is the commentary to the practice of Vajrayogini in the Naro Kacho lineage composed by Kyabje Pabongkha as revealed to him directly by Vajrayogini herself. This text has become the basis for almost every subsequent Vajrayogini commentary in the Gelug tradition. Kyabje Pabongkha’s commentary is both very thorough in its presentation and deeply inspiring. It provides rich detail about all eleven yogas of the generation stage, the transference of consciousness, tsok offering, left-sided conduct, and many other auxiliary practices, making it essential for practitioners of Vajrayogini. There is also a stunning explanation of the completion stage providing many extraordinarily profound methods unique to the practice of Vajrayogini because of its relationship to the Six Yogas of Naropa. The second half of the book contains several sadhanas for the practice of Vajrayogini including six-session guru yoga as well as two sadhanas on the transference of consciousness.

Author: Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo, translated by David Gonsalez

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

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We all encounter obstacles on a daily basis—from small inconveniences and nuisances to the really big hardships wreaking havoc with our lives. Sometimes just the small things are enough to set us reeling. Andrew Holecek offers us a progressive path beginning with common, easily understood hardships and moving on to more subtle and challenging ones that commonly arise on our spiritual journeys.

Author: Andrew Holecek

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

“A hopeful yet realistic look at how humanity must step into the future. Today, in this era of globalization no one can remain untouched by what happens in the rest of the world. Technological innovation, environmental degradaition, economic gain and loss, nuclear weapons and instant communication have all created unprecedented familiarity among the world’s many cultures. With this historic development, the Dalai Lama understands that the essential task of humanity in the twenty-first century is to cultivate peaceful coexistence.

Many believe in the inevitability of an escalating “clash of civilizations”. Peaceful coexistence has long been problematic with religion. Now, when religious extremists can persuade followers with the immense emotional power of faith and have access to powerful technological resources, a single spark could ignite a powder keg of frightening proportions.

Yet the Dalai Lama shows how the challenges of globalization can also move us in another direction, to a deeper level where we can connect through our shared human nature. All major religions confront the same perennial questions; each has distinct forms of expression. But this marvelous diversity of insight has the potential for inspiring dialogue that can enrich everyone’s pursuit of wisdom. All faith traditions turn to compassion as a guiding principle for living a good life. It is the task of all people with an aspiration to spiritual perfection to affirm the fundamental value of compassion. In this way we can truly develop a deep recognition of the value of other faiths, and on that basis, we can cultivate genuine respect.

The Dalai Lama also explores where differences between religions can be genuinely appreciated – without serving as sources of conflict. The establishment of genuine harmony is NOT dependent upon accepting that all religions are fundamentally the same or that they lead to the same place. Many fear that recognizing the value of another faith is incompatible with having devotion to the truth of one’s own. Nevertheless, the Dalai Lama profoundly shows how sincere believers can, with integrity, be puralists in relation to other religions without compromising commitment to the essence of the doctrinal teachings of their own faith.

“May the effort of this book be of benefit to the emergence of a genuine understanding between the world’s great religions, and may it foster in us deep reverence toward each other.” The Dalai Lama.”

Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama, edited by Thupten Jinpa and Jas Elsner

Publication: Abacus

This is a unique collection of authentic teachings by the Dalai Lamas on Tantric Buddhism and tantric practice. The clarity and power of their tantric writings is unparalleled. Glenn H. Mullin is an internationally renowned Tibetologist, author, and expert on Buddhist meditation. Glenn lived in Dharamsala, India, the home of the Dalai Lama, for many years, where he studied Tibetan language, literature, yoga, and meditation under twenty-five of the greatest masters of Tibet. He is the author of over fifteen books on Buddhist topics and has led many pilgrimages to Nepal and Tibet in the last five years. He now divides his time between writing, lecturing, giving workshops, and leading pilgrimages to the power places of Central Asia.

Author: trans. & intro. by Glenn H. Mullin

Publication: Shambhala Publications, Inc.

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“What does it take to be happy? We’ve all asked ourselves this question at some point, but few of us have found the path to lasting fulfillment. David Michie thought he had achieved his life’s goals—the high-level job, the expensive city apartment, the luxury car, the great vacations—but a small voice was telling him he wasn’t really happy. A chance remark from a naturopath sent him to his local Buddhist center. There he began the most important journey of his life.

In this simple but beautifully written book, David Michie opens the door to the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. With wry, self-deprecating humor, he shows us how he began to incorporate Buddhist practices into his daily life. He explains how he came to understand the difference between the temporary pleasures of ordinary life and the profound sense of well-being and heartfelt serenity that comes from connecting with our inner nature.”

Author: David Michie

Publication: SNOW LION PUBLICATIONS

One Taste: Vegetarian Home Cooking from Around the World is Sharon Louise Crayton’s savory diary of her travels into the kitchens of homes around the world. At each home, she asked the cooks, “What do you make that your family loves best?” The answers supply many of the 108 delicious, internationally flavored recipes in One Taste. These dishes represent the staples and the standbys of families worldwide-perfected favorites that satisfy again and again. But, practical as it is, One Taste: Vegetarian Home Cooking from around the World also nourishes the spirit. Sharon Louise Crayton, a practicing Buddhist, explains that great meals aren’t achieved only by using fresh ingredients but also by cooking them with a “fresh mind.” This state can best be achieved through meditation, which you can practice right in your kitchen while preparing your family’s meal. To make this easy, Sharon has incorporated simple meditation techniques into the steps of each recipe. “One Taste has something for everyone interested in preparing user-friendly vegetarian dishes at home. The recipes are novel, easy to follow, and give results that will be pleasing to lovers of good food, whether or not they adhere to vegetarian diets.” – Andrew Weil, M.D., director of the Program in Integrative Medicine in Tucson, Arizona, author of Healthy Aging, Eating Well for Optimum Health, and Spontaneous Healing “This appealing collection of vegetarian recipes roams the world for far more than one taste. Thankfully, this open-minded collection goes beyond hummus to include such dishes as crispy buttery potato cake to a lemony miso soup. Looks good to me!” – Deborah Madison, author of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, Vegetarian Suppers, and Local Flavors

Author: Sharon Crayton, fore. by Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Publication: Procecho press

This new book shows how this challenging role offers enormous scope for your own spiritual growth, using Buddhism as a backdrop and with many personal interviews.Written by a member of the Western Buddhist Order (FWBO) for the What Buddhism Can Offer series.

The author draws on her personal experience as a mother and Buddhist practitioner and research with Buddhist parents within her Western Buddhist tradition to identify the key opportunities and obstacles for growth inherent within parenting: loving and letting go; giving, yet more giving and the need for time out; learning what presses our buttons – and what to do; dealing creatively even with the bits you don’t like; and transforming everyday tasks into spiritual practice.

“We are trying not to separate “spiritual” aspects of ourselves or activities from the day-to-day realities of raising children, housework, and earning a living. After all, if we don’t explore, honour, and live our spiritual aspirations now, when will we do so?”

“Even as a mother protects with her life her child, her only child, so with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings.” The Buddha.

Author: Sara Burns

Publication: Windhorse Publications

For the first time for general readers, the Dalai Lama presents a comprehensive overview of the most important teaching of Buddhism. Perhaps the main difference between Buddhism and other religions is its understanding of our core identity. The existence of the soul or self, which is central in different ways to Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, is actually denied in Buddhism. Even further, belief in a “self” is seen as the main source of our difficulties in life. Yet a true understanding of this teaching doesnotlead one to a despairing, cynical worldview with a sense that life has no meaning-Far from it, a genuine understanding leads to authentic happiness for an individual and the greatest source of compassion for others. In 2003 and in 2007, the Dalai Lama was invited to New York to give a series of talks on the essential Buddhist view of selflessness. This new book, the result of those talks, is now offered to help broaden awareness of this essential doctrine and its usefulness in living a more meaningful and happy life. While the Dalai Lama offers a full presentation of his teachings on these key philosophical points for contemplation, he also shows readers how to bring these teachings actively into their own lives with recommendations for a personal practice. It is only by actually living these teachings that we allow them to bring about a genuine transformation in our perception of ourselves and our lives A Profound Mindoffers important wisdom for those committed to bringing about change in the world through developing their own spiritual capabilities, whether they are Buddhists or not.

Author: The Dalai Lama, edited by Nicholas Vreeland, afterword by Richard Gere

Publication: Harmony

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Discovering Buddhism Series is designed to be viewed on its own or as supplementary material for anyone following the Discovering Buddhism at Home program. Each of the thirteen 30 minute segments is introduced by Richard Gere or Keanu Reeves.

Starring: Richard Gere and Keanu Reeves

Producer: FPMT

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Over the course of two days’ teaching, H.H. the XIV Dalai Lama of Tibet transmits and explains the text considered to be one of the most profound in all Tibetan Buddhism in that it addresses the relationship between emptiness, the ultimate nature of reality, and dependent origination: the realization that things do not exist independently from other factors, such as causes and conditions. Spontaneously composed by Je Tsongkhapa (1357-1419). This DVD was recorded April 27 and 28, 2007 in San Francisco, California at the Gyuto Vajrayana Center. The two DVDs contain over 9 hours and 30 minutes of teachings, presented in four sessions.

Starring: HH the Dalai Lama

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White Tara

The Blessings of Healing and Longevity with Gehlek Rimpoche includes an interview with Philip Glass. In this video, Gehlek Rimpoche brings the powerful experience of the healing and portection of the mother of all Buddhas, White Tara. Known for his understanding of contemporary society, and his skill as a teacher of Buddhism in the West, Gehlek Rimpoche guides viewers through a visualization and meditation to heal and balance both mind and body.

Starring: Gehlek Rimpoche; interview with Philip Glass

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