Books published by Wisdom Publications,U.S.

Essential instructions on Mahamudra from one of today’s greatest Mahamudra masters.In his first major book, His Eminence the Twelfth Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche, the head of the Zurmang Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, elucidates the essence of a fundamental mahamudra teaching. At the heart of this book are Rinpoche’s practical instructions on how to settle the mind and meditate in a way that directly works with the mind, with the aim of discovering and becoming familiar with the nature of the mind. These instructions are given as commentary to a short text written by Bokar Rinpoche, which is itself a concise commentary on the Ninth Gyalwa Karmapa Wangchuk Dorjé’s Ocean of Definitive Meaning, which is considered to be one of the most authoritative and exhaustive treatises on mahamudra. The book covers topics such as the preliminary practices, the practice of samatha and vipasyana according to the mahamudra tradition, and advice for overcoming obstacles and making progress along the path.  His Eminence Zurmang Gharwang Rinpoche offers revealing commentary on Bokar Rinpoche’s pithy teaching, illuminating and unlocking it for contemporary readers, showing us the way to understand the very nature of our own minds.

New translations of teachings on meditative practice from four highly influential Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Drawing primarily from the Pacification, Severance, Shangpa Kagyü, and Bodongpa traditions, Four Tibetan Lineages presents some of Tibet’s most transformative yet lesser-known teachings on meditative practice. Most works in this volume are drawn from a Tibetan anthology known as the Treasury of Precious Instructions compiled by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé (1813–1900). A vast preservation project, this anthology reflects Kongtrul’s attempt to rescue rare teachings from disappearing. By foregrounding the teachings of masters like Khedrup Khyungpo Naljor (d. 1135), Dampa Sangyé (d. 1117), Machik Labdrön (1031/55–1126/50), Jonang Taranatha (1575–1634), and Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo (1820–92), this volume extends Jamgön Kongtrul’s preservation efforts into the modern world. ___   "This carefully researched and meticulously organized work presents serious students and practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism with a treasury of knowledge, wisdom, and clearly detailed practices. At a time when the continuity of the Tibetan tradition of valid masters and lineage holders is challenged, this publication will serve to both clarify and preserve the lineages’ gems."   —Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo, Founding Director of Dongyu Gatsal Ling Nunnery, author of Reflections on a Mountain Lake: Teachings on Practical Buddhism     "A collection of unique and precious original translations from one the most experienced first-generation Western translators of Tibetan texts. This book is like a delicious box of chocolates to be eaten slowly, and each one savored and appreciated as a special gift."   —Lama Tsultrim Allione, Founder of Tara Mandala, author of Wisdom Rising     "The massive collection of scriptures preserved by the nineteenth-century masters Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thayé and Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo can be overwhelming for contemporary readers in their richness. We are fortunate to have access to this carefully selected compilation of interrelated core teachings from four important Tibetan lineages—Pacification, Severance, Shangpa Kagyü, and Bodong—all beautifully rendered with Sarah Harding’s cogent and elegant translation expertise."     —Sarah Jacoby, Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Northwestern University, author of Love and Liberation: Autobiographical Writings of the Tibetan Buddhist Visionary Sera Khandro   "Four Tibetan Lineages contains gems of practice-oriented instructions from four distinct Buddhist lineages, prominent in Tibet but lesser known internationally, namely, Pacification, Severance, the Shangpa Kagyü, and Bodong tradition. Drawn mainly from Jamgön Kongtrul’s famed Treasury of Precious Instructions, this ecumenical collection of profound teachings is masterfully translated by Sarah Harding."   —Holly Gayley, Associate Professor of Buddhism in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder, author of A Gathering of Brilliant Moons: Practice Advice from the Rimé Masters of Tibet

A translation of a foundational scripture in beautiful, lyrical translation, perfect for recitation.A key text for one of the most important Buddhist tantric traditions, the Chakrasamvara Root Tantra has been passed down to us from the ancient mahasiddhas of India, such as the great yogi Saraha. This foundational ritual text is one of the earliest of the yogini tantras, tantric scriptures that emphasize female deities. This melodic translation by David Gonsalez (Ven. Losang Tsering) maintains the poetic structure of the original, making it ideal for practitioners and harmonious to recite. It is at once an object of devotion, a profound instruction, and a beautiful poem meant to inspire spiritual seekers.

"Eihei Dåogen-the thirteenth-century Japanese Zen Master of peerless depth and subtilty-heard the music of the universe that sounds as all events and places, people, things and spaces. He experienced reality as a great dance moving through time, coming to life in the thoughts and acts of all beings. It is a most special dance, for it is the dance that the whole of reality is dancing, with nothing left out, that you are I are dancing, that is dancing as you and me. In The Zen Master's Dance, Jundo Cohen takes us deep into the mind of Master Dåogen-and shows us how to join in the great and intimate dance of the universe. Through fresh translations and sparkling teaching, Cohen opens up for us a new way to read one of Buddhism's most remarkable spiritual geniuses"--

"In the same everyman-style that appealed to readers in A Fool's Guide to Actual Happiness, Mark Van Buren returns with A Fool's Guide to Mindfulness. This book's emphasis is bold and clear: your entire life is the Path, your entire life is meditation-every aspect and every circumstance can become a place of practice. Nothing is too mundane, and nothing at all is left out. Van Buren excels at communicating in a simple and breezy fashion the nothing-special quality of spiritual practice, and leaves the reader feeling empowered, encouraged, and up for the task of living into a life of at least just a little bit more freedom and peace"--

A plain-English introduction to a major school of Tibetan Buddhism, by His Holiness the Sakya Trichen, its emeritus head.This book will give you the rare opportunity to learn directly from His Holiness the Sakya Trichen. Collected from teachings by His Holiness, this book is a warm and comprehensive introduction to the Buddhist path as told by the patriarch of the Sakya order. His Holiness offers explanations of the philosophical tenets of the Mahayana path and in particular the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism—giving down-to-earth advice for practicing in the world today: -the principles of tantra, -the value of retreat, -the history of the Sakya lineage, -ecology from a Buddhist perspective, -biographies of great women practitioners, -and other commonly asked questions. A must-read for anyone interested in following a Buddhist spiritual path.

The fifth volume of the Dalai Lama’s definitive Library of Wisdom and Compassion series, which has sold nearly 15,000 copies to date.In Praise of Great Compassion, the fifth volume of the Library of Wisdom and Compassion, continues the Dalai Lama’s teachings on the path to awakening. While previous volumes focused on our present situation and taking responsibility for creating the causes for the happiness we seek, this volume is about opening our hearts to others and generating the compassion, joy, and fortitude to make our lives meaningful by benefiting them. We are embedded in a universe with other beings, all of whom have been kind to us in one way or another. More than any other time in human history, we depend on one another to stay alive and flourish. We are sometimes oblivious to their kindness, or take it for granted, which leads to feelings of discontent. But when we look closely, it becomes apparent that we have been the recipient of great kindness and naturally we want to repay it. To do this, we begin by cultivating a positive attitude toward others by contemplating the four immeasurables—immeasurable love, compassion, empathic joy, and equanimity—and the altruistic intention of bodhicitta. We learn to challenge the deluded logic of the self-centered attitude that leads to misery and replace it with a more realistic perspective that helps us to remain balanced when we experience either happiness or suffering. This enables us to make all circumstances favorable to the path to awakening.

Khenpo Sodargye translates and provides commentary on the Diamond Sutra, the oldest printed book in China, shedding light on the Buddha’s teachings on how to destroy attachment without being led astray; the author is a household name in China and his books and CDs sell in the millions in China.To study the Diamond Sutra is to realize that fluctuations of change, happiness, fear, anger, and sorrow are not the true essence of your life. The dialogue between the Buddha and his disciple, Subhuti, gives a view of the world that deconstructs our normal categories of experience to indicate that we are always relating to figments of our own imagination, that what we think are real entities in the world are conceptualizations. The Buddha teaches us to cut our attachment to all phenomena and realize that there has never been anything such as an “I,” which is empty of inherent existence. Attachment is the root cause of our suffering; even the most minor attachment can still cause unending distress. Yet the Buddha also teaches that it is better to have attachment as gigantic as the mythic Mount Meru to “existence” than attachment as tiny as a mustard seed to “nonexistence.” That is, when we believe we are giving up attachment, and that because all phenomena are empty there is no need to be attached to virtue, we fall into the worst trap of all—the deluded attachment to emptiness. So how do we destroy attachment without being led astray? With this question in mind, Dzogchen Master Khenpo Sodargye provides sparkling commentary on the Diamond Sutra from the view of the Sutrayana—so that the reader will understand its actual meaning (incidentally preparing the reader to understand the view of the Great Perfection and Mahamudra). Before recognizing the nature of the mind, we learn we must hold on to things that are virtuous and right. Like a boat, these can help us cross a river; until we reach the other shore, it makes no sense to give them up. The division of the sutra into thirty-two chapters, according to the Chinese Buddhist tradition, makes it easier for readers to understand the meaning of the Buddha’s teaching stage by stage.

New translations two of the most revered and important tantric texts in Tibetan Buddhism, essential for meditators, scholars, and students alike.“If one knows the Self-Arisen Vidya Tantra, the Self-Liberated Vidya Tantra, and the Tantra Without Syllables, one will have command over the general meaning of the tantras, like a king who has command over his subjects.”—Treasury of the Supreme Vehicle The eleventh-century Seventeen Tantras are among the most important texts in the tradition of the Great Perfection—and in all of Tibetan Buddhism. This set provides these two luminous root texts in crystal-clear translation, along with their commentaries, which break down the tantra passage by passage under headings that contextualize many instructions for the practice of the Great Perfection. The two texts are published together because they contain some of the most detailed expositions on which are based the two essential practices of the Great Perfection: trekchö, the cultivation of the four modes of unfettered equipoise unique to the Great Perfection, and thögal, the cultivation of the four contemplative visions of the Great Perfection that lead to the realization of the body of light. The Tantra Without Syllables focuses on the theoretical basis for trekchö, and the Blazing Lamp focuses on the theoretical basis of thögal. The actual tantra discussed is not the body of the root text of the tantra, but rather the subject matter that the root text points to: the continuum of one’s own vidya, personal knowledge of one's true condition, confirmed in a direct perception, which cannot be explained in words. Malcolm Smith’s simple and lucid introductions bring clarity to an intricate subject, making these volumes vital reading for any student of Dzogchen.

The definitive presentation of one of the most unique and compelling works of classical Tibetan literature.This book presents an influential and extraordinary teaching of the Kagyü tradition of Tibetan Buddhism known as the Single Intention by the master Drigung Jikten Sumgön (1143-1217), along with its chief commentaries, principally the Light of the Sun by Rikzin Chökyi Drakpa (1595-1659). Early in the history of the Kagyü school, the teachings of Jikten Sumgön were condensed into 150 core formulations called vajra statements. These pithy, revelatory statements comprise the Single Intention (Dgongs gcig), which presents the thought of the Buddha and the nature of the ineffable (brjod du med pa) in concise and direct expression. The Single Intention weaves the thread of ineffable mahamudra through the entire fabric of Buddhism. It presents mahamudra as pervading disciplined conduct, meditative concentration, and discriminative knowledge; ground, path, and result; view, practice, and conduct; and the "three vows" of pratimoksa, of the bodhisattvas, and of mantra. Jikten Sumgön teaches how the fundamental values and insights revealed by the Buddha are woven into reality and therefore accessible to all. Jan-Ulrich Sobisch manages to convey the unity of the Buddha's message both in its particulars and in its scope. His deep and authoritative skill makes this the definitive presentation of one of the most unique and compelling works of classical Tibetan literature.

Among the generation of elder Tibetan lamas who brought Tibetan Buddhism west in the latter half of the twentieth century, perhaps none has had a greater impact on the academic study of Buddhism than Geshe Lhundub Sopa. He has striven to preserve Tibetan religious culture through tireless work as a professor and religious figure, establishing a functioning Buddhist monastery in the West, organizing the Dalai Lama's visits to the U.S., and offering countless teachings across the country. But prior to his thirty-year career in the first ever academic Buddhist studies program in the United States - a position in which he oversaw the training of many among the seminal generation of American Buddhist studies scholars - Geshe Sopa was the son of peasant farmers, a novice monk in a rural monastery, a virtuoso scholar-monk at one of the prestigious central monasteries in Lhasa, and a survivor of the Tibetan uprising and perilous flight into exile in 1959. In Like a Waking Dream, Geshe Sopa frankly and observantly reflects on how his life in Tibet - a monastic life of yogic simplicity - shaped and prepared him for the unexpected. His is a tale of an exemplary life dedicated to learning, spiritual cultivation, and the service of others from one of the greatest living masters of Tibetan Buddhism.

Author of "Mindfulness In Plain English" Bhante Gunaratana advises on how to incorporate meditation, mindfulness and holistic ideas from Buddhism into busy modern life, reaping the benefits in relationships, work and other aspects of experience.

A Tibetan Buddhist lama gives advice on the issues facing people in the modern world.In this book, Khenpo Sodargye, a world-famous Tibetan Buddhist lama and scholar, offers guidance on an issue that troubles so many of us in the modern world: What is true happiness, and how do we achieve it? Bombarded with information, endlessly pursuing possessions-we look for happiness in all the wrong places. Khenpo Sodargye, one of the busiest Buddhist teachers in the world, shows us how to redirect our attention away from such distractions and instead calm our minds and find true contentment. His wide-ranging advice covers careers and conventional notions of material success, romantic relationships, and the environment. Erudite and compassionate, he points the reader to inspiration from sutras, Zen masters, Confucius, and the daily news, offering warm, heartfelt encouragement for these troubled times.

Renowned and beloved the world over, a peerless contemporary translation of one of Buddhism's most important texts comes alive with over 110 full-page illustrations by a multiple award-winning artist.The Lotus Sutra is regarded as one of the world's great religious scriptures and most influential texts. It's a seminal work in the development of Buddhism throughout East Asia and, by extension, in the development of Mahayana Buddhism throughout the world. Taking place in a vast and fantastical cosmic setting, the Lotus Sutra places emphasis on skillfully doing whatever is needed to serve and compassionately care for others, on breaking down distinctions between the fully enlightened buddha and the bodhisattva who vows to postpone salvation until all beings may share it, and especially on each and every being's innate capacity to become a buddha. This illustrated edition features more than 110 full-page and two-page illustrations by a world-renowned and award-winning artist, and brings the fantastical and image-filled world of the Lotus Sutra vividly to life. Demi's illustrations are both classical and contemporary in feel, perfectly complementing Reeves's masterful and modern translation.