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A translation from Tibetan of an eighteenth-century compilation by one of Tibet's greatest Buddhist masters of practice texts of the Marpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The Treasury of Precious Instructions by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Taye, one of Tibet’s greatest Buddhist masters, is a shining jewel of Tibetan literature, presenting essential teachings from the entire spectrum of practice lineages that existed in Tibet. In its eighteen volumes, Kongtrul brings together some of the most important texts on key topics of Buddhist thought and practice as well as authoring significant new sections of his own. The seventh volume of the series, Marpa Kagyu, is the first of four volumes that present a selection of core instructions from the Marpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. This lineage is named for the eleventh-century Tibetan Marpa Chökyi Lodrö of Lhodrak who traveled to India to study the sūtras and tantras with many scholar-siddhas, the foremost being Nāropa and Maitrīpa. The first part of this volume contains source texts on mahāmudrā and the six dharmas by such famous masters as Saraha and Tilopa. The second part begins with a collection of sādhanas and abhisekas related to the Root Cakrasamvara Aural Transmissions, which are the means for maturing, or empowering, students. It is followed by the liberating instructions, first from the Rechung Aural Transmission. This section on instructions continues in the following three Marpa Kagyu volumes. Also included are lineage charts and detailed notes by translator Elizabeth M. Callahan.

The third volume in a historic six-volume series containing many of the first English translations of the classic mahamudra literature compiled by the Seventh Karmapa. Sounds of Innate Freedom: The Indian Texts of Mahamudra are historic volumes containing many of the first English translations of the classic mahamudra literature. The texts and songs in these volumes constitute the large compendium called The Indian Texts of the Mahamudra of Definitive Meaning, compiled by the Seventh Karmapa Chötra Gyatso (1456–1539). Translated, introduced, and annotated by Karl Brunnhölzl, acclaimed senior teacher at the Nalandabodhi community of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, the collection offers a brilliant window into the richness of the vast ocean of Indian mahamudra texts cherished in all Tibetan lineages, particularly in the Kagyu tradition, giving us a clear view of the sources of one of the world’s great contemplative traditions. This third volume contains twenty-four texts, the bulk of which are dohas by Saraha and commentaries on them, as well as works by other renowned Indian Buddhist mahasiddhas such as Naropa, Krsna, and Sakyasribhadra. The extensive commentaries brilliantly unravel enigmas and bring clarity to the songs they comment on as well as to many other songs of realization in the series. These expressive songs of the inexpressible offer readers a feast of profound and powerful pith instructions uttered by numerous male and female mahasiddhas, yogis, and dakinis, often in the context of ritual ganacakras and initially kept in their secret treasury. Displaying a vast range of themes, styles, and metaphors, they all point to the single true nature of the mind—mahamudra—in inspiring ways and from different angles, using a dazzling array of skillful means to penetrate the sole vital point of buddhahood being found nowhere but within our own mind. Reading and singing these songs of mystical wonder, bliss, and ecstatic freedom and contemplating their meaning will open doors to spiritual experience for us today just as it has for countless practitioners in the past.

The first-ever biography with selected writings of one of the greatest Indian Buddhist masters in history. Few figures in the history of Buddhism in Tibet have had as far-reaching and profound an influence as the Indian scholar and adept Atiśa Dīpaṃkara (982–1054). Originally from Bengal, Atiśa was a tantric Buddhist master during Vajrayana Buddhism’s flowering in India and traveled extensively, eventually spending the remaining twelve years of his life revitalizing Buddhism in Tibet. Revered by all the schools of Tibetan Buddhism, Atiśa and his students founded what came to be known as the Kadam school, whose teachings have influenced countless Buddhist masters. These teachings, cherished by all major traditions, are preserved by the Geluk in particular, the school of the Dalai Lamas. Although Atiśa was an influential practitioner and scholar of Tantra, he is best known for introducing many of the core Mahayana teachings that are widely practiced throughout the Tibetan Buddhist world, including the Stages of the Path to Awakening and Mind Training (lojong), as well as having contributed to highly influential commentaries on Madhyamaka that synthesize various schools of thought. This succinct biography of Atiśa’s life, together with a collection of translations, represents for the first time the full range of Atiśa’s contribution to Buddhism. As the most comprehensive work available on this essential Buddhist figure, this book is an indispensable resource for scholars and Buddhist practitioners alike.

'A Garland of Gold' is a history of the early masters of the great Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, such as Saraha, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa and their spiritual heirs. This history represents the testament of the Kagyu lineage forefathers, showing us how they developed devotion and confidence in their gurus, received the inspiration of the dakini messengers, obtained the precious lineages, attained the vision of mahamudra, and spread the keys to enlightenment. Their songs, also translated here, though incomplete without a master' s textual transmission, offer a connection with the world of mahamudra. Lama Jampa Thaye's account of the early masters is based on the histories composed by Pawo Tsuklak Trengwa (1504-1566), Go Lotsawa (1392-1481) and Pema Karpo (1527-1592). He received the transmissions and teachings of the Kagyu forefathers from Karma Thinley Rinpoche and his other gurus such as Ato Rinpoche and Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. The Kagyu tradition is one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism alongside the Sakya, Nyingma and Gelug. It rose to prominence in the eleventh and twelfth centuries C.E. some one and a half millenia after the passing of Lord Buddha and remains one of the great spiritual transmission available in the world today. This book offers a remarkable look into the origins of this world.

What was the function of Buddhist art at the time Buddhism was a major religion in large areas of South, East, and South-East Asia? Can we establish what these sculptures and paintings meant to Buddhist believers living at a time when this art fulfilled important religious needs? These questions are discussed, not answered, in a volume about ‘Function and Meaning of Buddhist Art’ which contains the papers of a workshop on this theme held at Leiden University in 1991. While dealing with a variety of themes and subject-matter, sometimes in great detail, sixteen specialists focus on ritual and semantic aspects of Buddhist works of art from countries such as India, China, Japan, Tibet, Thailand, and Indonesia. Recent non-western art-historical publications show an increasing tendency to work with methodological frameworks developed by specialists on western art. Moreover, there are more similarities between Buddhist and other religious art ‘than, literally, meet the eye’. For this reason, two comparative studies are included in which parallels and universals are brought forward. Two main lines emerge in the results offered in this book, the one indicating a tendency to focus on intended meanings; the other concentrating on more than one level of reception of Buddhist art in a liturgical context.

Accompanying an exhibition to be held in New York during late fall of 1998, Sacred Visions is a superbly illustrated volume of art works from the 11th to the mid-15th centuries which includes scholarly essays that relate to the paintings to be displayed.

Focusing on the principal mediations used by Hindu and Tibetan gurus and philosophers, this companion volume to "Tibetan Book of the Dead" contains seven authentic Tibetan yoga texts, each accompanied by introductory notes and commentary. Includes photos and reproductions of yoga paintings and manuscripts. 9 halftones.

This volume provides a faithful account of the yogic practices which Milarepa, the best known of the Tibetan yogins, successfully put to the test of practice. It explores some of the Kargylitpa School's chief doctrines from Indian Buddhistic sources.

Over the past nine years the Orient Foundation has compiled a database that brings together information on over 600 Tibetan-related organizations throughtout the world. Compiled under the auspices of HH The Dalai Lama, this book provided comprehensive information about Tibetan Buddhism and culture for the general public including: Museums, teaching centres, retreat centres and publications listed in a country-by-country gazetteer. Background information on the four schools of Tibetan Biddhism Biographies of practising Tibetan teachers The First glossary of Tibetan terms