Vajrayogini is a tantric goddess from the highest class of Buddhist tantras who manifests the ultimate development of wisdom and compassion. Her practice is prevalent today among practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism. This ground-breaking book delves into the origins of Vajrayogini, charting her evolution in India and examining her roots in the Cakrasamvara tantra and in Indian tradition relating to siva. The focus of this work is the Guhyasamayasadhanamala, a collection of forty-six sadhanas, or practice texts. Written on palm leaves in Sanskrit and preserved since the twelfth century, this diverse collection, composed by various authors, reveals a multitude of forms of the goddess, each of which is described and illustrated here. One of the sadhanas, the Vajravarahi Sadhana by Umapatideva, depicts Vajrayogini at the center of a mandala of thirty-seven different goddesses, and is here presented in full translation alongside a Sanskrit edition. Elizabeth English provides extensive explanation and annotation of this representative text. Sixteen pages of stunning color plates not only enhance the study but bring the goddess to life.

Reprint. originally published: Tharpa Publications, 1991.

Vajrayogini Sadhana and Commentary, a translation of an oral explanation given by Geshe Ngawang Dhargey in Seattle, Washington, USA, in 1981. Traditionally, the practice of tantra is supposed to kept secret, and it is to be noted that this book is intended purely for those who have received the proper initiations. However, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama has advised, the great misunderstandings to which tantra is often subject to are more harmful than the partial lifting of such secrecy, so there is a necessity for books to be made available which contain authentic explanations. Venerable Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey was born in Kham Province of Tibet in 1928 and attended Sera Je Monastery. He escaped from Tibet in 1959 to India where he was able to continue teaching and meditating. He received his Geshe Lharampa degree in 1969. In 1971 His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama asked him to teach Dharma courses to westerners at the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala. In 1986 he left for Dunedin, New Zealand, where he was the resident Spiritual Director at the Thargye Dharma Center until his death in 1996.

With this book, Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche explains with clarity and precision how we can practice the sublime meditations of Heruka body mandala, and thereby gradually transform our ordinary world and experiences into those of a Buddha, a fully enlightened being. He follows this with definitive instructions on the completion stage practices that can lead directly to the supreme bliss of full enlightenment in this one lifetime. This is a treasury of practical instructions for those seriously interested in following the Tantric path. • The first complete explanation in English of the Highest Yoga Tantra practice of Heruka body mandala • Sublime methods for transforming our ordinary minds and attaining pure selfless joy • The actual method to accomplish the supreme bliss of full enlightenment in this lifetime

Published in conjunction with a 2003 exhibition co-organized by the Columbus Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, this hefty, oversize (10x13 catalogue features approximately 160 powerful masterpieces of Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese, and Mongolian art produced over the pa

An exploration of an extraordinary group of female meditation masters from the Buddhist tradition in Tibet whose determination and accomplishments can serve as a great example for meditators the world over. Among Tibetan spiritual biographies there are many life stories of exceptional male wisdom-holders or vidyādharas. But biographies of religious women are few. This book focuses on the hidden world of the great female spiritual adepts who were born into a prominent lineage of the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. For centuries, this family of wisdom holders has been committed to helping others alleviate their suffering and develop a strong dedication to spiritual practice.

The long awaited print version of the popular Buddhist mantra website: visiblemantra.org. This is a celebration of the visual forms of mantra and other varieties of sacred speech, drawing on Buddhist traditions from India, China, Japan, and Tibet. The book includes all the mantras from the website, plus a few more. Each is presented in four scripts: Siddhaṃ (Bonji 梵字), Lantsa (aka Rañjana), Devanāgarī, and Tibetan (dbu can). Plus seed-syllables, dhāraṇī and Pāli chants. All accompanied by Jayarava's meticulously researched notes and comments, and background reading drawn from Jayarava's blog. An invaluable resource for Buddhist artists, calligraphers and practitioners.

"The Indian Buddhist world abounds with goddesses--voluptuous tree spirits, maternal nurturers, potent healers and protectors, transcendent wisdom figures, cosmic mothers of liberation, and dancing female Buddhas. Despite their importance in Buddhist thought and practice, these female deities have received relatively little scholarly attention, and no comprehensive study of the female pantheon has been available. Buddhist Goddesses of India is the essential and definitive guide to divinities that, as Miranda Shaw writes, "operate from transcendent planes of bliss and awareness for as long as their presence may benefit living beings." Beautifully illustrated, the book chronicles the histories, legends, and artistic portrayals of nineteen goddesses and several related human figures and texts. Drawing on a sweeping range of material, from devotional poetry and meditation manuals to rituals and artistic images, Shaw reveals the character, powers, and practice traditions of the female divinities. Interpretations of intriguing traits such as body color, stance, hairstyle, clothing, jewelry, hand gestures, and handheld objects lend deep insight into the symbolism and roles of each goddess. In addition to being a comprehensive reference, this book traces the fascinating history of these goddesses as they evolved through the early, Mahayana, and Tantric movements in India and found a place in the pantheons of Tibet and Nepal."--Publisher's website.

Vajrayogini Sadhana practice manual is the distilled essence of the Ultimate Secret of the Chakrasamvara Tantra, the most profound meaning of the Buddha's teaching presented with full color images to help practitioners with the sadhana practice. Her sadhana practice consists of eleven yogas, through which practitioners transform every aspect of their life, even transforming daily activities into the profound path of awakening. Awakened masters in every school of Tibetan Buddhism have taken these eleven yogas of Naropa's Vajrayogini practice as the main focus of their daily practice because while it is an easy practice, its meaning is profound, and its results are swift. Through the practice of the eleven yogas of Vajrayogini, it is possible to achieve Buddhahood in this lifetime.

This new and revised commentary to the Heart Sutra--the best known and most popular of all Buddhist scriptures--reveals both its direct and hidden meaning.