New Books
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JAMGON MIPAM: His Life and Teachings by Douglas Duckworth, Jamgon Mipam 256 pp., paper. #JAMIHI - $ 24.95 Jamgön Mipam (1846-1912) is one of the most extraordinary figures in the history of Tibet. Monk, mystic, and brilliant philosopher, he shaped the trajectory of Tibetan Buddhism’s Nyingma school. This introduction provides a most concise entrée to this great luminary’s life and work. The first section gives a general context for understanding this remarkable individual who, though he spent the greater part of his life in solitary retreat, became one of the greatest scholars of his age. Part Two gives an overview of Mipam's interpretation of Buddhism, examining his major themes, and devoting particular attention to his articulation of the Buddhist conception of emptiness. Part Three presents a representative sampling of Mipam’s writings. More ... | |
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KAGUYA HIME (A Japanese Folk Tale) trans. by Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, with Seji Sataka, Ito Tetsuya, Unita Sachianand, Tendar, and illustrated by Sonam Dhondup 16 pp., 7" x 9", 16 color & 1 b&w illustrations. #KAHI - $ 6.95 Kaguya Hime (A Japanese Folk Tale) is one of the oldest folk tales still alive and being enjoyed by Japanese children, who are very familiar with the story. It is said that this story originally came from Tibet. The story has a spiritual message that reminds us of the impermanence of everything in this world. The book is bilingual in Tibetan and English, with rich color illustrations. More ... | |
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THE KALACAKRA TANTRA: The Chapter on Sadhana Together with the Vimalaprabha Commentary translated from Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Mongolian, introduced and annotated by Vesna A. Wallace; Series Editor-in-Chief, Robert A.F. Thurman; editing and design by Thomas F. Yarnall; a Treasury of the Buddhist Sciences series book 400 pp., cloth. #KACHSA - $ 49.00 This is the first complete English translation of the fourth chapter of the esoteric Buddhist Kalacakra Tantra text and its eleventh-century commentary, the Stainless Light (Vimalaprabha). Building upon the Chapter on the Cosmos and particularly the Chapter on the Individual (AIBS, 2004)--which provide the theoretical background to the Chapter on Sadhana, and the reasons for the given structure and contents of the Kalacakra sadhana practice--this fourth chapter illuminates the intricate connection between the practice of the Kalacakra sadhana and the Kalacakra Tantra's worldview. This fourth chapter describes Buddhist Tantric generation stage practices (utpatti-krama), including instructions on protecting the place of practice, the meditative practices of the origination of the body and the deities abiding in the body, and the diverse mundane sadhanas designed to induce the mundane siddhis. It then also describes the more advanced Buddhist Tantric completion stage practices (sampatti-krama), designed to lead directly to the attainment of buddhahood, called here the "Adibuddha" (Primordial Buddha). More ... | |
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LAMA CHOPA JORCHO composed by Losang Chokyi Gyaltsen and Jamphal Lhundrub, with introduction by Lama Zopa Rinpoche 296 pp., 4 illustrations, laminate cover, coated wire bound. #LACHJO - $ 27.00 According to the great master Pabongkha Rinpoche, Lama Chopa is a complete practice, containing all the important points of sutra and tantra. In this edition, the practice of Lama Chopa is combined with the precious practice of Jorcho. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has also added practices, many of which were traditionally done by the great lineage masters such as Kachen Yeshe Gyaltsen and Pabongkha Rinpoche. These precious meditations give us the opportunity for the most powerful accumulation of merit and purification, to increase our realizations, and to receive the essential blessings of the Guru in our hearts. Finally, this edition contains three exceptionally clear teachings from Lama Zopa Rinpoche on the practice and how we can best perform it for the benefit of all sentient beings. More ... | |
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LIFE OF THE BUDDHA by Tsewang Gyalpo Arya, illustrated by Ngawang Dorjee 32 pp., gloss paper, full-color illustrations throughout. 7" x 9.5". #LIBUCO - $ 8.95 Here is a rare gem of a book, as wonderful for children to read as for adults! It tells the story of Buddha's life in simple, full-color cartoons, and describes many of his challenges and his works. Most of these stories have not been widely told in the West, so this little book was a delight to find. More ... | |
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A LIFE OF THE BUDDHA by Sherab Chodzin Kohn 176 pp., paper. #LIOFTH - $ 14.95 The story of the Buddha and his awakening is more than an account of the birth of a religious tradition: it is also one of the great archetypal tales of the spiritual quest, colorful in its many details and thrilling in its depiction of the world transformed by an enlightened human being. Sherab Chödzin Kohn’s retelling of the Buddha’s life is both readable and historically informed, and presents the Buddha's teachings along with the events of his past lives to final nirvana. Library Journal called it "a splendid combination of biography and instruction." This new edition of the book previously entitled The Awakened One has been updated to include a short history of Buddhism as well as a selection of resources for further reading. More ... | |
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LIKE A YETI CATCHING MARMOTS: A Little Treasury of Tibetan Proverbs by Pema Tsewang, Shastri 174 pp., pocket-size paper. #LIYECA - $ 15.95 This enchanting little book contains 108 traditional Tibetan proverbs--conveying the wit and wisdom of one of the world's most unique cultures. The proverbs appear in English and Tibetan script, along with a brief explanation of each. Funny and wise, these proverbs remind us of our experiences in a relatable and meaningful way. More ... | |
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MINDFUL MONKEY, HAPPY PANDA by Lauren Alderfer, illustrated by Kerry Lee MacLean 32 pp., fully illustrated, coated hardbound cover, 10" x 8". #MIMOHA - $ 15.95 This wonderful picture book for both children and adults introduces the powerful practice of mindfulness in a fun and accessible way. The delightful characters of Monkey and his serene friend Happy Panda guide readers to a calmer and more attentive mind, with a whimsical yet universal and warm presentation that will delight all readers. It offers one of the clearest, most easily understood explanations of mindfulness, presented in a friendly way, with instructions that will help readers start right away. More ... | |
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THE MOUSE KING, ZARI-NGOYUNG AND HIS TWO MINISTERS by Jadhur Sangpo and Tsewang Gyalpo Arya 20 pp., paper, 7" x 9", 19 illustrations, also has the Tibetan text. #MOKIZA - $ 6.95 This lively and interesting Tibetan folk tale is a story about a community of mice living peacefully and in unity under their wise leader, Zari-Ngoyung. The story shows how sharing and building harmony with others can decrease fear, disease, famine and wars. The book is bilingual, in Tibetan and English, and helps develop reading and comprehension skills. A glossary of Tibetan words is included. More ... | |
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NATURAL APPEARANCES, NATURAL LIBERATION A Nyingma Meditative Guide on the Six Bardos of Living and Dying by Master Tam Shek-wing, translated by Samten Migdron, foreword by Tulku Thondup Rinpoche 180 pp., paper. #NAAPNA - $ 24.95 This commentary is based on the six bardos teachings from a series of hidden treasure texts known as the Profound Dharma of Natural Liberation through the Intention of the Peaceful and Wrathful Ones (Zab chos zhi khro dgongs pa rang grol), discovered by the great terton Karma Lingpa in the fourteenth century. The word "bardo," made popular in the West through the English translation of the Bardo Thodol or The Tibetan Book of the Dead, which also belongs to the same series of treasure texts, means an intermediate or in-between state. The practice of the six bardos, according to the hermeneutics of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, is essentially the meditative practice of living and dying. More ... | |
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THE NINTH KARMAPA, WANGCHUK DORJE'S OCEAN OF CERTAINTY commentary by Traleg Kyabgon 176 pp., coated paper. #OCCECO - $ 18.95 Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche's commentary to the sixteenth century work Pith Instructions of Coemergent Wisdom, Entitled the Profound Essence of the Ocean of Certainty, by the Ninth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, provides meditators with an overview of the path leading to the realization of mahamudra, the self-liberated and all-encompassing nature of reality. More ... | |
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THE PATH IS THE GOAL: A Basic Handbook of Buddhist Meditation by Chögyam Trungpa, edited by Sherab Chodzin 192 pp., paper, pocket-size. #PAGO - $ 14.95 The Buddha taught meditation as the essential spiritual practice. Nothing else is more important. These classic teachings on the outlook and technique of meditation provide the foundation that every practitioner needs to awaken as the Buddha did. Chögyam Trungpa here reveals how the deliberate practice of mindfulness develops into awareness, insight, and openness. He also guides us away from the ego's trap: the urge to make meditation serve our ambition. More ... | |
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THE POWER OF FAITH AND MINDFULNESS by Tsewang Gyalpo Arya edited by Lauren Alderfer and Kalsang Khedup, illustrated by Ugyen 24 pp., paper, 7" x 9", 21 color illustrations, also has Tibetan text. #POFAMI - $ 6.95 Here is a collection of two Tibetan folk tales as told to the author by his mother. The tales will take the readers to the ancient world of faith and wisdom. The tales reconfirms the power of devotion and faith in Dharma. Highly recommended for children of all ages. Bilingual in Tibetan and English with color illustrations. More ... | |
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THE POWER OF AN OPEN QUESTION: The Buddha's Path to Freedom by Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel, foreword by Dzigar Kongtrul 128 pp., paper. #POOFOP - $ 16.95 How do we find a resting place in a world that is complex and always changing? How do we practice spirituality beyond the limits of blind acceptance and doubt? Elizabeth Mattis-Namgyel proposes that when we ask challenging questions like these, we access our deepest intelligence and most powerful insights. "When we ask a question," she suggests, "our mind is engaged yet open. The process of inquiry protects us from our tendency to reach static conclusions. Instead, we can respond to uncertainty and change with inquisitiveness and a sense of wonder." Her book guides us on a provocative, playful, and spiritually enriching journey of contemplation that could last a lifetime. More ... | |
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A PROFOUND MIND: Cultivating Wisdom in Everyday Life by The Dalai Lama, edited by Nicholas Vreeland, afterword by Richard Gere 162 pp., clothbound. #PRMICU - $ 23.00 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 in 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 will not lead 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. More ... | |
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RAINBOW BODY: The Life and Realization of Togden Ugyen Tendzin by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, translated, edited and annotated by Adriano Clemente 140 pp., paper, 35 b&w drawings, 20 color photos and maps. #RABOLI - $ 18.00 The Rainbow Body is one of the highest attainments of Dzogchen, an ancient spiritual path recognized as the supreme vehicle of Tibetan Buddhism. It is accomplished by transmuting one's physical constituents into the essence of the five elements, and as a result no material body remains after death. More ... | |
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REBEL BUDDHA: A Guide to a Revolution of Mind by Dzogchen Ponlop 224 pp., now in paper! #REBUON - $ 15.95 "Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche shatters old myths and sweeps away cultural baggage, presenting the essence of the Buddha's teachings in a fresh, contemporary voice. With uncommon clarity and authority, he offers a new vision for the future of Buddhism that is at once shocking and hopeful. This is a small book with a big message that is timely and important."—Pema Chödrön, author of When Things Fall Apart More ... | |
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RIGPA TIBETAN CALENDAR 2012-2013: Water Dragon Year 2139 Pocket-size, 4" x 7", 112 pp., many color illustrations. #RIGP12 - $ 14.95 The Rigpa Tibetan Calendar is a remarkably compact annual pocket calendar that provides a wealth of information on the secular and religious holidays observed by most countries, as well as Buddhist holidays, special practice days, anniversaries, numerous prayers, information on Tibetan Buddhism, portraits of prominent lamas and many Buddhist teachers, worldwide contact information, days not to hang prayer flags, Buddhas' days, and so much more. Printed by Rigpa International in full color throughout. Dates begin on Tibetan New Year, known as Losar (February 22, 2012), and end on February 10, 2013, so there is still plenty of time to order this wonderful datebook. More ... | |