GURU RINPOCHE: His Life and Times, by Ngawang Zangpo

GURU RINPOCHE: His Life and Times

by Ngawang Zangpo. A Tsadra Foundation Series book.

To Tibetan Buddhists, Guru Rinpoché is a Buddha. This book recounts Guru Rinpoché's historic visit to Tibet and explains his continuing significance to Buddhists. In doing so, it illustrates how a country whose powerful armies overran the capital of China and installed a puppet emperor came to abandon its aggressive military campaigns: this transformation was due to Guru Rinpoché, who tamed and converted Tibet to Buddhism and thereby changed the course of Asian history.

This book recounts Guru Rinpoché's historical visit to Tibet and explains his continuing significance to Buddhists. Four very different Tibetan accounts of his story are presented:

A Biography of Guru Rinpoché; by Jamgon Kongtrul;

One according to the pre-Buddhist Tibetan religion, Bön:
The Bon Version of the Life of Guru Rinpoché; by Jamyang Kyentse Wongpo;

One based on Indian and early Tibetan historical documents:
The Indian Version of the Life of Guru Rinpoché; by Taranata;

One by Dorjé Tso.

In addition, there are supplications by Guru Rinpoché and visualizations to accompany them by Jamgon Kongtrul.

"The presence of Guru Rinpoché, a figure so important to Tibetan Buddhists he is called simply 'The Precious Master', can be felt still in each of these liberating stories translated here. Read side-by-side, they reveal an even wider picture, deftly highlighted by Ngawang Zangpo's introduction, of how history and culture interact with the inner spirituality that is beyond time and place."--Sarah Harding, author of Creation and Completion

"With a thought-provoking introduction and stimulating cultural, religious, and literary insights, Ngawang Zangpo offers welcome translations of four biographies of Guru Rinpochéand a set of famous supplications. This new work will certainly be enjoyed by everyone interested in the vast spiritual legacy of the 'Second Buddha' in Tibet."--Cyrus Stearns, author

Ngawang Zangpo (Hugh Thompson) lives near Santa Cruz, California. His previous works include Sacred Ground: Jamgon Kongtrul on "Pilgrimage and Sacred Geography."

"To experienced practitioners, the Tsadra Foundation Series is more precious than gold dust."--Tricycle Magazine

"Overall, the book provides an authentic account of Padmasambhava's life from the Tibetan devotional perspective"--Religious Studies Review

The Tsadra Foundation takes its inspiration from the 19th Century non-sectarian Tibetan scholar and meditation master, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, and is named after his hermitage in Eastern Tibet, Tsadra Rinchen Drak. The Foundation's programs reflect his values of excellence in both scholarship and contemplative practice, and a recognition of their mutual complementarity. Guru Rinpoche is part of The Tsadra Foundation Series published by Snow Lion Publications.

Ngawang Zangpo(Hugh Leslie Thompson) completed two three-year retreats under the direction of the late Kalu Rinpoche. He is presently working on a number of translation projects under the direction of Chadral Rinpoche and Lama Tharchin Rinpoche. His previous works include Jamgon Kongtrul's Retreat Manual and Enthronement: Recognition of the Reincarnate Masters of Tibet and The Himalaya's. He also contributed to the work of Kalu Rinpoche's translation group's books Myriad Worlds and Buddhist Ethics.

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