Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse: a story of transmission
Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse: a story of transmission
$39.95
In stock, will ship in 2 – 3 business days
ISBN / SKU
9781559392839
Format
Hardback
Pages
262
Dimensions
198 x 174
Description
Beautiful, evocative and eminently useful, this rich array of texts, chants on CD, and images handsomely fills out the practices of the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse tradition.
The foundational practices from the Heart Essence transmission that was revealed by Jigme Lingpa have for over three centuries been one of the most widely practiced and beloved gateways to Dzogchen in Tibet.
Like most Tibetan practices, these are chanted in solitary practice or in groups, their words supporting the vision, emotion, and understanding being cultivated. The compilation of texts, story, history, music, and commentaries in this book helps the practitioner more fully understand the elements of practice. And the included chantable English translation matches the meter of the Tibetan original and thus can be sung to the traditional Tibetan melodies that are also part of its transmission.
The Heart Essence remains a living tradition. A contemporary lama of this tradition, Adzom Rinpoche, widely regarded in Tibet as an incarnation of Jigme Lingpa, prepared a condensed version of Jigme Lingpa's famous text, also included here. The accompanying mp3 CD contains the Tibetan and English chanting of both his and Jigme Lingpa's practice texts.
In addition, three color-picture sections show images of land and objects sacred to the Heart Essence tradition, and also of deities and lamas in the transmission, including a section on Adzom Gar, a major twentieth-century seat of this teaching in Kham.
Anne Carolyn Klein, author of Meeting the Great Bliss Queen, and, with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, of Unbounded Wholeness, is professor of religious studies at Rice University and a cofounding director of Dawn Mountain Tibetan Temple, Community Center, and Research Institute.
PRAISE
"From among all the traditions of wisdom teachings in the world, few have been preserved with greater care, devotion, and genuine meditative accomplishment throughout the centuries than the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, or Longchen Nyingthig, which belongs to Tibet's first Buddhist lineage, the Nyingma school of the early tantric translations. By the kindness of the innumerable great beings of India and Tibet and the good actions and aspirations of those who long for awakening, the legacy of this tradition, with all its texts and instructions, has survived undiminished to the present, even in the face of great challenges.
"We are now at a crucial phase of continuing this survival: the transplantation of the authentic Buddhadharma to the West. A key aspect of this process involves making the lineages' methods of practice something that Westerners can engage in with full-hearted enthusiasm—in their own languages. I therefore welcome and applaud this most recent effort of professor Anne Klein, who, through her extensive experience in practice, has made key liturgies of the preliminaries for the Longchen Nyingthig, which are indispensable to the meditation journey of Dzogchen, available in pleasant and inspiring English. This too will result in more opportunities for students to taste, in a fresh way, the ever-excellent true nature of their own hearts through the blessings of lineage transmission."
—Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, author of Mind Beyond Death
"Buddhism tells us that we each have the capacity to access profound wisdom, awareness and compassion. Heart Essence is a beautiful guide to the openness we need to bring that capacity to life."
—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
"Ngondro practice is not merely a prerequisite, it is the path to realizing the great expanse of the Vidyadhara Jigme Lingpa."
—Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, director of The Cup and Travellers and Magicians and author of What Makes You Not A Buddhist
"The amazing verses of this most sacred meditation practice have resounded in monasteries, nunneries, and mountain caves for centuries.They are waves from the spiritual realization of great adepts on the Roof of the World. These have now here been born in English, in beautiful poetry and inspiring melodies"
—Tulku Thondup, author of The Practice of Dzogchen and Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth
"Anne Carolyn Klein has made a precious gift to all practitioners in presenting her beautiful translations of the foundational practices of the Longchen Nyingthig, arguably the most widely practiced cycle of teachings in the Nyingma Tradition, together with the original texts. These practices establish the basis for all spiritual progress."
—Matthieu Ricard, author of Happiness: How to Cultivate Life's Most Important Skill
"A rare book, providing lucid, chantable translations of liturgies from a beautiful visionary Treasure cycle. This work is fascinating for what it reveals of the processes by which scripture unfolds, and then enters the disciple's life of devotion. Sure to be welcomed by practitioners, the book is also of great interest to students of Buddhist ritual."
—Professor Janet Gyatso, Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies, The Divinity School, Harvard University, author of Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary
The foundational practices from the Heart Essence transmission that was revealed by Jigme Lingpa have for over three centuries been one of the most widely practiced and beloved gateways to Dzogchen in Tibet.
Like most Tibetan practices, these are chanted in solitary practice or in groups, their words supporting the vision, emotion, and understanding being cultivated. The compilation of texts, story, history, music, and commentaries in this book helps the practitioner more fully understand the elements of practice. And the included chantable English translation matches the meter of the Tibetan original and thus can be sung to the traditional Tibetan melodies that are also part of its transmission.
The Heart Essence remains a living tradition. A contemporary lama of this tradition, Adzom Rinpoche, widely regarded in Tibet as an incarnation of Jigme Lingpa, prepared a condensed version of Jigme Lingpa's famous text, also included here. The accompanying mp3 CD contains the Tibetan and English chanting of both his and Jigme Lingpa's practice texts.
In addition, three color-picture sections show images of land and objects sacred to the Heart Essence tradition, and also of deities and lamas in the transmission, including a section on Adzom Gar, a major twentieth-century seat of this teaching in Kham.
Anne Carolyn Klein, author of Meeting the Great Bliss Queen, and, with Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, of Unbounded Wholeness, is professor of religious studies at Rice University and a cofounding director of Dawn Mountain Tibetan Temple, Community Center, and Research Institute.
PRAISE
"From among all the traditions of wisdom teachings in the world, few have been preserved with greater care, devotion, and genuine meditative accomplishment throughout the centuries than the Heart Essence of the Vast Expanse, or Longchen Nyingthig, which belongs to Tibet's first Buddhist lineage, the Nyingma school of the early tantric translations. By the kindness of the innumerable great beings of India and Tibet and the good actions and aspirations of those who long for awakening, the legacy of this tradition, with all its texts and instructions, has survived undiminished to the present, even in the face of great challenges.
"We are now at a crucial phase of continuing this survival: the transplantation of the authentic Buddhadharma to the West. A key aspect of this process involves making the lineages' methods of practice something that Westerners can engage in with full-hearted enthusiasm—in their own languages. I therefore welcome and applaud this most recent effort of professor Anne Klein, who, through her extensive experience in practice, has made key liturgies of the preliminaries for the Longchen Nyingthig, which are indispensable to the meditation journey of Dzogchen, available in pleasant and inspiring English. This too will result in more opportunities for students to taste, in a fresh way, the ever-excellent true nature of their own hearts through the blessings of lineage transmission."
—Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, author of Mind Beyond Death
"Buddhism tells us that we each have the capacity to access profound wisdom, awareness and compassion. Heart Essence is a beautiful guide to the openness we need to bring that capacity to life."
—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
"Ngondro practice is not merely a prerequisite, it is the path to realizing the great expanse of the Vidyadhara Jigme Lingpa."
—Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse, director of The Cup and Travellers and Magicians and author of What Makes You Not A Buddhist
"The amazing verses of this most sacred meditation practice have resounded in monasteries, nunneries, and mountain caves for centuries.They are waves from the spiritual realization of great adepts on the Roof of the World. These have now here been born in English, in beautiful poetry and inspiring melodies"
—Tulku Thondup, author of The Practice of Dzogchen and Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth
"Anne Carolyn Klein has made a precious gift to all practitioners in presenting her beautiful translations of the foundational practices of the Longchen Nyingthig, arguably the most widely practiced cycle of teachings in the Nyingma Tradition, together with the original texts. These practices establish the basis for all spiritual progress."
—Matthieu Ricard, author of Happiness: How to Cultivate Life's Most Important Skill
"A rare book, providing lucid, chantable translations of liturgies from a beautiful visionary Treasure cycle. This work is fascinating for what it reveals of the processes by which scripture unfolds, and then enters the disciple's life of devotion. Sure to be welcomed by practitioners, the book is also of great interest to students of Buddhist ritual."
—Professor Janet Gyatso, Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies, The Divinity School, Harvard University, author of Apparitions of the Self: The Secret Autobiographies of a Tibetan Visionary
Contents
Prologue ix
Foreword by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche xv
Preface by Tulku Th ondup Rinpoche xvii
Acknowledgments xxiii
Introduction 1
Historical Note: Rigzin Jigme Lingpa’s Text and the Web of Transmission 17
Part One
Heart Essence, the Vast Expanse by Rigzin Jigme Lingpa 23
Wondrously One: Jigme Lingpa’s Heart Essence for Chanting 57
Part Two
Spontaneous Meeting: Adzom Paylo Rinpoche
and the Essence Beloved by Dakinis 85
Great Bliss Blazing for Chanting by Mipham Rinpoche 91
Condensed Heart Essence: A Close and Excellent Path to Enlightenment by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche 93
Waves of Splendor: Adzom Rinpoche’s Condensed Heart Essence for Chanting 109
Threefold Epilogue by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche 123
Part Three
Tibetan Texts
Foreword by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche 127
Heart Essence, the Vast Expanse by Rigzin Jigme Lingpa 129
Great Bliss Blazing by Mipham Rinpoche 159
Condensed Heart Essence: A Close and Excellent Path to Enlightenment by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche 161
Threefold Epilogue by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche 175
Bibliography and Suggested Readings 179
Contributors 183
Guide to the Refuge Tree Painting 187
Notes 195
Contents of MP3 CD 209
Foreword by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche xv
Preface by Tulku Th ondup Rinpoche xvii
Acknowledgments xxiii
Introduction 1
Historical Note: Rigzin Jigme Lingpa’s Text and the Web of Transmission 17
Part One
Heart Essence, the Vast Expanse by Rigzin Jigme Lingpa 23
Wondrously One: Jigme Lingpa’s Heart Essence for Chanting 57
Part Two
Spontaneous Meeting: Adzom Paylo Rinpoche
and the Essence Beloved by Dakinis 85
Great Bliss Blazing for Chanting by Mipham Rinpoche 91
Condensed Heart Essence: A Close and Excellent Path to Enlightenment by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche 93
Waves of Splendor: Adzom Rinpoche’s Condensed Heart Essence for Chanting 109
Threefold Epilogue by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche 123
Part Three
Tibetan Texts
Foreword by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche 127
Heart Essence, the Vast Expanse by Rigzin Jigme Lingpa 129
Great Bliss Blazing by Mipham Rinpoche 159
Condensed Heart Essence: A Close and Excellent Path to Enlightenment by Adzom Paylo Rinpoche 161
Threefold Epilogue by Khetsun Sangpo Rinpoche 175
Bibliography and Suggested Readings 179
Contributors 183
Guide to the Refuge Tree Painting 187
Notes 195
Contents of MP3 CD 209
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