Softcover, 288 pages, Berkeley 2023 (new printing)
When the Buddha was about to pass away, he said to his followers: "this worldly life is transitory and separation is inevitable. But eight years from now, one will appear who is wiser and more powerful than myself. He will be known as Padmasambhava; he will reveal the teachings of the Vajrayana to deliver all beings from misery."
Padmasambhava, the renowned 8th century sage and scholar, became a central figure in the shaping of Buddhism's history in Tibet. Revered as "the second Buddha," Padmasambhava was the quintessence of a true "renaissance man.' This book begins with an introduction to Padmasambhava's life composed by Tarthang Tulku in both Tibetan and English. The account of Padmasambhava's life operates on many levels. In this book you will find the birth of Padmasambhava, how he came to embody the teachings, and his coming to Tibet to subdue the negative forces and provide the teachings and structures for the Vajrayana to unfold.
25 Disciples: The Vajrayana teachings were successfully transmitted in Tibet in the 8th century by Padmasambhava to his 25 principle disciples, who preserved the sacred texts and the oral instructions through their spiritual lineages. They became the first generation of Nyingma practitioners, progenitor of a lineage that has continued unbroken for twelve centuries down to the present time. The book contains a portrait and a description of each of the 25 disciples.
Vajra Guru Mantra: The Vajra Guru Mantra is the mantra of Guru Padmasambhava. Properly used, the mantra is an effective instrument for dispelling the ignorance on which our anxious life is founded. It can lead the practitioner to the realization of the true nature of mind. It is like a key that brings the mind into harmony with subtle levels of awareness and reopening avenues of communication that otherwise remain closed. Introduced by Tarthang Tulku to the west in 1969, this mantra is said to be especially beneficial for these troubled times, for it has great power to calm the tensions and anxieties so common to our age. In this book Padmasambhava explains the benefits that come from inviting the Vajra Guru Mantra into your spiritual life. This book also includes numerous prayers dedicated to Padmasambhava.
Throughout, this book contains many color plates of thankas depicting Padmasambhava and two sets of his Eight principle Manifestations, with details to invite the viewer into deeper levels of mind.