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Volume 17, Number & SUMMER 2003 NEWSLETTER ISSN 1059-3691 BN:86605 3697 & CATALOG SUPPLEMENT
"Dharma Without Compromise" Pointing Out the Dharmakaya by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche POINTING OUT THE NITARTHA INSTITUTE foreword by the Dalai Lama intro. by Lama Tashi Namgyal. DnarmaRaya The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche 232 pp. #POOUDH $16.95 had just finished a talk at a Public Day program at this past summer's At the heart of successful Maha- Nitartha Institute in which he used murdra practice is the ability to get the above phrase. Afterwards, as directly at the nature of mind. The we were walking back to his resi- 9th Karmapa was the acknowledged dence, he turned and said, with the master of this approach. No more usual sparkle in his eye, "Maybe this authoritative instructions exist should be Nitartha's new slogan...." than the three texts he wrote. This Nitartha Institute was founded easy-to-use, practical manual, which in 1996 by The Dzogchen Ponlop serves also as an indispensable com- Rinpoche under the guidance of panion to The Ocean of Definitive Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche and Meaning, the most detailed of his texts, is so clearly laid out that the Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche.
TIBETAN TREASURE VASES
Incurable diseases, inescapable elements—earth, air, fire, water, """sKKMiBMKIiMK weapons of mass destruction, and and space. When the outer environ- a weakening of the earth's elements ment is purified, beings are released due to pollutants and poisons in from suffering caused by pollution the environment. Sound familiar? and are therefore rejuvenated. This Padmasambhava, the 9th century restores the energy to all realms. founder of Tibetan Buddhism, For the human realm, the trea- prophesied what sounds a lot like sure vase has the power to magne- our world. tize wealth and abundance, improve Through his wisdom and compas- health, and remove obstacles to long ITHACA, NY14851
PERMIT NO. 746 sion, Padmasambava gave specific life. Its effects help pacify anger and U.S. POSTAGE
PRSRT STD instructions for the creation of warfare and increase wisdom and
PAID treasure vases to assist with the compassion for all. healing of the environment and the Padmasambava prescribed the restoration of vital energy during sacred objects that fill the treasure these degenerate times. The trea- vase. The conch shell supports the sure vase is an ancient remedy that life essence of the god realm of joy. can replenish the essence of the (Continued on page 24) NEWS
WIN a Guided Tour in TI5ET in 2004
For the seventh time Snow Lion Publications is offering a tour in Tibet to a lucky customer. We have arranged to give one of our cus- tomers the opportunity to travel with Glenn H. Mullin on a two-week adventure in Tibet in 2004. Glenn lived in the Himalayas from 1972- 1982 where he studied Tibetan Buddhism, language, literature, and yoga with many of the greatest teachers from Tibet. He is the author of over a dozen books and has taught throughout the world. He also organized and led several world tours for the monks from Drepung Loseling Monastery. Here's how you can win: Every time that you order from us, we will enter your name in our drawing. Just let us know when you order by mail, phone, or fax that you would like to be considered for the trip. We'll have our drawing on December 31, 2003. Please check the full-page ad in this newsletter to see what is and is not included in the trip. The main item not included is airfare ■ to the starting point (the starting point used to be Kathmandu, but the present political climate has changed this). Also, since Glenn is responsible for every aspect of the trip, please contact him for any information that you need or to find out about this or other great trips. Glenn's website is: www. dharmatravel.com ■
SNOW LION'S NEWS WHAfS NfcW New Website! Calendars Deported Tibetan Youths Detained in China BUDDHIST ASTROLOGY WHAT'S NEW Snow Lion has a large website with numer- Calendars October 2003 ous resources that you can use including: EVENTS CALENDAR complete Snow Lion newsletter WHArS NEW Calendars full-color catalog We offer a comprehensive database of events related to Tibetan Buddhism and New Books Culture throughout the world. You can search for an event in your area by date, international searchable events database New Dharma Items teacher, city, state or country. The more information you enter, the more precise a Tibetan calendar of special days ynq,- - history of Tibet SEARCH THE SITE special web order discounts sound clips of CDs— and more! WHAT'S NEW NEW PUBLICATIONS AT SNOW LION FEATURED NEWS Since the website is updated daily, the Calendars • Lhasa Prefecture Encourages information is current. It is fast and easy to New Books New! 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BY POLLY TURNER Recite one mantra; poses, for counting all kinds of move your thumb and forefinger mantras, as well as other prayers, along the next bead Your Mala prostrations, circumambulations of the strand; then repeat. and so forth.** The Tibetan Buddhist mala, or Different Tibetan spiritual tradi- beaded rosary, aids the practitioner tions may offer variations on the in counting mantra recitations while above guidelines. For example, also helping one to focus concentra- pearl, and should at least be clear or in the Bon tradition, a Bodhi seed tion and awareness. As one works white in color. A rosary for this pur- mala is recommended for all the mala's beads with one's fingers, pose should have 100 such beads. four activities; and for pacifying recitesthe mantra and visualizes the Mantras counted on these beads activity, a mala with 100 beads of deity, one is at once involving the serve to clear away obstacles, such crystal, conch or lapis lazuli is rec- body, speech and mind. as illness and other calamities, and ommended. For increasing activity, The basic instructions for using a purify one of unwholesomeness. a mala of 108 beads of gold or silver mala are quite simple. As with nearly The beads used with mantras is recommended; for power activity, any other form of ritual in Tibetan intended to increase should be of a mala of 50 beads of coral, copper Buddhism and Bon, however, many gold, silver, copper or lotus seeds, specifics may vary from tradition to and a rosary is made of 108 of them. * Because just one tradition, even within a given school The mantras counted on these serve of Buddhism. Always consult with a to increase life span, knowledge and * mantra recitation con- knowledgeable person in your tradi- merit. * denses the essence tion about matters of ritual. The beads used with mantras es* of vast spiritual teach- which are intended to overcome * inqs into a few concise Some Mala Basics are made from a compound of * syllables, it s easy to The mala is held with gentleness ground sandal wood, saffron and and respect, generally in the left other fragrant substances. There are I conjecture about the hand. One bead is counted for each 25 beads on this rosary. The mantras I power of repeating a recitation of the mantra, beginning counted on them are meant to tame I mantra so many times with the first bead after the "guru" others, but the motivation for doing * over. bead—the larger, more decorative so should be a pure wish to help bead at the mala's end. The first other sentient beings and not to bead is held between the index benefit oneself. or red sandalwood is recommended; finger and thumb, and with each and for wrathful activity, a mala count the thumb pulls another bead The beads used to recite man- of 10 rudraksha seeds is recom- in place over the index finger. tras aiming at subduing beings mended.*** Rudraksha seeds are After completing a full circuit of through forceful means should be the dried berries of the rudraksha made from raksha seeds or human the mala, the practitioner flips the tree, which grows in Indonesia, bones in a string of 60. Again, as the mala around 180 degrees (this takes Nepal and India; they are round and purpose should be absolutely altru- practice to accomplish) and contin- pitted, with granular protuberances, ues as before, in reverse order. One istic, the only person capable of per- and are sized between a quarter seed generally are considered aus- increase, to overcome, or to tame forming such a feat is a Bodhisattva aims to avoid passing over the "guru" picious for any practice or mantra, by forceful means, according to the of an inch to more than an inch in motivated by great compassion for a diameter. bead, as doing so is symbolically like and red sandalwood or lotus seeds Office of Tibet in London, which stepping over one's teacher. being who can be tamed through no It is often advised that malas of also are widely recommended for offers these additional guidelines other means, for example extremely According to the Office of Tibet, bone—whether human or animal universal use. for choosing the right malas for the malicious spirits, or general afflic- the official agency of His Holiness A variation of the standard purpose: bone—should only be used by the Dalai Lama in London, the gum tions, visualized as a dense black accomplished yogins, since ritual 108-bead mala is the wrist mala of The beads used to count man- ball. bead signifies the wisdom that cog- 27 beads—four circuits total 108 objects crafted of bone are believed tras intended to appease should Beads made of Bodhi seed or nizes emptiness. Surmounting it is mantra repetitions. This number 108 to harbor karmic influences. another, cylindrical bead that sym- be of crystal, pearl or mother of wood can be used for many pur- is abundant in significance, accord- (Continued on page 14) bolizes emptiness itself; together, ing to Robert Beer:* these two beads symbolize having "The sacred number of 108 pre- vanquished all opponents. dates Buddhism, being the classical To aid in mantra counting, on number of the Hindu names assigned many Tibetan malas there are to a deity or god. As a multiple of 12 divider beads of a different color, and 9, it represents the nine planets - Liberation Prison Project - spaced equally along the mala's in the 12 zodiac houses. As a multi- length. One also may attach a pair ple of 27 and 4, it also represents the of counter strings to the mala as an four quarters of the moon in each of Tibetan Calendar 2004 additional counting aid—each string the 27 lunar mansions or constella- of the pair is a double-plaited cord tions. Nine is also a 'magic' number. Including the Tibetan lunar calendar for the Year of the Wood Monkey 2131 threaded with 10 small ring beads, A number multiplied by 9 results in generally made of silver, gold or a number the sum of whose digits is bronze, which are used to 'count also a multiple of 9. In Pranayana the tens and hundreds of completed Yoga it is calculated that a human Elegant color wall calendar, featuring Buddhist images mala cycles. being takes 21,600 breaths in a 24- and inspirational sayings, A third counter also may be hour cycle consisting of 60 periods attached to the mala to keep track 6.25 x 12.5 inches (160 x 320 mm) of 360 breaths; a 12-hour 'day' cycle when open. of the thousands of cycles com- therefore equals 10,800 breaths. The pleted. Often featuring the symbol 108 beads also ensure that at least • Special days of Lord Buddha of a wheel or jewel, this counter is a hundred mantra recitations have • Solar and lunar eclipses attached to the thread between two • Tara or Mahakala and been completed in a full rosary Protector practice days beads, and then repositioned from turning." • Tsog days bead to bead. Besides the multi-purpose malas • Monks and nuns' confession described above, there are other days, Sojong Choosing a Mala • Various Western holidays types of malas that are deemed aus- A mala of 108 beads is used for • Birthdays and anniversaries picious for various purposes. of holy beings general purposes by most practicing Mantras can be recited for four • Eight Mahayana Precepts Tibetan Buddhists. Beads of bodhi different purposes: to appease, to • Full moons • New moons • Inauspicious days Tibetan Calendar SQ What Not to Do With a Mala Liberation Prison Project Wearing a mala without knowing its significance is similar to (415)701 8500 when a woman adorns herself with a necklace, according to the [email protected] Tibetan Bon sutra. The sutra specifies that one should hold the mala www.LiberationPrisonProject.com above the waist when praying, and that one should avoid: Snow Lion Publications • stepping on a mala (800) 950 0313 • passing one's mala to others while one is engaged in recitation www.snowlionpub.com • mixing different types of beads together in one mala FPMT • decorating one's mala to make it look more beautiful www.fpmt.org/shop • using a mala that might have been used by impious person • using a mala that is not consecrated BOOKSTORES & DHARMA CENTERS • hanging one's mala from one's belt ORDER FROM: • placing one's mala under contaminated things Liberation Prison Project supports Liberation Prison Project • throwing one's mala in a playful way the Buddhist practice of people PO Box 31527 in prison in the USA, Australia and San Francisco, CA 94131 • carrying one's mala while going to the toilet. around the world. (415)701 8500 From information compiled by His Holiness Lungtok Tenpai [email protected] Nyima, spiritual head of the Tibetan Bon Buddhist tradition. A social services project of the FPMT www.LiberationPrisonProject.com SNOW LION 3 scheduled programs. many for the first time in English. eighteen months. The books will • Starting this fall, Naropa Uni- Some of them have only recently be available for use in the Nitar- versity is offering a sequence been discovered in Tibet or China. tha educational programs at the of eight courses based on the Texts to replace those lost to the Institute, at Naropa University and Nitartha Institute materials and lineage are also being written by Buddhist centers, as well as being curriculum as part of several of Rinpoche and the Acharyas so available to the general public. its M.A. and Master of Divinity that they can be re-introduced. Nitartha's 2004 summer program degrees, which will allow students Over $70,000 in major foundation will return to Mt. Allison University to receive a systematic grounding support has been committed to in Sackville, New Brunswick. The in the shedra curriculum within a these projects. tentative dates for the two-week graduate degree program. These • Nitartha is happy to . announce sessions are: courses are under the direction that it is allying with Snow Lion of Phil Stanley, chair of the Reli- Publications to produce a Nitartha • Session 1 July 10-24 gious Studies Department there. Institute Series of classic Kagyu • Session 2-July 24-Aug 8 Please refer to the Web site at and Nyingma texts, texts on their www.naropa.edu/tibetantradition/ related oral traditions, and new Students may come to one ses- index.html. It is expected that texts to introduce Westerners to sion or both (all first-year students about 10 of those students will these in-depth teachings. There should come to the first session or attend Nitartha next summer. are four books in the works at the both). Please refer to our website at • The great classic Kagyu (and, in moment: one each on Lorik and www.nitarthainstitute.org to confirm "DHARMA WITHOUT the future, Nyingma) texts and analytical meditation and two on dates and for information about the COMPROMISE" were formally certified as teachers commentaries are continuing Madhyamaka to be brought out curriculum and registration, or write Continued from page 1 of the Nitartha Institute Founda- to be translated and published, by Snow Lion within the coming to us at [email protected]. ■ tion Curriculum by Rinpoche: School in Duncan, British Columbia. Karl Brunnhblzl, June Crow, Tyler Over 50 students attended, most for Dewar, Stephanie Johnston, Har- the entire month. People came from rison Miller, Joseph Parent, Linda all over North America, with surpris- Patrik, Steve Seely, Phil Stanley, ingly many from the East Coast. Scott Wellenbach Some were very new practitioners, Nitartha has grown to the extent some were very old (in more ways that Steve Seely has been hired than one). All were connected by the as the Managing Director of the desire to invigorate their practice by Institute. He will take on additional going more deeply into the meaning administrative responsibilities, of the view. while continuing to serve as co- Ponlop Rinpoche taught Vajray- director along with Scott Wellen- ana View from the Profound Inner bach and Phil Stanley. By hiring a Reality by the Third Karmapa, Rang- Managing Director, Nitartha will jung Dorje, while our two Acharyas, be able to sustain its growth and Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen and Tashi stabilize the administration for the long-term. This is possible because of the generosity and enthusiasm I The great classic of many of Nithartha's students and * Kagyu (and, in the benefactors. t future, Nyingma) texts Some of current activities of the Institute include: : and commentaries are • The growing annual summer pro- * continuing to be trans- gram. Next year, at Rinpoche's > lated and published, request, a new Health and Heal- * many for the first ing module directed by Dr. Phil « time in English. Some Weber will be added to the core curriculum. * of them have only • Year-round regional programs in * recently been discov- various centers in North America Photo top of page: Dzogchen Ponlop 8 ered in Tibet or China. are being instituted to make Nitar- Rinpoche teaching. Above: Western tha more widely available to those faculty Phil Stanley teaching. To right: Acharya Lama Tenpa Gyaltsen who cannot make it to the summer challenges Acharya Tashi Wangchuk in Wangchuk (who both graduated program. Refer to the Web site at debate. (Photos by Henry Polard.) from the same Rumtek shedra as www.nitarthainstitute.org for Rinpoche), taught Analytical Medi- tation, Madhyamaka/Middle Way School and the Mahayana Stages of the Path. For the first time, the three traditional courses of the first year TIBETAN MEDICINE PROGRAM student curriculum were combined into one course called "Mind and Its WINTER 2003 METSA (TIBETAN MOXABUSTION) [M] METSA (TIBETAN MOXABUSTION) [M] World." This course brings together April 2-4 Conway MA $150 April 2-4 Conway MA $ 15 0 the study of three classic shedra SELF HEALING IN TIBETAN MEDICINE texts: 1) the "Classifications of Mind" [SHTM] INTRODUCTION TO TIBETAN MEDICINE INTRODUCTION TO TIBETAN MEDICINE (Lorik),on the various types of mind, November 14-16 Conway MA $ 150 [ITM] [ITM] and how they function, 2) the "Col- April 16-18 Bristol VT $150 April 16-18 Bristol VT $150 DIET AND BEHAVIOR [DB] lected Topics" (Dudra), which gives WOMEN'S HEALTH [WH] a detailed analysis of all the catego- (INCLUDES SHTM) WOMEN'S HEALTH [WH] ries of phenomena according to the November 14-20 Conway MA $350 April 30-May 2 Conway MA $ 150 April 30-May 2 Conway MA $ 150 Abhidharma tradition and how they MENTAL ILLNESS AND NEUROLOGICAL MENTAL ILLNESS AND NEUROLOGICAL are apprehended by mind, and 3) DISORDERS [MIND] DISORDERS [MIND] Hinayana tenet systems (Truptha), SPRING/SUMMER 2004 May 21-23 Conway MA $150 May 21-23 Conway MA $150 which presents the view, path, and [Pre-requisites ITM, ITD] [Pre-requisites ITM, ITD] fruition of two major schools of INTRODUCTION TO TIBETAN MEDICINE Foundational Buddhism. Also for [ITM] FOUNDATION COURSE IN TIBETAN FOUNDATION COURSE IN TIBETAN the first time, analytical meditation Feb6-8 Conway MA $150 MEDICINE [FCTMI] MEDICINE [FCTMI] was tied in closely with the daily (Pre-requisite for KN1, Metsa) [FCTM1, Section 1], Year 1, Part One [FCTMI, Section 1], Year 1, Part One content of this new unified class, June 11-25 Conway MA $800 June 11-25 Conway MA $800 INTRODUCTION TO TIBETAN instead of proceeding as a separate DIAGNOSTICS [ITD] KUNYE HI (TIBETAN MASSAGE) KUNYE III (TIBETAN MASSAGE) class. Feb 20-21 Conway MA $150 July 9-15 Bristol VT $350 July 9-15 Bristol VT $350 As a confirmation of the continu- [Prereq KN2] ing transplantation of the tradition (Pre-requisite for KNl, Metsa) [Prereq KN2] to the West, ten Western faculty HEALING POINTS ON THE HUMAN BODY HEALING POINTS ON THE HUMAN BODY [HPHB] [HPHB] March 12-14 Conway MA March 12-14 Conway MA (Prerequisite for M, recommended for (Prerequisite for M, recommended for FOR REGISTRATION AND FURTHER Need More KN, KN2, KN3] KN, KN2, KN3] INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Snow Lion KUNYE I (TIBETAN MASSAGE) [KNI] KUNYE I (TIBETAN MASSAGE) [KNI] MALCOLM SMITH, DIRECTOR March 26-28 Conway MA $150 March 26-28 Conway MA $150 EMAIL: [email protected] Newsletters? (Requires ITM and ITD or equivalent) (Requires ITM and ITD or equivalent) INTERNET: WWW.SHANGSHUNG.ORG If your dharma group or organiza- tion would like to receive a bundle SHANG SHUNG INSTITUTE of Snow Lion Newsletters for free P. O. Box 277 • CONWAY MASS 01341 distribution, please let us know. Just PHONE: (413) 369-4928 • FAX: (413) 369-4473 tell us how many you think you can use of each quarterly issue and we will send them to you. ■ a 4 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER TIMELESS RAPTURE Inspired Verse of the Shangpa Masters descriptions of each poet's life and a minds between them that produced ~T historical overview of the lineage. the song. Yes, if one were technical "Ngawang Zangpo's fluid trans- about it, there was a singer and a lation and rich commentary truly listener, two bodies and two faces, brings us into the presence of one of which had tears streaming the extra-ordinary masters of the down it. But there were less than Shangpa Kagyu tradition. -As we two minds in that encounter, or listen to their verse, we are trans- even less than one mind: there was ported by their devotion, awak- only non-dual wisdom and the song ened wisdom, and blessing to the that emerged from it. Vajra world that has become their home."— Lama Drupgyu Tenzin Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye com- A selection of excerpts from piled these songs in the nineteenth compiled by Jamgon Kongtrul Timeless Rapture follow. century, mainly from the autobiogra- trails. & ed. by phies of the lineage's masters. What Ngawang Zangpo is clear from the first song is that this 416 pp., 6 x 9", 12 b&w photos. In Nepal, I once translated for a collection mainly gathers songs of #TIRAIN $29.95 cloth Tibetan lama visited by both West- spiritual teachings. Western readers erners and Tibetans. As the private have fallen in love, just as Tibetans —Available Noveynber interviews were given at random, I do, with the songs of Milarepa and stayed in the room while he spoke of Shabkar. Those realized masters Throughout history awakened directly with Tibetans who came for were wandering yogis, who some- ones have celebrated the rapture of his advice. On one occasion, an ordi- times sang of profound teachings mystical states with inspired verse, nary Tibetan woman in her 40s-50s they'd received and practiced but sung extemporaneously. This book asked a question, which I hadn't lis- often imparted down-to-earth offers a rare glimpse into the mysti- tened to, and which the yogi began advice to the good people they met. cism of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, to answer in normal, conversational They would also sing of their sur- a tradition based mainly on the language. He then abruptly switched roundings, for these men often lived profound teaching of 2 women. This into song. He continued for a few in the wilds, and their songs allow us compendium of spontaneous verse minutes, singing his advice to her to share their awe in the presence of sung by tantric Buddhist masters in verses that seemed to me both enlightenment, reflected in the spiri- As Kalu Rinpoche sings: tradition. The lineage is extremely from the 10th century to the present fluid and impromptu. It was stun- tual master who appears in symbolic Thus the whole universe—visible, discreet but not exclusive; it silently includes translations as well as short ning. There was a naked meeting of form in nature, in all appearances. audible, and conceptual pervades the Himalayan region yet Pointing out to myself and others is centered nowhere. In this the the direct apprehension of the Shangpa lineage resembles another underlying reality, lineage of tantric meditation begun Is nothing but the gesture of my by a woman: the Severance (CM), lama. Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions established by Machik Lapdron, a Guyagharbha Teachings Milarepa and Shabkar invite us Tibetan reincarnation of one of the to participate in that experience. Shangpa lineage founders, Sukasid- with Nevertheless, Kongtrul's choice of dhi. Her spiritual children as well the Shangpa masters' songs reflects have always preferred the freedom Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche a different concern. He has mainly of homelessness, the exhilaration nf included songs of teaching. They do tota^reniuiciati^raiTtrgbod-natured not transport us to the hills and val- --ttarmony with one and all. Orgyen Dorje Den leys of Tibet but to terrain familiar to all Buddhists—the questions of how San Francisco Bay Area to live a meaningful life, how to con- The Wisdom Dakini known as Suka- April 1-30, 2004 front death, and how to enter and siddhi received full empowerment remain within the sacred sanctuary into a sacred circle emanated by the Ven. Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche will be teaching Longchenpa's Commentary to the Guyagharbha Tantra known of the mind's nature, enlightenment. illustrious master Vimpa and in one as "Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions", in Tibetan, "gsang 'grel phyogs bcu'i mun set" The main subject of this night reached awakening's eighth commentary is the ten topics of tantra explained according to the great perfection vehicle of ati yoga. The ten topics are; view, stage. She then met Buddha Vajra meditation, conduct, samaya, samadhi, enlightened activity, offering, accomplishment, mandala, mantra-mudra. Lamas of every tradition—Gelug, Bearer and became inseparable Khen Rinpoche received all his transmissions directly from Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche, and has been authorized by his teacher to pass on these teachings. Rinpoche has been teaching the many commentaries to this important Sakya, Nyingma, and Kagyu—have from the Honored Buddha Selfless tantra over the past fifteen years to thousands of students in India, Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Singapore and the United States and received and practice the Shangpa One. She sang this song to bestow is considered the foremost scholar qualified to give these teachings. the essential instructions on her This is the second year of a three year teaching cycle and Khen Rinpoche is permitting qualified students to enter fortunate disciples: the program even if they missed the first session given in 2003. Please contact us for the requirements and other details. Above illustration of Jamgon Disengaged from the six senses' www.orgyendorjeden.org Kongtrul by Chris Banigan (from domains, [email protected] Snow Lion's The Treasury of Not thinking is the path of tran- Orgyen Dorje Den, 2244 Santa Clara Ave, Alameda, CA 94501 (510-337-1163) Knowledge series) scendence. The absolute expanse has no concepts. Freedom from mental activity is Great Seal. Don't meditate! Don't meditate! Don't meditate with the mind! The mind's meditation amounts to deluded thoughts. Thoughts bind you to cyclic existence. With release from the mind, there is no meditation. The MA program in contemplative psychotherapy brings In space, emptiness without aware- ness, Tame the root of the mind together meditative practice and clinical training in the context endowed with awareness. Tame its root and relax. of community. Rooted in Buddhist and Shambhala teachings, as well as in Western psychotherapy, the program encourages Metripa The illustrious accomplished master Shavari accepted as his direct students to join personal values with livelihood aspirations. disciple Metripa, who received a prediction that he would reach Great Seal's supreme accomplish- ment during the intermediate state Blake Bailey, MA Contemplative Psychology Student after death. Conqueror Metripa, also known as Advayavajra, was chief of infinite numbers of spiritual heroes and dakinis and lord of the pro- found teachings of dwelling without Naiopa mental activity in the essential, ulti- UNIVERSITY-*- mate nature of mind. Boulder, Colorado 800-772 * * (Continued oil page 21) SNOW LION 5 Tibetan Healing Center The legacy of the late Dr. Terain by Marion and Duane Nelson. Today, Choedrak is being carried forward in the Dr. Tenzin Dakpa, who had served as United States. Well-known as the Senior the interpreter for Dr. Choedrak's for- Personal Physician to H.H. the Dalai eign tours, is the resident physician at Lama, Dr. Choedrak was one of the most the fully functioning "Medicine Buddha eminent masters of the Tibetan medical Healing Center" in Spring Green. tradition. Dr. Tenzin Dakpa is available for con- During his American tours, Dr. Choe- sultations at the Medicine Buddha Heal- drak selected a site in rural Spring Green, ing Center. Please call (608) 5834241 or Wisconsin where he envisioned Tibetan (608) 583-5311 for information or email medicine could be offered to those in [email protected]. The Medicine Buddha need in conjunction with the Buddhist Healing Center is located at 6595 Clyde teachings of wisdom and compassion. A Road in Spring Green, Wisconsin 53588. Dharma Center had already been estab- Donations to support this ongoing work lished on this pastoral property owned are greatly appreciated. ■ Counter-clockwise from left: Dr. Tenzin Choe- drak in Dharamsala, India (photo by Alison Wright); Director Samdup Lhatse; Dr. Tenzin Dakpa at his desk at the Medicine Buddha Healing Center (photo by Randy Crawford); Marion and Duane Nelson in front of a Garuda image carved from a single tree root by an Indonesian artist (photo by Randy Crawford). Tibetan Language ^%> Correspondence Course Home study program of spoken and scriptural Tibetan emphasizing Dharma. Book, tapes and/or CD plus ongoing help. THE NITARTHA-SAMBHOTA Sarah Harding, s. harding(3).attbi. com TIBETAN SOFTWARE P.O. Box 3728, Boulder, CO 80307 _T Tibetan Word Processing and Keyboard in MS Word AC IP & Wylie Conversion Nitartha-Sambhota Phone: (206) 529-8259 8615 8th Ave. NE. Fax: (206) 529-0558 Seattle, WA 98115 e-mail: [email protected] TIBETgift Visit Our Website at: www.nitartha.org Online ordering available. 827 Foster, Evanston IL 60201 Phone: 847-492-0809 Email: [email protected] Translated Teachings and Commentaries by Sad ha nas (practice teachings in pecha format) Green Tara, White Tara, Khenchen Konchog Achi, Milarepa, Medicine Buddha, Vajrapani, Manjushn, Chenrezig, Vajrayogini, Jigton Sumgon, Padmasambhava, Amitabha, Amitayus, Heart Sutra, Morning Practice, Gyaltshen Rinpoche Refuge, Vajrasattva, Mandala, Guru Yoga, Bodhidtta, Chod and many more Complete NgondrO -The Incomparable Practice of the Drikung Kagyu. Includes 20% off Refuge, Vajasattva, Mandala, Guru Yoga and BodNcitta. fivefold Mahamudra;-The Stream of Blesangs: The Heart Essence of on orders from our catalog till March 31, 2004 the Practice of the fivefold paift of Mahamudra R-attooon of the Me**« Buddha Books Music Video Incense Dharmawares TIBETgift is a major supporter of the TIBETcenter, a not-for-profit Tibetan Art and Cultural organization found in January 1999 with the blessing of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 6 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER NEWS jg!**i*,XM'' BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY BUDDHIST Losang Gonchok's Short Commentary 1 PHILOSOPHY LOS \\(, (,(iN'CHOK'S to Jamyang Shayba's Root Text on Tenets SHORT COMMENTARY TO (AMYANiG SHAYBA'S ROOT TEXT ON TENKTS The following is an excerpt from Buddhahood, they must explain that in Buddhism is a process without Buddhist Philosophy. those Arhats are born in the pure beginning, things still appear to i lands of Buddhas and abide there exist inherently. The liberated ■ Nirvana With and Without forever in meditative absorption. person is someone who no longer "' v], "Remainder" The Prasangika school uses assents to this appearance, who is Nirvana is neither a place nor a the term "remainder" in a com- always doubtful of the evidence of m mental state. It is a fact about us. A pletely different manner. For them, the senses and resists conceiving nirvana is the absence of afflictions "remainder" has to do with whether of them in the wrong way. He or '0JtM or not to an Arhat things still appear she is like someone who wears sun- - .V DANIEL COZORT in someone whose cultivation of wisdom has resulted in the destruc- to have true existence. To explain glasses, well aware that the green .WD CRAIG PRESTON tion of ignorance, desire, hatred, etc. this, we have to recall what was said tint pervading all visible objects is That mere absence is the nirvana. previously about the obstructions to just the effect of the lenses. It takes On that, all Buddhist schools liberation and obstructions to omni- a very long time for the appearance agree. However, they disagree over science. What prevents our libera- of inherent existence itself to fade. the use of the term "remainder" tion is our conceptions of inherent Those "taints" of appearances are used in conjunction with nirvana. existence. Things appear to us as the obstructions to omniscience. though they exist from their own From this perspective, then, an by Daniel Cozort and Craig Preston Other than Prasangika, it is said that after a person attains nirvana, side, independently, and we assent Arhat experiences a nirvana with he or she subsequently can be said to this appearance by conceiving remainder most of the time, since to have a "nirvana with remainder,'' most of the time things appear 352 pp. #BUPH $18.95 the "remainder" being the body falsely. But then, when does a * ...when does a nirvana nirvana without remainder occur? What are the most important cream of Jamyang Shayba's intel- and mind. Death cuts the remain- * without remainder points of difference between the lect, providing a rare opportunity der. However, the nirvana without It occurs only when that person is major schools of Buddhist phi- to sharpen our intellect and expand remainder is a single moment, t occur? It occurs only meditating on emptiness because losophy? This rich, medium-length our view of Buddhist thought. occurring just at the time of death * when that person is at that time only emptiness appears to the mind. For nonBuddhas, it is survey offers a lively answer. The Daniel Cozort is associate profes- but not after. After death there is I meditating on empti- no person to whom the nirvana can impossible for both emptiness and introduction, aimed at those new to sor and chair of the Department of * ness because at that Buddhist thought, sets up a dialogue Religion at Dickinson College where belong! other things to appear to the mind between the schools on the most he teaches the religions of India. He Hinayana schools do not recog- * time only emptiness simultaneously. (Another way of controversial topics in Buddhist is the author of Highest Yoga Tantra. nize any existence after death for * appears to the mind. putting this is to say that the two philosophy. Craig Preston studied at the an Arhat. The Mahayana schools truths cannot appear simultaneously Jamyang Shayba was the great- University of Virginia and has do, and all except Asanga's say that to a non-Buddha's mind.) of them in this way. Meditation that est Tibetan writer on philosophical taught Classical Tibetan at Namgyal Arhats manifest in different forms, So, both Prasangikas and others analyzes the way things exist will tenets. Losang Gonchok's Clear Institute. He is author of How to no longer helplessly reborn accord- could identify an Arhat's usual destroy this false conception, and Crystal Mirror, a concise commen- Read Classical Tibetan, Vol. 1: A ing to karma, and continue to cul- state, the time when he or she is not we can be liberated from it and from tary on Jamyang Shayba's root text, Summary of the General Path and tivate wisdom and merit until they absorbed in meditation on empti- the samsara it causes. represents a distillation of many cen- currently teaches Tibetan and Bud- have become Buddhas. Because ness, as a nirvana with remainder, However, because of the way turies of Indian and Tibetan scholar- dhist philosophy privately in Ithaca, Asanga and his followers say that but they would mean very different we have been conditioned, which things by it. Prasangikas would ship. Buddhist Philosophy skims the New York. there are Arhats who do not go on to mean that things falsely appear to the mind; others would mean that the Arhat is alive. Similarly, both Prasangikas and others would identify the nirvana of an Arhat at the time of death as being a nirvana without remainder but they wotdd Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche mean something different by it. Prasangikas would mean that at that is Abbot and Lineage holder of the La Tri Monastery time there is no false appearance to of Kham /Dege in Eastern Tibet. He studied under the the mind (because, for a short time, only a vacuity appears to the mind), guidance of HH, the 33rd Menri Trizin, the spiritual whereas others wotdd mean that the head of Bon and HE Yongzin Rinpoche, the senior body and mind are abandoned. Other than the purpose of again most teacher of Bon. He received the Geshe Degree pressing home their contention in 1987 at Menri in Dolanji, India. He is Director of about the empty nature of things, the Bon Children's Home which he founded in 1988 (Continued on page ?) and is founder and editor of the Bonpo Magazine, "sBon sGo" (Door to Bon). Rinpoche is founder & Spiritual Director of the Yeru Bon Center in Los Angeles. H: wi -^ MAPS OF THE PROFC Fall - Winter Schedule Los Angeles, CA September 19-21 Red Garuda Tantric Healing Practice (323) 255 3553 Cleveland, Ohio September 26-28 Red Garuda (216)7513308 Houston, TX Oct. 3 - 5 Medicine Buddha of Bon, Teaching & Empowerment (713) 629 0512 Maine, October 10-12 Red Garuda (207) 662 9479 Massachusetts October 17-19 Red Garuda (413)6679479 Long Island, N.Y. Oct. 24-26 Intro, to Bon and Zhe Ney (abiding tranquil state) (415) 793 8909 Washington, D.C. October 31- November 2 Red Garuda (703) 549 6809 Prescott, Arizona November 7- 9 Medicine Buddha of Bon (928) 925 5847 Minneapolis, MN November 20-23 Introduction to Bon and Discover Inner Peace (952) 237 8700 Joshua Tree, California December 11-17 Rainbow Phowa Retreat of Bon, the Tranformation of Self Consciousness during Death (a residential retreat) (323) 255 353 or (760) 365 8371 Miami, Florida January 14-19 TBA (305)6722812 MAPS OF THE PROFOUND: Santa Fe, New Mexico January 21-26 Red Garuda (505)984 2601 Jam-yang-shay-ba's Great Exposition of Buddhist and For more information about Rinpoche's schedule, please contact: Non-Buddhist Views on the YERU BON CENTER Nature of Reality 1866 1/2 North Avenue 56, Highland Park, by Jeffrey Hopkins. 1136 pp. Los Angeles, California 90042 (323) 255 3553 #MAPR $34.95 cloth [email protected] Maps of the Profound is a com- prehensive, definitive explication of the tenet systems. (See page 27.) SNOW LION 7 Wisdom for the path. Steps on the Path to Enlightenment The Flight of the Garuda A Commentary on the Lamrim Cbenmo, Volume L The Dzogchen Tradition of Tibetan Buddhism The Fowidational Practices Edited and translated by Keith Dowman Geshe Lhundub Sopa 256 pages, ISBN 0-86171-367-2, $16.95 CtARUDA Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama This second edition of Keith Dowman's concise and 608 pages, cloth, ISBN 0-86171-303-6, $29.95 valuable introduction contains translations of five texts, The first volume of a much-anticipated, comprehensive including one previously unavailable, that are essential to commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo bv the renowned an understanding of Dzogchen. Buddhist scholar, Geshe Sopa. Geshc-la's vast knowledge and experience allow him to illuminate Tsongkhapa's work like no one else can, particularly for Western students. The Wisdom of Listening Edited by Mark Brady 336 pages, ISBN 0-86171 -355-9, $16.95 Brady and twenty contributors provide what Sharon Salzberg Approaching the Great Perfection calls "a wonderful support for an essential practice." Simultaneous and Gradual Methods of Dzogchen Practice in the Longcken Nyingtig Sam van Schaik 448 pages, ISBN 0-86171-370-2, $29.95 This new addition to Wisdom's Studies in Indian and Tibetan Karmapa Buddhism series looks at one of Dzogchen's seminal figures, The Politics of Reincarnation Jigme Lmgpa, and makes an extensive analysis of a core Lea Terhune tension within Buddhism: does enlightenment develop 288 pages, ISBN 0-86171-180-7, $14.95 gradually, or does it come all at once? This fine work also serves as a solid introduction to the Nyingma tradition Once recognized as the 17th Karmapa, Orgyen Trinley and to Dzogchen. Dorje's life would be marked indelibly bv devotion, intrigue, and incredible transformation. Karmapa: The Politics of Reincarnation is his amazing story. Practicing the Path A Commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo Hardcore Zen Yangsi Rinpoche Punk Rock, Monster Movies, and the Truth About Reality Foreword by Geshe Lhundub Sopa Brad Warner Preface bv Lama Zopa Rinpoche 224 pages, ISBN 0-86171-380-X, SI4.95 576 pages, ISBN 0-86I7I-346-X, $24.95 "Warner's path from inner anarchy to the Heart Sutra "Readable and to the point, it brings this great classical will no doubt resonate with many twenty- and thirty- tradition 'into the very palms of our hands.'" somethings. Hardcore Zen is Be Here Now for now." —Jose Ignacio Cabezon, XIVth Dalai Lama Professor of —Tricycle Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara Prince Siddhartha The Story of Buddha Jonathan Landaw The Compassionate Life Illustrated by Janet Brooke 144 pages, ISBN 0-86I7I-375-3, $18.95 The Dalai Lama THE DALAI LAMA "A must-have for any parent interested in exposing a child 128 pages, ISBN 0-86I7I-30I-X, $11.95 to the basics of Buddhism."—Beliefnet NEW IN PAPERBACK. "It is all here, everything we need to enact in our own lives, tor late- ' even in the most trying of times, if we are to realize the GREAT DISCIPLES Great Disciples of the Buddha possibilities of true happiness in this very life. A sorely Their Lives, Their Works, Their Ijegacy needed prescription for sanity and kindness in the world." BUTOHA L 1 F E Nyanaponika Thera and Hellmuth Hecker —Ion Kabat-Zinn, author of Wherever You Go There You Are Edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi M " ■*: > ,. "*>• 412 pages, ISBN 0-86I71-38I-8, $18.95 TKEISIMS NEW IN PAPERBACK THBXWMS Becoming the Compassion Buddha "One of the most inspiring books a serious Buddhist practitioner can read." Tautric Mahamudra in Everyday Life —Jan Chozen Bays, Roshi, Great Vow Zen Monastery Lama Yeshe Edited by Robina Courtin The Three Levels of Spiritual Perception Foreword by Geshe Lhundub Sopa S.'IVfli 1*1 Cp-i--, A Commentary on the I hree Visions - Second Edition 192 pages, ISBN 0-86171-343-5, $14.95 Deshung Rinpoche "An intimate book, so clear and compassionate, you know Translated by Jared Rhoton you are listening to the unforgettable voice of Lama Yeshe, 646 pages, ISBN 0-86171-368-0, $24.95 one of the great teachers of our time." "The Three Levels is uniquely valuable in that it presents a —Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and classical volume of Tibetan Buddhist practice through a Dying commentary by one of the great scholar-yogis of our nine. —from the foreword by H.H. Sakya Irizin Daughters of Emptiness Poems of Chinese Buddhist Nuns The 2004 Tibetan Art Calendar Beata Grant 17" x 24" wall calendar 256 pages, ISBN 0-86171-362-1, $16.95 13 fine-art quality images Women played major roles in the history of Buddhist ISBN 0-86I7I-4I9-9, $24.95 China, but the voices of too man)' have all but laded. The curator of the Rubin Foundation's Himalayan Art Beata Grant recovers and translates the enchanting words Project has said that Wisdom's Tibetan Art Calendar represents of forty-eight nuns from the fifth to the twentieth an incredible fine-art collection in itself. See why with this century. special best-of edition! Journey to Mindfulness The Autobiography of Bhante G. Bhante Henepola Gunaratana with Jeanne Malmgren 320 pages, ISBN 0-86171-347-8, $16.95 The profoundly candid, frequently humorous, and inspiring life story from the bestselling author of Mindfulness in Plain English. A WISDOM PUBLICATIONS plusher of Buddhist books 8 SNOW LION FALL '03 NEWSLETTER THE HEART SUTRA Fearless An Oral Teaching by GESHE SONAM RlNCHEN of the mantra indicates that when the essential realizations have been gained, it is necessary to engage in tantric practice in order to attain Independent enlightenment. Tendar Lharampa states that it is difficult to decide how the Heart Sutra should be clas- sified, while Gungtang Jampelyang says it should be considered as a sutra teaching because the practice of secret mantra is merely indicated, Original A mantra is that which protects the mind. Through this mantra, which is the perfection of wisdom itself, we can overcome the demon of ignorance that possesses us and find imsmpassable happiness. It pro- tects the minds of those who prac- LOSS & LETT1NO GO tice it from all fears and describes how to make the transition from trans. & ed by Ruth Sonam worldly existence to the supreme O state beyond sorrow. It is a mantra 128 pp. #HESU $14.95 of great knowledge because it saves This short gem of a book shows us from the poison of ignorance and how distorted perceptions and dis- its imprints. It is an unsurpassable turbing emotions—arising from our mantra because it frees us from suf- misunderstanding of reality—can fering and its causes as no other path HE BUDDHIST REVIEW be completely uprooted, resulting FALL 2D03 in a freedom from suffering. Under- I A mantra is that which standing the nature of reality is the key to liberation. The wonderfully I protects the mind. Lessons from an (Im)perfect Teacher concise Heart Sutra is considered the * Through this mantra, essence of the Buddhas' teachings. Aldous Huxley: Brave New Buddhist? I which is the perfec- The author's long experience in » tion of wisdom itself, Put the Teachings to the Test teaching Western students at the * we can overcome the The Monk's Diet Dalai Lama's Library of Tibetan Works and Archives makes The * demon of ignorance Heart Sutra an ideal introduction * that possesses us and for Westerners to this important subject. * find unsurpassable A short excerpt from a chapter J happiness. of the 77K? Heart Sutra titled "The Mantra" follows. of insight can. The incomparable is the state beyond suffering. Since it helps us to attain that state, it is Therefore, the mantra of the comparable to the incomparable. perfection of wisdom is a mantra It totally pacifies suffering because of great knowledge. It is an it rids us of all the troubles of the unsurpassable mantra, a mantra world and their causes. The world comparable to the incompa- here refers to ordinary beings like us. rable. It is a mantra that totally Our troubles are many but foremost pacifies all suffering. It will not are birth, aging, sickness, and death. deceive you, therefore know that This mantra does not deceive us and it is true! I proclaim the mantra it is true because wisdom sees things of the perfection of wisdom: as they actually are without any DAY AT A (OM) GATE GATE error or deception. It is therefore PARAGATE PARASAMGATE transcendent. BODHISWAHA. This description of the mantra Because the Heart Sutra contains also sets out the five paths. Thus "the a mantra there has been extensive mantra of the perfection of wisdom discussion by the commentators refers to the path of accumulation; about whether it should be classified "a mantra of great knowledge" to the as a sutra teaching or as a teaching path of preparation; "an unsurpass- of secret mantra. In both sutra and able mantra" to the path of seeing; "a tantra the final object is the same— mantra comparable to the incompara- to attain the body, speech, and mind ble" to the path of meditation; and "a of an enlightened being. Although mantra that totally pacifies all suffer- the complete path to enlightenment ing" to the path of no more learning. is laid out from a sutra point of view When we have actualized these five Subscribe Today! in the Heart Sutra, the introduction paths, we are totally protected. ■ tricycle.com or Vfljrawon 1.800.873.9871 * Beautiful solitary retreat cabins. Delicious vegetarian meal delivery. Group rentals. Blessed setting. * Tel:(831)338-6654 • [email protected] _• Tricycle P.O.Box 2130, Boufder Creek, the manv voices Vof Buddhism Please visit our website for a complete listing of our retreats and programs at: www.vajrapani.org SNOW LION 9 NEWS "The Manual of Standard Tibetan is the best resource available for teaching modern spoken Tibetan bar none. Its grammatical explanations are precise, Lesson 8 - S^'^s^] 141 detailed and clear, while its dialogues and surrounding text are rich with authentic cultural information on the social contexts in which Tibetan has meaning. It should quickly become the standard textbook in the area." —DAVID GERMANO, The University of Virginia 8.3 Remarks on grammar ^SK^l 8.3.1 Classes of verbs Tibetan verbs fall into two main classes: volitional verbs and non-volitional verbs. The first group are concerned with controllable actions, and are compatible with intentional auxiliaries such as -payin (see 10.4) and "jussive" suffixes that convey an order or a suggestion (such as -ta or sh). Moreover, these verbs sometimes have a special inflected form for the imperative. The verbs in the second class imply non-controllable processes which do not depend on the subject's volition, and are compatible with neither intentional auxiliaries nor imperative markers. With non-volitional verbs, non-intentional auxiliaries such as -cung or -song must be used. In this Manual, volitional verbs are marked as "[vol.]", while non-volitional verbs are identified as "[inv.]" Ex. of volitional verbs: ^•crSlsfl t5'_pavin "l looked." Ml to'-sh "Look!" ^•cj-ui^j ny|:-payin "I went to bed." ■M^ nyo:-sh "Go to bed! Lie down! Ex. of non-volitional verbs: si^^'j thong-cung "1 saw." 5°! 1^1 thra'-cung "I recovered." Thus the following forms are incorrect because they combine a non-volitional verb with an intentional auxiliary: * 5)*^'£y'u^3|] thong-payin, * 51'^ ^' thra'-payin; so, too, are the following imperatives: ^*| thong-sh, * 51'^ thra'-sh. The grammar of European languages does not make the opposition volitional / non-volitio- nal. However in their vocabulary, they do differentiate between hear, see (non-volitional) and listen, look (volitional). As in other languages, a distinction is made between transitive verbs (or polyvalent verbs) and intransitive verbs (or monovalent verbs). Transitive verbs require an object, where- as intransitive verbs do not. MANUAL of Ex.: ??' ta "to look" and 51*c:' thong "to see" are transitive whereas ^ nya: "to go to bed, to lie down" and 5T Ahra'/ "to recover (from an illness)" are intransitive. STANDARD TIBETAN In this Manual, whether a verb is transitive or intransitive will be indicated indirectly: for each verb, the case required for the subject and, where relevant, for the direct or indirect object by Nicolas Tournadre and Sangda Dotje 98. With some non-volitional verbs which imply a certain degree of control, such as '"lose" or "fall asleep", the "...it brings the field to imperative forms are also possible. 576 pp. 8 !/ "x 11" with 2 CDs. 2 a new level, particularly 99. In order to avoid the linguistically problematic notion of "subject" in Tibetan, verbs may be denned according to #MASTTI $80.00 in the area of their valency, e.g., the number of participants they require. See the Glossary of linguistic terms. spoken Tibetan." The Manual of Standard Tibetan presents the everyday speech of —PHIL STANLEY, Lhasa, as it is currently used in Tibet Naropa University as well as amongst the Tibetan dias- Sample page from Manual of Standard Tibetan pora. It aims not only to place the language in its natural context, but also to highlight along the way key aspects of Tibetan civilization and •Vajrayana Buddhism. The Manual, which consists of forty-one lessons, is illustrated with many drawings and photographs, LIGMINCHA INSTITUTE and also includes informative politi- cal and linguistic maps of Tibet. Two CDs provide an essential KHENPO TENPA YUNGDRUNG RINPOCHE GESHE TENZIN WANGYAL RINPOCHE oral complement to the Manual. EXPERIENTIAL TRANSMISSION A detailed introduction presents a NGONDRO Jt^^^y I ,* linguistic overview of spoken and EXPERIENTIAL TRANSMISSION OF ZHANG ZHUNG: PARTS 2 6 3 written Tibetan. OF ZHANG ZHUNG: PART i "The Manual of Standard DECEMBER 26-31,2003 Tibetan, with its wealth of insights into the language, is a delight to #,■ <£*"*, November 20-23, 2003 Continuing in the tradition of the past ten years, the read. In offering such a breadth *' ' L Winter Retreat at Serenity Ridge will be devoted to and depth of coverage for an intro- 1 ■.JBSBP& jf The Ngondro, Part ( of the Experiential the study and practice of "The Experiential ductory text of modern Tibetan as Transmission of Zhang Zhung. is the entrance to a Transmission of Zhang Zhung" (Chag Tri). This used in Central Tibet and among the year Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche will present Part 2 diaspora community, it brings the cycle of Bon dzogchen. or "Great Perfection," teach- I and Part 1 field to a new level, particularly in ings, which until the past decade were part of a the area of spoken Tibetan."—Phil secret transmission passed one-to-one from master to student. This year we are Part Two: Introduction to the Nature of Mind is offered ta those who have Stanley, Naropa University fortunate to have Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung. the Abbot of Triten Norbutse received and practiced Part I: The Ngondro. There arc three principal areas introduced in Part Two: the practice ol/hine; the stabilization of mindfulness "I do not hesitate to rec- Monastery, teaching these beautiful and essential practices to us. through the use of dark retreat, sun and sky gazing; and the discovery and ommend Nicolas Tournadre The Ngondro teachings are life-long practices appropriate for people at all clarification of rigpa—innate awareness. The meditations explained in Part and Sangda Dorje's excellent stages of training and are Ihe prcreojJisite for further study of The Experiential Two introduce the practitioner to experiences of the nature of mind and cre- Manual of Standard Tibetan. Transmission of Zhang Zhung. ate the circumstances for the teacher to give pointing out instructions. Their collaboration represents the confluence of linguistic analysis In 1996 Khen Rinpoche was appointed Ponlob (head teacher) at Triten Part Three: View, Meditation, Flexible Behavior, and Result of Dzogchen of the first order with the stylistic Norbutse Monastery, in Kathmandu, Nepal. As ponlob, he is responsible for Students who have received and are practicing Part Two are warmly welcomed sensibilities of a leading contempo- the education of all the monks at the Yungdrung Bon Academy of Higher and encouraged to join Tenzin Rinpoche during the Winter Retreat The rary master of Tibetan composition. Studies. In 2001, he was appointed Khenpo (abbot) of the monastery. Both share a keen appreciation of retreat will present the base as view, path as meditation, secondary causes as behavior, and fruition: confidence in the three kavas as result. This format an approach in which the learning RETREAT COST: (includes meals: dormitory housing is available) allows Rinpoche to guide committed students to further study the teachings of language and of culture must EARLY REGULAR LATE inform one another, with the result Ngondro $500 reed by Ocl. 22 SJ50 reed by Nov. 5 $400 reed after Nov. 5 of the masters of the lineage of Zhang Zhung. that this is one of those rare lan- Exp. Trans. 2/3 $400 m',1 byHav. II $450 reed by Dec. 9 $S00 reed after DeQ. 1 guage textbooks that is a pleasure to read."—Matthew Kapstein, The Ciiarlottesvilie, Virginia / Tel: 434-977-6161 / [email protected] I Jniversity of Chicago A page from Manual of Standard www.Iigmincha.org Tibetan is shown to the right. ■ 10 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER Endangered Ancient Tibetan Text Finds a Home in the West BY GABRIEL ROCCO Bon teachings are preserved in the Western students of dharma may volumes of texts that comprise the be surprised.to find a Tibetan tradi- Bon Canon. tion with a practice and doctrine There was a time in recent history essentially the same as the spiritual when the survival of the Bon Canon teachings of the four well-known was in jeopardy. During the Cultural Tibetan Buddhist schools but which Revolution that ravaged Tibet, the does not trace its lineage back to the last complete set of the Canon was Indian Prince, Shakyamuni. But Bon hidden in a small village where a On July 10th of this year, one of is just such a tradition. It traces its group of devoted Bon practitioners and Light: The Five Elements in the 2003 Winter Retreat at Serenity the few newly published sets of the spiritual roots to the Buddha Tonpa risked their lives to keep it safe. All Tibetan Shamanism, Tantra and Ridge. complete Bon Canon, derived from Shenrab Miwoche. According to the the other known collections of the Dzogchen; and Tibetan Yogas of For more information contact: that hidden and preserved copy, Dream and Sleep. Bon histories, Tonpa Shenrab was an Canon had been destroyed. Later, Ligmincha Institute, 313 Second enlightened being who first taught in this collection was secretly taken to was received and safely installed Part 1, the Ngbndro, presents an St., S.E., Charlottesville, Vir- at Serenity Ridge, Ligmincha's Bon a land called Olmo Lungring. The Nepal and then to India. integrated series of nine preliminary ginia 22902; 434-977-6161; http: retreat center in Shipman, Virginia. practices which tame the mind and //www.ligmincha.org/html/bon_ turn it towards the path, purifying canon.html; [email protected]. ■ New Presentation of illnesses, obstacles, and mental Dzogchen Teachings obscurations in order to reveal the With the desire to make Bon primordially perfected nature of the Clockwise from top: Gabriel Rocco, dzogchen teachings accessible to practitioner's mind. Khen Rinpoche, Geshe Nyima Oser, Tenzin Wangyal Western students and simultane- head teacher at Triten Norbutse Rinpoche, and sangha members ously maintain the purity of the Monastery in Kathmandu, will teach carry the texts to Garuda House; transmission, Tenzin Wangyal this retreat. Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche and Geshe Rinpoche, founder, of Ligmincha, is Rinpoche will teach Part Two: Intro- Nyima Oser with the complete set of offering several teachings. Tenzin duction to the Nature of Mind and texts; Khenpo Tenpa Yung; Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche is the author Part Three: The View, Meditation, Wangyal Rinpoche. (Photos by Mary of Healing with Form, Energy Behavior and Result of Dzogchen at Ellen McCourt) VAjUfflANA BUBBHJST BDUGOTCNAL 5NSTTFJT3 Rebecca Radner Buddhist Psychic Mipham Shedra Curriculum Sequence Telephone Consultations by Appointment 1) Thai Gyur (Logic of Prasangika Madhyamika) I have often seen in the West that [email protected] 2) Lo Rig (Classifications of Mind) lamas will come and give blessings 3) Drup Dhii (Condensed Tenet Systems) and empowerments and even short www.differentpsychic.com teachings, maybe for a weekend or (415) 563-8746 4) Wisdom Chapter of the Bodhicaryaavatara a few days, and then will leave, and 5) Shedrel Ke Ta Ka (Jamgon Mipham's commentary the Western students have no way on the Wisdom Chapter of the Bodhicaryaavatara to follow up with what they have been given. I have also seen that 6) Beacon of Certainty by Jamgon Mipham Western students are very 7) Gyii Lama (Buddha Nature by Maitreya) interested and want to receive the 8) Vajrayana classes (various topics) necessary teachings to progress on the path of Dharma. For this they need continuity. They need a real Mia base for study of Dharma. Each class in the Mipham A singular characteristic of Shedra Curriculum Se- Mipham Shedra is that it is, Mipham Shedra is dedicated to quence is a one-month class above all, a curriculum, a providing that base. Our (total of 20 class hours), course of study. Our core comprehensive educational followed by a two-month concept, and mission, is to program is based on the traditional break. Class size is limited bring our curriculum to system of the classic Buddhist ^TfbefJ to 21 students. Additionally, communities interested in it. shedra (college), and is designed to an introductory class is As such, we are actively suit the particular needs of India: Sikkim & Darjeeling ^ offered every month of looking to open new Western students. Jan 2-Jan 18, 2004 ^ classes. Successful passage shedras. For information from one sequence class to about bringing our Tibet: Land of Snows the next is determined by curriculum to your examination. Certificates are community, please contact May 16-Jun 1,2004 ^~ conferred upon successful us. We will come wherever completion of certain there is an interest in true Lhobpon Rechungpa Tibet: Rooftop of the World jflWf. courses. study of the pure Dharma. President, Mipham Shedra Jun20-Jul7, 2004 fw wisdomtours.com \_ A Mipham Shedra P.O. Box 1685 Boulder, CO 80306 802.434.5416 \2 Phone:303-554-9182 Email:[email protected] Web:http://www.miphamshedra.org SNOW LION 11 !! ; : . . ajswwa ti^&J^^\../P^|!:^:n^:l^ ::MS:% :■:'''■■: IHili .:':;:V.;:. .:.;;.-.::v::/-^^-j-;^.: : :':'::: :: ! ! : > ^ : ': V - x : — ' ' ^ : ' ^ : :■ :- ' i L 0-i ■■: ■ [[^ ■' : ' ■. A TIBETAN VERB LEXICON Verbs, Classes, and Syntactic Frames by Paul G. Hackett 224 pp. #TWELE $29.95 This book is the first new Tibetan-English verb resource published in over thirty years. It is a verb dictionary with extensive lexical information. ^ Not a mere translation of exist- ing Chinese works, this lexicon was compiled employing sta- tistical data and drawing on sources from the classical lit- T^l III "H V\ "H 0 to raise; to rise up -fayV^l (BCA) atidur 0 to be very erature of Tibet spanning 1200 difficult: NP()UC1.2.2, ACV(), VP()EC2.4. VP() years and all major lineages. ^| V ^W PUBLICATIONS KJjS 33 available from Snow Lion Publications A sample page from A Tibetan Verb Lexicon BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Continued from page 7 Brute force, no matter PLEASE ACT TODAY. The movement to help the people how strongly applied, of Tibet is growing as public why do Prasanigikas change this Of the six million terminology? Jamyang Shayba here can never subdue Tibetans, more than a awareness and outrage build. gives two arguments. First, it makes the basic desire no sense to say that there is any I for freedom and million have* died from The Tibetan people depend on grass- person who experiences a nirvana the Chinese occupation roots support in America, Canada and without remainder if that means dignity. — of torture, starvation, that the aggregates are abandoned. elsewhere to be a voice for freedom. There is no person once the aggre- —His Holiness and execution. gates are destroyed. Second, the the Dalai Lama Please do your part. For a bee language that suggests that Arhats Action Kit call us at 1-888 TIBETNOW, "extinguish" their aggregates really just refers to their emptiness. Like More than 6,000 or e-mail us at: [email protected]. all things, our bodies and minds monasteries and their are "primordially extinguished" into contents, irreplaceable emptiness because they are, and INTERNATIONAL always have been, empty of inherent jewels of Tibetan CAMPAIGN existence. ■ culture, were destroyed. FOR TIBET 1825 K St.; NW, Suite 520 Washington, DC 20006 Tibetans are routineK' Want to explore www.savetibet.org a great selection of Tibet needs your help. imprisoned and tortured Tibetan web links? for non-viole.nt.K' Check "Links" at: expressing their views. www.SnowLionPub.com Prtotogfraph <5.;Kurt Thorson 12 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER BUDDHISM AND SCIENCE The Mind and Life Conference Imagine the Dalai Lama as an present the results of their cutting- engineer. If he weren't the spiritual edge research into the same issues. leader of Tibet, that's what he'd like At the recent conference, Profes- to be-according to Nobel Laureate sor Richard Davidson of LIniversity and McGovern Institute president of Wisconsin talked about his Philip Sharp. Sharp made the cont- research on Tibetan monks wired to inent at the 11th Mind & Life confer- brain wave monitors while meditat- ence, held in September on the MIT ing on compassion. In a variety of campus, the American heart of engi- studies the monks showed a marked neering and the sciences. activation in the pre-frontal cortex Engineer or not, His Holiness the of the brain, an area associated with Dalai Lama has a deep interest in calmness and capacity to over-ride issues such as: What is attention? knee-jerk emotional responses. One What is cognitive control? How are monk, Matthieu Ricard (a presenter they related? Does the human mind One monk, Matthieu at the conference), was "way off the construct a visualization instan- taneously or bit by bit (scientific Ricard (a presenter at curve" in his ability to keep the pre- frontal cortex activated for extended studies demonstrate that visualizing the conference), was periods, according to Davidson, and even a simple object such as an "A" "way off the curve" was even able to deactivate his own is done piece by piece)? in his ability to keep startle reflex in response to sudden Harvard professor Eric Lander noted that both Buddhism and sci- the pre-frontal cortex loud noises. This is an extremely rare capability; even expert marks- ence are attempting to ameliorate activated for extended men cannot repress a startle the suffering of the world and periods....Davidson response to the'sound of their own observed that "Buddhism is not a commented that he guns. Davidson commented that he technology for detection [as is sci- simply couldn't imagine how it was ence] but for modulation." simply couldn t imagine possible to accomplish this feat. Scientists know that the brain can how it was possible to B. Alan Wallace, a key figure at in fact be modulated. For example, accomplish this feat. the conference, suggested that, just when the blind use Braille, sensing as we can train humans far beyond the words with their fingertips, it's the norm to achieve Olympic-level actually the visual cortex of the the world of science-particularly as athletic capabilities, it's possible to brain that is activated—even though it interfaces with Buddhism, itself a train people to achieve "Olympic" there's no seeing—indicating that science of a kind, with 2000 years of cognitive abilities—and that how to the brain has re-organized itself. empirical examination of the work- do this is maybe just what Buddhism The capacity for practices of various ings of the mind. can teach science. kinds to actually re-model our brains It's precisely Buddhism's track His Holiness the Dalai Lama is an exciting promise and prospect record of effective technologies of seemed intrigued by many of the for meditators and scientists alike. the mind that brings top-level sci- issues evoked at the meeting, and Several intriguing books on the entists to the Mind and Life confer- listened intently as the scientists previous Mind and Life conferences ences to learn what Buddhism can and Buddhists on the panel (includ- are available; take a look in "Science teach them about topics such as ing B. Alan Wallace, Georges Drey- and Buddhism" in the catalog sec- attention and cognition. In turn, they fus, and Matthieu Ricard) discussed tion of this newsletter. ■ - r 'The meaning of Bodhi is to awaken." D y -j Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche THE VOICE OF V A J R A Y A N A BUDDHISM Profound, challenging and rewarding The message of awakening is embodied in the instructions of great teachers, providing a treasury of insight into our human experience—from the simplest moment to the most profound expressions of heart and mind. Teachings by leading masters of the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages: • His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ugyen Trinley Dorje • His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche • The Venerable Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche • Khenchen Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche • The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche Practical instructions for implementing these instructions into one's practice of meditation and activities of daily life: Articles, current dharma news, artwork, poetry, & children's stories Back Issues are available at Nalandabodhi's Bodhi Dharma store: http://bodhidharmastore.org t til D 1 Btifi< : ..., _. s T -s^ri 1 %J 1 ^^ See bodhi at www.bodhionline.org and subscribe. Ask for bodhi at your local bookstore. Or write us at [email protected] SNOW LION 13 Symbols and Motifs, by Robert ***Bbn specifications are per His CHOOSING AND USING YOUR who keep the samadhi in their mind POLLY TURNER is a freelance writer while reciting, and who rely on in Charlottesville, Va., and former Beer, Boston: Shambhala, 1999. Holiness Lungtok Tenpai Nyima, MALA spiritual head of the Tibetan Bon Continued from page 3 the blessings, empowerments and editor of Sangha Journal. She can **Reprinted with permission from instructions of a qualified master, be reached at: [email protected]. www.tibet.com, the Website of the tradition; courtesy of Sherab Palden and Judy Marz. Some Words About Mantra have an opportunity to experi- Office of Tibet, the official agency Footnotes: Who is saying the mantra, how it is ence the power of and blessings of of His Holiness the Dalai Lama in See pages 41 for malas available said, one's intent while saying it—all mantra firsthand. *From The Encyclopedia of Tibetan London. from Snow Lion, m these are important considerations. In some cases, one also may need to consider who is within hearing dis- tance as one recites. Bardor Tulku Rinpoche notes that in his Kagyu tradition, it is acceptable in any Chogyal Namkhai Norbu circumstances to recite a mantra out loud, even when others who are 2003-2004 Transmission Video Anniversary Dates unlikely to understand or respect the sacredness of the mantra can November 19: Anniversary of Adzom Drugpa March 6, 2004: Anniversary of Guru Garab Dorje hear it. However, a number of other August, 2004: Anniversary of Guru Padmasambhava traditions specify that certain pow- erful mantras must be kept entirely Chogyal Namkhai Norbu has committed, for his lifetime, to give the private. essential transmission of Guruyoga on three anniversaries each year. Direct transmission is not limited by space or distance. The practice is Some practices require a practi- coordinated by global timetable and videotape, and is hosted by the main tioner to recite a certain mantra as Gars and by local practice groups throughout North America and the world. many as 100,000, or even a million, For local contact info, please contact Tsegyalgar, the Dzogchen times. Because just one mantra Community in America: [email protected] recitation condenses the essence of vast spiritual teachings into a few ■ Tsegyalgar, Dzogchen Community in America, Inc. concise syllables, it's easy to conjec- PO Box 277, Conway, MA 01341 ture about the power of repeating a tal: 413-369-4153 I fax: 413-369-4473 e-mail: [email protected] mantra so many times over. Those website: www.tsegyalgar.org who faithfully do the recitations, 2003 South America: Dzogchen Retreat Schedule Oct. 31 - Nov. 4: Margarita Islands (Tashigar del Norte), Venezuela Contact: Email: [email protected] Join Our www.dzogchenvenezuela.org Dec. 11-14: San Paolo, Brazil Email Lists! Contact: Tel: 55-11-38144379 Fax 55-11-2877362 Weekly Dalai Lama Quote Email: [email protected] Born in Tibet in 1938, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu is one of Dec. 19-21: Santiago, Chile and Dharma Quote the primary living masters of Dzogchen. After having taught Contact: [email protected] for more then twenty years at the Istituto Universitario Dec. 26 - Jan. 2: Cordoba (Tashigar), Argentina Every week you can receive a Orientale of Naples, Italy, he is at present fully dedicating Contact: Tel: 3541 498 884 Fax: 3451 498 356 quote from His Holiness the Dalai his time to the transmission and preservation of the. Dzogchen Email: [email protected] Lama and/or a quote from other Teachings and Tibetan culture at large. He is the founder of teachers (we have two mail list the Dzogchen community, whose centers of study and practice "The teaching of Dzogchen is in essence a teaching options), selected from resources are found all over the world. He is the author of many books concerning the primordial state that is each individual's here in our office. If you would like and scholarly articles not only on Dzogchen but also Tibetan own intrinsic nature from the very beginning." to be on the list, go to our website: culture, history, medicine and astrology. The Dzogchen - Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and click on "Join our mail lists" on Community in America, Tsegyalgar, is based in Conway, MA. the left hand click-bar. ■ NEW BUDDHIST TITLES FROM A TIBETAN BUDDHIST COMPANION WILD AWAKENING Compiled and translated by The Heart of Mahamudra and Dzogchen Erik Pema Kunsang Dzogchen Ponlop Forewords by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama A treasury of inspiring quotations and prayers and the Seventeenth Karmapa from the great masters of Tibetan Buddhism— A clear, accessible, and engaging explanation of a perfect companion for both beginners and the highest teachings of Tibetan Buddhism- seasoned practitioners. from a great living master. $18.95 • hardcover • 1-57062-861-0 $18.95 • paperback original • 1-59030-096-3 MONK DANCERS OF TIBET THE HANDBOOK OF TIBETAN Matthieu Ricard BUDDHIST SYMBOLS The sacred art of Tibetan Buddhist dance, cap- Robert Beer tured in Ricard's magnificent full-color photos An illustrated reference to the rich tradition of accompanied by his illuminating commentary. Tibetan Buddhist art, including line drawings, $29.95 • hardcover • 1-57062-974-9 paintings, thangkas, and ritual objects. $24.95 • paperback original • 1-59030-100-5 PATH TO BUDDHAHOOD Teachings on Gampopa's Jewel Ornament of Liberation Ringu Tulku Foreword by Matthieu Ricard Drawing on a key classical text, a dynamic Tibetan teacher offers an accessible introduc- tion to the basics of Tibetan Buddhism. $16.95 • paperback original • 1-59030-012-2 SHAMBHALA PUBLICATIONS 14 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER How to Read Classical Tibetan VOLUME 1, A SUMMARY OF THE GENERAL PATH by Craig Preston place. You won't need a dictionary nize the syntactic relationships you 247 pp., #HORECL $39.95 because all of the words and par- encounter, understand the meaning ticles are translated and explained signified, and translate that meaning upon every occurrence, and there is correctly into English. Do you want to learn to read Clas- a complete glossary at the end of the CRAIG PRESTON has been studying sical Tibetan? If you know how to book; every sentence is diagramed read the Tibetan u-chen script and Tibetan Buddhism for twenty-five and completely explained so that years. He teaches Tibetan and Bud- can recognize words, How to Read you can easily see how the words dhist philosophy in Ithaca, New Classical Tibetan will show you—at and particles are arranged to convey York at the Nagarjuna Language your own pace—all the relationships meaning. Institute (www.giganticom.com) that make Tibetan easy to read. It Because everything is always which he founded. He has taught is a complete language course built explained in every sentence, you will Classical Tibetan at Dharma Farm around the exposition of a famous easily learn to recognize the recur- in Charlottesville, Virginia, and in fifteenth century Tibetan text sum- rent patterns, making the transition marizing stages of the path to Bud- Taos, New Mexico. from learning words to reading dhahood. sentences much easier for you. As Below is a sample page from How All the language tools you need you study How to Read Classical to Read Classical Tibet, Volume to work at your own pace are in one Tibetan, you will learn to: recog- i.m Chapter One Self Test Write out the passage, boxing and identifying every syntactic element Look, it's really up to you to learn to read Tibetan. If yon get to this point and can't read the passage at alt, it is because you can't remember the explanations. If you can't remember the explanations of the syntax., it is because you haven't said the explanations aloud enough. If you were in my class, I'd ask: what is the verb? Is it transitive or intransitive? What class of verbs does it belong ro? If it's transitive, is the agent expressly stated ot is the agent implied? The answer to everything 1 ask is right here on the page. Here's an example for the first sentence. adveroiai connnuat.'ve impUed adverbial quaSfier of quaMer of /syntactic aceru-JL,n O-t ooject of «¥i^«'5) KirlS v syniactrr function ^ (aq-nomj panicle follow ng transitive vero verb i implied vert) phrase cononuatrve type of word ot advert; .Verbal infinitive + syruactfC parade noon + adjective compound qualifying strong future oanicie advert: s.p compound +6* noun trie Mowing verb auxiliary) |ij vVoi fofiowmu vets. th;-> indicates lexica! meaning. genera' path summary briefly set forth, ciscuss fiat more relevant information tosowj Now I will discuss briefly the summary of the general path. Ask yourself questions as you review 1. What is the verb? "^i^'S / will discu. 6. What is the It is a punctuational syntactic particle, setting off a particle 8f doing? word or noun phrase for rhetotical emphasis without 2. Is it transitive or intransitive? It is transitive changing the declension. 3. Is the agent expressed or implied? It is an implied "I" 7. What is die It is an adverb qualifying the action expressed by the 4. In what case does this verb take its object? 1" case—nominative word 5^9^' doing? verb. 5. What is the object? "w|$^ap>fr Chapter One * 15 vaula Kpmito SEVEN METALS . : SINGING BOWLSQR.TIBET An extraordinary recording of Tibetan bowls , BENJAMIN, IOBST • performed by a master of this tradition — Jonathan Goldman, author of Healing Sounds Seven Metals features the beautiful harmonics of 25 Singing bowls. Acclaimed by bodywork therapists, yoga teachers, and meditators. iii'liSib A sound adventure for the spirit - Don Campbell Jibetan hankas but (Commission author of The Mozart Effect Limited LLdition /\rcHiv^l frints Available from Snow Lion Seven Metals is 56 minutes of peace 800-950-0313 Phone: 928-779-5767 Gallery: www.komito.com SNOW LION 15 iei:.:"i.'Ji;:J*f;3"'-;™::"';E '";(;<■':■'..■. : Reports from Tibet suggest A young orphan from Lhasa that Evangelist missionaries have told TIN how he was identified by increased and diversified their long- Korean mis- term activities in Lhasa and other sionaries parts of Tibet because of the closer who made interaction between Tibetans and visits to his foreigners operating in Tibet. Seem- school and ingly undeterred by the authorities, developed Kalachakra European, US and increasingly Asian a personal missionary organisations are involved relationship t in official and semi-official educa- with him. tional institutes, in business activities They sup- and increasingly in the recruitment of ported his young, bright people for training and attendance at IT courses, but what employment purposes. first seemed to be selfless generos- The two main centres of mission- ity soon turned out to be a plan ary activities appear to be Lhasa and to employ him as a translator and Xining, the capital of Qinghai prov- editor of Christian texts into the ince at the outer north-east fringe of Tibetan language. They soon took Tibet. Young people arriving from him to villages around Lhasa as a poor rural backgrounds seem to be translator and encouraged him to specifically targeted by missionary explain to the villagers about the activities. In the absence of secular word of Christ. The boy describes youth schemes, they receive much how he gradually realised that their sought after assistance in their aim was to convert young Tibetans schooling from the missionary agen- like him to Christianity and employ cies. Typically, recruitment hap- them in their missionary work. pens first as a personal connection, "It was extremely embarrassing growing into a proposal to become particularly to be put in the position where I was supposed to explain about this foreign belief to elderly * The boy describes Tibetan villagers who have much * how he gradually faith in Buddhism and who derive ' realised that their much strength out of their devotion. » aim was to convert As it became clear to me that they wanted to convert me, I became « young Tibetans like really sad and angry. I was par- him to Christianity and ticularly worried to see how many » employ them in their young Tibetans start going to their * missionary work. Sunday services and picnics." The young man was also encour- aged to help distribute books with a Tibetan teacher or a translator, parts of the Bible translated into sometimes with the prospect of Tibetan. studies abroad. As they start to "Monks would tear up such work closer with missionary agen- books, and our teacher had earlier cies and their staff, however, the warned me against the missionaries recniits are gradually encouraged to who had been visiting our school." embrace Christianity and abandon Personally, the boy never felt that their Buddhist beliefs. Although his own religious convictions would many Tibetans acknowledge the be weakened by the influences positive impact of foreign charitable of missionary activities, but he projects, the current situation has expressed the fear that many young, raised suspicions of such projects in poorly educated people from rural general, regardless of whether they areas are vulnerable in the light of intend to evangelise or not. It has activities that first indicate practical \D0\\ IIUIUKU01IiSTumufo also raised concern among Western- help but that are eventually aimed at ers operating in Tibet who find their conversion. work itself disturbed by Evangelist activities and themselves falling (From: www. oneworld. 'net/article/ under suspicion. country/895) m Toronto, Canada April 25 - May 5, 2004 For tickets and further information, please contact us at: %^''0§MMWiM: '::'::> "The most versatile sitting cushion I have ever experienced. An infinity of post, lions for great comfort and peace of mind — Rabbi David A. Cooper, Author of Corf Is A Vtrk "An incredible innovation. A buckwheat cushion which can be adapted to the special physical need% of meditators. Postal Address: PO Box No.38, Station C, Highly recommended." — Kevin Smith, Chiropractor Toronto, Ontario, and Rolling Therapist CANADA M6K 3M7 Available in Black, Red or Violet To order or for more information, contact: Telephone/Fax: (416)410-5606 DHARMA COMMUNICATIONS • P.O. Box 156 • Mount Tremper, NY 12457 845-688-7995 • [email protected] • WMW.dharma.net/storeJitml 16 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER NOW AVAILABLE Bush Welcomes Dalai Lama Meeting with the Dalai Lama that "questions surrounding Tibet at the White House on September and its relationship to Chinese xt Dawning of Clear Light 10, President Bush expressed his authorities in Beijing should be A Western Approach to Tibetan "strong support" for the Dalai lama's resolved by direct dialogue between efforts to find a negotiated solution the Tibetans and the Chinese," it Dark Retreat Meditation with the Chinese leadership. also made clear that the "lack of MARTIN LOWENTHAL, The Dalai Lama's last Washington resolution of these problems....will author of visit was in May 2001, making this be a stumbling block to fuller politi- his first opportunity to meet with cal and economic engagement with Opening the Heart U.S. leaders since the renewed the United States...." of Compassion contact between his envoys and Meetings with President Bush Foreword by Chinese government officials, cred- and Secretary of State Powell Tenzin Wangyal ited in part to sustained U.S. interest were said to have reflected their in the dialogue process conveyed strong interest in the Dalai Lama's Rinpoche consistently to Chinese leaders. To evaluation of the renewed contact date, the Dalai Lama's envoys have between the Chinese and Tibetans and asked that the United States Martin Lowenthal "Martin's wealth of personal-experience made two trips to China and Tibet, and possible next steps, including concurrently focus its attention A'crd by Tcuziu VVangyai Rjtifjocbe and insight lends a great deal of guid- in September 2002 and May-June a third trip by the Dalai Lama's on three immediate concerns: (1) ance and support to other individuals who are in a journey to discover- 2003, following an impasse in direct envoys. Discussions reportedly unchecked Chinese emigration into ing and abiding in the light that can be found within the darkness.... contact of nearly a decade. A Report included commitments from the Tibet, (2) the economic marginaliza- This book offers welcome access to the experience of one's self in a vari- on Tibet Negotiations issued from U.S. Government and the Dalai tion of Tibetans, and (3) the impact ety of ways during dark retteat." the White House to the Congress Lama to seek a mutually beneficial of resource extraction and develop- —Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, from the foreword shortly before the envoys' second solution for Chinese and Tibetans ment on Tibet's fragile environment. trip detailed steps taken by the arrived at through dialogue and Chinese policies that had attempted President and Secretary of State to based on autonomy for Tibetans, "A profoundly moving account of the Dark Retreat—the first such to grapple with these kinds of nega- encourage the Chinese government and whether a trip by the Dalai Lama account by a western master of the process. Page by page, you are led tive impacts were identified and to enter into a dialogue with the to China or Tibet might be plausible. into one of Tibet's most powerful spiritual practices in a way that is discussed, and both the President Dalai Lama or his representatives Throughout his Washington visit and Secretary were very well briefed both engaging and illuminating." leading to a negotiated agreement The Dalai Lama forecast a lengthy on the situation in Tibet. The meet- —John P. Milton, Author of Sky Above, Earth Below on Tibet. While the report stressed and difficult process of negotiations ings occurred amid the usual official and founder of Sacred Passage Retreats complaints from Beijing who urged the United States "to stop using the "This book by Lowenthal, a psychotherapist, meditation teachet and Tibet issue to interfere with China's longtime student of Tibetan Buddhism, breaks ground as an English- Tibet Fund internal affairs, so as to not harm language guide to the technique of dark retreat.... The journal excerpts China-U.S. relations." Nonetheless, are especially helpful as a way of concretely describing what a practi- Founded in 1981 with the blessing and advice of H.H. the Dalai Lama, the the Dalai Lama was received at the tioner might encounter." Tibet Fund presently administers more financial assistance to the Tibetan State Department and White House —Publishers Weekly community than any other single aid organization. They support economic with diplomatic courtesies, which and community development projects in the refugee communities in India included a warm White House Paperback • 224 pages • ISBN 1-57174-375-8 and Nepal, provide emergency relief and resettling for new refugees who have welcome by First Lady Laura Bush, Dawning of Clear Light is available in bookstores and on-line. fled Tibet, improve health conditions in the refugee communities, preserve and administration officials did not shy away from formal and informal You may also order direct from us and receive a 30% discount. the traditional Tibetan medical system, provide scholarships to Tibetans students and professionals, preserve Tibetan culture and promote cultural conveyances of friendship and soli- HAMPTON ROADS exchange, and provide assistance for health, education and economic devel- darity with the Dalai Lama and his m efforts. »*«^CSSP' PUBLISHING COMPANY, INC. opment projects inside Tibet. If you would like detailed information on how you can help, please contact: Tibet Fund, 241 East 32nd Street, New York, NY (From the International Campaign 800-766-8009 • www.hrpub.com 10016,212-213-5011. ■ from Tibet website) m THE COMPASSION BOX Book, CD, and Card Deck Pema Chodron For centuries, Tibetan Buddhists have employed a collection of pithy, penetrat- ing slogans to help develop equanimity, intelligence, and compassion. With Pema Chodron's characteristic clarity and warmth, The Compassion Box presents the tools needed to learn and apply this trans- formative spiritual practice (called lojong): • a set of fifty-nine cards presenting the lojong slogans with Pema's illuminat- ing commentary on the reverse • an unabridged edition of Start Where You Are, Pema's popular guide to understanding and applying the slogans • a 45-minute audio CD of Pema's instruction on tonglen meditation, a practice that anyone can undertake to awaken the heart. A wonderful companion for home or office, The Compassion Box is a potent tool to bring the teachings to life. SNOW LION 17 STUDENT PADMASAMBHAVA BUDDHIST CENTER BUDDHIST NETWORK dzogchen& College and graduate school the past year the Student Buddhist retreats have, to a certain extent, become Network (SBN) has grown from a with Ven. Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche designated periods of groundless- few northeastern schools to over & Ven. Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche ness; times when many young twenty-five across the United States people leave what they know and and Canada diverse in tradition, begin to connect with new ideas practice and interests. SBN seeks January 17-24,2004 • West Palm Beach, FL and create their own. Beginning the to encourage dharma on campus study of Buddhist meditation and by providing tools to member The Venerable Khenpos are Annual Winter Dzogchen Retreat thought is one way many students schools such as speaker contact brother Dzogchen masters in the Empowerment & Teachings on Golden Manjushri, the are embracing such groundlessness information, finance coordination Nyingma lineage of Tibetan embodiment of transcendental primordial wisdom. Contact and knowingly or not, creating their and a yearly conference for idea Buddhism. They are the founders own sangha. exchanges. Since this is an ecu- and spiritual directors of Palm Beach Dharma Center: (561) 547-4711, [email protected]. The founders of student Bud- menical network, SBN encourages Padmasambhava Buddhist dhist groups at both Wesleyan (The member schools to invite teachers Center, with centers in the U.S., Wesleyan Dharma Study Group) and from different Buddhist traditions to Puerto Rico. Russia and India. Yale (The Yale Buddhist Society) teach at their schools. ALSO THIS FALL & WINTER: Universities conceived of the Stu- Last January when the Student and a beautiful monastery/ dent Buddhist Network in an effort Buddhist Network held its first con- practice center in upstate New November 22 & 23 • Uey/ York City. Vajrasattva practice to discover other student Buddhist ference with representatives from York, located in Delaware with Dzogchen transmission of Longchenpa's Dharmadatu groups and relate with them. Over Brandeis, Brown, Harvard, RPI, County: Padma Samye ting Treasure. Us pm Saturday. 10 am-t pm Sunday. 222 Bowery. NYC. Tufts, UCONN, Wesleyan and Yale (below). Universities, diverse as the groups December 12 - 15 • Chicago. Contact (847) 562-1390, were, the sense of community was [email protected] remarkable. The strength everyone Dharma Groups: received from our first conference December 31- January 1 • New York City. Vajrasattva Jin was so welcome and so thrilling Tsig & Vajrakilaya Practice. 9 am-/2 pm and 1-5 pm. 222 Bowery. NYC. Need books because overall everyone seemed to realize our commitment was the See our website for more information and the Rinpoches' for classes? same, our challenges were often complete travel schedule. similar and our problem-solving abili- Snow Lion does its best to keep ties creative. This fall SBN will hold Unique facilities for private retreat are available at our monastery, stock on the titles we advertise. its second conference in Boston. However, there is always the pos- featuring dormitory rooms or complete apartments. Advance We are always eager for feedback, notice is required before visiting. Contact us for more information. sibility that we may not have enough suggestions and donations of books, .lWT' copies of a book that you need for teachings, and money. If you have a class at your center. Give us at comments or would like to become least three weeks notice for books involved, contact Ravenna Michalsen available in the USA and we should ([email protected]) or Lodro www.padmasambhava.org be able to obtain additional stock to Rinzler ([email protected]). (607) 865-8068 • e-mail [email protected] meet your needs. ■ May the dharma flourish! ■ Padma Samye Ling, 618 Buddha Highway, Sidney Center, NY 13839 NEW FROM INNERDIRECTIONS PUBLISHING "The careful selection of teachers and writers presented through INNER DIRECTIONS—some AWAKEN TO THE SPIRIT OF NONDUALITY familiar, some who are delightful discover- FROM TWO OF THE GREATEST SPIRITUAL MASTERS OF MODERN INDIA ies—suggests that they want to bring to the attention of spiritual seekers only teachers of honesty and integrity, those who offer resp to the students." The Wisdom-Teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj The Essential Teachings of Ramana Maharshi —ANDREA MARTIN, UTNE READER A Visual Journey A Visual Journey Inner Directions Journal/Catalog "The Self always is. It is not "When you become stabilized REQUEST in your Self, the continuous Ramana Maharshi something to be known or YOUR FREE commentary of the mind will acquired. What is new and COPY TODAY! stop. Your true state is not here and now cannot be ever-existent." permanent. It remains as it naturally is—that is all. " —NISARGADATTA MAHARAJ — SRI RAMANA MAHARSHI "The Wisdom-Teachings of Nisargadatta Maharaj follows "The Essential Teachings of Ramana Maharshi, A Visual Jour- in the great footsteps of I Am That. Nisargadatta's nondual ney is a great gift in every sense of the term. There is no teachings cut across all sectarian divides and bring us right one who inspires more or tells a deeper truth. Keep into the eternity of this holy moment. " this book close to your heart or close to the heart of a —LAMASURYADAS, author of Awakening the Buddha Within loved one." —STEPHEN LEVINE, author of Who Dies and A Year to Live Nisargadatta Maharaj was a highly respected sage Ramana Maharshi is recognized for his realization who led the modest life of a Bombay shopkeeper and insight, the balanced and integrated approach and family man. Because of the depth of his spiritual he established, and his clear, direct method of Self-In- realization, people from all over the world visited Maha- quiry. Ken Wilber has called Ramana Maharshi "the raj to benefit from his wisdom and guidance. His teach- greatest sage of the twentieth century." This book con- ings, known for their exceptional clarity and universal tains concise, compelling aphorisms, which reflect the appeal, communicate the essence of advaita or nondual- principal aspects of Ramana's teachings. Set against a ity. collection of beautiful and exceptional photographs of Set against a background of rare and remarkable him and the area in which he lived, they combine with Inner Directions® photographs, these previously unpublished teachings (re- these profound sayings to help one reach a state of deep, corded between 1977 and 1979) represent the heart of inner silence where true meditation is always occurring. P. O. Box 130070 Maharaj's message, which is becoming far better known It also demonstrates that whatever path we follow, the Carlsbad, CA 92013 now than when he conveyed it at his humble residence realization of our infinite nature is ultimately contin- Tel: 760599-4075 in a noisy, commercial area of Bombay. gent upon answering the fundamental question, "Who Fax: 760 599-4076 am I?" Orders: 800 545-9118 Pages: 128 • Photos: 72 • Price: $16.95 • Size: 8" x 9" Pages: 128 • Photos: 82 • Price: $16.95 • Size: 8" x 9" www.InnerDirectioris.org DUOTONE IMAGES ON ART PAPER DUOTONE IMAGES ON ART PAPER 18 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER NEWS PHARMATOONS One Mind, Ten Thousand Dreams Impermanence, growth, and cartoons. ["Manga" is a Japanese part of a team anywhere in the world. and non-attachment word for cartoons and comics.] Visi- Please contact him at sutramanga® tors may go to "MANGA MANGA" sutramanga.com. "If we can't practice complete ■ for new cartoons posted three times non-attachment, we should at least a week. Also at the site is an Activism know when to let go." and Dharma section that advocates You could have your cartoons activism with mindfulness as a skill- printed in The Snow Lion. Mail This edition's Dliarmatoon is ful form of Engaged Humanistic your work to: Editorial and Pro- from www.sutramanga.com, a Buddhism. duction, Snow Lion Publications, Buddhist Manga website launched The site's creator is skillful in gen- P.O. Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851; in September 2002 with the aim of erating Buddhist manga ideas and or email to: Editors@SnowLion popularizing Buddhist principles and he is seeking sponsorship and/or to Pub.com. philosophy through the use of humor work in a Buddhist organisation as snowlion.com 1-800-525-8735 BUDDHIST Thai Buddha Utah Muxum of Fine Am i"\, O -I. 1* \Jr JLJ \J \Jf -I, mm EMm Jhampa Shaneman P.O. Box 89 Winlaw, B.C. Canada 1-800-819-2288 fax 775-582-6504 Wondering about special Dharma teachings and retreats? buddhist-astrologycom Check "Calendar Events" at: www.SnowLionPub.com Liberating your Mind and Emotions and Transforming Classifieds In the great Buddha and Buber tra- ditions, UNIVERSAL KABBALAH: your Life, through the Buddhist Wisdom of Tibet DAWN OF A NEW CONSCIOUS- NESS illuminates the I-Thou path Finding Peace, Compassion and Wisdom in a Troubled World to joy and healing. Dr. Bernie Siegel, author of LOVE, MEDICINE & MIR- ACLES heartily endorses this new RETREATS & TEACHINGS WITH book authored by Sheldon Stoff, Jesse Stoff, M.D., and Lorraine Stoff (302 Pages... Cloth... $28.95... ISBN 0-9666196-5-x). Published by BUSCA... P.O. Box 854... Ithaca, NY 14851 USA... Tel: Sogyal Rinpoche 607-546-4247 ...www.buscainc.com Rigpa US Autumn Retreat What About Teachers, November 28 - December 7 | Clear Lake, CA Advertisements, ou> ;0R"! OF THE SAN FRANC; SCO BAY A RCA With his remarkable gift for Rl G PA is a Tibetan word presenting the heart and which means the etc.? Full details & secure on-line registration: www.rigpa.org spirit of Tibetan Buddhism in "innermost nature of Snow Lion strives to offer a way that is both authentic Or call 866.200.5876 for more information. mind." Rigpa is also quality books and other items as and profoundly relevant to an international network of well advertisements by reputable the modern.mind, For a complete schedule of Sogyal Rinpoche's international people. Before we list an book in Sogyal Rinpoche is one o! Buddhist organizations our catalog, we review it as best as the most renowned teachers program of teachings and retreats, please visit our Web site. founded by Sogyal : of our time, and the author of Rinpoche with centers in we can to determine its authentic- The Tibetan Book of Living WEEKLY MEDITATION, INSTRUCTION & DHARMA STUDY eleven countries around ity and value to our customers. By and Dying. Many people Rigpa offers weekly programs and courses in meditation and dharma study in cities the world dedicated to listing a book, however, we are not necessarily endorsing the author as around the world have across the U.S. and around the world, as well as distance learning programs. For practicing the teachings of embraced his teachings with more information, and to locate a group in your area, please visit our Web site. a guru or qualified personal teacher- enormous enthusiasm, and Buddha and making them -we are only endorsing the book as found them to be a powerful available to benefit as NEW RIGPA CENTERS: SAN FRANCISCO & PORTLAND, OR containing useful information. The source of transformation. many people as possible. same applies to ads in this newslet- These new Rigpa centers will present the teachings of Sogyal Rinpoche and other ter. We are limited in what we can eminent masters and offer Rigpa's comprehensive Study and Practice Program. train taSsas^ toifattrtjrt vtwc MiU do to determine that each and every advertiser is reputable. ■ SNOW LION 19 TIBET ADVENTURES 2004-2005 M. Muiih Tibet has many of the greatest power places of our planet: monasteries where early Dalai Lamas trained, temples visited for centuries by pilgrims, caves where meditators achieved enlightenment, and towering mountains that serve as the abodes of mysterious spiritual energies. Join me on one of two mystical adventures in Tibet: (I) a vision quest to the Oracle Lake, Lhamo Latso, May-June 2004 (21 days in length, 3 of these involving tenting and walking); and (2) meditations in the Dakini power places of central Tibet, May-June 2005 (with NO tenting or difficult walks). This latter will emphasize the power sites mentioned in my latest book, The Female Buddhas. TRIP LEADER: Glenn H. Mullin studied in the Himalayas for twelve years under many of the greatest living Tibetan masters. He has written some twenty books on Tibetan Buddhism, a dozen of which specialize in the lives and works of the early Dalai Lamas. He divides his time between writing, teaching, and leading vision quests to the power places of Central Asia. COSTS: Both trips cost approx. $3,500 plus air to/from Kathmandu. To book or get more info, phone Dharma Passages, 404-402-6298. You can also visit my web site www.vajrayana.com; or e-mail me at [email protected] Books by Glenn H. Mullin NEW RELEASES! The Fourteen Dalai Lamas The Female Buddhas A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation FEMALKBl£)DHAS This book, one of the first Western titles ever to analyze this ■■■...hi Jibe inn Mystical Art" \.:.. . "Well researched and engagingly written, this may unique artistic tradition... explores the historical importance prove to be the definitive source on Tibet's Fab and symbolic significance of the female buddhas.... Fourteen." —Publisher's Weekly —Publisher's Weekly "Rich in color, symbolism and visionary imagery, it seems "A substantial and very important contribution; to bypass the rational brain and lift us to instinctive highly recommended." — Library Journal levels of knowing...." —Foreword, Richard Cere Hardcover, 555 pages, $29.95 Hardcover, 231 pages, $39.95 Gems of Wisdom from Training the Mind in Mystical Verses of GEMS OF the Seventh Dalai Lama the Great Way a Mad Dalai Lama WISDOM With a foreword from lite This is a translation of the Seventh Dalai A study of the life of the Second SIV1X1H t>*t*l Ut* by H.H. the Dalai Lama. Lama's "What Is Like A Smelly Fart (and Dalai Lama and a translation of Other Gems of Wisdom)," together with This is a translation and study of his collection of mystical poetry. my own commentary to it. the First Dalai Lama's treatise on 270 pps, $14.00 171 pps, $15.95 the "Seven Point Mind Training" tradition. 174 pps, $12.95 Tsongkhapa's Six Yogas Readings on the The Practice of Kalachakra of Naropa Six YOGAS Six Yogas of Naropa OF NAROPA A translation and study of Lama This collection contains translations Based on the First Dalai Lama's Tsongkhapa's quintessential tantric of six important texts on the Naropa "Notes on the Two Stages in the work on the Naropa Yogas. system of Buddhist tantric yoga. Practice of the Kalachakra Tantra," this book looks at the 276 pps, $18.95 175 pps, $16.95 different aspects and phases of this important tantric system. 348 pps, $14.95 Meditations to Living in the Face of Death: The Path to Transform the Mind The Tibetan Tradition Enlightenment With a foreword by Prof. Nathan Katz Foreword by by H.H. the Dalai Lama. Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross A study of the Seventh Dalai Lama's life A translation of the Third Dalai and times, and a translation of his A study of nine life-enriching Lama's Essence of Refined Gold, mystical Lojong poetry, supplemented contemplations of death and dying. with commentary by the present with commentaries to the poems by 238 pps, $16.95 Dalai Lama. the translator. 271 pps, $14.95 258 pps, $16.95 Order books directly from Snow Lion: I-800-950-03I3 20 SNOW LION FALL 03 NEWSLETTER NEWS TIMELESS RAPTURE skin [on the water], used his staff To have a view without hope or Continued from page 5 as an oar, and sailed away, singing fear brings happiness. this song: If it is spontaneously present, this While he lived as a hidden [tantric To approach the noble master brings even more happiness. practitioner] in Vikramashila Monas- brings happiness. To meditate without dualistic tery, he drank alcohol and enjoyed To drink his profound teachings' clinging brings happiness. sexual relations with a woman. ambrosia brings happiness.' To have no reference points brings When other members of the monas- even more happiness. tic community discovered this, they To gain experience in thorn brings happiness. To engage in choiceless conduct expelled him from their grounds. At To gain no experience at all brings brings happiness. the banks of the Ganges, Metripa happiness. spread a mat made of antelope's (Continued below) RIGPE DORJE INSTITUTE Kathmandu, Nepal pti WINTER PROGRAM January 15 - March 8, 2004 • TEACHINGS The Four Hundred Stanzas on the Middle Way — by Aryadeva. The text urges those who want to understand reality to induce direct experience of ultimate truth through philosophic inquiry and reasoning. Teachers: Drupon Khenpo Lodro Namgyal & Khenpo Chokey Gyaltsen • TIBETAN LANGUAGE & SCRIPTURES COURSE The Invisible Thread Beginner: Introduction to language - text: Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Gampopa Intermediate: Grammar/vocabulary - text: Treasury of Knowledge by The Newhouse Center for Con- This exhibition is part of the Bud- Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye temporary Art at Snug Harbor Cul- dhism Project, a consortium of exhi- tural Center presents "The Invisible bitions and projects taking place at Advanced Class I: Four Hundred Verses of the Middle Way by Aryadeva Thread: Buddhist Spirit in Contem- over twenty participating institu- Advanced Class II: Seven Points of Mind Training based on Jamgon Kongtrul's Commentary porary Art," an exploration of such tions throughout New York City Note: Tibetan New Year break: February 21 to February 23 Buddhism-inspired artists as John through March 2004. For more infor- Cage, Ad Reinhardt, Thomas Merton, mation, see www.snug-harbor.org Students are required to attend all teaching sessions and one or more language or scripture class. Meredith Monk and so forth. or call 718-448-2500 x 260. ■ SPRING RETREAT March 12-March 21, 2004 • TEN DAY INTENSIVE MEDITATION COURSE The Mirror BARDO TEACHINGS (3 days) The International Newspaper SHEN TONG VIEW, Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Thaye's Pith Instructions (7 days) of the Dzogchen Community Daily Teachings & Meditation Instructions by Drupon Khenpo Lodro Namgyal under the direction of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Subscribe to The Mirror for information about Dharma events, FEES AND RESERVATIONS: teachings by Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and other great lamas, inter- views, topical articles and current Dzogchen Community news. • TEACHINGS and RETREAT: Offer donations to teachers $35US FOR six ISSUES! SUBSCRIBE NOW! TIBETAN LANGUAGE COURSE: $50 per month (excluding texts), one month minimum Master card or Visa accepted or a check drawn on a US bank ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEALS AT PULLAHARI: per person per week: or an international money order sent to: The Mirror, PO Box Single Room: $55, with bath: $85; Double Room $85, with bath $140 277, Conway, MA, 01341, USA or a Eurocheque for $25US Registration Fee non-refundable For registration form contact: 60.000It.lire to The Mirror, c/o Merigar, Arcidosso, 58031 (GR) Italy. Rigpe Dorje Foundation . 328 North Sycamore Avenue . Los Angeles . CA 90036 . (323) 934-5002 Email: [email protected] On line: www.melong.com [email protected] - or - [email protected] Wondering about an article in A CD-ROM for Windows & Macs a back issue of the Snow Lion? Many are available on the ^J2Ar&^ Ohu •i Ajvs* 4*J>£Jt- web: www.SnowLionPub.com "Seven Days in Tibet" isn't about governments or politics It is about how the beauty of the Tibetan people and TIMELESS RAPTURE how their faith touched the heart on one traveler, Continued from above even on a government approved (breakfast- To have no hesitation brings even included) 7-day package tour. more happiness. The CD tours six Tibetan monasteries and takes To use the mind to watch the mind brings happiness. over an hour to complete. Four of the six To cut off the mistaken path of are in Lhasa: the great Potala, the Jokhang, hope and fear brings happiness. Sera, and Drepung. The other two are To stay in retreat in the mountains brings happiness. about a day's drive to the west of the To have a view without hope or holy city: the Kumbum in Gyantse and fear brings happiness. To set aside homeland, friends, and Tashilhunpo in Shagatse. relatives brings happiness. To live on begged food brings * Features 10 Virtual Reality ^JB happiness. movies with 360 degree views To eat the food of great bliss firings happiness. 'Numerous movie clips To wear the clothes of luminosity brings happiness • 1.5 large images for desktop To practice the path of the mes- backgrounds senger brings happiness. To keep one's focus at the tip of The CD is $15.50 and can be purchased the nose brings happiness.' through our web site 7daysintibet.info Having sung this, he sailed or by calling us at 408 395 2766 unhindered across the surface of the water. Everyone realized that "Seven Days in Tibet is a superbly made travelogue. It is intelligent, insightful, and above all gives he was an accomplished master us a "traveler's" view of Tibet. It avoids cliches and debates about politics and attempts to simply and in regret [for their thoughts and actions] bowed to him from the show Tibet as it is (and as it was)." "Living Traditions Magazine" September 2003 shore. ■ SNOW LION 21 NEWS THE NINTH KARMAPA S OCEAN point you have been practicing so on. There are several things you It might be exactly the same; there kleshas, cannot eradicate them; it OF DEFINITIVE MEANING insight meditation and looking at the might have experienced and that might be no difference whatsoever, cannot generate great wisdom. So, Continued from page 1 mind's nature directly in the way, therefore might constitute your or it might be slightly different. If if there is no difference between this for example, you would watch the answer to this first question. You you say that there is no difference first practice of insight and the prac- Here is an exceipt from chapter 6: behavior of a bird. You have been might say, "Well, there is nothing to whatsoever, that the experience of tice of tranquility, you need to keep The first question posed is, "What looking to see how the mind comes find; I cannot find anything; there is looking at the mind within stillness looking. If there is a difference, if in is your mind's nature like?" At this to rest, how the mind moves, and simply nothing there." Or you might and the experience of just achiev- your experience looking at the mind say, "What I experience is a kind within stillness and simply resting in of vague obscurity, a sort of dark- stillness are slightly different, then ness." Or you might say, "What I've * ...what you are look- our text says you probably have a experienced is lucidity, a kind of * ing at is the nature of partial experience of your mind's knowing." * your own mind. Your nature, in which case you should KUN-ZANG Another question posed is * mind, which is look- continue in the same way. whether or not there is any differ- * ing, is fully capable of About looking at the mind, it was LA-MAY ence in your experience between written by the Third Gyalwang Kar- the practice of tranquility medita- * seeing its own nature. mapa, Rangjung Dorje, in Ms Aspi- ZHAL-LUNG tion and this first practice of insight * It is not something that ration of Mahamudra, "When one meditation. Previously, when you I is distant from you or looks repeatedly at the mind which Translated & edited by were practicing tranquility alone, * hidden from you in cannot be viewed or cannot be Sonant T. Kazi you brought your mind to a state of looked at." That line indicates that, rest in a natural way. Now, what you * any way. when you look at your mind, there are doing in the initial practice of is no object to be seen in the visual insight is looking at the mind within ing a state of stillness itself are not sense of something you can look at that state of rest or stillness. Is the different, then you are still just prac- physically. He continues, "When you The Oral Instruction of Kun-zang La-ma on the experience of looking at the mind ticing tranquility. There is as yet no do so, you vividly see that which Preliminary Practices of Dzog-ch'en Long-ch'en within stillness any different from practice of insight, and the text says cannot be seen." Vivid seeing is Nying-tig by Jig-me Gyal-way Nyu-gu, as the experience of stillness itself, of that you need to remember that tran- what we call insight or lhaktong (in transcribed by Dza Pal-trul Rin-po-ch'e the experience of tranquility alone? quility alone, while it can weaken Sanskrit, vipashyana). That which cannot be seen is the mind, which "It is a universal truth that it is extremely enjoyable to is not an object that is in any way live in this phenomenal world. Nobody wants to part with separate from that which is looking. worldly pleasure. It is also a universal truth that everything This kind of looking is not like look- that conditionally exists, sooner or later, must face ultimate "Turning Wheel has brought a thoughtful and ing outside yourself at trees or hills destruction. . . . personal perspective to peace activism lor 23 years. or buildings, and so on. Yet, while it is not an object to be viewed outside Those of us who are aware of this, in time, search for a the looker, it can be experienced. solution to transcend death. Some of us come across the There is an experience, which here Buddhist teaching called Dzog-ch'en, whose superlative TURNING is called "vividly seeing that which virtues excite us so much that we totally forget the proper cannot be seen." approach to it. Just as a towering building must have an WHEEL I Now, when we look at the mind equally sound foundation, success in ultimate realization in this way, we are not trying to through Dzog-ch'en teaching depends entirely on a thorough condition or alter the mind in any understanding of the law of karma at the relative level. way. We are not trying to convince KUN-ZANG LA-MA Y ZHAL-L UNG explains how to attain the journal of the Buddhis ourselves that that which does not proper balance between the relative and absolute aspects of exist, exists. We are not afraid of the practice in very simple language." Peace Fellowship. Explore finding nothing and so are trying to -S.T.Kazi the intersection of social find something. Nor are we trying to change and Buddhist prac- convince ourselves that that which BLACK DHARMA exists, does not exist. We are not PART 1: 256 pp, 8 color plates, cloth, $35 tice with compelling writing afraid of finding something and are PART 2 & 3: 352 pp, 4 color plates, line drawings, cloth, $50 from leading socially engaged Buddhists and grass- not desperate to turn it into nothing. roots activists working around the world, from San When we describe the mind, we have AVAILABLE FROM: to say that it is not something in the Diamond-Lotus Publishing, nc. Add $4.50 S/H for first Quentin's death row and inner-city New York to usual sense of that word, because it P.O. Box 439 book and $2.25 for each Israel/Palestine, Columbia, and Burma. has none of the substantial charac- Woodstock, NY 12498 additional book. teristics that we normally associate NY residents, please (888) 812-8809 Subscription to Turning Wheel includes membership in BPF with words like "something" or add 8.25% sales tax. PO BOX 3470, Berkeley, CA 9470J « 510/655-6169 "existence." But we also cannot say www.bpf.org • Also available at select bookstores that it is nothing, because when we say nothing, we mean nothing at all, absolutely nothing. If the mind were nothing in that sense, then it would be an utter absence, like the absence of mind in a corpse. The mind is not nothingness. \^SrJ \_JhavmaK\vi\ (^ollege Now, in order to attempt to com- municate this state or characteristic of the mind, mahasiddhas have used 2003 WinT<£r Teachings different terminology. They have sometimes referred to it as the unity November 2-8 — Tucson, Arizona of cognitive lucidity and emptiness, or as the unity of the expanse and wisdom. Sometimes they simply say that it is inexpressible and beyond Essence of Mahayana Teachings words. In any case, it is this nature, which cannot be easily character- First time taught in America ized as one thing or another, that we are attempting in this practice to A Lam Rim of both the Sutra and Tantra and the experience directly. k principal practice text of the Orikung Kagyu Lineage The previously quoted stanza by Rangjung Dorje goes on to say, "If you vividly see that which cannot November 2-5, 2003 (4 Days) be seen, you cut through doubt about any kind of, 'It is this,' or 'It is not this;' 'It is that,' or 'It is not that."' The last line of the stanza, Khenpo Sherab Oier Rinpoche which makes it an aspiration, reads, "May I see this just as it is without Ngondro Foundational Teachings bewilderment or confusion." It is appropriate to make this aspira- Vajrasattva Empowerment and Teachings tion and to attempt to accomplish it through practice, because what The Path of Purification you are looking at is the nature of your own mind. Your mind, which is Mandala Offering Teachings looking, is fully capable of seeing its The Path of Accumulating Merit own nature. It is not something that is distant from you or hidden from you in any way. It is, therefore, most November 6-8, 2003 (3 Days) important to put the effort into look- ing at the mind in this way. ■ Druptin Thinley Ningpo Rinpoche For further information, or to register online, please visit us at www.dharmakirti.org or call us at (520) 349-9301 H'iifC^.SnlHifi'itnpn^.atH 22 SNOW LION FALL'03 NEWSLETTER NEWS POINTING OUT THE you are looking at your mind, will much you look at the mind, and no DHARMAKAYA you actually see a thing? Is there a matter what you may expect to find, Continued from page 1 thing to discover about which you you will not find a thing of any kind. The Pemako Project can then say, "This is the mind that I And your not finding such a thing is among the wisest and most com- have seen?" No, there is nothing like not because you do not know how to passionate Buddhist masters alive that. Because there is no thing that look at the mind, or because you are today."—Pema Chodron, author of we can call the mind, the Buddha not looking hard enough; it is simply When Tilings Fall Apart talked of emptiness and selfless- because that is how it is, There is Here is an excerpt from the Intro- ness. If in fact the mind did consist no thing, no substantial existence duction: of some concrete thing that we within the mind. It was therefore Now, we will look at the first way could point to and call mind, then said by the Third Gyalwa Karmapa, of pointing out, which I'm going to the Buddha would not have char- "It does not exist and has not been present in the hopes that it will help acterized it as empty and selfless. In seen by any of the Victorious Ones." your meditation practice. the terminology of philosophy, we Because there is no substantial exis- When you practice the first of would say that this is the absence tence within or to the mind, then the five ways of looking at the mind, of true existence of the mind. The no Buddha of the past, present, or what will you experience? When point of this is that no matter how future has, does, or will see such a The very remote Pemako region, birthplace to Dudjom Rinpoche, is thing in it. a sacred area replete with jungles, mountains, orchids and leopards. It There is nothing to see when stretches from Tibet into upper India. It is there that a school has been built you took at the mind, but on the to preserve the special teachings and yogic practices of the Nyingma lineage other hand, there is not an abso- by offering a 9-year program of learning and meditation. lute absence of anything either. For more information see the Pemako display ad in this issue, and go to Normally, when we talk about www.snowlionpub.com for links to detailed information on Pemako. ■ GIFT OF D AILY r RAYERS emptiness we generate a concept of absolute nothingness, absolute Gift of Daily Prayers invites you to request Tara and non-existence, as for example, the Medicine Buddha Prayers for your family, friends and horns of a rabbit or the emptiness corpse. For while the nature of your mind, you can experience what it yourself. These prayers will be said by monks at the of empty space. The emptiness that mind is emptiness, it also has this is like, but you could never really monasteries of H.E. Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche and/or is the mind's nature is not like that natural characteristic of cognitive relate it to anyone else. Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche in Nepal. Your entire donation is either. It is not an absolute nothing- lucidity, and in fact, this cogni- If through looking at the mind, offered to the monastery in support of the monks. ness. For example, when you look tive lucidity which characterizes you come to experience that the at the mind within the context of the mind is inseparable from the nature of the mind is what has been Both prayers can be done as a blessing to guide one shamatha practice, then you do emptiness which is its fundamental described—if you experience it as toward liberation. Tara prayers may help to clear away not see color, shape, or any kind of nature. Therefore, after saying, "It such through your seeing it as such obstacles affecting relationships, economic hardship, fear substantial characteristic in that does not exist and has not been seen when looking—then this is probably and physical and mental health. Medicine Buddha Prayers way. But that is not the discovery by any of the Victorious Ones," the a correct experience. The only pos- may help the sick and dying to eliminate illness and to help of an absolute nothingness, because Third Karmapa goes on to say, "It sible source of mistake here is that gain a higher rebirth. this emptiness that is the mind's does not not-exist, it is the basis of you might be reinforcing or adulter- nature is not insentient. It is at the samsara and nirvana." Although the ating your experience with concep- same time a cognition and a cogni- mind is empty in the sense of being tual understanding. For example, tive capacity, because it is, in fact, devoid of any kind of substantial through study and so forth, you that which can and does know existence, it nevertheless is the might have come to the conclusion experience. ground for all of the qualities of Bud- intellectually that the mind must be So from one point of view, you dhahood and for all of the confusion insubstantial and therefore beyond can't say it's merely empty, because of samsara. So, you would have to existence, and that it must not be there is cognition, but you can't say, finally, that it is beyond being an absolute nothingness and must say there's something there, either, something or nothing. You cannot therefore by beyond non-existence. because there are no substantial say the mind is something because characteristics—no color, no shape, it has no substantial characteristics in fact nothing to grasp whatsoever. that make it meaningful to view it * ...an understanding There is nothing you can fixate on, that way. Nor can you say that it I itself cannot lead to ,Dil is nothing, because it is the ground notlung you can label or designate I the qualities [of the accurately. Because of this, we say for all qualities and the ground of the mind is empty. Not only the experience. Therefore, the mind is * awakened state]....It s / Would Like To Request Daily Prayers For: mind, of course, but all things are said to be beyond being something * not going to lead to empty. The reason we look at the or nothing, beyond existence and Name: * anything right now. mind is that the mind is obviously non-existence. One of the implica- tions of this is that when looking I The only thing that s Address: empty. Besides, the mind's empti- ness can recognize itself. That's at the mind you have no need to * going to lead to any- why we say it's not merely empty; pretend that that which exists does * thing right now is its emptiness is, at the same time, a not exist, or that that which does not I actual experience. A card will be sent acknowledging your gift. For more clear lucidity, a very clean lucidity. exist, does exist. You simply see the than one recipient, send us a list of names and addresses This term "lucidity' is sometimes mind as it IS. together with your prayer selection for each. misunderstood. It always has a When you rest in this experi- In that way, you might have an intel- ence of the mind, which is beyond lectual understanding that is similar [ ] Tara Prayers and/or [ ] Medicine Buddha Prayers connotation of light, which is often misunderstood as being a kind of extremes or elaborations, what is to what is experienced directly. [ ] 3 months - $25 [ ] 9 months - $75 visual experience of physical light. the experience of that like? It is But if it's merely an intellectual [ ] 6 months - $50 [ ] 12 months - $100 Which it is not. It's simply the cogni- characterized by a profound state understanding, then it's not a basis of ease, which means an absence of for liberation; it won't lead to direct Make tax deductible donations to the address below tive lucidity of your mind. When you look at the nature of agitation or discomfort. Therefore experience. Because of that, while Rigpe Dorje Foundation your mind, you see that its essential the experience is comfortable and this intellectual understanding itself 328 North Sycamore Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90036 nature is emptiness. But this does pleasant. The term comfortable is a good understanding, it tends not make your mind nonexistent, does not indicate pleasure in the to prevent progress, because an and make your body, therefore, a sense of something you're attached understanding itself cannot lead to to, or the pleasure of acting out an the qualities [of the awakened state] attachment or passion. It's simply as experience can—and is therefore the absence of any kind of discom- really no help. We can't say that fort or imperfection in the nature of having an intellectual understanding mind itself. Therefore, the experi- of such profound teachings is utterly ence of that nature is characterized useless. Of course, there is some J_and of by comfy blissfulness. This is as benefit to it; there's some blessing. close as we can come in words to But it has no use whatsoever in the what you experience when you look immediate future. It's not going to at your mind. You couldn't actually lead to anything right now. The only !4edicme £>uddha communicate what you experience. thing that's going to lead to anything It's beyond expression. In fact, right now is actual experience. When the Buddha said that this nature you look at the mind, you need to is the Prajnaparamita that is inex- look at it without such presupposi- pressible, indescribable, and even tions so that the understanding can J~jow to ^Attain Jnner peace in a (^razy Outer Wor'd inconceivable. If it had substantial arise on the basis of experience, characteristics, for example, if it internally and spontaneously. Intel- had a color, at least you could say, lectual understanding somehow has to be used to fuel experience. lljgtit-I^aij Residential Lam Rim Retreat it's blue or it's yellow or it's red. And if it either existed or it didn't, then On the other hand, if the student Led by Ven Robina Courtin Dec 5 - 14 you could say it exists or it doesn't has actually recognized this from Part of Discovering Buddhism, Course 3 exist. But it's beyond any of that. within and has actually experienced Therefore, you can't accurately say lucidity-emptiness, then that is the Venerable Robina Courtin's teaching style is dynamic, accessible, anything about it. Therefore, it was arising or attainment of vipashyana practical, and fun. She has a great way of cutting through to the characterized by Marpa the Trans- on the basis of stillness, which is truth and connects with people in an engaging and entertaining lator as being like the situation of pointed out in that way. That is what way. The retreat will consist of teachings, discussion and a mute person tasting sugar. The is called the recognition of simulta- meditations allowing participants to get the most out of the person would taste the sugar and neous arising and liberation (and all teachings and practices of Buddhism would be aware of the sweetness, the other elegant terms that there but if asked to describe it, would are in all the commentaries). The www.rnedicinebuddrja.org ?aoo frcscott Rd. S^uel, O. ?5o,7> (s> I) -t£2~s585 be unable to do so. In the same way, student at that point has seen their since you are viewing your own mind's nature within stillness. ■ SNOW LION 23 . : / : : -:.:.""■■. : : : LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF THE LAMAS! WINTER 2004 SEMINAR SCHEDULE COURSES IN CLASSICAL TIBETAN + EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE TUTORING PROGRAMS January 30 - February 1 & February 13 - 15 at Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles To register call 310-338-2799 February 7 Tibet: Treasures from the Roof of the World at The Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, California Exhibit & Lecture on Tibetan Info: 714-567-3600 February 20 - 22 Olympia, Washington TIBETAN TREASURE VASES alds, sapphires, rubies, turquoise, To register call 406-961-5131 Continued from page 1 coral, pearl, dzi stone, chong stone, gold silver, copper, and so on: and CURRENT PROGRAM INFO Turquoise supports the life essence additional precious substances such www.tibetanlanguage.org of the human realm of intelligence. as soil, stone, and water collected Crystal supports the life essence of from many of the world's holy and TIBETAN LANGUAGE STUDY MATERIALS the naga realm of wealth. The cowrie famous places. shell supports the life essence of the Also inside the vases are dutsi (a EXCLUSIVELY AVAILABLE BY MAIL ORDER - VISIT US ON LINE dakinis, and iron pyrite supports the holy substance that transforms all Prices shown do not include charges for shipping, handling and sales tax where applicable. life essence of the local protectors negativity into wisdom), ten-dii rilbu $23 of the environment and the practi- (a collection of relics from countless Dharma Vocabulary Flash Cards tioners within it. Buddhas), pictures of the wealth Contains 370 vocabulary words commonly found in Tibetan Buddhist philosophical and The vases are filled to the brim deity Khandro Norlha, wealth man- practice texts. Each card has a word in Tibetan on one side with its spelling, pronunciation with medicine balls whose most tras, and khorlos (written diagrams and English equivalent on the reverse. A must for the serious practicioner. PRICE: $30 important ingredient is "mother expressing wealth potential), which pills." The main substances in increase merit, prosperity, and Introduction to the Tibetan Language - Level I mother pills are called yang-dzay abundance with the intention to Complete introductory package for serious beginners includes rilbu (essential wealth substance benefit all beings. pre-primer, course book, audio CD and easy-to-use Flash Cards. pills.) Padmasambava originally hid Upon completion, the treasure PRICE: $86 vases are consecrated in a seven day these substances for future gen- The Thirty-Seven Practices of Bodhisattvas - Translation Workbook erations of beings. Many treasure ceremony. revealers discovered these hidden For centuries, Tibetans have kept Complete Tibetan verses of this classic text with English translation on facing pages; format- substances. His Holiness Dudjom treasure vases in their homes, buried ted with four lines of Tibetan per page for easier note taking and translation. PRICE: $15 Rinpoche collected the substances them in the earth, or placed them in from the ten-gam (treasure col- bodies of water. The Venerable lections) of Mipham Rinpoche, Lama Tharchin Rinpoche created TIBETAN LANGUAGE INSTITUTE Founding director David Curtis has taught Mindroling Terchen, and Khyentse and oversees the Vajrayana Foun- A non-profit educational organization dedicated Tibetan for over a decade. He trained at Rinpoche, and many other precious dation Treasure Vases. Rinpoche to the study and preservation of the language, Kagyu Ling Monastic College (founded trained throughout his life in ritual literature, and culture of Tibet. substances created by sublime C" / by Kalu Rinpoche), completing the beings. From these substances art and ceremonies with His Holi- P.O. Box 2037, HAMILTON, MT 59840 traditional three-vear retreat there in 1992. Dudjom Rinpoche made the original ness Dudjom Rinpoche and other TELEPHONE: 406-961-5131 "mother pill." great masters such as Lama Sherab LamaTharchin Rinpoche received Rinpoche. Snow Lion is honored original "mother pills" from Dudjom to be able to offer these wonderful Rinpoche and expanded them. He vases. added the twenty-five precious sub- (See page 34 for details.) m Professor Jeffrey Hopkins of the University of Virginia said in a newspaper interview: "Snow Lion is stances: the five precious jewels, the seminal—they are crucial in the development of the field of Tibetan studies and to furthering the public's five precious essences, the five pre- cious medicines, the five precious interest in Tibet. By making texts of various levels of difficulty available to the public in English, Snow Above photo: Lama Tharchin scents, and the five precious grains; Lion is the pioneer house in this field." Rinpoche holding a treasure vase plus tsa-sum (three roots), tsi-zhi (four flower essences), nyingpo-nga (five essences) and zangpo-druk (six excellences). He also added a very rich collection of jewels and ■ ■, A0&H .■■■■■: ..: ■ minerals: opals, diamonds, emer- nna find your Advertise in the Snow Lion The Snow Lion reaches 25 to 30,000 people each quarter. We offer some of the lowest rates available. Please call 607-273-8519 to request a rate sheet or to reserve space. "The small advertisement we placed in Snow Lion for a book, Tantra of the Beloved, had, by far, Workshops & Classes the best response of all our adver- We offer an exciting variety of workshop? and Contemplative End-of-Life.Care tisements in various magazines. We even had orders from overseas. This and s is wonderful, both for our sales and feO:,?f:SS because it supports Snow Lion, a Dec 200 Ml publication of great value. One of the ■ reasons for this success is because a fair percentage of the readership are experienced practitioners who value and look for material of depth. Thus, for an advertisement that promotes 'something along these lines, it is one of the best venues in the country."- Michael Virochana Khalsa, Books of Conferei - wwv/.naropa.i Light Publishing ■ «... ■■■.-, ■ v ■ ■ . ... , ,V Buddhist Social Activism MA Transpersonal Psyc i Advertise in the Contemplative End-of-Life Care MA Contemplative Education Snow Lion Web Site Business & Economics M FA Creative Writing Wilderness Therapy * ' We are now offering our advertis- . * MA'Ecopsychology ers an opportunity to advertise in classified form on the Snow Lion %f UNIVERSITY web site. The cost is $.40 per word www/naropa.edu/extend for a three month period—payment [email protected] Naropa due with the ad. ■ EXTENDED STUDIES A 24 SNOW LION FALL '03 NEWSLETTER : ; ; : ; ; : :'^>::i&=> s-^fZlu ''Ui.'-i, : 'e ^f:!r1i^;:-:; iv"i- ; ®*S^i- . :.-:- ^^^^SrS^ffH-'si&Q^Ss^i-u^it^^r a Guided Tour in J^eYtmskoCPiroied TIBET in 2004! PRESERVING TIBET'S SACRED SPIRITUAL TREASURES Drawing to be held December 31, 2003! The hidden land of Pemako is the body of Dorje Dudjom Rinpoche, the school offers hope to many Phagmo laid out across the Tibet-India border. families. Projects include a nursery for young children For the seventh time Snow Lion Publications is offering a tour in Tibet to a This sacred place was predicted by Padmasambhava and disrriburion of food, clorhing and medical supplies. lucky customer. We have arranged to give one of our customers the oppor- to be a haven of protection in times of danger. Many Beginning in 2004 the Pemako Project, in partnership tunity to travel with Glenn H. Mullin on a two-week adventure in Tibet in of Tibet's greatest Lamas escaped Tibet through the with the Himalayan Health Exchange, will establish 2004. Glenn lived in the Himalayas from 1972-1982 where he studied Tibetan Pemako region, and many Tibetan refugees have medical camps to benefit the entire region. Buddhism, language, literature, and yoga with many of the greatest teachers followed to create a new life. Sadly, due to the remote from Tibet. He is the author of over a dozen books and has taught throughout location, little aid reaches Pemako. More than half the The Pemako Project provides a rare opportunity to the world. He also organized and led several worldtours for the monks from population is illiterate, and basic healthcare is lacking. empower rhe next generation of children through a Drepung Loseling Monastery. The Pemako Project brings vital help through its edu- tradirional spirirual education. With the support of Here's how you can win: Every time that you order from us, we will cational and healthcare programs. generous donarions, the school, nursery, kitchen and enter your name in our drawing. Just let us know when you order by mail, dorm buildings have been consrructed. Thirty-eight phone, or fax that you would like to be considered for the trip. We'll have our Lhundriip Topgye Ling, a Nyingma dratsang school, children currently attend Lhundriip Topgye Ling and drawing on December 31, 2003. has been blessed and named by the supreme head of an additional 20 are in the nursery. While much has Please check the full-page ad in this newsletter to see what is and is not the Nyingma Lineage, His Holiness Minling Trichen been accomplished, many more children still need included in the trip. The main item not included is airfare to the starting point Rinpoche. This dratsang offers a traditional education help. Every penny donated to the Pemako Project (the starting point used to be Kathmandu, but the present political climate and preserves sacred cultural arts. Built near the secret directly benefits these children, and all donations are has changed this). Also, since Glenn is responsible for every aspect of the trip, womb space of Dorje Phagmo and the birthplace of fully tax-deductible. please contact him for any information that you need or to find out about this For more information or to make a donation or other great trips. Glenn's website is: www. dharmatravel.com ■ call 734-741-1084 or visit www.pemakoproject.org Free Dalai Lama Book! There may no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as a free Dalai Lama book. And a good one, at that (aren't they all). HXUMINAriN' It's Illuminating the Path »ENUGIiT to Enlightenment, a com- mentary by His Holiness on Atisha's A Lamp for the Path / to Enlightenment as well as Lines of Expedience by Tsong Khapa. This teaching was given, in California and sponsored by The Pemako Project ♦ 7101 West liberty, Ann Arbor, Ml 48103 ♦ Phone: 734.741.1084 ♦email: [email protected] Thubten Dhargye Ling. It has been published and made avail- able to us by the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive. Snow Lion is offering this New from Lama Surya Das, author of the AWAKENING Trilogy 214-page book for a limited time as a bonus when you purchase any item from us. Just let us know when you place your order that you want it. There will be no extra charge for shipping this book to you. This offer is good until our stock runs out, so first come, first LETTING GO served. ■ OF THE PERSON YOU USED TO BE Only one free promotion per customer per order please. Available in bookstores and at www.dzogchen.org/orders -FREE SAMPLEl- "THE VOICE OF LETTING GO of the VAJRAYANA BUDDHISM" PERSON Snow Lion is happy to offer our customers a free sample YOU USED TO BE of Bodhi, a quarterly magazine presenting in-depth Buddhist &$UODHISr LESSONS ON teachings by great masters DZOGCHEN CHANGE, LOSS, AND SPIRITUAL TRANSFORMATION of the Kagyu and Nyingma MEDITATION RETREATS lineages. We're offering this free LAMA SURYA DAS principal teacher issue of Bodhi as a bonus AUTUMN Oct 25 - Nov. 2,2003 Santa Rosa, CA also with Roger Walsh when you purchase any item from us. Just let us know when WINTER Jan 2-11, 2004 Garrison, NY also with Charles Genoud you place your order that you and Lama John Makransky want it. This offer is good until our stock runs out, so first SPRING March 27 - April 4, 2004 Joshua Tree, CA also with Lama John Makransky come, first served. Only one free promotion per customer SUMMER July 17-Aug. 1,2004 Garrison, NY also with Charles Genoud per order. and Lama John Makransky We hope you will enjoy reading Bodhi and consider MULTIPLE TEACHINGS DAILY • NOBLE SILENCE • BEAUTIFUL SURROUNDINGS subscribing. This issue con- VEGETARIAN MEALS • PRIVATE, SEMI-PRIVATE AND DORM ROOMS AVAILABLE tains two full-length articles by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, including, "Getting our Hands Dirty: Chaos, Courage and Liberation" as well as a teaching by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyanitso PO Box 400734 Rinpoche. There are wonderful photos of H. H. Karmapa, as well as the Dalai Cambridge, MA 02140 USA Lama, Khenpo Rinpoche and Ponlop Rinpoche. DZOGCHEN CENTER phone: 617-628-1702 Subscribe to Bodhi www.bodhionline.org. Four issues are $21 plus ship- BUDDHISM FOR THE WEST email; [email protected] web site: www.dzogchen.qrg ping. For subscription information: [email protected]; for general information: [email protected]. ■ SNOW LION 25 COMPLETE TIBETAN CALENDAR 2004 WQOB MONKKY YEAR A SIMPLE MONK 2004 text by HH Dalai Lama, photos by Alison Wright, full color photos, 11 3/4 x 23" (open). #SIMO04 $12.95 Inspiring quotes by the Dalai Lama matched with the superb photogra- phy of Alison Wright, who has spent the last 20 years photographing His Holiness and Tibetan culture. What could be better! Sales help support Tibet House, American Himalayan Foundation, and Tibetan Children's Village in Dharamsala. •«»»•*«** »»»«*»■ ««•»«$, COMPLETE TIBETAN CALENDAR with daily astrological forecasts! #COTICA $14.95 This terrific full-color calendar comes complete with: • Daily Tibetan astrological forecasts (with explanations of favorable and unfavorable energies) • Notes on special practice and lunar days • Buddhist holidays and anniversaries • Days not to raise prayer flags • For each date the corresponding Tibetan dates are given according to both the common Phukluk and Karma Kagyu Tsurluk system • Beautiful illustrations of: -8 manifestations of Guru Rinpoche -3 protectors of his mandala -H. H. the 17th Karmapa 12 x 24" when open. Designed by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. TIBETAN ART CALENDAR 04 16 wide x 24"high (open). #TIAR04 $24.95 The 2004 edition of this award-winning calendar contains thirteen full- color reproductions of some of the world's finest Indo-Tibetan thangka paintings from museums and private collections around the world. It also includes detailed descriptions of the images and their cultural, religious, and philosophical significance and are suitable for framing. *»*#•* e»&4»t*«#***««a&i TIBETAN NUNS CALENDAR LIGMINCHA CALENDAR 2004: Skygazers 6.5x7"#TINU04$10.00 of Tibet This small wall calendar features colorful images #LICA04 $15.95 of Tibetan nuns, as well as inspiring quotes for each Over 30 photographs & personal journal entries by month. Includes Tibetan lunar calendar and ritual Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Bon master and author of dates. Great gift item! Proceeds help support and Healing with Form, Energy and Light., from his jour- educate nuns in Dharamsala. ney to Tibet. Major holidays and auspicious days. Full color, 11x11. ««««********' *«*«*e*«ftft«*«*ft«««*****«***«*********®** RIGPA CALENDAR 2004 Wood Monkey Year LIBERATION PRISON PROJECT TIBETAN CALENDAR #RIGPA4 $10.00 2004 6.25 x 12.5" when open. #LIPRP4 $9.00 This is the indispensable, non-sectarian annual pocket calendar with Buddhist holidays, Elegant full-color wall calendar with Tibetan Buddhist images. Shows special practice days, and anniversaries as well as information on Tibetan Buddhism and tsog days, anniversaries of holy beings, monks and nuns' confession photos of prominent lamas. Contains days not to hang prayer flags. days, inauspicious days and so forth. Proceeds support the Liberation Prison Project. 26 SNOW LION FALL '03 CATALOG \MbmiMmum THE HEART SUTRA TSADRA FOUNDATION SERIES An Oral Teaching by Geshe Sonam Rinchen Irans. & ed by Ruth Sonam To experienced practitioners, 128 pp. #HESU $14.95 [Tsadra Foundation Series books] are better than This short gem of a book shows gold dust." how distorted perceptions and dis- - TRICYCLE MAGAZINE turbing emotions—arising from our misunderstanding of reality—can be completely uprooted, resulting in a freedom from suffering. Under- standing the nature of reality is the key to liberation. The wonderfully THE AuTomtxiRAPHY of concise Heart Sutra is considered the essence of the Buddhas' teach- JAMGON ings. The author's long experience in KONGTRUL teaching Western students at the Dalai Lama's Library of Tibetan Works and Archives makes The MACHIK'S COMPLETE Heart Sutra an ideal introduction TIMELESS RAPTURE: EXPLANATION: Clarifying for Westerners to this important Inspired Verse of the the Meaning of Chod subject. A Shangpa Masters trans. & ed. by Sarah Harding. compiled by Jamgon Kongtrul, 368 pp. A Tsadra Foundation trans.& ed. by Ngawang Zangpo. RICHARD BARRON «««««< : «K & S» » J& * >«««***&«< Series book. 416 pp., 6 x 9", 12 b&w photos. #MACOEX $29.95 cloth #TIRAIN $29.95 cloth Machik's Complete Explanation is —Just Released! 1 THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF the most famous book of the teach- BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY Throughout history awakened JAMGON KONGTRUL ings of Machik Labdron, the great Losang Gonchok's Short Commentary ones have celebrated the rapture of female saint and yogini of ll-12th mystical states with inspired verse, trans. & ed. by Richard Barron century Tibet, now finally translated to Jamyang Shayba's Root Text on Tenets sung extemporaneously. This book (Chokyi Nyima). 544 pp. in its entirety into English. Machik offers a rare glimpse into the mysti- A Tsadra Foundation Series book. developed a system, the Mahamudra by Daniel Cozort and Craig Preston cism of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, #AUJA $34.95 cloth Chod, that takes the Buddha's teach- 352 pp. #BUPH $18.95 a tradition based mainly on the Jamgon Kongtrul Lodrb Taye ings as a basis and applies them profound teaching of 2 women. This (1813-1899) was one of the most to the immediate experiences of compendium of spontaneous verse influential figures and prolific writ- negative mind states and malignant What are the most important sung by tantric Buddhist masters ers in the Tibetan Buddhist world. forces. Machik's unique feminine points of difference between the from the 10th century to the present He was a founder and the single approach is to invoke and nurture major schools of Buddhist philos- includes translations as well as short most important proponent of the the very "demons" that we fear and ophy? This rich, medium-length BUDDHIST descriptions of each poet's life and a nonsectarian movement that flour- hate, transforming those reactive survey offers a lively answer. The historical overview of the lineage. ished in eastern Tibet and remains emotions into love. It is the tantric introduction, aimed at those new PHILOSOPHY "Our lineage's past spiritual popular today. Two additional texts version of developing compassion to Buddhist thought, sets tip a U&WOGON'CHOK? discuss his previous lives and recount and fearlessness, a radical method dialogue between the schools on SNOOT COMMENTARYTO masters used songs to express their IAMYANG .SHAYBA'S manifest experience and realization Kongtrul's final days. of cutting through ego-fixation. the most controversial topics in ROOT TEXT ON' TENETS Buddhist philosophy. of the spiritual path's vital subjects, "Reading the autobiography of "Sarah Harding's masterful trans- such as the trio of basis, path, and this supreme master gives us an lation is a real gift to students of Jamyang Shayba was the great- result; or view, meditation, and con- understanding of the truly wondrous Chod and this extraordinary woman est Tibetan writer on philosophical duct; as well as dispelling hindrances deeds that bodhisattvas perform, teacher. It provides much new mate- tenets. Losang Gonchok's Clear and enriching meditative experience. filling our minds with awe and our rial including intimate question and Crystal Mirror, a concise com- The blessings of the lineage enter our hearts with faith. It inspires us to answer sessions between Machik mentary on Jamyang Shayba's SSrj'i DANIEL COZORT heart, the very best technique to real- actualize our own inherent potential and her disciples. The translation root text, represents a distillation AND C-RAKi PRESTON ize our mind's abiding nature, Great that allows the qualities of the bodhi- has such a fresh living quality you of many centuries of Indian and Seal. I pray that all who see, hear, or sattvas to manifest within ourselves. almost feel you are receiving teach- Tibetan scholarship. Buddhist read this book be blessed."— BOKAR This book is a priceless treasure to ings directly from Machik Lapdron Philosophy skims the cream of RlNPOCHE be studied and revered."—Khenpo herself."—TSULTRIM ALLIONE, author Jamyang Shayba's intellect, provid- "Ngawang Zangpo's fluid transla- Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche of Women of Wisdom and founder of ing a rare opportunity to sharpen the Tara Mandala Retreat Center our intellect and expand our view of Buddhist thought. tion and rich commentary truly brings "This book is a must-read for any Daniel Cozort is associate professor and chair of the Department of us into the presence of the extra-ordi- person committed to the Tibetan Bud- Sarah Harding is the translator Religion at Dickinson College where he teaches the religions of India. He nary masters of the Shangpa Kagyu dhist path of reflection and medita- of Creation and Completion. She is the author of Highest Yoga Tantra. tradition. As we listen to their verse, tion."— NGAWANG ZANGPO, author of teaches at Naropa University. Craig Preston studied at the University of Virginia and has taught Classical we are transported by their devotion, Sacred Ground and Guni Rinpoche Tibetan at Namgyal Institute. He is author ofHoiv to Read Classical Tibetan, awakened wisdom, and blessing to Vol. 1: A Summary oftlie General Path and currently teaches Tibetan and the Vajra world that has become their Buddhist philosophy privately in Ithaca, New York. home."— LAMA DRUPGYU TENZIN MAPS OF THE PROFOUND Jam-yang-shay-ba's Great Exposition of Buddhist and Non-Buddhist Views on the Nature of Reality by Jeffrey Hopkins. 1136 pp. #MAPR $34.95 cloth In the Tibetan cultural region, schools of non-Buddhist and Buddhist Indian philosophies were systematized and compared in texts called "presentation of tenets" in order to get a handle Ik -I on the plethora of systems inherited from India, Focal topics and SACRED GROUND: Jamgon GURU RINPOCHE: issues of these schools are studied in order to stimulate inquiry Kongtrul on "Pilgrimage and MAPS OF THE PROFOOStt His Life and Times and to encourage development of an inner faculty capable of Sacred Geography" investigating appearances so as to penetrate their reality. Now a by Ngawang Zangpo. 368 pp., 6 by Ngaivang Zangpo. 256 pp., 14 "' -Or xfr\~K" book by Jeffrey Hopkins culminating forty years of Tibetan studies x 9". A Tsadra Foundation Series presents the deeper explanation you always wanted—a fascinat- book. #GURIHI $29.95 cloth b&w photos. A Tsadra Foundation Series book #SAGR $24.95 cloth ing and even thrilling opening of horizons to understand what is "The presence of Guru Rinpoche, behind appearances. Hopkins brings his complete translation of a figure so important to Tibetan Bud- "Sacred Ground is a revelation! Jam-yang-shay-ba's Root Text of Tenets to life by weaving together dhists he is called simply 'The Pre- Here for the first time in any Western copious extracts from Jam-yang-shay-ba's own commentary and cious Master', can be felt still in each language are several key ideas: the from the Mongolian savant Nga-wang-bel-den's lucid annotations. of these liberating stories translated exact way outer sacred lands relate Reading Maps of the Profound, you will find yourself in the land here. Read side-by-side, they reveal an to points in the tantric body and of insight. even wider picture, deftly highlighted the parallel terminology between Jeffrey Hopkins is Professor of Religious Studies at the Univer- by Ngawang Zangpo's introduction, of the types of sacred ground and the sity of Virginia and lives near Charlottesville, VA. He served for ten how history and culture interact with stages of attainment. Ngawang is years as chief English interpreter for the H.H. the Dalai Lama and the inner spirituality that is beyond precise and to the point."—HUBERT is the author of over twenty-five books on Tibetan Buddhism. time and place."—SARAH HARDING, DECLEER, Director of the Tibetan author of Creation and Completion Studies Program of the School for International Training S ORDERS: 1-800-950-0313 orwww.snowlionpub.com SNOW LION 27 ■i:;:.':: ■ ' ■■ : -:,;,..;.:; .,.^-.:-.:^\v^<-\-.^^A^-^ ■". ;.■*.<■:% :..;,:,,■;■■■;:::■ ;■:>;■;-.::■■ ,;.:.-;■;■ ::■■:■:;:■:::■■::.::.::■::■,■::;:.■,...■ : : : ::: : ::: :v: :': - '' ;?! -S PARTINQ FROM THE FOUR lupffntrntu iiNii|*mu viiimu^ivmituwnViA ATTACHMENTS TIBETAN Jetsun Drakpa Gyaltsen's 5on<7 of Experience LANGUAGE on Mind Training and the View by Ckogye Trichen Rinpoche 160 pp., 18 b&w photos. #PAFOAT $15.95 BOOKS "Quintessential teachings on how to genuinely enter into the practice of Dharma and get to the very core of the path, by one of the last Tibetan HOW TO READ CLASSICAL masters of the old generation."—VEN. MATTHIEU RlCARD, author of The TIBETAN: Volume 1, A Monk and the Philosopher Summary of the General The teaching on Parting from the Four Attachments is universally regarded as one of the jewels of Tibetan Buddhism. Rinpoche leads the Path reader through a detailed and lucid exploration of the nature of mind, by Craig Preston pointing out inevitable pitfalls in spiritual practice and showing how 247 pp., #HORECL $39.95 they can be avoided. Do you want to learn to read Classi- cal Tibetan? If you know how to read the Tibetan u-chen script and can rec- ognize words, How to Read Classical Tibetan will show you—at your own pace—all the relationships that make New Books by KHENCHEN THRANGU RINPOCHE Tibetan easy to read. It is a complete language course built around the exposition of a famous fifteenth cen- tury Tibetan text summarizing stages THE NINTH KARMAPA'S OCEAN of the path to Buddhahood. MANUAL OF STANDARD All the language tools you need OF DEFINITIVE MEANINQ TIBETAN to work at your own pace are in one by Nicolas Tournadre and by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche place. You won't need a dictionary Sangda Dorje. 576 pp. 8 W x 11" because all of the words and par- with 2 CDs. #MASTTI $80.00 edited, introduced and annotated by Lama Tashi Namgyal ticles are translated and explained 139 pp. #NIKAOC $14.95 upon every occurrence, and there is The Manual of Standard Tibetan presents the everyday speech of The most in-depth and famed text on Mahamudra ever written, a complete glossary at the end of the book; every sentence is diagramed and Lhasa, as it is currently used in Tibet Tlie Ocean of Definitive Meaning by the 9th Karmapa offers a as well as amongst the Tibetan dias- detailed, uniquely comprehensive presentation. Thrangu Rinpoche completely explained so that you can THE NINTH KARMAPA'S pora. It aims not only to place the has distilled the essence of the 9th Karmapa's massive text and gives easily see how the words and particles are arranged to convey meaning. language in its natural context, but Ocean of guidance in implementing the instructions. Because everything is always also to highlight along the way key Definitive Meaning The availability of the translation of this text has traditionally aspects of Tibetan civilization and been restricted to advanced students only. However Khenchen explained in every sentence, you will easily learn to recognize the recurrent Vajrayana Buddhism. Thrangu Rinpoche has consented to the publication of these core The Manual, which consists of teachings. He believes Mahamudra is especially appropriate for patterns, making the transition from learning words to reading sentences forty-one lessons, is illustrated with Westerners because it can be realized in the context of virtually much easier for you. As you study How many drawings and photographs, and B any lifestyle, revealing the radiant display of mind. Compelling, to Read Classical Tibetan, you will also includes informative political systematic approach to some of the highest teachings in the Kagyu learn to: recognize the syntactic rela- and linguistic maps of Tibet. Two CDs tradition. tionships you encounter, understand provide an essential oral complement the meaning signified, and translate to the Manual. A detailed introduc- that meaning correctly into English. tion presents a linguistic overview of spoken and written Tibetan. POINTINQ OUT THE DHARMAKAYA r POINTJNG OUT THI CRAIG PRESTQX has been studying "TheMahuaVbfStdndard Tibetan by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche DnarmaRaya Tibetan Buddhism for twenty-five is the best resource available for foreword by the Dalai Lama *9%v years. He teaches Tibetan and Bud- teaching modern spoken Tibetan intro. by Lama Tashi Namgyal dhist philosophy in Ithaca, New York bar none. Its grammatical explana- at the Nagarjuna Language Institute tions are precise, detailed and clear, 232 pp. #POOUDH $16.95 (www.giganticom.com) which he while its dialogues and surrounding At the heart of successful Mahamurdra practice is the ability to founded. He has taught Classical text are rich with authentic cultural get directly at the nature of mind. The 9th Karmapa was the acknowl- Tibetan at Dharma Farm in Charlot- information on the social contexts edged master of this approach. No more authoritative instructions tesville, Virginia, and in Taos, New in which Tibetan has meaning. It exist than the 3 texts he wrote. This easy-to-use, practical manual, Mexico. should quickly become the standard which serves also as an indispensable companion to T)ie Ocean of textbook in the area."—DAVID GER- Definitive Meaning, the most detailed of his texts, is so clearly laid MA.NO, The University of Virginia out that the instructions are easy to recall and put to use. "The Manual of Standard Tibetan, Brilliant explanations by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, tutor of with its wealth of insights into the the young 17th Karmapa, make the text vividly relevant for contem- W#&.1.?$*W language, is a delight to read. In porary Western practitioners. offering such a breadth and depth "A clear and thorough guide."—THE DALAI LAMA of coverage for an introductory text "Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche is among the wisest and most of modern Tibetan as used in Cen- compassionate Buddhist masters alive today."—PEMA CHODRON,, tral Tibet and among the diaspora author of Wlien Tilings Fall Apart C&'Pt'B^MN community, it brings the field to a VliRBLLXICON new level, particularly in the area of spoken Tibetan."—PHIL STANLEY, Naropa University "I do not hesitate to recom- mend Nicolas Tournadre and "An amazing and precious gift...a masterpiece on the Dzogchen teachings." Sangda Dorje's excellent Manual of Standard Tibetan. Their col- —TULKU THUBTEN RINPOCHE laboration represents the conflu- ence of linguistic analysis of the first order with the stylistic sensibilities THE LIFE AND REVELATIONS of a leading contemporary master of A TIBETAN VERB Tibetan composition. Both share a OF PEMA LINQPA LEXICON: Verbs, Classes, keen appreciation of an approach in and Syntactic Frames which the learning of language and trans, by Sarah Harding by Paul G. Hackett of culture must inform one another, 200 pp., 8 color pp. #LIREPE $14.95 with the result that this is one of those 224 pp. #TIVELE $29.95 rare language textbooks that is a plea- "A wonderful job...A true gem of a book."—PROF. STEVEN GOOD- This book is the first new Tibetan- sure to read."—MATTHEW KAPSTEIN, MAN, Asian Studies, CHS English verb resource published in The University of Chicago These fascinating discussions between 11th century court ladies and the over thirty years. It is a verb diction- great master Padmasambhava, available for the first time in English, weave ary with extensive lexical informa- intriguing issues of gender into Buddhist teachings. The women's doubts tion. Not a mere translation of exist- ing Chinese works, this lexicon was and hesitations are masterfully resolved in these impassioned exchanges. compiled employing statistical data The wonderful material in this book is part of a terma (treasure) revealed contain English meanings, Sanskrit and drawing on sources from the clas- by Pema Lingpa (1450-1521), the greatest terton (treasure-revealer) of equivalents, and full classical litera- sical literature of Tibet spanning 1200 the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. This pithy collection is rounded out ture example sentences along with years and all major lineages. by Pema Lingpa's astonishing life story. All in all a beautifully realized related sentence structure informa- Covering over 1700 root verb book, translated and compiled by the author of Machik's Complete tion. An extensive introduction to con- forms and phrasal verb sub-entries, Explanation. temporary linguistic theory applied to this lexicon incorporates a wide Tibetan verbs presents the theoretical "With clarity and fascinating insight, Sarah Harding illuminates the great range of information never before underpinnings of the lexicon. mystical treasure-revealer Pema Lingpa"—TULKU THONDUP RINPOCHE included in dictionary form. Entries 28 SNOW LION FALL'03 CATALOG JK 'Wntefel t>J"R'mfe fit THE WHEEL OF TIME SAND MANDALA Visual Scripture of Tibetan Buddhism by Barry Bryant, in cooperation with Namgyal Monastery 268 pp., 8 x 8", 36 color, 199 b&w photos, 30 line drawings. #WHTISA $24.95 A stunning visual introduction to the artistic and spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism. According to the monks who create it, the Kalachakra Sand Mandala, also known as the Wheel of Time, imparts peace and healing to all beings and to the planet. Remark- able not only for its stunning beauty but also for the intricate process of its construc- tion—a delicate sifting of colored sands into elaborate patterns and symbols rich in meaning—the mandala serves as a visual scripture and vital key to understanding the essential teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. This lavishly illustrated volume captures each stage of the mandala's construction, the serene joy and painstaking discipline of the monks, and the fascinating history behind its symbolism. The late Barry Bryant was artistic director of Samaya Foundation in New York City. "A self-contained lay-person's introduction to the entire Tibetan Buddhist tradition that takes as its starting point the visual window offered by the Kalachakra mandala."—TRICYCLE MAGAZINE "This book brings a crystal clarity to one of the most profound rituals of Tibetan Buddhism. Barry Bryant has produced a gorgeous, powerful, and thorough guide to everything about the Kalachakra, from the technical details of the mandala's architecture to the deep spiritual meanings it embodies."—DANIEL GOLEMAN Chogyam -: :■ '!" : Trim pa --'■<■: ' '■ ■■ K THE COMPASSIONATE LIFE THE BENEVOLENT MIND: by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. APPROACHING THE A Manual in Mind Training THE COLLECTED WORKS 144 pp. #C0LLP $11.95 New in Paper A DAILY MEDITATION ON GREAT PERFECTION: by Ven. Traleg Kyabgon OF CHOGYAM TRUGPA Rinpoche,242pp. #BEMI $19.95 Collected here are four of the Dalai SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA: Simultaneous and Gradual by Clwgyam Trungpa. —Available December Lama's most accessible and inspiring How to Meditate on Methods of Dzogchen Prac- —Available December teachings on compassion. The pur- The 7-point mind training—a the Graded Path to tice in the Longchen Nyingtig Vol. 1: 512 pp., 36 halftones, 30 pose of life is to be happy—therefore, quintessential teaching of all the Enlightenment we must devote ourselves to develop- by Sam van Schaik. 448 pp. Tibetan Buddhist schools—focuses line art #COW01 $45.00 cloth ing our own peace of mind and this is by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. 20 pp. #APGRPE $29.95 on the cultivation of bodhicitta and Vol. 2: 704 pp. #COW02 $50 cloth achieved by caring for the happiness #DAMESH $5.00 —Available in November the enlightened heart. This line-by- Vol. 3: 656 pp., 6 halftones, 18 line of others. Our own happiness cannot An easy-to-use practice com- line commentary by one of the most Does enlightenment come gradu- art #COW03 $50.00 cloth exclude that of others. His Holiness plete with guided meditations for respected contemporary Kagyu mas- ally or all at once? This book exten- Vol.4: 480 pp., 9 halftones, 6 line offers specific practices for develop- developing motivation, refuge and ters, is a clear and practical guide in sively analyzes this question, and art #COW04 $45.00 cloth ing loving-kindness and compassion bodhichitta, plus visualization based understanding and implementing takes a look at Jigme Lingpa, one of in even the most difficult situations. on Shakyamuni Buddha and a lam- Dzogchen's seminal figures. these techniques. The works of one of the most dynamic and influential teachers of rim prayer. >••**•*«••« the 20th century. Vol.1 comprises many early teachings, including Born in Tibet, Meditation in Action. Vol. Courtesans and Search for your favorite author 2 focuses on teachings on psychology Tantric Consorts using our website's catalog and the human mind, including The search at: m^m-mbm Path is the Goal, Training the Mind, www.SnowLtonPub.com and more. Vol.3 contains key works, including Cutting through Spiritual Materialism, Tlie Myth of Freedom, etc. Vol.4 presents introductory tan- tric teachings such Journey without Goal, The Lion's Roar, Dawn of Tantra, and so forth. Serinity Young COURTESANS AND BECOMING VAJRASATTVA: TANTRIC CONSORTS: The Tantric Path to THE CIRCLE OF BLISS: Sexualities in Buddhist Purification 2nd Ed. Buddhist Meditational Art Narrative, Iconography, by Lama Yeshe. 352 pp. by John C. 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This beliefs that inform Buddhist views on #DAEMPO $16.95 beautiful book presents imagery and by Pema Chodron. 240 pp., gender and sexuality. —Available in November explanations across the different #COTJNP $10.95 Serenity Young is Scholar-in- Wondering about special sects of Tibetan and Nepalese aspects —Available January Poems and talks of 20 nuns living Residence at the American Museum Dharma teachings and of this tantra. The art here is orga- These short, pithy readings, in China from 1600 to 1850, beauti- of Natural History, an author, and retreats? Check nized to explicate human perfection designed to help us cultivate compas- fully translated by Professor Grant, editor of Encyclopedia of Women "Calendar Events" at: and the methods needed to achieve sion and awareness, offer a progres- Washington University. A treasure, and World Religion. www.SnowLionPub.com it. Wonderfully comprehensive and sive guide through essential Buddhist as women's voices are rare in the detailed. concepts and themes. preserved texts. S ORDERS: 1-800-950-0313 or www.snowlionpub.com SNOW LION 29 ftl^MMW^wiiiTOPriWifflriH PORTRAITS OF THE MASTERS Bronze Sculptures of the Tibetan Buddhist Lineages KARMAPA: The Politics of Reincarnation ed. by Donald Dinividdie by Lea Terhune. 24 b/w photos. 396 pp., fully illustrated in color, #KAPORE $14.95 10.75"xl2.§" #POMA $95.00 cloth —Available December 108 portrait bronzes of great In 2000, the young 17th Karmapa— Martin Lowenthal masters of the Tibetan Buddhist one of the most important reincarnate foreword by I'cario Wingyai. ft jn[ traditions, beautifully displayed. The lamas—made a dramatic escape collection is presented in sections from Tibet and was given haven DAWNING OF CLEAR devoted to the Arhats, and to each by HH. the Dalai Lama. However, LIGHT: A Western Approach of the major schools of Tibetan some controversy continues to swirl to Tibetan Dark Retreat Buddhism. Each section opens around the choice of this young man. with a history of the tradition, Meditation Through wide-ranging research and drawn from Tibet's rich literary interviews with key figures, includ- by Martin Lowenthal, foreword heritage, and then examines the ing the Karmapa, award-winning by Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche. sculptures within that context. journalist Terhune tells the riveting 208 pp. #DACLLI $14.95 story of the Karmapas' often disputed A ground-breaking and acces- incarnations. sible guide to dark retreats (which can be experienced by meditating in a sound-and light-proof room, a mi:- • 1 process which gives a clear view of how our experience of reality is LAMA SURYA DAS generated. Lowenthal, a therapist and Journey of the Mind:: meditation teacher, includes interest- Putting the Teachings on the Barto ;. ing and helpful journal excerpts from :; into Effective Practice ::: t :.:;■;■'■■■!:.&,.;«.>:-.:: :--:.v./.:>K-; his own retreat experience. THE HUN»»OOK 0/ TIBETAN BUDDHIST SYMBOLS of the YOU USEpTO Bl 1.63SOWS ON CMANC.eS, L.O'SS AND SPIRITUAL TRANSFORM."-TtON THE HANDBOOK OF TIBETAN BUDDHIST LETTING GO OF THE SYMBOLS PERSON YOU USED TO BE: FEARLESS SIMPLICITY: JOURNEY OF THE MIND: by Robert Beer. 256 pp. Buddhist Lessons on Change, The Dzogchen Way of Living Putting the Teachings on the #HATIBU $24.95 Loss, and Spiritual Transfor- Freely in a Complex World Bardo into Effective Practice An illustrated reference to the rich mation by Drubwang Tsoknyi Rinpoche. by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. tradition of Tibetan art, including line by Lama Surya Das. 288 pp. 260 pp. #FESI $22.00 136 pp. #JOMI $19.95 drawings, painting, thangkas, and #LEGOPE $25.00 ESSENTIALS OF Simplicity is about training in Accessible and practical teach- ritual objects. This compact, concise An enlightened approach to loss MAHAMUDRA: Looking the wakened state of mind, the ings on the bardo states and phowa handbook contains an extensive array and grief, and their role in uncov- Directly at the Mind atmosphere in which all difficulties practice, by one of the most respected of symbols and motifs, accompanied ering our authentic selves, by the by succint explanations—landscapes, by Klienchen Thrangu Rinpoche. naturally dissolve. A skillfully written teachers. best-selling author of Awakening mudras, deities, plants, gurus, drag- the Buddlia Within. A reassuringly 288 pp. #ESMA $16.95 guide through the methods to attain ons, etc. Great for artists, designers, realistic approach that shows us —Available February confidence and attain harmony with every situation. and anyone interested in Buddhist how our wounds can lead to our Written by the tutor to H.H. the iconography. own divine light. Karmapa, this clear book details the whys as well as the hows of Mahamu- dra, a direct and powerful practice that can be done in conjunction with a busy work life. MEETINQ THE BUDDHAS A Quide to Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Tantric Deities FOUNDATIONS OF DHARMAKIRTI'S PHILOSOPHY THE GREAT DISCIPLES OF by John D. Dunne. 512 pp. THE BUDDHA: Their Lives, #FODHPH $39.95 Their Works, Their Legacy —Available January by Nyanaponika Thera and FAITH: Trusting Your Own The work of Dharmakirti, a central Hettmuth Hecker. 412 pp. Deepest Experience figure in the history of Buddhist phi- #GRDIBP $18.95 m by Sharon Salzberg. 192 pp. losophy, is illuminated in this extraor- Twenty-four of the Buddha's most #FATRYO $13.00 dinary piece of scholarship. distinguished disciples are brought John Dunne is Prof, of Buddhist One of Publishers Weekly's Best to life through rich narration. Drawn Studies at U. Wisconsin, Madison. Books of the Year, and on several from a wide range of Pali sources, the other Top 10 lists, this beautifully material in these stories has never | by Vessantara. 376 pp., 27 color plates. #MEBUGU $27.95 written work by this well-known before been assembled in a single Would you like to receive a A great reference for understanding the iconography, visualiza- Buddhist meditation teacher provides volume. These stories sharpen our quotation form the Dalai Lama | tion and qualities of the Buddhas and Five Dhyani Buddhas, many a roadmap for cultivating peace for understanding of the Buddhist path or other remarkable teachers? of the most popular bodhisattvas and tantric deities. people of any tradition. through the people who fulfilled See "Join our mailing lists" at the early Buddhist ideals of human "The best book about faith we have www.SnowLionPub.com read."—Spirituality and Health perfection. <,.±/ 30 SNOW LION FALL '03 CATALOG ImHMqgffliaafiiaiiil fmmm The i^ Mantra Book^s Please Be Seated iVoGCHEN PONIOP :■ «. . at. C. . • .-TIBETAN DICTIONARY 1% ^ ^ jiiijii n >» THE MANTRA BOOK: IniinjetiuiKs and t'tartico* Chant Your Way to Health, for Wealth and Serenity NEW ENGLISH-TIBETAN by Lillian Too. 146 pp. DICTIONARY #MABOCH $16.95 by Norbu Ckophel. 206 pp. Internationally recognized Feng PLEASE BE SEATED: #NEENG $9.95 Shui expert Too demonstrates how Instructions and Practices to chant specific mantras to remove Contain some 8165 English words for Beginning Meditators and their Tibetan script equivalents. obstacles, increase longevity, calm by Tenzin Deshek. 32 pp., line babies, help the dying, generate drawings. #PLBESE $12.95 wealth and so forth. Also she explains This handy, spiral-bound manual how to make prostrations and man- includes shamatha meditation dala offerings and how to combine instructions, the six preliminary mantras with the use of prayer flags practices for beginning a meditation and prayer wheels. practice, Tong-len, Shakyamuni, WILD AWAKENINQ Chenrezig, White Tara Healing, Long- life prayer and so forth, many of these The Heart of Mahamudra and Dzogchen with brief introductory instructions. by The Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche 304 pp. #WIAW $24.95 cloth —Available in December Rinpoche presents Mahamudra and Dzogchen, revealing their sim- plicity and value—emphasizing that NYUNG NA: The Means we can experience our world more of Achievement of the directly, with responsibility, freedom, and confidence. Eleven-Face Great Compassionate One by Seventh Dalai Lama, trans, MINDFULNESS YOGA: by Lama Zopa and Ven. George The Awakened Union of Churinoff. 181 pp. Breath, Body and Mind #NYNAME $22.00 by Frank Jude Boccw, fore, by This powerful purification prac- Tlnch Shut Hnnh. 380 pp., 8xl0", tice was given to a nun directly by Chenrezig, Buddha of Compassion, 75 b&w illus. #MIYO $19.95 as a means to cure herself of leprosy —Available February and attain enlightenment. The prac- PLUVIAL NECTAR OF A user-friendly manual with sev- tice is highly praised by Lama Zopa eral yoga sequences, emphasizing Rinpoche as a supreme method for BLESSINGS: A Supplication the spiritual side of the practice, and transforming the mind. to the Noble Lama Mahaguru outlining how the Buddha's teachings Padmasambhava • ••••*.< >»»»»»{ on breath, body and feelings corre- by Fifth Dalai Lama, trans, by spond with the methods of physical Dennis Cordell. 101 pp. yoga practice. #PLNEBL $12.95 A supplication to Guru Rinpoche Padmasambhava, using a mixture of Buddhist terminology with Tibetan historical references to create a peti- PRINCE SIDDHARTHA: The tion for the welfare of the Tibetan Story of Buddha nation. The translator has provided by Jonathan Landaw, illus.by a lengthy commentary. THE PRELIMINARY Janet Brooke. 144 pp., 8x10" 2nd PRACTICE OF edition. #PRSI2 $18.95 VAJRSATTVA: Practice The story of Prince Siddhartha and and Instructions how he became Buddha, told in lyri- for Retreat cal prose. Beautiful full-color illustra- intro. by Lama Thubten Yeshe. tions depict each major life event in 148 pp., spiral-bound. Siddhartha's development as well as his message of nonviolence, loving- #PRPRVA $18.00 kindness, and unselfishness. We all have accrued negative karma. According to Lama Zopa "Superb writing and illustrations Rinpoche, the purificatory practices merge to produce another of those rare books that no child's bookshelf PATH TO BUDDHAHOOD: of Vajrasattva is more powerful than negative karma. This handbook should be without."—Light of Con- Teachings on Gampopa's sciousness MONK DANCERS OF TIBET " '" ■ '''' ■■. ■::■■ includes teachings by Lama Yeshe, by Matthieu Ricard. 128 pp. color Jewel Ornament Heruka Vajrasattva sadhanas and photos throughout. by Ringu Tulku, foreword by tsog, guidelines for completing #MODATI $29.95 Cloth Matthieu Ricard. 208 pp. 100,000 Vajrasattva mantras, short #PABU $16.95 Vajrasattva meditation, and more. Sacred dances, depicting legend- : ary stories, rituals and spiritual Popular teacher Ringu Tulku llllllif.: teachings, are central to the Tibetan presents a fresh, accessible explana- t * tt « « « < (»»»«*»»»»»* SAY IT tantric tradition. Each mask, costume tion of one of the most important THE POCKET TIBETAN classics, The Jewel Ornament. Easy and gesture has significance. In vivid, BUDDHIST READER TIBETAN full-color photos and descriptive to read and understand presentation ed. by Reginald A. Ray. 224 pp., SAY IT IN TIBETAN: text, the well-known author reveals of topics includes: seeing through 3 x 4.5" #POTIBU $6.95 the meanings behind the dances, as illusions, acting with kindness, put- Conversations in jfflSAttONS « COl well as the intriguing history of this ting others first, and attaining lasting —Available in December Colloquial Tibetan spiritual practice. peace and compassion. Short, inspirational selections from by Norbu Chophel. 129 pp. legendary Tibetan masters, including #SAITTI $8.95 the Dalai Lama, Milarepa, Chogyam Containing Tibetan words and Trungpa Rinpoche, Sogyal Rinpoche You can enter everytime useful phrases and their Tibetan and others. A great pocket-sized com- V^inaFREE you place an order with us. equivalents, arranged in helpful sec- panion full of pithy quotes. tions such as Telephone, Customs TOUR in TIBET! See page 25 for details. Office, and so forth. S ORDERS: 1-800-950-0313 or www.snowlionpub.com SNOW LION 31 mmtmmammm < : ^Tllllis: iA3 »lflf J >.V1 a AfAi a.*J B ■ 13 Hi a.»i »i * Kl g 13 i>^BHBnr"tr i' Tt TI' mmtmm M U N 11 INC WISDOM TRAVELER'S TALES.- TIBET AND; COJv PASSION by Pico Iyer, Alexandra >H Hu\i!<;- ; MA David-Neel, Heinrich F ililj-,' NATINC THi Harrar et al. 1 TftAVSURS' TAU5 296 pp. #TRTATI $18.95 ' SEVEN PP.A( ' TIBET True stories—funny, Of A OBHlS/.l vv adventurous, inspiring— about what it's like to be in Tibet: meeting a teenaged mtfi Dalai Lama, smuggling for- bidden documents through Eastern Tibet, searching for H*';[): 1. >.Oi'fL the clouded leopard and a lot CrfOKVi NVJVA PIN*OCH; more. Well-written, an enjoy- j C H 0 K Y 1 D R A G P A able read. SPECTRUM OF ECSTASY: THE TIBETAN BOOK OF UNITING WISDOM AND Embracing the Five YOGA: Ancient Buddhist COMPASSION: Illuminating Wisdom Emotions of Teachings on the Philosophy The Thirty-Seven Practices Vajrayana Buddhism and Practice of Yoga of a Bodhisattva by Nyakpa Chogyam with by Michael Roach. 128 pp., by Chokyi Dragpa, trans, by Kliandro Dechen. 315 pp., 20 b&w photos, 30 prints. The Heidi Koppl, intro. by Chokyi line drawings. #SPEC $18.95 #TIBOYO $15.95 Nyima Rinpoche. 192 pp. ibetaji W< Here two Western-born Nyingma —Available January #UNW1C0 $14.95 lamas explore what it means to Based on a number of previously —Available March be utterly emotionally alive. This unknown Tibetan works on yoga, this This faithful and lively translation book is a radical challenge to the program combines yoga exercises of Chokyi Nyima's often-quoted com- misconception that inner Vajrayana with special Tibetan poses to create mentary on The 37 Practices is a trove is primarily an esoteric system of a spiritual and physical yoga that of Buddhist wisdom designed for in- ritual and liturgy. The authors teach includes methods to create a healthy depth practical application. that emotions can be embraced as a and happy heart. rich and profound opportunity for realization. This fiercely compas- sionate battle cry rallies all who are audacious enough to appreciate emotions for their supreme potential as vehicles for awakening. STEPS ON THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT: A Commentary on the Lamrim Chenmo, Volume 1: The Foundation Practices by Geshe Lhundub Sopa, fore- word by Tenzin Gyatso, H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama. 556 pp. THE TIBETAN WAY #STPAEN $29.95 OF LIFE, DEATH AND —Available in November REBIRTH: The Illustrated The Lamrim Chenmo is the essen- Guide to Tibetan Wisdom THIS PRECIOUS LIFE: tial teaching text of the Gelug school by John Peacock. 144 pp. of Tibetan Buddhism. This is part of #TIWALI $22.95 Tibetan Buddhist THE WEALTH-GIVING a commentary on this vital text by Traces both the scholarly and Teachings on the Path PRACTICE OF WHITE one of the finest scholars, profes- the "magical" strands of Tibetan to Enlightenment DZAMBHALA: Riding sor emeritus of Buddhist Studies at Buddhism, as well as the ancient by Khandro Rinpoche. 144 pp. on a Turquoise Dragon Madison, WI. Bon religion. This fascinating guide #THPRLI $21.95 Cloth trans, by Lama Zopa Rinpoche. looks at key issues such as how to Khandro Rinpoche's perspective as 16pp.#WEGIPR$5.00 live, meditate, prepare for death, a woman—and renowned Kagyu and The practice of Dzambhala enables negotiate the bardo. Also covered: Nyingma teacher—brings a unique, us to attract wealth, enhancing our tantra and sacred texts such as feminine understanding to her practi- karma for an abundance of resources the Tibetan Book of the Dead. The cal presentation of the Four Remind- so that we can accomplish virtuous author is Lecturer in Indian Religions ers: the preciousness of human birth, aims. Includes the daily practice and in the U.K. truth of impermanence, reality of suf- a water offering practice. fering, and inescapability of karma N EW DHARMA ITEMS THE ART OF BUDDHISM A Book of Postcards m l K I K I' I M A K I A TIBETAN BUDDHIST COMPANION by Erik Pema Kunsang 240 pp., TOBUCO $18.95 Cloth A treasury of inspiring quotations and prayers from the great mas- by Asian Art Museum ters of Tibetan Buddhism—Buddha, Padmasambhava, Yeshe Tsogyal, 30 color postcards. #ARBUPO $9.95 Naropa, Patrul Rinpoche, Jamgon Miphan Rinpoche and many others. 30 different large full-color postcards, ready to send or keep for Topics presented thematicaliy with simplicity and elegance. yourself. Stunning selection of Buddhist images—thangkas, statues, scrolls—from San Francisco Asian Art Museum collection. 32 SNOW LION FALL '03 CATALOG VIDEOS Best Selling Video ARISING FROM FLAMES: Overcoming Anger Through Patience by Dalai Lama. 58 min. Venerabie Ani Tenzin Paimo CD #ARFLCD $19.95 The Nature of the Mind 1-hour video #ARFL $29.95 H.H. the Dalai Lama talks candidly V Morlie* XornWd about his own methods of control- ling anger and developing patience. Recorded live in Arizona. THE NATURE OF THE MIND by Ven. Ani Tenzin Palmo. 66-min, video. #NAMI $29.95 THE YOGIS OF TIBET: The well-known teacher, the A Film for Posterity author of the best-selling Reflections by Jehni Films with the coopera- on a Mountain Lake and subject of tion with Monks of the Drikung Cave in the Snow, talks here with Kagyu Tradition. 11/2 hr. video. her characteristic humor and direct- #YOTIV $29.95 (VHS) ness on the nature of our mind and BUDDHA TRAVEL ALTAR what we need to do to purify our #YOTIDV $29.95 (DVD) 3 1/2x6" #BUTRAL $20.00 misconceptions. A remarkable film—it is a moving This lovely, compact altar contains a Buddha statue, white scarf, experience to watch these hermits votive candle, Nag Champa incense, and burner. speaking about their mystical lives. This is the first documentary to CALLING THE LAMA present this unique subject matter FROM AFAR CD in such detail. Explores the lives and by Lama Lobsang Dorje. practices of Tibetan yogis—those 45 min. CD. #CALACD $20.00 practitioners of intensive medita- Recorded in the private shrine of tion exercises for long periods of H.H. the 17th Karmapa, this 19-track time—hidden in Milarepa's valley CD includes chanting by Lama Lob- and in monasteries and centers in sang Dorje of mantras for Chenrezig, Asia and the West, many lamas are Green Tara, Medicine Buddha, Guru interviewed including: H.E. Choje Rinpoche and Vajrasattva as well as Togden Rinpoche, H.E. Garchen £ £-°*-- * . Mandala Offering ,Mahakala, Long Rinpoche, Ven Drubwang Konchok Life Prayers for the Dalai Lama, Norbu Rinpoche, H.H. Chetsang Karmapa, Thrangu Rinpoche and Rinpoche, H.H. the Dalai Lama. # more! Sales help support Vajra Vidya M ■ Institute. OPENING OF THE HEART by Ven. Ani Tenzin Palmo. ADVENTURINE MALA 89-min video. #OPHEV $29.95 #ADMA $39.95 This charismatic down-to-earth Beautiful variegated green adventurine mala, with three purple teacher, subject of the best-selling marker beads. Bead size is about 8mm; high quality stone. Cave in the Snow, talks here about the Six Perfections, which help us face up to and deal with the difficul- ties we experience in daily life. Won- derfully accessible for Westerners COMPASSION AND T15E.TAN-CNG1J5M WISDOM: A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life jpbarma Vocabulary ? by James Zito. 2 1/2 hr. DVD. FLASH CAKD5 #COWI $22.00 AMETHYST MALA A primer of compassionate living, #AMTHMA $39.95 this DVD combines interviews with Clear amethyst mala, with three green marker beads, lavender many of the world's greatest Buddhist tassel. Uniform-sized beads are approx. 8mm (size varies slightly teachers—including Sakya Trizin, Tai from strand to strand). High quality beads. Situ, Tsultrim Allione and others, plus 45 minutes with the Dalai Lama—with rare footage of Buddhist art and archi- Hjrfktl % fHkM Cttr(i» 4ml Retekab lay. tecture. An in-depth examination of the Bodhisattva path, with discus- sions of issues such as pollution, stress, care of the dying etc. "A masterpiece!!"—Prof. David TIBETAN FLASH CARDS TIBETAN-ENGLISH Chappell, U. Hawaii by David Curtis. 340 cards. DHARMA VOCABULARY #TIFLCA $30.00 FLASH CARDS These Flash Cards are being used by David Curtis and Rebekay by students all over the world to learn hoy. 371 cards. #TIENDH $30.00 basic Tibetan vocabulary. Featuring A vocabulary flash-card set of the Tibetan word on one side of the Tibetan words and phases of Bud- card with its spelling, pronunciation, dhist and other terminology, includ- TIGER EYE MALA and English equivalent on the other ing 300 words from The Tliirty-Seven #TIEYMA $39.95 side, they are a highly effective way Practices of Bodhisattvas. David Elegant mala with clear crystal counter beads, gold-brown to learn vocabulary. Curtis has been All the items we sell Curtis has been teaching Tibetan for tassel. Bead size about 7mm. Size varies slightly, as the supplier teaching Tibetan for over 12 years over 12 years. are illustrated in color and is the author several Tibetan goes for the highest quality stones available. on our website. language books. © ORDERS: 1-800-950-0313 orwww.snowlionpub.com SNOW LION 33 l§iil: .■\r£- :. -»-Ji& ■Ijw SINGING BOWLS MINI PRAYER FLAGS TIBETAN TREASURE VASE Green Tara. #MIGRTA $6.50 Approx. 9.75" high. #TITRVA $395 White Tara #MIWHITA $6.50 GREEN TARA The Tibetan Treasure Vase is an These sets of small, brightly col- PRAYER WHEEL ancient Tibetan remedy that can ored prayer flags (10 in each) are restore vitality and harmony as well perfect for small spaces! Each flag 6.5 x 3.5" #PRWHGR $35.00 as invoke wealth and abundance, 6" high. Available as either Green Finely decorated prayer wheel BRASS SINGING BOWLS improve health, and increase wisdom Tara or White Tara flags. A perfect containing tantra mantras. 8 auspi- and compassion. It is said that the stocking-stuffer. cious symbols are painted on a These quality brass bowls are machine-made, and thus have blessings extend in a 15-mile radius. smooth surfaces. When rubbed with the included dowel they make red background, with multicolored The vases are filled with many sacred lotuses. Gold detailing. good, clear tones. Very resonant. Picked by our staff in Nepal. Walls objects including medicine balls 25 PRAYER FLAGS are medium thickness. containing "mother pills", originally 13 x 13" wide. Approx. 4 1/2" diameter, 2 1/2" deep. #SIB04 $30.00 created by Dudjom Rinpoche from White Tara Prayer Flags, Approx. 5" diameter, 3" deep. #SIBOST $50.00 precious substances from Mipham #25WHTA, $12.00 Rinpoche, Mindroling Terchen, and Green Tara Prayer Flags, Khyentse Rinpoche. The mother pills #25GRTA, $12.00 also contain a rich collection of jewels BRASS SINGING BOWLS: Hammered and minerals: opals, diamonds, sap- Vajrasattva Prayer Flags, phires, rubies, as well as stones and #25VAPR, $12.00 These excellent-sounding bowls "sing" when rubbed with water from the world's holy places. Sampa Lhundup (Padmasamb- the included wooden dowel. These are well-made brass bowls, Stunningly beautiful, gold finish. hand-worked. Chosen by one of our Snow Lions during a trip to hava's Prayer: "Spontaneous Accomplishment of All Wishes") Nepal. ##»»#»♦»»< •••«•< Prayer Flags., #25SALH, $12.00 Medicine Buddha Prayer Flags, #25MEBU, $12.00 pWfct mm Long Life (Amitayus), #25LOLI, $12.00 GREEN TARA STATUE, Chenrezig Prayer Flags., #25CHPR, $12.00 small 1.5" tall. ffTABLST $6.50 Windhorse Prayer Flags., #25WIPR, $12.00 This wonderful small statue of Green Tara is in dark metal. Great for carrying with you or creating a 10 PRAYER FLAGS travel altar. DOUBLE DORJE Green Tara Prayer Flags—10- CUSHION COVER flag set., #10GRTA, $10.50 »»♦♦»*< approx. 15 x 15" #DODOCU $21.95 Colorful set of 10 flags, each with image of the deity and mantras. Each Beautiful deep yellow brocade flag 13" high. pillow cover intricately woven with pale gold central double dorje sur- ••»#♦#♦#•♦»***«♦*«**«* Approx. 7" diameter, 3 1/2" deep, thin-walled. #SIB07 $60.00 rounded by auspicious symbols and lotuses. Zippered deep yellow back so that you can insert your own cushion. DHARMA ALTAR PRINT: LOVING-KINDNESS MEDITATION 5 x 7" #LOKIP $6.95 Loving-kindness is the founda- tion of spiritual development. This attractive image of a luminous pink lotus on green background has 4 phrases such as "May the hearts of all being be filled with happiness and peace." Laminated card is perfect for your altar. ENDLESS KNOT CUSHION COVER approx 15x15" #ENKNCU $21.95 Approx. 10" diameter, 4" deep, thick-walled. #SIBO10 $120.00 Impressive emerald green brocade Approx 7" diameter, 3 1/2" deep, thick-walled. #SIB07H $80.00 cushion cover with gold endless knot. Deep green back. Zipper closure so you can insert your own pillow. fit CHANTS IN HONOR WHEEL OF DHARMA WHITE TARA ADDRESS OF MANJUSRI CUSHION COVER GREEN TARA BAG BOOK by His Holiness Sakya Trizin. approx. 15 x 15", #WHDHCU, 9 x 6.5" #GRTABA $6.50 61-min CD. #CHHOMA $15.95 Spiral bound. #WHAT $6.95 $21.95 Carry Green Tara with you on this lovely bag. Tara depicted in The first album to record Sakya Elegant pocket-sized address book Impressive red brocade cushion green brocade with red highlights. Reverse side in multicolored woven Trizin chanting and playing musical in blue and gold holds 400 entries. cover with gold Wheel of Dharma. designs. Two zippered compartments; black shoulder strap. instruments in honor of Manjusri, Elastic closure. Created by the Asian Red back. Zipper closure so you can Buddha of wisdom and mercy. Art Museum. insert your own pillow. 34 SNOW LION FALL'03 CATALOG WOODEN BOX INCENSE BURNERS These impressive and beautiful incense burners come with a pull-out storage drawer for incense. The burner is a metal tray inlaid underneath the hinged top, so that the fragrant smoke rises through a golden slot in the lid. Deep red-brown wood, with details picked out in gold, plus brightly colored front panels, one with snow lions, the other with the 8 auspicious symbols. 9x3.5x3.5" FROM FEAR TO FEARLESSNESS TREASURE OF REFUGE: by Pema Chodron. 2 cassettes, Guru Puja 2 1/2 hours. #FRFEFE $19.95 by David Malk and Loran David- How do we find strength when son. 2-CD set. #TERE $20.00 we are afraid? The antidotes to fear This 2-CD set includes Guru Puja MINDFULNESS offered here include guided medita- and Tamboura Meditation, chanted in tions, heart teachings and the trade- by Ven. Tenzin Palmo. English, This puja is by the first Pan- mark humor of the author of When 60-min. video. #MI $28.00 chen Lama is considered a blessing. Things Fall Apart. How to stay in the moment and not Comes with a booklet containing the run away mentally? How to discard full English translation. excess "mind baggage" and wake up to the present moment? The benefits of mindfulness training on body and breath is discussed in these teachings Snow lions. #INBUSN $30.00 held in Singapore. Wonderfully prac- tical advice from popular author of Reflections on a Mountain Lake. HOW TO INTEGRATE BUDDHISM by Ven. Tenzin Palmo. 74-min. MONLAM ASPIRATION: 8 auspicious symbols. #INBUEI $30.00 CD. #HOINBU $15.00 The 20th Anniversary of the What is dharma practice, really? Kagyu Monlam Chenmo Tenzin Palmo discusses the 6 param- 76 min. DVD. #MOAS $25.00 itas, prespnce of mind, meditation This fascinating and well- in daily life activities, kindness and THE GOOD HEART photographed DVD of the Kagyu other topics in her usual down-to- Monlam, an international Buddhist earth, practical style. by Ven. Tenzin Palmo. prayer gathering for world peace in 60 min. video. #GOHEVI $28.00 Bodhgaya, India, features footage So many people are alienated— of many great teachers, including from themselves and from society. H.H. the Karmapa and Dalai Lama, With her characteristic warmth, Thrangu Rinpoche, Bokar Rinpoche, best-selling author Tenzin Palmo and the reincarnation of Jamgon talks about alienation, and how Kongtrul. Interesting details of the the development of a good heart festival—cooking, preparations, and begins with kindness to ourselves. so forth and interesting narration From teachings given July 2000 in combine to help you feel like you're Australia. really there. KARMA, CAUSE & EFFECT by Ven. Tenzin Palmo. 74-min. CD. #KACAEF $15.00 What is karma? Tenzin Palmo dis- cusses its negative and positive roots EIGHT AUSPICIOUS as well as issues about fate and how SYMBOL BANNER TARA MANTRA BANNER we create our future, in her character- Approx. 25x6" #EIAUBA $12.00 Approx. 16x7" #TAMAB $12.00 SWEET MELODY OF istically clear, humorous style. The Eight Auspicious Symbols "Om Tara Tutare Ture Soha" JOYFUL ASPIRATION colorfully embroidered on red bro- embroidered in red letters on by H.H. the 17th Gyalwang cade, surrounded by green brocade green brocade, surrounded by Karmapa. 53-min CD. attractively threaded with deep pink elegantly embellished red brocade. #SWMEJO $15.95 and gold. WISDOM OF EMPTINESS Very nice. This extraordinary CD contains by Ven. Tenzin Palmo. pieces composed and/or performed 2 CDs; 103 mins. #WIEM $25.00 by the young Karmapa: flute music, These talks, given September 2002 His Holiness chanting the Four- in San Francisco, focus on the nature Armed Bodhisattva Simple Practice, of emptiness and the clear light. She Joyful Aspiration, and much more. points out that emptiness is not Beautifully and elegantly packaged being void; rather, it is a process with portrait photos. THE FOUR LEVELS of becoming. Wonderful, practical presentation. Tenzin Palmo spent OF MINDFULNESS 12 years meditating in a cave in the by Ven. Tenzin Palmo. 5-CD pack. Himalayas, and is the best-selling 3.75 hours. #FOLEMI $45.00 author of Reflections on a Moun- WHEEL OF DHARMA BAG These broad-ranging teachings tain Lake. 9x7.5" #WHDHBA $7.50 cover a wonderful array of topics: This multicolored bag is perfect FREE TOUR finding joy in the practice, breath for carrying passports or for daily meditation, ethics, dealing with Interested in your Buddhist use. Brocaded Wheel of Dharma in TIBET! sensation, working with pain, and a on one side, woven design on the horoscope? See the new You can enter everytime lot more. From talks given Septem- reverse. Two roomy zippered com- feature "Buddhist Astrology" ber 20002 in Santa Rosa, CA. Tenzin partments keep your stuff safe. Black you place an order with us. Palmo is a nun, highly popular at: www.SnowLionPub.com shoulder strap. teacher, and author. ■S ORDERS: 1-800-950-0313 or www.snowlionpub.com SNOW LION 35 THE ORNAMENT OF THE MIDDLE WAY A Study of the Madhyamaka Thought of Shantarakshita by James Blumenthal. #ORMI $34.95 Available January Shantarakshita's The Orna- ment of the Middle Way is among the most important Mahayana Buddhist philosophical treatises. It represents the culmination of more than 1,300 years of philo- sophical dialogue and inquiry since the time of the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Shanta- AKSHOBYA MANDALA card PILGRIMAGE card VAJRADHAKA card rakshita synthesized the three major trends in Indian Buddhist by Andy Weber. 4x6" by Andy Weber. 4x6" by Andy Weber. 4x6" #WDC67 $1.00 #WDC 70 $1.00 thought at the time (the Madhya- #WDC71 $1.00 maka thought of Nagarjuna, the Akshobhya transforms ignorance Mount Kailash is widely regarded Fire pujas to Vajradhaka are Yogachara thought of Asanga, and in to the wisdom of the all-pervading as the center of the universe and traditional in Geluk Highest Yoga the logical and epistemological awareness. Purifies deep karmic is a chief pilgrimage site. Heruka Tantra. Just remembering his name thought of Dharmakirti) into one imprints left by negative actions. Chakrasamvara is depicted, as well is meant to protect against demons consistent and coherent system. as Avalokiteshvara, Guru Rinpoche, and delusions. Shantarakshitas's text is considered to be the quintessential exposition Milarepa and Green Tara. or root text of the school of Buddhist philosophical thought known in Tibet as Yogachara-Svatantrika-Madhyamaka. In addition to examining his ideas in their Indian context, this study examines the way Shantarakshita's ideas have been understood by, and been an influence on, Tibetan Buddhist traditions. This is the first book length study of the Madyamaka thought of Shanta- rakshita in any Western language. It includes a new translation of Shanta- rakshita's treatise, extensive extracts from his autocommentary, and the first complete translation of the primary Geluk commentary on Shantarakshita's treatise, Gyal-tsab Je's Remembering [Shantarakshita's! 'The Ornament of the Middle Way.' James Blumenthal holds a doctorate in Asian Religions from The Depart- ment of Languages and Cultures of Asia at the University of Wisconsin. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Philosophy Department at Oregon State University. "James Blumenthal's multi-faceted work includes...a stimulating, criti- cally astute analysis of the ways in which Shantarakshita's thought has been used - and misused - by Tibetan commentators over the years. Blumenthal's SIMBHAMUKHA Card YAMANTHAKA book is a fascinating excursion across 700 years and two Asian cultures, and should be required reading foi all students of Indian philosophy and of the by Andy Weber, approx. 4x6" MANDALA card REFUGE TREE card intellectual history of Tibetan Buddhism."—EogeriirdWdaioji^^Professor of #WDC66$1.00 6x4" #WDC68 $1.00 Religion, Carleton College, and author of Is Enlightenment Possible?—'■— This lion-faced dakini is consid- by Andy Weber. 4x6" Yamantaka symbolizes the wrath- "This study is an invaluable contribution to the West's understanding of ered the wrathful female principle #WDC69 $1.00 ful aspect of the buddha's wisdom, the history of Madhyamaka both in India and Tibet. Blumenthal's analysis demonstrating fearlessness and the Gelukpa lineage tree. also known as the destroyer of death. of the Geluk materials on Shantarakshita's thought are particularly insight- turning of fierce emotions to con- The inner sanctum of this intricate ful."—Geshe Lhundup Sopa, Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin, structive activity. mandala contains 13 deities. and co-author of Cutting Through Appearances MEDICINE BUDDHA Medium, Special Brocade. #THMEBU $450.00 FOUR-ARM CHENREZIG THANGKA We have many more thangkas available. You can see them all, Large thangka with excellent brocade. #THFOA $450.00 in color, by visiting www.SnowLionPub.com or our store in Ithaca, NY. 36 SNOW LION FALL '03 CATALOG