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