Dzogchen Essentials: The Path That Clarifies Confusion [Paperback]

Padmasambhava (Author), Marcia Binder Schmidt (Editor), Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 16, 2004

Dzogchen Essentials offers a collection of teachings which are principally about clarifying confusion, the mistaken ways we normally relate to our perceptions of environment, body, and senses. Rather than continue the habits of insisting on a solid reality, we are given skillful alternatives and practices and the method to integrate them with the view of the Great Perfection.

Dzogchen Essentials is for the dedicated Vajrayana student. Carrying on from The Dzogchen Primer, it contains a wide range of selections upholding the style of the simple meditator, including pieces by Padmasambhava, Tulku Thondup, Dilgo Khyentse, Dudjom, Tulku Urgyen, Sogyal and Chugyam Trungpa, Rinpoches. Additional sources and facilitator's guidelines enrich study groups and nurture the lone practitioner.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"For serious meditators wishing to realize Buddhahood through the path of Dzogchen, this great treasure is an invaluable handbook. The enlightening voices of many superb masters of the Dzogchen lineage reverberate throughout this beautiful and powerful book."
- Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, author of The Healing Power of Mind and Enlightened Living

About the Author

Marcia Binder Schmidt has been an editor and publisher of books on Vajrayana Buddhism for over fifteen years. With her husband, author and translator Erik Pema Kunsang, she founded and currently runs Rangjung Yeshe Publications, an independent publisher of Buddhist texts in English.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books (July 16, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9627341533
• ISBN-13: 978-9627341536
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 0.9 x 8.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #901,513 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Ruse or Just a Mistitled Work?, August 9, 2004

By 

Bhairo5 (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dzogchen Essentials: The Path That Clarifies Confusion (Paperback)

I received this book today with the hope that it contained primary texts on the practice of Dzogchen. To my misappointment, instead I found a hodge podge of various "tantric" or "vajrayana" materials consisting of ngondro or foundational practices, general information on generation and completion stages, a few randomly placed songs of realization, etc. However, there was little Dzogchen materials. What I did find is that the title "Dzogchen Essentials" meant not texts or materials on "Dzogchen", but materials taken from the "Dzogchen Tradition" meaning the "Nyingma" and related traditions. It appears that Dzogchen which is a profound and serious practice tradition has fallen prey to popular trends or fads. Just like the word "tantra", it is now over used and is in fact being abused to sell or package Tibetan and related materials that have a possible undual flavour or esoteric content beyond conventional or basic Mahayana practices. Too bad, the book's title and pre-reviews held out so much potential for a possibly excellent publication. It appears the editor has done this before in an earlier work called "Dzogchen Primer". In that work there are good materials, but it is certainly not a "primer" on Dzogchen. It has tantra, mahamudra, etc. and just a few Dzogchen oriented materials. I wish authors would not just try to take advantage of the public, especially in the presentation of books of this genre that purport to be authentic treatises on a specific and serious subject area. One side comment -- If you want a book on general overall Vajrayana intructions, its not bad. However, if you want Dzogchen, look else where for books by Namkhai Norbu, John Reynolds, Longchenpa, Jigme Lingpa, Dudjom Rinpoche and others. There are many and they are authentic Dzogchen texts and practice materials, etc.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dzogchen Essentials, March 23, 2005

By 

M. Sheehy (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dzogchen Essentials: The Path That Clarifies Confusion (Paperback)

"Dzogchen Essentials" along with its companion version, "Dzogchen Primer: The Path That Clarifies Confusion," are truly essential readings for those interested in progressing along the Buddhist path of spiritual transformation. In essence, these are compendiums of ingeniously selected and elegantly translated works from some of the great Tibetan meditation masters. Readings range from ancient masters such as Padmasambhava up to contemporary masters such as Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Sogyal Rinpoche. For the first time, these collections offer readers a range of insightful guidance and heart-felt instructions from Tibetan masters of the profound Dzogchen meditation tradition. These books are among the few in English that make available these precious treasures of Tibetan Buddhist spiritual literature -- making them truly essential readings.

5.0 out of 5 stars excellent book, April 20, 2011

By 

jeanie tee "jeanietee" (sunny lancashire) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dzogchen Essentials: The Path That Clarifies Confusion (Paperback)

very good book ... in fact its one of my favourites.
can be dipped into any time, any place, anywhere...
very informative