Empowerment and the Path of Liberation: Tsele Natsok Rangdrol [Paperback]

Tsele Natsok Rangdrol (Author), Marcia Binder Schmidt (Editor), Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator), Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 24, 2004

Empowerment and the Path of Liberation presents an in-depth clarification of the key points of Vajrayana by one of the most accomplished masters of 17th-century Tibet. The empowerment ritual is sometimes called the indispensable entrance door to Vajrayana Buddhism. It activates our natural right to an enlightened rule over our life and spiritual practice. Empowerment contains a wealth of instructions on all the key points of Buddhist training, particularly the path of liberation of Mahamudra and Dzogchen.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"People who harbor no ambition to become a great scholar, but who want to focus on truly realizing the ultimate point of Vajrayana training should study just a few of the writings of Tsele Natsok Rangdrol. In these, they will find the pith instructions that are the very heart of the Dharma."
- Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books (May 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9627341150
• ISBN-13: 978-9627341154
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,356,441 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some rare explanations of differences between schools, June 12, 2005

By 

Neal J. Pollock (VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Empowerment and the Path of Liberation: Tsele Natsok Rangdrol (Paperback)

The author is justly famous for his "Lamp of Mahamudra" & "Mirror of Mindfulness." He addresses both Mahamudra (MM) & Dzogchen, including many very fine quotes from Kagyu & Nyingma masters & from Tantras. For example: p. 17: from "Subsequent Tantra of the Bathing Elephants"-"The mind essence of sentient beings is the luminous nature of self-awareness, the unfabricated awakened state, a continuity that is spontaneously present. Once you embark on the path of ripening and liberating this luminous nature, you clearly perceive the fruition within your own being." The 1st ½ of the book addresses the nature of Tantric empowerment; I didn't find it applicable as it mostly reproaches people of his era (Middle Ages) though some may still apply: p. 61: "There are many meditators, but few who know how to meditate." But the 2nd ½ includes very rare & valuable teachings such as the limitations of Gampopa's "Jewel Ornament of Liberation"-now I know why I didn't really like this famed text! He explains the differences in Madhyamaka & MM in depth, stating that: p. 71: "This creation of emptiness out of mere belief is the Middle Way of meditation. It possesses the dualistic concepts of a meditator & an object of meditation. One doesn't realize the view through that. Because it counteracts the fixation of a concrete reality it can exhaust an immense amount of obscurations, but it cannot bring enlightenment." He also explains that rigid meditation requirements are not necessarily applicable to MM practitioners: p. 91: quoting Lord Kodragpa, "I, a yogi of Mahamudra, have no posture, gaze, or fixed attention. I simply practice in whatever thought arises." The Glossary provides some data on the masters cited in the text. Of course, the book must be read considering the Middle Age, Tibetan multi-school context. Unlike most authors, Rangdröl minces no words & deftly points out important differences in views & practices. He is a heavy proponent of practice lineages vs. academic/rationalist approaches. This small book is worth reading.