The Practice of Vajrakilaya [Paperback]

Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 19, 1999

In this series of teachings, originally given over a three-day period in the USA in 1995, Khenpo Namdrol presents a lucid and detailed explanation of the history and practice of Vajrakilaya.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"The practice of Vajrakilaya blazes at the heart of the ancient Vajrayana traditions of Tibet. The wrathful heruka Vajrakilaya is the yidam deity who embodies the enlightened activity of all the buddhas, manifesting in an intensely wrathful yet compassionate form in order to subjugate the delusion and negativity that can arise as obstacles to the practice of Dharma. In fact, the practice of Vajrakilaya is famous in the Tibetan Buddhist world as the most powerful for removing obstacles, destroying the forces hostile to compassion, and purifying the spiritual pollution so prevalent in this age."--Sogyal Rinpoche

Khenpo Namdrol presents a lucid and detailed explanation of the history and practice of Vajrakilaya.

About the Author

Khenpo Namdrol Rinpoche is a senior khenpo (abbot) at the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute, which has become the largest Nyingma study college outside of Tibet, with over 300 monks enrolled in courses and a reputation for outstanding scholarship. Khenpo Namdrol spent 18 years establishing and teaching at the Institute and by 1995 over 30 students had qualified to teach the sutras and tantras. He has received teachings from many of the greatest Tibetan masters, and is considered to be one of the leading khenpos in the Nyingma tradition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 90 pages
• Publisher: Snow Lion Publications (January 19, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559391030
• ISBN-13: 978-1559391030
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,078,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction to understanding Yidam/Deity Yoga, January 12, 2005

By 

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

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This review is from: The Practice of Vajrakilaya (Paperback)

This book is an interesting combination of myth, ritual, meditation, and symbolic explanation of the rite of Vajrakilaya, "the deity of enlightened activity" (page 31). Vajrakilaya is a wrathful "Buddha" who dispels obstacles to Dharma practice. His rites are used primarily in Nyingma and Sakya traditions (2 of the 4 contemporary Tibetan Buddhist schools). Following the Introduction by Sogyal Rinpoche and photos of famous Rinpoches (e.g. Dudjom Rinpoche), it begins with a legendary history of Vajrakilaya which could be interpreted at a number of levels: symbolically, psychologically, traditionally, etc. Chapter 3 delineates the actual practice. This includes an interesting explanation (pages 45-8) of the Ground, Path, & Fruition of the practice--very reminiscent of Dzogchen and Mahamudra. Further, the Path includes 4 aspects such as: wisdom awareness of Phurba (i.e. Vajrakilaya), enlightened mind Phurba (wisdom of completion stage), immeasurable compassion Phurba, and substantial Phurba (the actual ritual). This explanation resembles a complete Vajrayana path including compassion, Bodhichitta, etc.! Indeed, "The fruition Vajrakilaya is the primordial wisdom awareness of the mind of all the buddhas" (page 48). The actual ritual (visualization/meditation) practice is then described in detail, similar in nature to "Machik's Complete Explanation..." by Sarah Harding (1559391820). However, Khenpo Namdrol includes some astute explanations--especially in his analysis of Vajrakilaya's mantra--a word by word analysis in two versions (pages 68-9). Finally, on page 71, he provides an explanation of why such rituals are ended in the traditional way--to prevent the extremes of nihilism and extremism. All in all, this is a helpful book, much deeper than it might appear on the surface.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent teachings for tantric advancement, October 22, 2002

By 

Alan B. Cicco (Fairborn, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Practice of Vajrakilaya (Paperback)

The contents of this book explained the indepth visualization of the Vajrakilaya tantra in ever detail. Although personal instruction is best, this book covers almost every needed aspects to practice in solitary. It reviews all the needed preliminary and ending practices which allows the internalization of the diety.

For those that have any knowledge of tantric practice, this book will add immense focus to practicing the release of anger and confrontation of its source within. The book has a history of the creation and mythology surrounding vajrakilaya.

For those seeking the esoteric tantra practices this book is a good stepping stone to add to what knowledge already possessed. It should, however, be combined with another title of indepth study of the whole scope of highest tantric practices, so that more of the specific visualizations and measured levels achieved in tantric practice are understood.