Customer Reviews

Repeating the Words of the Buddha

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book appears to be a compilation of short lectures by a great, recently departed, master of Dzogchen & Mahamudra. As a traditional teacher, however, his works include many references to standard Tibetan Buddhist mythology--interspersed with profound insights. As with other lengthy contemporary "commentaries" on medieval Buddhist works, the author interjects Eastern & archaic cultural & religious views--not easily integrated with contemporary Western perspectives or way of life. Tulku Urgyen, unlike many others, does make an attempt to adapt hoary teachings to modern life--the life of a Western householder vs. an Eastern monastic. He even courageously addresses Eastern parallels with God: pp. 53-6: "Certain concepts in Buddhism are similar to the Western concept of an omniscient, omnipotent god. The closest thing to this `divinity' is the 3 kayas, dharmakaya, Sambhogakaya, & Nirmanakaya...The equivalent of `god' or a supreme being in Buddhism is called Samantabhadra, meaning the Ever-excellent. He is the primordial dharmakaya."

But, compared to his other works, this is a rather elementary text--though it has the virtue of very concisely summarizing/presenting the basic Vajrayana Buddhist approach. It does include some discussion of specific Mahamudra & Dzogchen points--but not to a great degree. Rather, there is more emphasis on development & completion stages. He provides an insightful description of their basic difference, reminiscent of Frederick Herzberg's 2-factor theory, in which development stage eliminates negatives while completion stage generates positives. For example, p. 21: "The main purpose of development stage is to destroy our clinging to a solid reality. It is our fixation on concreteness that makes us continue in Samsaric experience." For a better IMHO feel for the author's greatness & contributions to Western Buddhism, see his brilliant Rainbow Painting: A Collection of Miscellaneous Aspects of Development and Completion, more comprehensive As It Is Vol. 1 (As It Is) & As It Is, Vol. 2, & Vajra Speech: A Commentary on The Quintessence of Spiritual Practice, The Direct Instructions of the Great Compassionate One--a compilation of his greatest sayings. For a biographical sketch, see: Blazing Splendor: The Memoirs of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche.

This was a very positive book. I had not read the words of Buddha and started as an interest. I enjoyed it very much.

The author on the website is wrong, should be;
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
instead of Just Tulku Rinpoche
so pleaase web-Master correct the mistake on
your we-page

Regard