Customer Reviews

The Supreme Source: The Fundamental Tantra of the Dzogchen Semde

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kunjed Gyalpo or All Creating King (here rendered as Supreme Source) is an important Dzogchen Semde (mind series) tantra. At times the reading can be tough going, the text is deep and extremely repetitive, but that is the point! The use of repetition and the momentum of the text creates a mesmerising quality that left me buzzing.

The one main drawback of this book concerns the double translation (from Tibetan to Italian to English). In a few instances, passages make no sense at all. But to be fair these are few and far between and do not detract from the overall meaning being conveyed. Also a glossary would have been most helpful as there are quite a number of technical terms and Tibetan phrases throughout the book.

Allow yourself time to savour this work, persevere and read with care and you will be rewarded.

I don't give 5 stars often. I've read quite a few Norbu books. They're worth reading, but this is BY FAR the most advanced. I liked it best. I usually give away books after reading them. Not this one. Not even as a loaner. It's worth reading again... It seems to be the best description I've found so far of the Fruit. As the Cheshire Cat told Alice (as they came to a fork in the road and she didn't know where she wanted to go), if you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there. Only the works of Longchenpa rival this one (e.g. The Practice of Dzogchen or Buddha Mind: An Anthology of Longchen Rabjam's Writings on Dzogpa Chenpo & The Precious Treasury of Pith Instructions (The Seven Treasuries Series)).

This book is a translation of the most important Dzogchen Tantra, the Kunjed Gyalpo (Dzogchen is the top level of Tibetan Buddhism). It is at least 1200 years old and is authentic, being the only Dzogchen Tantra in the collection of definitive works used by Tibetan Buddhists. It has also been translated by Eva Neumaier-Dargyay: "The Sovereign All-Creating Mind". The title gives you some idea of what it is about which is the correct view/explanation of reality. The Tantra is one of the four or five most important books ever written and this is the best English translation. The book has three sections for three levels of ability of readers. The elementary section, or the section directed at those with the least ability to understand this material, is last.

The Supreme Source, for those who have the wisdom to deeply embrace it, is an extraordinary book. I was not particularly familiar with the subject matter of Dzogchen (I knew about it, but had read very little on it) and reading this book says it all.

If you are willing to step beyond the illusion of imperfection, struggle, striving, and spiritual progression then I highly recommend this book. I recommend reading it many times over, and taking the time to do this slowly. Dzogchen is not something for the ego-mind to simply take in and rationalise intellectually, but rather something for the whole being to bathe in until its essence permeates ones skin and sinks deep into the profundity of that one Supreme Self that is All.

I give thanks to Chogyal Namkhai Norbu for making this wondrous spiritual text available to the world. It is something I will take delight in reading and absorbing many many times over the years to come.

Read, enjoy, treasure, and read again.

Blessings,

Jonathan Evatt

Author of multi-award winning book Peace, Power, and Presence: A guide to Self Empowerment, Inner Peace, and Spiritual Enlightenment, the first title in the Wisdom for a Life of Freedom series - available on Amazon.com

I had no difficulties with this translation. In fact, I found Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche's presentation of the Kunjed Gyalpo to be clear, elegant, and energetic. I felt as though a beneficent hand was leading me through the text. And what a text! There is no way for me to transmit the flavor of this, but I assure you it's a singular taste.

Rinpoche has really done readers of English a service, as the force and knowledge behind this translation and commentary. I'm deeply grateful for this book, and I'd love for it to find its way into your hands, dear reader.

Homage to the protector Ekadzati!

For any one seriously interested in Dzogchen I would say this is a must. The tantra just hits you so powerfully. There is really not much to say other than this is pure gold.

Rob

This book is a reward for many long years of philosophical/spiritual searching. The translation work put into this is a most significant achievement. The work displaces so much else in my library with regard to its area of knowledge/wisdom. I feel like having "arrived" after having read it.

This book is great if you've already received an introduction from a master. If not, you might want to buy it to have it on hand for when the day comes that you can read it without becoming confused by the lofty language and obscure references.

This is one of the best Non-dual books that I have ever read. Much of original Buddha-ism is obscured in the diversity of Tibetan teachings. This book focuses only on the highest realization and clearly shows why other practices are lesser vehicles. This book is a gem intended only for the student of high awareness. The majority of students should stick to the yoga and tantra texts, to avoid getting lost and confused by the direct-nature of these teachings. But then again, if you are willing to surrender your beliefs of what is high and good and get to the Truth, this book may be exactly what you need. enJOY!!!

Well, I am not as completely won over as every other reviewer here (all 5 stars), but it could be that my understanding is just too shallow, too.

The book is broken down into three parts: i) the history of this text and Dzogchen in general, traced to the land of Oddiyana (now generally considered to be the Swat valley in modern-day Pakistan); ii) a lengthy and very insightful commentary by Namkhai Norbu on each chapter of the tantra; and iii) the translation itself by Adriano Clemente.

The historical section is fascinating, if a bit dull in style. Namkhai Norbu's commentary is extremely valuable and interesting, and the extent to which it clarifies the tantra really can't be underestimated. Being able to flip back to his commentary on any given chapter is almost like having a master sitting next to you, ready to explain that which is bewildering you.

The text itself: as far as tantras go, the Kunjed Gyalpo (aka Supreme Source) is a model of clarity, but I still found large parts of it rather impenetrable. It is also brutally, brutally repetitive. As one reviewer noted, perhaps this is the point (to drill it into you), but perhaps it was simply originally transmitted orally and it is stylistic baggage once used as an aid to memorization, as in the Buddhist sutras. Nonetheless there are a lot of intense passages within, some of which directly affected my meditation practice (rare for mere words to be so powerful!). The whole pretension of the text too, as being a record of the universe itself (more or less, or the fundamental reality, whatever you would like to call it) giving teachings in a 'Voice' and language we mere mortals can understand is fascinating as well, and very reminiscent of the Greek notion of the 'Logos.' The positive vision of Enlightenment I also find much more amenable than the typical negativistic Buddhist view, and also struck me as very reminiscent of Vedanta's take on it all.

Fairly difficult, but I think a book like this should be judged more on the merits of its translation and presentation/commentary than the tantra itself, which is in any case a very difficult thing to assess - and in this respect Namkhai Norbu and Clemente have done a very, very admirable job. Recommended, especially if you are better versed in tantra/Dzogchen than I am! You may get more out of it.