Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Gzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet [Paperback]

Tenzin Wangyal (Author), H H the Dalai Lama (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1993

This book is a presentation of Dzogchen as taught in the Tibetan Bon tradition.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Station Hill Press (February 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882681176
• ISBN-13: 978-0882681177
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,637,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

75 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Yung-Drung Bon Monastic Centre, December 26, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Gzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet (Paperback)

Recently, in the West, a number of books have appeared on the subject of Dzog Chen. This is the first book to describe the Bon-Po point of view of these high teachings. This pleases me greatly. They are derived from the Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud, which is the most essential within the Bon-Po Dzog Chen.

Lama Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche has been trained in this lineage since he was fourteen by the Venerable Lopon Sangye Tenzin and the Venerable Lopon Tenzin Namdak. From the early days on, he has shown a special gift when it comes to these meditations.

The book is written in clear and concise English. This is particularly important as the teachings are very elaborate and at times hard to understand. The simple language used clarifies tremendously. The authentic descriptions of Dzog Chen give the serious student ample material to practice Dzog Chen.

This book doesn't include stories; it explains the quintessential aspects of Dzog Chen. In other words, it gets right to the point. Especially the chapters such as the ones on Contemplation and Integration. I highly recommend this book to any serious student of these high teachings.

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ligmincha Institute, December 26, 1998

By 

Jonathan A. Lower (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Gzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet (Paperback)

His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes, "This book will be of great help to readers wishing to find a clear explanation of the Bon tradition, especially with regard to its presentation of the teachings of Dzogchen."

Indeed! *Wonders of the Natural Mind* is a treasure trove of information --- appropriate for any level of practitioner. Here's an excerpt from the back cover of the book:

*Wonders of the Natural Mind* is a presentation of Dzogchen as taught in the Bon tradition. Dzogchen has begun to be familiar to Westerners principally through the teachings of the Nyingmapa school, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and other Tibetan teachers residing and teaching in Western countries. In *Wonders of the Natural Mind*, the author presents the Dzogchen teachings based on the *Zhang Zhung Nyan Gyud*, the fundamental Bon text. The book gives an epitome of the main points of Dzogchen, its relation to the various systems of Bon teaching, and the author's personal reflections on the practice of Dzogchen in the West.

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a Lama in the Bon tradition of Tibet, presently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is the founder and director of The Ligmincha Institute, an organization dedicated to the study and practice of the teachings of the Bon tradition. He was born in Amritsar, India, after his parents fled the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and received training from both Buddhist and Bon teachers, attaining the degree of Geshe, the highest academic degree of traditional Tibetan culture. He has been in the United States since 1991 and has taught widely in Europe and America.

19 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, February 13, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Wonders of the Natural Mind: The Essence of Gzogchen in the Native Bon Tradition of Tibet (Paperback)

This is one of the best books I have ever read on Tibetan culture and religion. It is clear and concise. It is extremely informative, revealing practices that have been kept secret, for some unknown reason, for centuries. A great book!