TANTRA IN TIBET by H.H. the Dalai Lama, Tsong-ka-pa and trans & ed. by Jeffrey Hopkins
Tantra in Tibet contains Essence of Tantra which explains how tantra is a highly practical and compassionate system of spiritual development. His Holiness discusses refuge, the three paths, greatness of mantra, clear light and initiation; Part 1 of the Great Exposition of Secret Mantra by Tsong-ka-pa presents the paths to Buddhahood, vajra vehicle, deity yoga, and method in the four tantras; Jeffrey Hopkins discusses the meaning of emptiness, transformation, and the purpose of the four tantras.
INITIATIONS AND INITIATES IN TIBET by Alexandra David-Neel
Delves into Tibetan mysticism, describing the masters of the mystic rites and doctrines, their disciples and the psychic training methods employed. Examined in detail are the various kinds of initiations, the spiritual guide's role and the choice of a master, oral instruction and its transmission along a line of initiates, and the initiate's daily spiritual exercises.
INTRODUCTION TO TANTRA: The Transformation of Desire by Lama Yeshe, edited by Johathan Landaw
A Vision of Totality. What is tantra? Who is qualified to practice it? How should it be practiced? What are the results? According ro Buddhism, every human being has the potential to achieve profound and lasting happiness. And according to the tantric teachings of Buddhism, this remarkable transformation can be realized very quickly if we utilize all aspects of our human energy-especially the energy of our desires.
THE LION'S ROAR: An Introduction to Tantra by Chogyam Trungpa
This book is based on two historic seminars of the 1970s, in which Chogyam Trungpa introduced the tantric teachings of Tibetan Buddhism to his Western students for the first time. Each seminar bore the title "The Nine Yanas." Yana, a Sanskrit word meaning "vehicle," refers to a body of doctrine and practical instruction that enables students to advance spiritually on the path of buddha-dharma. Nine vehicles, arranged in successive levels, make up the whole path of Buddhist practice. Teaching all nine means giving a total picture of the spiritual journey. The author's nontheoretical, experiential approach opens up a world of fundamental psychological insights and subtleties. He speaks directly to a contemporary Western audience using earthly analogies that place the ancient teachings in the midst of ordinary life.
INTRODUCTION TO THE BUDDHIST TANTRIC SYSTEMS by Lessing & Wayman
The survey of Buddhist Tantras by Mkhas-grub-rje (1385-1438 A.D.) is a sample of the rich literature on this topic in the Tibetan language. In accordance with Tson-kha-pa's tantric reform (the Gelugpa), after the theory about how Gautama Buddha became enlightened the author presents the non-tantric materials stipulated as preliminary for tantric study and practice. He then sketches the Kriya, Carya, Yoga, and Anuttarayoga tantra divisions, showing the generation of self into deity and generation of deity in front, the remarkable meditations of dwelling in the flame and in the sound, numerous definitions of tantric terms, the rich correspondence system of the Yogatantra, the difference between 'Father Tantra' and "Mother Tantra', mandala ritual including the various kinds of 'initiation' or 'consecration'. A severe contraction of ritual detail allows the Tibetan author room to go into the theory at each step, including the mysterious beings called samayasattva and jnanasattva, states of 'Bliss-Void', the four Voids including the Clear Light, and the three kinds of 'Evam'. The translation was collaborated in the 1950s between F.D. Lessing and Alex Wayman at Berkeley, California. After Lessing's death, Wayman annotated and published the text in 1968, and has provided a new introduction for the present reissue of this seminal treatise. Lessing was the first professor to offer courses in the Tibetan language at an American University.
THE TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIP by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodu Thaye, translation and commentary by Dr. Ron Garry, foreword by Lama Tharchin Rinpoche, introduction by Gyatrul Rinpoche
It is crucial for students of Vajrayana Buddhism to find an authentic wisdom teacher, and know how to properly rely upon that teacher in order to awaken to their buddha nature and thereby attain full enlightenment. Fortunately, the topic has been thoroughly explored by Jamgon Kongtrul in the tenth chapter of the The Treasury of Knowledge. This essential text clearly lays out what credentials and qualities one should look for in a wisdom teacher, why a wisdom teacher is necessary, and how the relationship between this teacher and disciple best develops once it is established.
DANGEROUS FRIEND: The Teacher-Student Relationship in Vajrayana Buddhism by Nga-la Rig'dzin Dorje
Although Tibetan Buddhism continues to grow in popularity, the crucial relationship between teacher and student remains largely misunderstood. In Dangerous Friend, the author - an experienced Western practitioner and teacher - offers an in-depth exploration of that mysterious and complex bond, a relationship of paramount importance in Vajrayana Buddhist practice.
According to Vajrayana tradition, the student must have complete trust in the teacher (the "dangerous friend") if he or she is to achieve any understanding. It is the teacher's responsibility to uphold the integrity of the tradition, the basis of which is compassion for all beings, by transmitting it properly to an appropriate student. Likewise, it is the student's responsibility to meet the challenge of carrying on the lineage of teachings. by entering such a relationship, both teacher and student accept the burden of protecting those teachings by understanding them completely and correctly, by practicing them fully and faultlessly, and by transmitting them without omission or corruption.
TANTRIC ETHICS: An Explanation of the Precepts for Buddhist Vajrayana Practice by Tsongkhapa, trans. by Gareth Sparham, fore. by Jeffrey Hopkins
Central to Buddhism of Tibet are the esoteric techniques of the tantric, or Vajrayana, tradition. These practices involve recitation of matra and complex visualizations and are passed from teacher to student during sacred initiation ceremonies. Tantra constitutes the fabric of a Tibetan Buddhist's daily practice, but cannot be succesful without adherence to the tantric precepts, the code of ethical behavior for aspirants on the Vajrayana path. The tantric vows are the highest of the three complementary sets of vows in Tibetan Buddhism, following the Pratimoksha (monastic) and Mahayana vows.
The scholar and tantric adept Tsongkhapa (1357-1419), one of the greatest philosophers produced by Tibet's Buddhist culture, composed works on every aspect of Buddhist philosophy and practice. This book contains a translation of his Fruit Clusters of Siddhis, an explanation of the tantric vows, and provides a clear explanation of the nature of each vow and the criteria for determining when a downfall has occured.
BUDDHIST TANTRAS, Light on Indo-Tibetan Esoterism by Alex Wayman
This book has been divided into four sections. Part One is an Introduction which places the position of the Buddhist Tantras within Mahayana Buddhism and recalls their early literary history, especially the Guhyasamajatantra. In Part Two the author discusses the foundations of the Buddhist Tantras. Part Three is devoted to Special Studies which are very rarely available to the general public, such as the nine orifices of the body and the Tantric teachings of the inner Zodiac; female energy and symbolism in the Buddhist Tantras; and the five-fold ritual symbolism of passion and Part Four is the Bibliographical Research which contains a correlation between the trantric portions of the Kanjur and the Tanjur.
Main objective of this study is to frame a tantric image in the historical development of Buddhist theo-philosophy and its impact on Buddhist communities in India and other Buddhist countries. Here, I intend to recover the missing links in the history of tantric thoughts through an investigation of the theoretical and practical situations of two important texts which fall between the Tattvasamgraha-tantra and the Hevajra-tantra, that is, the Guhyasamaja-tantra, and the Sarvabuddha-samayogadakini-maya samvara-tantra. My investigation will centre upon the practice of svadhidaivatayoga (union with a specific deity of a mandala), which is assumed to be prevalent in the whole course of Tantric Buddhism.
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