Table of Contents
Foreword: A Letter from His Eminence Tai Situ Rinpoche ix
My Prayer and Aspiration xi
Introduction 1
1 The Twelve Deeds of Shakyamuni Buddha 7
The Buddha's Birth 7
The Buddha's Parents 7
The Buddha's Birthplace 7
The Buddha's Childhood 8
The Buddha's Worldly Skills 8
The Buddha Renounces Worldly Life 8
The Buddha Becomes an Ascetic 9
The Buddha Attains Enlightenment 9
The Buddha Turns the Wheel of Dharma 10
The Buddha Conquers the Maras 10
The Buddha Performs Miracles 11
The Buddha's Death 11
2 The Four Noble Truths 15
The Truth of Suffering 16
The Truth of the Cause of Suffering 19
The Truth of the Cessation of Suffering 21
The Truth of the Path 23
3 The Noble Eightfold Path 25
Right View 25
Right Thought 26
Right Speech 27
Right Action 28
Right Livelihood 30
Right Effort 30
Right Mindfulness 31
Right Concentration 34
4 The Seven Vairochana Dharma Gestures 37
Physical Posture 38
Preliminary Breathing Exercises 45
5 The Nine Stages of Shamatha Meditation 47
Stage 1 Placing the Mind 49
Stage 2 Placing the Mind Again and Again 49
Stage 3 Continuously Placing the Mind 50
Stage 4 Thoroughly Settling the Mind 51
Stage 5 Placing and Taming the Mind 52
Stage 6 Pacifying the Mind 52
Moving Deeper into Shamatha 53
Stage 7 More Deeply Pacifying the Subtler Mind 53
Stage 8 Focusing the Mind One-Pointedly 54
Stage 9 Settling the Mind in Equipoise 55
Subtleties in the Differences between the Nine Stages 56
Three Groups of the Nine Stages 56
6 Benefits and Advantages of Meditation 59
Seclusion and Meditation 60
Longevity and Meditation 60
Inner Strength and Meditation 61
Negativities and Meditation 62
Reputation and Meditation 63
Contentment and Meditation 64
Fear, Confidence, and Meditation 64
Laziness and Meditation 65
The Three Poisons and Meditation 67
Pride and Meditation 68
Distraction and Meditation 70
The Ice Mind and Meditation 71
Nirvana and Meditation 71
Venerability and Meditation 72
Joy and Meditation 73
Emptiness and Meditation 74
Enlightenment and Meditation 75
The Victorious Ones and the Benefits of Meditation 76
7 Obstacles to Shamatha and Their Antidotes 77
The Scattered Mind 77
The Dark, Dull, or Hazy Mind 79
The Skeptical Mind 80
The Afflicted Mind 81
The Referential Mind 82
Discipline and Meditation 84
Basic Goodness and Meditation 84
8 Vipashyana and Mahamudra 87
Vipashyana and the Characteristics of Mind 88
Luminous Clarity 89
Unobstructed Spaciousness 90
Emptiness and Limitless Possibility 92
Nature of Mind and Vipashyana 94
Emotions and Vipashyana 95
Duality and Vipashyana 96
Perspective and Vipashyana 97
Highest Practices and Vipashyana 97
9 Obstacles to Vipashyana and Their Antidotes 99
Infinite Thoughts and Vipashyana 99
Hypersensitivity and Vipashyana 100
Adversity and Vipashyana 101
Self-Esteem and Vipashyana 101
Complication and Vipashyana 103
Uncreated Mind and Vipashyana 104
Hopes, Fears, and Vipashyana 104
Skepticism and Vipashyana 105
Preoccupations and Vipashyana 106
Entertainment and Vipashyana 107
Chasing Thoughts and Vipashyana 108
Dedication of Merit 109
Autobiographical Afterword 111
The Story of Yolmo Kangra 113
Acknowledgments 119
Glossary 131
