About the Author

Padampa Sangye was an eleventh-century Indian yogi and spiritual master (known also as Kamalashila) who traveled widely throughout his life and brought Indian Buddhist teachings to China and Tibet.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991) was a highly accomplished meditation master, scholar, and poet, and a principal holder of the Nyingma lineage. His extraordinary depth of realization enabled him to be, for all who met him, a foundation of loving-kindness, wisdom, and compassion. A dedicated exponent of the nonsectarian Rime movement, Khyentse Rinpoche was respected by all schools of Tibetan Buddhism and taught many eminent teachers, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama. He tirelessly worked to uphold the Dharma through the publication of texts, the building of monasteries and stupas, and by offering instruction to thousands of people throughout the world. His writings in Tibetan fill twenty-five volumes.

Reviews

"A more succinct and beautiful expression of the Buddhist path, or a more haunting exhortation to practice, you're not likely to find. Keep this slim volume nearby and read it often."—Shambhala Sun

"A soul-stretching collection of essential teachings on what matters most in this tradition. . . . For centuries the Tibetans have explored a path of wisdom that illuminates every corner of life. The material in this volume opens doors to that spiritual perspective on everyday life."—Spirituality & Health

"An extraordinary treasure: a moving and deeply transforming teaching by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, one of the greatest masters of our time."—Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

"Were we to take these verses to heart, our relationships would be transformed, our minds would be at ease, and we would no longer be afraid of death; our lives would be seamlessly devoted to our own freedom and to the well-being of others."—Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Faith



"These sublime teachings of the great twelfth-century Indian master Phadampa, educated by Khyentse Rinpoche, are among the greatest Eastern treasures ever to appear in the West."—Tulku Thondup, author of The Healing Power of Mind





"In this simple, elegant book, in the eloquent speech of everyday life, the veils of illusion are torn away, revealing pain and pleasure, life and death, as unceasing displays of wisdom and continual opportunities for our own liberation."—Reginald A. Ray, author of Indestructible Truth