Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (1920–1996)

Fabulous feast of anecdotes and stories from one in the heart of the spiritual action in a Tibet that is all but lost. As a close attendant to HH 16th Karmapa and many other Kagyu and Nyingma lamas - it has the inside angle on the daily life of these amazing Lamas. Stands out from almost all other Tibetan memoirs in that the stories are accessible, not written in high flown Lama language, and so one feels right there with the author. Its full of the color and flavor of the time, and I show more enjoyed every page. show less

Blazing Splendor paints an intimate portrait of the lost culture of Old Tibet and of a remarkable man who inspired thousands. A memoir in the form of tales told by Rinpoche toward the end of his life, the book spans his lifetime — a lifetime rich in adventures of both spirit and body. His reminiscences weave a rich tapestry of family history and also describe the lives of some of the most realized and genuine practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.

Vajra Speech, by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, renowned for his
extra­ordinary experience and realization, is a wide ranging
collection of pith instructions for the Dzogchen yogi. This Tibetan
master’s advice reduces negative emotions and naturally
enables loving kindness, compassion and wisdom to flourish.
“A swan can separate water and milk when drinking. The
yogi should be like the swan in sepa rating the milk of original
wakefulness from the water of ignorance.”
—Tulku Urgyen show more Rinpoche
“Compared to many years studying books and going through
analytical meditation, we found it more beneficial to ask questions
of Tulku Urgyen and listen to his answers.”
—Orgyen Topgyal Rinpoche show less

I first encountered the works of Tulku Urgyen in the early 1990's. I was looking for a book on Dzogchen that was authored by an older teacher who had never been to the west. I just had this intuition that there must be some elderly Tibetan master out there somewhere who had more interest in passing on what he knew than he did in building up his organization or any other project he might support. Tulku Urgyen is the real thing. His first small book was titled REPEATING THE WORDS OF THE show more BUDDHA; since then, As It Is (Vol. 1&2), Vajra Speech and Rainbow Painting have been released. I heartily recommend any of his books. show less