Longchenpa (1308–1363)

There's a lot of material in this ambitious work, translated with fidelity and compassion. It's heavy reading though - repetitive, dry (very idealist), abstract and disorganized (at least, my mind was disorganized after reading it - perhaps one of its unsaid objectives.) It was compiled at a time much like when it was written, i.e. when ideas were being thrashed out and the language still unsure of its place as a medium for such profound meaning. As a bridge from Tibetan to English for show more impatient westerners with a penetrating mind, or those just looking to pick up on any page to set the mind in a contemplative frame - dig right in. If you're interested in a more gradual exposition and are serious about understanding and remembering what you've read - I would suggest a more honed work of less profundity like Vairocana's five original transmissions or the Life of Vairotsana; or one where the doctrines are the topic of a thematic investigation such as van Schaik's Approaching the Great Perfection. show less

Finding Rest in Illusion is the third volume of the Trilogy of Rest, Longchenpa’s classic exposition of the Buddhist path. The purpose of these teachings is to introduce us to our most basic nature—the clear and pristine awareness that is the nature of the mind. According to the traditional Tibetan Buddhist formula of view, meditation, and action, this volume follows Finding Rest in the Nature of the Mind, which establishes the view of the Buddhist path generally, and specifically that show more of the teachings of the Great Perfection, and Finding Rest in Meditation, which outlines the main points of meditation, namely, where one should meditate, what qualities a practitioner should possess and develop, and what should be practiced.

The Padmakara Translation Group has provided us with a clear and fluid new translation of the final volume of the trilogy, Finding Rest in Illusion, along with its autocommentary, The Chariot of Excellence, both intended to elucidate the appropriate action of a Buddhist practitioner. Finding Rest in Illusion describes in detail the conduct of those who have stabilized their recognition of the nature of the mind and how to apply the Buddhist view when relating to ordinary appearances. Drawing extensively from classic Buddhist works, the author uses well-known examples of illusion found throughout Mahāyāna literature to illustrate the illusory nature of both saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, thus revealing their ultimate nondual nature. This is an invaluable manual for any genuine student of Buddhism who wishes to truly find rest through the path of the Great Perfection. show less

Guenther's isn't the best translation of this wonderful work, but he deserves a great deal of credit for being the first and for having pure intention and doing the best that he was able to at the time with the tools at hand. My only difficulty with Guenther lies in what appears to me to be an attempt to reconcile the existentialist philosophy of Martin Heidegger with the Dzogchen philosophy of Longchenpa. I could be wrong. He may simply have been borrowing existential terminology as being show more the closest European language equivalent and hoping to re-define the terminology as Dzogchen rather than trying to re-define Dzogchen as existentialism. show less

Longchen Rabjam (Longchenpa) Is the greatest Dzogchen master of all with the exception of Padmasambhava himself. These are his pith instructions, one of his seven "Treasuries," collected in groups of six. This manner of grouping in sixes is an interesting literary form in itself, being both rigid and flexible. Rigid because, for each entry, there are always six topics. Flexible because no rule is applied to the number of lines or the length of lines.

This work combines the pinnacle of show more Dzogchen philosophy with a very interesting literary form. Amazing! show less