The Six Yogas of Naropa: Tsongkhapa's Commentary Entitled a Book of Three Inspirations: A Treatise on the Stages of Training in the Profound Pa

by Tsongkhapa

Book Overview

Offers a fourteenth-century guide by one of the spiritual leaders of Tibetan Buddhism to the tantric yoga of an even earlier teacher. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1559392347
• ISBN13: 9781559392341
• Release Date: October 2005
• Publisher: Snow Lion Publications
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Map to the edge of the world.

I've been studying meditation systems for more than two decades, yet I'm fairly new to Tibetan Buddhist studies. "Tsongkhapa's..." solves a dilemma that I've seen crop up in other systems, that I've seen no clearer resolution to than in this keystone Tibetan text. The "dilemma" that I referred to is the conflict and bridge between systems that emphasize 1) energy cultivation, 2) emptiness/absolute schools or 3) some mix of both but without a clear bridge. Emptiness schools often critique energetic schools for merely getting caught in other layers of cyclic existence (and worse, creating intense karma in those layers). Yet emptiness schools often don't admit the valid energetic part of the path.The first yoga of the six, the crux and foundation of this 6-yoga system, explains steps that produce bliss - and resolve it into emptiness. This resolution occurs within the mysterious deep-centers, who reside along - and whose vitality is integrated through - the central channel.The Seventh Dalai Lama wrote verse about the 6 yoga system, whose 1st paragraph follows. Much of it is of specific cultural reference, but the 4th and 7th lines speak to general theory:"Namo guru daka dakini yeh!O all-pervading Heruka and your mandala of bliss,O Tilopa, also known as the sublimely wise JnanabhadraWho took the insight of ecstasy and void to its limits,And Naropa, an emodiment of Chakrasamvara:I request you, bestow blessings, that we may achiveThe wisdom of ecstasy and void conjoined." - (from page 96 of the book)This text has tremendous implications for the classic theological dilemmas re: sensation.

Obeisance to all Gurus:

Tsongkhapa presents an overview of six different practices for striving towards purification and enlightenment in this detailed book. It is a must for those studying the Kagyu Lineage, and the life and works of the famous Tibetan Saint Milarepa. Marpa who studied directly under Naropa, and Milarepa are two of the most popular Tibetan teachers of Buddhism and whose reputaion is still highly reguarded to this day. These exercises were the foundation of the path as they help us take a stronger grasp of this lineage of Tibetan Buddhism as we gain the pure view of the Mahamudra. An interesting and unconventional approach is the signature of this lineage, and we get a full view of there practice through Tsngkhapa. It is inevitable that this unique book was to be published for us in a clear, direct, and honest approach in an english translation.