Patrul Rinpoche Series

• Advice for Alak Dongak | Retreat & Solitude

Written for his close disciple, Alak Dongak Gyatso (1824–1902), this text of Patrul Rinpoche offers advice on the purpose and significance of solitude. Brief as it is, the work is of interest not only for its comments on retreat, but also for the clues it holds about Alak Dongak's life, especially as no complete biography has yet come to light and his writings have not survived.

• Nine Considerations and Criteria for Benefiting Beings | Advice

In this important guide to Mahāyāna ethics, Patrul Rinpoche elaborates upon nine points or criteria that a follower of the bodhisattva path should consider when seeking to act for others' benefit.

• Biography of Patrul Rinpoche by Alak Zenkar Rinpoche | Biographies

Alak Zenkar Rinpoche offers a concise account of the extraordinary life and teaching career of Dza Patrul Orgyen Jigme Chökyi Wangpo (1808–1887), one of the most influential Tibetan masters of the nineteenth century. The biography has been reprinted a number of times since it was first published in the 1980s, and is included in most recent editions of Patrul's most famous work, Kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung.

• Prayer to the Lineage of the Bodhicaryāvatāra | Lineage Prayers

This prayer to the masters of the lineage of explanation for Bodhicaryāvatāra, from Patrul Rinpoche back through the generations as far as Śāntideva, and before him to Buddha Śākyamuni and Mañjuśrī, is also an aspiration to take the central message of the text to heart.

• The Brightly Shining Sun: A Step-by-Step Guide to Meditating on the Bodhicaryāvatāra | Bodhicaryāvatāra

Patrul Rinpoche was renowned for his mastery of, and fondness for, Śāntideva's classic guide to the way of the bodhisattvas, and this is his practical manual for applying its wisdom and meditating on its key themes.

• A Brief Guide to the Stages and Paths of the Bodhisattvas | Buddhist Philosophy

This survey of the five paths (lam lnga) and ten stages or bhūmis (sa bcu) explains the practices and qualities associated with each and every phase of the Mahāyāna path, from its initial point of entry through to its eventual culmination with the attainment of enlightenment.

• A Brief Introduction to the Bardos | Dying & the Bardos

This short work details the phases of dissolution during and immediately following death, and also outlines the crucial points of practice to be born in mind at this critical time.

• An Essential Instruction on Refuge and Bodhichitta | Refuge

Taking a famous four-line prayer as his basis, Patrul Rinpoche explains the practice of taking refuge in the Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha, and arousing bodhicitta, in both its relative and ultimate forms.

• An Instruction on the View of the Mahāyāna – Clarifying the Two Truths | Buddhist Philosophy

One of Patrul Rinpoche's better known works, this pithy presentation of the two levels of truth is more than just a guide to what "relative" and "absolute" signify; it is also a practical instruction on how to apply such understanding in meditation.

• Preliminary Points to be Explained When Teaching the Buddha's Word or the Treatises | Pedagogy

This brief work on pedagogical theory outlines the qualities and approaches of three different types of teacher (a fully enlightened buddha, arhat and learned paṇḍita), before discussing the science of listening and explaining the purpose of titles.

• The Concentrated Seed: How to Distinguish the Tenets of Non-Buddhist and Buddhist Schools | Buddhist Philosophy

In this short guide to Buddhist and non-Buddhist philosophical tenets, Patrul Rinpoche begins by outlining the tīrthika views of eternalism and nihilism. He then summarizes the views of the śrāvaka schools of Vaibhāṣika and Sautrāntika, as well as the two kinds of pratyekabuddha, the various branches of Cittamātra, and the Svātantrika and Prāsaṅgika strands of Mādhyamika. To conclude, he offers a brief overview of the various levels of secret mantra.

• Advice on How to Put the Meaning of the Natural Great Perfection into Practice | Dzogchen

This short work in verse offers advice on the natural self-liberation (rang grol) of thoughts and emotions, which Patrul Rinpoche repeatedly identifies as the key to the view, meditation and conduct of the Great Perfection.

• Self-Liberating Meditation: A Profound Method for Attaining Enlightenment according to the Ultimate Great Perfection | Dzogchen

Sometimes known by its first four syllables as Eko Eko (translated as "Have you heard? Have you heard?") and sometimes as Self-Liberated Wisdom-Mind, this is a comprehensive and popular instruction on Dzogchen meditation. Although the emphasis is on remaining natural and unaltered (machöpa), the text also offers advice on how to integrate and adapt to the various experiences and circumstances a practitioner might face. The style is direct, eloquent and moving.

• Brief Guide to the Stages of Visualization for the Ngöndro Practice | Ngöndro

Patrul Rnpoche's explanations in this brief guide to the Longchen Nyingtik preliminary practices mostly follow those given in his classic text, The Words of My Perfect Teacher (Kun bzang bla ma'i zhal lung). Still, this condensed text offers useful reminders of the most important points of the practice, especially the details of the visualizations.

• In Praise of Glorious Vajrasattva | Vajrasattva

In this series of verses Patrul Rinpoche praises the deity Vajrsattva (rdo rje sems dpa') by describing his unique qualities, forms and functions.

• Excellent Explanation from the Scriptural Tradition: A Brief Guide to the Stages of Meditating on the General Themes of the Ornament to the Prajñāpāramitā | Prajñāpāramitā

In this practical guide to meditating on the teachings of the Prajñāpāramitā sūtras, as outlined in Maitreya's Abhisamayālaṃkāra, Patrul discusses the attitude and training of a bodhisattva. He repeatedly emphasises the fact that enlightened activity for others' benefit—and not simply realization—is the ultimate goal.

• Prayer to Chökyi Wangpo, the Bodhisattva and Tamer of Beings by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo | Prayers

Jamyang Khyentse wrote this twelve-line prayer to Patrul Rinpoche during the festival of Chökhor Düchen in 1860. The text identifies Patrul as an emanation of Śāntideva and the early Dzogchen adept Aro Yeshe Jungne, and praises his qualities of renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom.

• Prayer to Machik Labdrön | Prayers

A short supplication in three verses addressed to the Mother Prajñāpāramitā, Krodhakālī, and the great Machik Labdrön.

• Prayer to Śāntideva and Dam, Tsang and Jam of Katok | Prayers

A short prayer composed while circumambulating stūpas dedicated to the early masters of Katok Monastery.

• Aspiration to Generate Bodhicitta, Utterly Pure and Supreme | Mind Training (Lojong)

This prayer of aspiration covers the entire Buddhist path, but places special emphasis on the cultivation of bodhicitta in its various forms. For to have bodhicitta, says Patrul Rinpoche, is to have "all that's needed to attain enlightenment."

• Brief Windhorse Practice of Tārā | Lungta

This brief practice calls upon the goddess Tārā and other deities to grant their inspiration and blessings, so that the practitioner's lifespan, merit, prosperity, renown, good fortune, magnetism (dbang thang) and 'windhorse' (rlung rta) may all increase.

• Temple Dedication Prayer | Dedication

Only recently discovered, this prayer of dedication by Patrul Rinpoche is to be recited when the construction of a temple is complete. It is not only an aspiration for the new temple to prosper and be of as much benefit as possible, but also a plea to the protective spirits to watch over the temple and guard its contents.

• The Ritual of the Bodhisattva Vow according to the tradition of Patrul Rinpoche arranged by Chatral Rinpoche | Bodhicitta

This elaborate ritual for taking the bodhisattva vow, which includes preliminary recitations and practices as well as the vow itself, was arranged according to the tradition of the great Dza Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) by the holder of his lineage, Chatral Rinpoche Sangye Dorje, in 1986.

• A Brief Mañjuśrī Sādhana | Mañjuśrī

A concise and simple sādhana focused upon Mañjuśrī, the embodiment of all the buddhas' wisdom.

• The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King – Commentary | Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements

Patrul Rinpoche's own commentary to the root verses of his most famous Dzogchen work, The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King (mkhas pa śrī rgyal po'i khyad chos).

• The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King—Root Text | Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements

The root text of one of the most famous and commonly taught works on Dzogchen of recent times, based on the final testament of the first human Dzogchen master, Garab Dorje.

• The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King—Root Text (arranged in Tibetan-English verses) | Striking the Vital Point in Three Statements

The root text in English alongside the original Tibetan of Patrul Rinpoche's classic, one of the most famous Dzogchen works of recent times.

• A Topical Outline of the General Confession Spoken by the Five Great Sages | Confession

Patrul Rinpoche provides a topical outline (sa bcad) for the confessional liturgy that forms the final chapter of the Immaculate Confession Tantra (Dri med bshags rgyud).

• The Way to Explain the King of All Aspiration Prayers, the Secret Vajra Knot | Aspiration Prayers

This brief guide to explaining Minling Terchen Gyurme Dorje's famous aspiration prayer, known as 'The Secret Vajra Knot' (rdo rje rgya mdud), provides a topical outline of its contents, and, in so doing, reveals the vastness of its vision.

• Topical Outline of the Prayer That Swiftly Fulfils All Wishes (Sampa Nyur Drupma) | Guru Rinpoche Prayers

A topical outline explaining the four major divisions of this popular prayer to Guru Padmasambhava which combines verses from both Longchen Rabjam and Jigme Lingpa.