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The Home of Tibetan Buddhist Texts in Translation
ISSN 2753-4812
ISSN 2753-4812

Mahāmudrā Series

Mahāmudrā

English (18) | Español (2) | Français (6) | Português (7) | 中文 (11) | བོད་ཡིག (18)

Lotsawa House presents the following texts on the subject of Mahāmudrā (phyag chen) or the 'Great Seal':

Advice

by Chokgyur Dechen Lingpa
A brief outline of the fivefold practice of Mahāmudrā that is unique to the Drikung Kagyü school: train in bodhicitta, visualize one's body as the deity, visualize the guru as the deity, train in the non-conceptual view, and seal with prayers of dedication and aspiration.
Advice Chokling Tersar
by Dongak Chökyi Gyatso
The author makes a distinction between “instructions that apply more generally” and “teachings that are intended for specific individuals” in order to argue for a gradualist approach that culminates in Mahāmudrā or Dzogchen for all but those of the very sharpest faculties (who are able to proceed to the highest teachings directly).
Dzogchen Nonsectarianism Notes
by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye
Drawn from the collection of advice called Ambrosia of the Heart (snying gi bdud rtsi) this brief text offers a very simple guide to practising Mahāmudrā.
Advice
by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye
This brief explanation of how to meditate on the Mahāmudrā of the innate (lhan skyes phyag chen) on the path of liberation (grol lam) is taken from the Ambrosia of the Heart collection of advice.
Advice
by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye
In this text Jamgön Kongtrul, referring to himself as a "kusāli"—a virtuous beggar—offers instruction on how to sustain an experience of the essential nature of mind in meditation.
Advice
by Khenpo Gangshar
Khenpo Gangshar describes this pithy advice on how to be truly happy by settling into realization of mind's essential nature as "insane ramblings", but it will surely be of great benefit to practitioners.
Advice
by Khenpo Gangshar
Basic instructions on the preliminary contemplations of the rarity of the freedoms and opportunities, impermanence, karma and the sufferings of saṃsāra, followed by a simple explanation of the ground, path and fruition according to Mahāmudrā.
by Khenpo Gangshar
A concise instruction pointing out the nature of mind, which Khenpo Gangshar offered to the students of Thrangu Shedrup Dargye Ling in 1957.
Dzogchen Restricted
by Khenpo Gangshar
Gangshar Wangpo tells us that he based these verses—which explain how to eliminate obstacles to practice and sustain realization of mind's essential nature—on scripture, the oral instructions of his guru, and his own experience.
Dzogchen Songs and Poems
by Mipham Rinpoche
In this short text of practical advice, Mipham Rinpoche defines mental stillness, movement and awareness and explains how understanding the 'secret of the mind' leads to deeper levels of realization.
Meditation Advice
by Situ Paṇchen Chökyi Jungne
This concise commentary draws from the tradition of Fivefold Mahāmudrā teachings passed down from Pakmodrupa to Jikten Sumgön, and thus especially emphasized within the Drikung Kagyü lineage. When included in a single session of practice, these five points—bodhicitta, guru yoga, yidam practice, Mahāmudrā, and dedication—are held to provide a complete path to awakening. Chokyi Jungné’s instruction expands upon traditional presentations by concluding with specific instructions on how to practice during all periods of the day, as well as at the time of death.
Advice
by Situ Paṇchen Chökyi Jungne
A straightforward yet profound instruction on the nature of mind written in response to a request from an unnamed practitioner.
Advice
by Tilopa
This well-known and important source for the Mahāmudrā tradition, which is included within the Tengyur (Toh 2303), contains instructions that Tilopa imparted to Nāropa on the banks of the River Ganges.
Tengyur Damngak Dzö

Aspiration Prayers

by Third Karmapa
Among the most celebrated texts in the whole Tibetan Buddhist tradition, this beautiful prayer of aspiration succinctly conveys the spirit and profundity of the Mahāmudrā view and practice.
Aspiration Prayers

Commentaries

by Pema Karpo
Belonging to the set of instructions known as the Seven Excellent Interdependent Connections (rten 'brel rab bdun ma), this text by the great Kagyü teacher Pema Karpo (1527–1592) explains meditative equipoise, which is "the dependent arising that gives rise to excellent qualities", and post-meditation, which is the "dependent arising for perfecting the capacity".
Meditation Damngak Dzö Stages of Meditation

Preliminaries

by Jedrung Jampa Jungné
A brief Taklung Kagyü preliminary, or ngöndro, that focuses on Vajradhara, the great Indian siddhas, and the masters of the Taklung Kagyü tradition.
Ngöndro
by Karma Chakme
This extremely concise form of the Mahāmudrā preliminaries includes contemplations on the preciousness of human birth, impermanence, karma and the sufferings of saṃsāra, as well as the practices of taking refuge, generating bodhicitta, Vajrasattva visualization and recitation, maṇḍala offering and guru yoga.
Ngöndro

Songs

by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö
A short song of realisation that succinctly describes the ground, path and fruition of Mahāmudrā.
Songs and Poems

Related Topics

Dzogchen Kagyü Meditation

Buddha Vajradhara

Courtesy of Himalayan Art Resources

Further information:

BDRC T199 (phyag chen)

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ISSN 2753-4812

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