Translations by Gyurme Avertin

• Jewels of Many Colours: Ordinary Fire Pūjas for the Four Activities Based on a Single Substance to Easily Conclude Approach and Accomplishment by Jamgön Kongtrul Lodrö Thaye

Jamgön Kongtrul composed this simple fire offering (me mchod) ritual for each of the four activities—pacifying, enriching, magnetizing and subjugating—because he could not find anything similar. It is included within his Treasury of Revelations (rin chen gter mdzod).

• A Short Story of the Life and Liberation of Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö wrote this brief autobiography as a supplement to the collected biographies of lineage masters for the Chöd (gcod) practice known as The Whispered Transmission of Machik's Secret Conduct (ma gcig gsang spyod snyan brgyud) or The Whispered Transmission of Thangtong Gyalpo (thang stong snyan brgyud).

• Advice to Myself by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

In the form of an address to himself, Jamyang Khyentse delivers some urgent and uncompromising advice, before offering a heartfelt prayer to his teacher and concluding words of aspiration.

• The Sweet Ambrosia of Immortality: Concise Instructions on the Generation and Completion Phases of the Single-Form Daily Practice of the Heart-Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality by Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö

Jamyang Khyentse Chökyi Lodrö wrote these detailed instructions on how to practise the short 'single-form' daily sādhana of Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik based on teachings he received from Katok Situ Chökyi Gyatso, who, in turn, received them from Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, the revealer of the practice, himself.

• A Shortcut to the Siddhi of Immortality: Guru Yoga of Union with the Three Deities of Long Life by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

This guru yoga of the three deities of longevity—White Tārā 'Wish-fulfilling Wheel', Amitāyus and Uṣṇīṣavijayā—is considered an auxiliary to the Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik practice.

• Activities for Uncovering Primordial Wisdom from the Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik, ‘The Heart Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality’ by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

The longer sādhana of The Heart-Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality, or Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik ('chi med 'phags ma'i snying thig), the popular long-life practice of Tārā in union with the Lord of the Dance, which Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo discovered as a mind treasure in 1855.

• Concise and Clear Supplementary Instructions for the Transference Practice of the Great Perfection's Heart-Essence of the Vast Expanse by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo elaborates on the fundamental teachings of Jigme Lingpa by providing 1) transference instructions for someone who has recently died, 2) transference instructions as part of the ongoing ritual for guiding the deceased, and 3) instructions for the living.

• A Powerful Pith Instruction to Abstain from Tobacco, the Tenacious Demon Plaguing People of Degenerate Times revealed by Jigdral Tutop Lingpa

This text from the terma cycle known as The Ocean of the Profound Essence (zab tig rgya mtsho) relates the mythical origins of tobacco and warns readers against its use, noting how it incites destructive emotions and ultimately leads to rebirth in hell.

• Prayer to Rigdzin Jigme Lingpa Invoking His Previous Incarnations by Jigme Lingpa

Jigme Lingpa wrote this prayer at the request of his students. It invokes many of his previous incarnations, beginning with the primordial Buddha Samantabhadra.

• Transferring the Consciousness of the Deceased by Jigme Lingpa

This short guide can be read aloud in the presence of the dead and dying. It begins by explaining the truth of the person's situation, that they have passed away, then offers citations from the sūtras, encourages them to aim for Sukhāvatī, and finally guides them in a practice of transference (phowa).

• Advice on Abandoning the Eight Worldly Concerns by Nyala Pema Dündul

In this brief song Nyala Pema Dündul advises his audience how to give up the eight ordinary concerns, or 'worldly dharmas' ('jig rten chos brgyad), i.e., hope for happiness and fear of suffering; hope for fame and fear of insignificance; hope for praise and fear of blame; hope for gain and fear of loss.

• A Brief Practice for Paying Homage and Making Offerings to the Buddha together with his retinue of Arhats by Śākyaśrībhadra

Attributed to the great Kashmiri scholar Śākyaśrībhadra, this is the most famous rite of homage and offering (phyag mchod) to the Buddha and the Sixteen Elders (sthavira).

• Bright Light of the Sun: A Simple Fire Offering Based on a Single Substance by Tamdrin Gönpo

This extremely concise and unelaborate fire offering is included in Jamgön Kongtrul's Treasury of Revelations (rin chen gter mdzod)—the only text in that collection by this author.

• Dedication from Vajravārāhī Cycle of Namchö revealed by Mingyur Dorje by Tertön Mingyur Dorje

Sometimes classified as a Sukhāvatī aspiration (bde smon), this well-known prayer for the dedication of virtue (dge ba bsngo ba) is attributed to Buddha Amitābha, who spoke to Tulku Mingyur Dorje in a vision in 1657.

• Prayer for Dispelling Famine by Thangtong Gyalpo

First spoken in the presence of the sacred Jowo Rinpoche statue in Lhasa, this prayer of aspiration is credited with ending a famine that affected Tibet, especially Kham, in 1437.

• Introduction to Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik

A brief overview of the revealed longevity practice known as Chimé Pakmé Nyingtik (‘chi med ‘phags ma'i snying thig), 'The Heart-Essence of the Sublime Lady of Immortality'.