In the tradition of the Arthurian legends and Homer's Iliad, this is an epic tale of the legendary Tibetan warrior king, Gesar of Ling. The saga of Gesar's life—from the harsh circumstances of his youth to his climactic days of battle against the enemies of the four directions—is an interweaving of scenes ranging from the gritty and human to the mystical and wondrous. Some of Central Asia's most inspiring and sacred teachings have to do with courage: the bravery to face and conquer the inner and outer obstacles that prevent us from finding true freedom. The Gesar cycle has been recreated and amended by visionary bards in Central Asia for centuries. In this modern rendition, Douglas Penick brings us the unbroken heritage of spiritual warriorship embodied by the life of the enlightened warrior-sage Gesar, King of Ling. Gesar's unique teaching lies in showing us ways to use the very energy of drama and adventure to attain lasting peace.

The Warrior Song of King Gesar

Literature & Fiction

Douglas J. Penick

History & Criticism

Wisdom Publications

The Age of Waiting by Douglas J. Penick is a personal memoir enriched by the history of Buddhism and a re-telling of foundational Buddhist tales. Penick confronts not only his own mortality, but also that of the planet. This eloquent, impassioned investigation links our contemporary reality - with its medical, economic, and ecological emergencies - to an inner landscape which may prove more constant, durable, and transformative than we realize. "In this illuminating work, Penick explores contemporary crises using the frame of a classic story from Buddhism... By reflecting on personal as well as global issues, Penick models an unflinching but also compassionate orientation toward life." - Publisher's Weekly A brilliant, compassionate, heart-breakingly written, woven, acknowledgement of the unimaginable Anthropocene rolling toward us. Douglas Penick Writes with insight and wisdom, with Buddhist stories, with the life of the Buddha, with turning points in his life with his Teacher, Trungpa Rinpoche, and with touching, telling alightings from his own life from childhood until his aging (slightly) now. Well worth anything you can give to its reading, musing, in this vast humming, in this "Ocean of Buddhas." - Zentatsu Richard Baker

The Age of Waiting

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Diseases & Physical Ailments

Arrowsmith Press

CROSSINGS ON A BRIDGE OF LIGHT is about the ultimate adventure in all our lives: the transition between life and death. It tells how Gesar, King of Ling moves between the realms of the living and the dead.This is the first English rendition of this exciting and inspiring episode in the Gesar of Ling epic. In this story, Gesar, King of Ling, moves between life and death to free his mother from the bonds of hell. He traverses the six realms of being and passes through the five traditional states (bardos). His journey reaches its apex in four visions of the enlightened rulers of the Kingdom of Shambhala. Gesar's inner journey, his encounters with a panoply of beings embodying the spontaneous presence of the awakened state, enable him to heal the doubts and divisions that have come to threaten his kingdom. This tale of how the vision of an enlightened society can be realized on this earth has inspired people for many centuries; it is equally powerful today. *"The miraculous images of King Gesar dance so vividly on the pages of 'Crossings On A Bridge of Light' it's as if they were alive. It's beautiful!" -The Ven. Tulku Thondup, translator of many important Nyingma texts, author of "Healing Power of Mind", "Boundless Healing", and "Peaceful Death, Joyful Rebirth"* "'Crossings On A Bridge of Life' is a treasure, a work of true inspiration. It demonstrates that the tradition of Gesar and his significance is not lost, and that singers may appear in any land or time. In relating Gesar's quest to liberate his mother from hell, it vividly brings to life the Buddhist teachings on the six realms, the cycle of bardos, the pure lands of the five transcendent Buddhas, and the inseparability of existence and awakening. The poetry of its language deeply touches the heart with compassion and opens the mind to the ever-present reality of the awakened state." -Dr. Francesca Fremantle, translator (with Chogyam Trungpa, Rinpoche) of "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" and author of "Luminous Emptiness"

Crossings On A Bridge Of Light: The Songs and Deeds of Gesar, King of Ling as He Travels to Shambhala Through the Realms of Life and Death

Mill City Press, Inc.

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Books by Douglas J. Penick