The Refuge Vow: A Sourcebook is a compilation of commentaries and traditional text excerpts on the Buddhist Refuge Vow by various teachers including Chögyam Trungpa, Sakyong Mipham, Tsoknyi Rinpoche and Thrangu Rinpoche, among others. A valuable resource for both those preparing to take the vow, and for teachers of Buddhism. 
"The purpose of taking refuge is to awaken from confusion and associate oneself with wakefulness. Taking refuge is a matter of commitment and acceptance and, at the same time, of openness and freedom. By taking the refuge vow we commit ourselves to freedom." —Chögyam Trungpa

The Refuge Vow

Thrangu Rinpoche

Tsoknyi Rinpoche

Patrul Rinpoche

Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche

Vajradhatu Publications

This book is the longest of the Ninth Karmapa's three important texts on Mahamudra and one of the most extensive texts on it in the Kagyu tradition.

The Ninth Karmapa's Ocean of Definitive Meaning

Religion & Spirituality

Tashi Namgyal, Lama

Yeshe Gyamtso, Lama

Buddhism

Snow Lion Pubns

The essence of the teachings of the Buddha, is practice. The reason we practice meditation is to attain happiness. This means happiness in both the short term and the long term. The short-term benifitsof meditation are more than merely peace of mind, because our physical health as well depends to a great extend upon our state of mind. The ultimate or long-term benefit of the practice of meditation is becoming free of all suffering, which means no longrt compelled to experience the sufferings of birth, aging, sickness and death. In this remarkable teaching Thrangu Rinpoche presents all the important aspects of Buddhist meditation in general and from the vajrayana perspective in particular. In it are covered motivation, posture, mental technique, consciousness and wisdom, as wel as creation and completion stages and mahamudra.

Teachings on the Practice of Meditation

Zhisil Chokyi Ghatsal

Buddhist Conduct: The Ten Virtuous Actions

Jewel Ornament of Liberation by Thrangu Rinpoche (2003-05-04)

Zhyisil Chokyi Publications

In the fourth century CE Asanga, a practitioner who did a 12 year Maitreya retreat was able to meet the Maitreya Buddha directly and receive this text. This book is studied by all four sects of Tibetan Buddhism and lays the foundation for understanding Buddha Nature which is the essence that pervades all sentient beings that allows them to reach enlightenment. This book of 283 pages contains a translation of the original 404 root verses and Thrangu Rinpoche's verse by verse commentary on this text. The Uttaratantra Shastra or the Supreme Continuum is the foundation for the Shentong view of reality.

The Uttaratantra; A Treatise on Buddha-Essence

Namo Buddha Publications & Zhyisil Chokyi Ghatsal

To read spiritual biographies of the Kagyu lineage masters is a great inspiration to enter the path and also provides encouragement and enthusiasm to continue when circumstances become difficult. The spiritual biography of Gampopa, covered in the first half of this book, is a very good example of avoiding the extremes in practice and of showing how we should correctly practice. Gampopa was the main disciple of Milarepa and one of the founders and shining jewels of the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism from which originate the four greater and eight lesser schools. Besides writing the Jewel Ornament of Liberation, Gampopa distilled the Buddhist path into four short lines or truths, called dharmas. These lines became known as the "Four Dharmas of Gampopa." The second half of this book translates these four lines along with a detailed commentary on each by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche.

The Life and Teachings of Gampopa

Zhyisil Chokyi Ghatsal

These works, transmitted from Arya Maitreya - the fifth and future Buddha of this fortunate age - to Arya Asanga some time in the third century, comprise one of the major foundations of Mahayana Buddhism, the unbroken transmission and practice of which continues today.  The focus of this text is the Prajnaparamita teachings. There are two main ways of approaching the meaning of the Prajnaparamita, the direct and indirect approach, with both approaches revealing the meaning of emptiness. Many students these days are familiar with the direct approach to understanding emptiness as shown in texts such as those by Nagarjuna. However, the indirect approach is perhaps less familiar and is what Maitreya is focussing on in this text. The indirect approach to emptiness reveals the hidden meaning of the Prajnaparamita sutras by examining the five paths and spiritual levels. Through this approach one understands how emptiness is realized, how this wisdom is developed and what is removed by this wisdom.  Maitreya received the full transmission and meaning of these teachings directly from the Buddha and is therefore able to convey the meaning clearly and directly for us. This was his main motivation for composing this particular work and also that by understanding the Prajnaparamita teachings beings would be able to accomplish Buddhahood.

The Ornament of Clear Realization

This teaching by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche on Penkarwa's "Short Prayer to Dorje Chang" is one of Rinpoche's first published teachings. It was given by Rinpoche at the request of His Holiness the 16th Gyalwa Karmapa especially for the benefit of western students, so that they may understand the nature of the path. Here Rinpoche gives a verse by verse commentary, which covers all aspects of the path and the practice according to the tradition of Mahamudra. He also gives a brief history of the lineage and the early lineage masters.

Showing the Path of Liberation

Namo Buddha Publications

The Three Vehicles of Buddhist Practice

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Thrangu Rinpoche. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Thrangu Rinpoche