Nepal in Color, 1966-1975

History

Daniel W. Edwards

Asia

Vajra Books

Gaiety of Spirit the Sherpas of Everest

Frances Klatzel

This book primarily seeks to celebrate and reveal the historic contributions made by the Chitrakars to the tradition of paintings in Nepal from the early eleventh century to recent times.

Nepali Painting: Through the Ages

Arts & Photography

Madan Chitrakar

History & Criticism

This famous seminal text of radical Dzogchen provides a profound yet simple poetic statement of how it is to immerse oneself in the matrix of the now and recognize buddha. It is the personal statement of a peerless yogin-adept. Certainly the magic of his poetry impresses us that way and surely this Treasury of the Dharmadhatu, the Choyingdzo, reveals the consummation of Dzogchen.In it we are assured that over and above all the yogas and dhyanas of Hindustan, all the ritual and magic of Tibet and all the quasi-religious new-age therapies of the West there exists a simple,timeless manner of being, easy of access, requiring no onerous technique or renunciate lifestyle, that can give us some constant satisfaction in this vale of laughter and tears between birth and dying.(From the Introduction by Keith Dowman)With Longchenpa, Dzogchen Ati reaches its most complete revelation; the Choyingdzo is?Longchenpa's most lucid and revealing statement of the vajra-heart;and Keith Dowman has made a fine translation.The pathless path of Dzogchen comes alive in this poetic exposition of the apex of Tibetan mysticism.(Bhakha Tulku Pema Rigdzin)As one who has grappled with this challenging, inspiring, wonderful text, I am delighted to see another attempt at conveying the great Longchenpa's definitive exposition on the Dzogchen approach of original purity.(Richard Barron,Lotsawa) The form of language, the translation, the use of poetic invention creates an atmosphere of understanding, as if a mahasiddha were writing in Oxford English with a touch of American slang. This is radical Dzogchen?not only in the actual teaching itself, but also in the quality of the translation that strikes the flint of idiom to create sparks of wisdom that reveal the whole hologram.(John Tischer,Poet)

Spaciousness: The Radical Dzogchen of the Vajra-Heart (Longchenpa's Treasury of the Dharmadhatu)

Keith Dowman

Health, Fitness & Dieting

Trekking Map Around Annapurna

"Unified Architectural Theory" re-invents architecture by uncovering its forgotten languages. Organized in 44 sections, this book contains lecture notes and readings from a course based on Christopher Alexander's "The Nature of Order, Book 1", and using Salingaros' "A Theory of Architecture". It chronicles research results that can change our built environment for the better. Unified Architectural Theory is an innovative approach to the basis of architecture, permitting individual students and architects to assert their creativity in pursuing adaptive and sustainable design. The Czech and Nepali versions are offered by publishers in those countries. German and Spanish versions are underway. Selected chapters translated into Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, and Urdu are available free online.

Unified Architectural Theory: Form, Language, Complexity

Nikos A. Salingaros

Architecture

From Goddess to Mortal

Rashmila Shakya

Religion & Spirituality

More than a decade in the making, this is a textbook of architecture, useful for every architect: from first-year students, to those taking senior design studio, to graduate students writing a Ph.D. dissertation in architectural theory, to experienced practicing architects. It is very carefully written so that it can be read even by the beginning architecture student. The information contained here is a veritable gold mine of design techniques. This book teaches the reader how to design by adapting to human needs and sensibilities, yet independently of any particular style. Here is a unification of genuine architectural knowledge that brings a new clarity to the discipline. It explains much of what people instinctively know about architecture, and puts that knowledge for the first time in a concise, understandable form. Dr. Salingaros has experience in the organization of the built environment that few practicing architects have. The later chapters of this new book touch on very sensitive topics: what drives architects to produce the forms they build; and why architects use only a very restricted visual vocabulary. Is it personal inventiveness, or is it something more, which perhaps they are not even aware of? There has not been such a book treating the very essence of architecture. The only other author who is capable of raising a similar degree of passion (and controversy) is Christopher Alexander, who happens to be Dr. Salingaros' friend and architectural mentor.

A Theory of Architecture

Mt. Kailash in the far west of Tibet is one of the holiest mountains in the world, adored by Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Bonpo. During the last two decades, also Westerners set out for this remote region. Improved infra- structure let their number - and that of Indian pilgrims - severely increase. Besides Mt. Kailash, there are other goals for pilgrims and tourists: Lake Manasarovar, Tirthapuri and the historical Guge kingdom, and the sources of the four major rivers Brahmaputra, Karnali, Sutlej and Indus. After several Mt. Kailash pilgrimages in the years 2002 - 2013, the author describes the whole region in detail and the recent trend to develop it as a center of tourism, coming along with the improved accessibility on paved roads. As with other holy mountains, there are several paths for the circumambulation, the Kora of Mt. Kailash. Those who performed it 12 times, are entitled for the "Inner" Kora. In the horse year of the Tibetan calendar, this condition is fulfilled already by a single Kora. The horse year 2014 will therefore see large numbers of visitors, pilgrims and trekking tourists, from many countries. The "Inner" Kora is a path leading directly into the south face of Mt. Kailash. It never leads around the holy mountain itself, but goes around Mt. Nandi, an outlier of Mt. Kailash. The author describes the "Inner" Kora, but also a real Inner Kora of Mt. Kailash: he redetected paths a long time forgotten and succeeded in exploring new ones. The exceptional views of the holy mountain on these paths and their astonishing resemblance with the iconography of the deity residing in the mountain are explained and demonstrated with graphic representations by the artist August Ohm.

The Inner and Outer Paths of Mt. Kailash: Pilgrimage to the Abode of Chakrasamvara

Wolfgang Wöllmer

The teachings of Bön are organized into nine ways, or nine vehicles to enlightenment, the ninth and highest of which is known as Dzogchen, "the Great Perfection." Among the four principal traditions of Bönpo Dzogchen, the oral tradition from the country of Zhangzhung is of unique importance because it never became a Terma, or hidden treasure text rediscovered long after its original composition. The precepts of Dzogchen were said to have originated with the Primordial Buddha, Kuntu Zangpo, passing down at fi rst through the Direct Mind-to-Mind Transmission and then later through the Oral Transmission of the Twenty-Four Masters, all of whom attained the Rainbow Body of Light. In Zhang-zhung in the 7th century, these precepts were communicated by the last in this line of masters to his disciple Tapihritsa, who subsequently attained Buddha enlightenment through the practice of vision, or Thodgal. In the next century, he appeared on a number of occasions at the Darok Lake in Zhangzhung, or Northwestern Tibet, to the Tantric master Gyerpung Nangzher Lödpo, who set down these precepts in writing for the fi rst time in the Zhang-zhung language. In the next century, they were translated into Tibetan and thus these precepts have come down to our own day in an unbroken line of transmission. The teachings of the Zhang-zhung Nyän-gyüd, "the Oral Tradition from Zhang-zhung," are classifi ed into four cycles of texts, which are designated outer, inner, secret, and exceedingly secret. Accordingly, these precepts are said to represent the actual words of the enlightened master Tapihritsa. The outer cycle focuses on the general view of Dzogchen, the inner cycle on the practice of contemplation, or Trekchöd, the secret cycle on the practice of vision, or Thödgal, and the very secret cycle on the removing of doubts with regard to the Natural State of the Nature of Mind being the source of all visions, both in meditation practice and in normal life...

The Precepts of the Dharmakaya: Advanced Instructions on the Practice of Bönpo Dzogchen According to the Zhang-Zhung Tradition of Tibet

John Myrdhin Reynolds

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

Books by Vajra Books