Our Online Education and Media team has been very busy and this is good news for those of us in the Tibetan Buddhist world for two reasons:

The second focus of our OEM team is more in-depth, focused online courses.  With about 15,000 people having gone through our courses in the last year—such as those on the three yanas based on the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche by his long-time editor—and popular teacher in her own right—Judy Lief, lojong teachings with Pema Chödrön, and introductory meditation courses with Susan Piver and Lodro Rinzler, we are expanding our offerings further. Our certified Instructional Designers on staff have created unique, engaging experiences with these great teachers that keep people coming back for more. And this was only the beginning2017 will be packed with great courses for Tibetan Buddhists.

Online Education & Media

Padmakara's Wulstan Fletcher on the Bodhicharyavatara

Guided Meditation with Tulku Thondup

Pema Chödrön's recent online course

Upcoming course on Mahamudra based on Chögyam Trungpa's teachings

Books 2016

35 new books and reissues of some classics

Classics of Indian Masters
Nagarjuna, Asanga, Padmasambhava

Tibetan Masters
Rongzompa, Tsongkhapa, Machik Lapdron, Patrul Rinpoche...

Contemporary Teachers
The Dalai Lama, Khenchen Thrangu, Dzongsar Khyentse...

Accessible Introductions
Pema Chödrön, Thubten Chodron, Anam Thubten...

our LOCATION

Our visitor center is located in Willemstad, Curaçao.

SALINA ESTATES
z/n Bapor Kibrá
Willemstad, Curaçao

Orgyen Chowang

Finally, in this section is Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche’s Our Pristine Mind: A Practical Guide to Unconditional Happiness. Now this could really fit into either category we have grouped these books – it is an incredibly clear introduction to practice, void of lots of technical terms, but this is really unique – it’s a distillation of the heart of the teachings of Mipham Rinpoche and Guru Rinpoche. Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche was trained by Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche (see also Always Present: The Luminous Wisdom of Jigme Phuntsok) one of the great masters of the last century and whose disciples are having a profound impact on the state of Buddhism in China and Tibet. Rinpoche has been on a coast-to-coast tour of the U.S and the feedback for the book has been pretty astounding from both those new to Buddhism who find it so simple, jargon-free, and doable, and for long-time practitioners for whom it can be a splash of cool water, refreshing their practice with a practical clarity they needed

GREAT service

REINI WILLIAMS

I have lived surrounded by the ocean my entire life. My area of expertise is waterfront properties, by land, by sea and by air. I love my job, it gives me the opportunity to meet the greatest people in the world and help them make their dreams come true. It is my ultimate goal to make sure each and every client is treated as a VIP.

(+559) 9-555-5555

[email protected]

GREAT service

REINI WILLIAMS

I have lived surrounded by the ocean my entire life. My area of expertise is waterfront properties, by land, by sea and by air. I love my job, it gives me the opportunity to meet the greatest people in the world and help them make their dreams come true. It is my ultimate goal to make sure each and every client is treated as a VIP.

(+559) 9-555-5555

[email protected]

Dzigar Kongtrul

2016 has brought two new books and one interactive card deck on lojong, or mind training, that are great for everyone (and a fourth lojong book in the next section). 

The first is by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche, a close disciple of Dilgo Khyentse and the current teacher of Pema Chödrön. The Intelligent Heart: A Guide to the Compassionate Life takes the famous Seven Points of Mind Training with a particular focus on tonglen, the practice of giving and taking, to weaken the grip of attachment and open our hearts to others in a powerful, transformative way. 

Thubten Chodron

The second work on lojong is Thubten Chodron’s Good Karma: How to Create the Causes of Happiness and Avoid the Causes of Suffering. Here she goes to the very roots of lojong, taking the early text whose authorship is generally understood to be that of Dharmarakshita, Atisha’s own teacher. 

For a full exploration of the practice of mind training, including its history from the Buddha through Nagarjuna, Shantideva, and Atisha as well as a guide to the many resources available for all of us today to bring it in to our hearts, see our article on the subject. 

Orgyen Chowang

Finally, this section concludes with Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche’s Our Pristine Mind: A Practical Guide to Unconditional Happiness. Now this could really fit into either category we have grouped these books—it is an incredibly clear introduction to practice, void of lots of technical terms, but this is really unique—it’s a distillation of the heart of the teachings of Mipham Rinpoche and Guru Rinpoche. Orgyen Chowang Rinpoche was trained by Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche (see also Always Present: The Luminous Wisdom of Jigme Phuntsok) one of the great masters of the last century and whose disciples are having a profound impact on the state of Buddhism in China and Tibet. Rinpoche has just completed a coast-to-coast tour of the U.S. The feedback for the book has been pretty astounding from both those new to Buddhism who find it so simple, jargon-free, and doable, and for long-time practitioners for whom it can be a splash of cool water, refreshing their practice with the practical clarity they needed. 

Anam Thubten

As those of you who have met him or read his books know, Anam Thubten is an extraordinary teacher. We first met him nearly twenty-five years ago when his English was almost non-existent, and now he has a better vocabulary than most native speakers. 

Now in Embracing Each Moment: A Guide to the Awakened Life, we find an incredibly accessible, encouraging presentation of the essential Buddhist teachings spoken from someone with real experience and with an intimate understanding of the subtleties of our minds. This is inspiring for long-term practitioners but also a great book to give to someone simply trying to figure things out. 

Robert Beer

Our second Buddhist Art Coloring Book: Buddhas, Deities, and Enlightened Masters from the Tibetan Tradition focuses on figures of deities drawn by master artist Robert Beer, known for his seminal Encyclopedia of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols and Motifs as well as the Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols and, of course, the first Buddhist Art Coloring Book that came out last year. The coloring book craze is everywhere right now, but there is a difference here. By working on these, one gets a familiarity with these figures that can be very helpful when practicing visualizations, etc.

Pema Chödrön

Pema Chödrön returns once again to one of her core topics on teaching, lojong. If you loved her Start Where You Are, you will also love her latest, Pema Chödrön's Compassion Cards: Teachings for Awakening the Heart in Everyday Life—a great way to really ingrain the lojong slogans by interacting with them and testing yourself. This deck includes Pema's introduction to the practice, fifty-nine cards representing the full set of lojong teachings for daily inspiration and contemplation, a practical commentary from Pema on the reverse of each card, a card stand for easy display, and an audio download of Pema’s teachings on the related practice of tonglen.

Arya Asanga

As part of the Tsadra series of essential texts from the Tibetan tradition, we are very pleased to finally have a superb translation of Asanga’s Bodhisattvabbhumi, The Bodhisattva Path to Unsurpassed Enlightenment. This is surely one of the most important and quoted texts of Mahayana Buddhism, but only by really studying it can its full impact be appreciated. Robert Thurman says of this translation,

“Anyone who aspires to follow the way of the bodhisattva, the wholehearted altruist who undertakes the evolutionary path through countless lives toward the perfectly blissful enlightenment of buddhahood, is well-advised to study this work in all its sparkling detail. I strongly recommend this wonderful jewel of a work.”

Tsering Wangmo Dhompa

The second is the poet Tsering Wangmo Dhompa’s Coming Home to Tibet. This was a hard one for us to figure out how to present, as it is not a dharma book per se so it might not obviously interest practitioners, while the Tibet-focus might have pigeon-holed it for non-Buddhists. But I think we figured it out, and I think Zen teacher Norman Fisher articulated it very well with these considered words he shared after reading this incredibly moving book:

Tsering Wangmo Dhompa is a poet who straddles several worlds and languages. In Coming Home to Tibet, she writes beautifully of her life, her family, Tibet’s astonishing landscape, and the tragedy of its contemporary political situation. As a Tibetan, Dhompa sees the traditional culture of her homeland lovingly. As a Westerner, she sees its shortcomings. So this book is a blessing for those of us interested in Tibet: it paints a sensitive and detailed portrait, from the inside, that is both critical and sympathetic.

As a Buddhist concerned about transmission of the tradition to the West, Coming Home to Tibet gave me a lot to think about. To what extent is Buddhism, as Western adherents generally see it, a psychology and philosophy divorced from its cultural moorings—and to what extent do we fundamentally misunderstand Buddhism when we look at it that way? And in that misunderstanding, do we lose a great deal of the goodness Buddhism might offer us? Dhompa does not engage such questions abstractly: her personal reflections, as an educated Tibetan Westerner, provide more powerful food for thought about this question than any theoretical discussion could."

Compiled, Introduced, and Translated by Adriano Clemente

While there are not many Bön texts in English, we were delighted to have the opportunity to publish Visionary Encounters: The Dzogchen Teachings of Bönpo Treasure-Revealer Shense Lhaje. Shense Lhaje (thirteenth century) was a Dzogchen terton from Kham, considered an emanation of Trenpa Namkha, one of Guru Rinpoche’s 25 main disciples, and it is the latter’s teachings that are presented here. Geshe Tenzin Wangyal said, “This book is a treasure that fills a critical need for translation of ancient Bön texts. Through it, we are very blessed to have access to the deep personal experiences and discoveries of Shense Lhaje, whose understanding of the teachings of the important Bön master Trenpa Namkha, one of Guru Rinpoche's 25 disciples, is connected with the source. In translating these texts from The Golden Teaching, Adriano Clemente has been supervised by great living masters of our tradition and is very qualified both as an academic and as a practitioner. I highly recommend that students of Dzogchen delve deeply, both intellectually and experientially, into the knowledge this book conveys.”

Rongzom Chökyi Zangpo

And speaking of Rongzongpa! The great eleventh-century master Rongzom Mahapandita is a towering figure in Tibetan Buddhism and in the Nyingma tradition in particular, considered alongside Longchenpa and Mipham Rinpoche as one of the three pillars of the Nyingma doctrine. Entering the Way of the Great Vehicle: Dzogchen as the Culmination of the Mahāyanā is long overdue in English. (The only other work in English is his Establishing Appearances as Divine)

Tulku Thondup Rinpoche—who, in our opinion, is as good as it gets—said that this work is an “outstanding study and translation of a renowned treatise by one of the greatest luminaries of Tibetan literature, the great Rongzompa. Starting with the Mahāyāna corpus, this volume illuminates how all the vehicles relate with, and culminate in, the Great Perfection. It is an invaluable addition to Buddhist literature in the West.”

Patrul Rinpoche and the Khenpo Brothers

Patrul Rinpoche’s works are quite extensive, eight volumes in Tibetan, but there is not too much in English outside of Words of My Perfect Teacher, Groundless Paths: The Prajnaparamita Sutras, The Ornament of Clear Realization, and Deity, Mantra, and Wisdom.

The Khenpo brothers—the late Khenpo Palden Sherab and Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal— have put together this wonderful volume, The Nature of Mind: The Dzogchen Instructions of Aro Yeshe Jungne featuring Patrul Rinpoche’s Clear Elucidation of True Nature. The Dzogchen meditation instructions of Aro Yeshe Jungne (tenth century), which Patrul Rinpoche reinvigorated, are divided into nine sets, or nine levels, with specific instructions for each on how to identify the nature of the mind, how to abide in it as a way of life, and how to liberate turbulent thoughts and emotions when they arise. The commentary enfolds this instruction into a broad general teaching suitable for beginners that serves as an introduction to Dzogchen meditation, to the Nyingma tradition, and to basic Buddhism. 

Chöying Tobden Dorje

The Complete Nyingma Tradition, which will end up being about seven to eight books, is an astounding work. Written by the Ngagkpa Chöying Tobden Dorje in Repkong in the nineteenth century, this is the most comprehensive work on any Tibetan tradition ever published—by a long shot. The feedback for this has been amazing—it truly is essential reading for anyone practicing in the Nyingma tradition. 

This second release, the Mahayoga section, is actually two volumes wrapped together. Forming books 15–17 of the original work, this release presents the entire text of the Guhyagarbha Tantra, in Tibetan and English, together with the interlinear sections of one of its most important commentaries, Dispelling the Darkness of the Ten Directions, by the outstanding fourteenth-century master Longchen Rabjam. Also included is Chöying Tobden Dorje’s rewriting of Candragomin’s inspirational Extensive Commentary on the Sublime Litany of the Names of Manjushri.

Jigme Lingpa

The next in our list is Jigme Lingpa’s Steps to the Great Perfection: The Mind-Training Tradition of the Dzogchen Masters. This is actually an expansion (by Jigme Lingpa) of a short text by Longchenpa, which refers to a text by Garab Dorje—itself a commentary on a tantra brought to Tibet by Vimalamitra. 

The first section starts with Garab Dorje and Longchenpa’s short texts and then presents Jigme Lingpa’s Seven Points (which are not based on the Kadampa master Chekawa’s famous Seven Points of Mind Training). The first few sections read as moving and powerful mind-training teachings that will be familiar to anyone who has studied the Words of My Perfect Teacher or any lojong, lam rim, or ten rim text. The seventh point, however, departs from the mind-training techniques most are familiar with into a presentation of how to train the mind in nonconceptual clarity-emptiness. This is an astoundingly pragmatic and elucidating book. We can only hope translator Cortland Dahl keeps these kind of works coming!

Tsongkhapa, the Dalai Lama, and Jeffrey Hopkins

While Tsongkhapa’s Lam Rim is probably the most widely studied of his texts, his Vajrayana equivalent, The Great Exposition of Secret Mantra, Volume 1: Tantra in Tibet is essential for those in his tradition. This and the other two volumes that come out in the spring of 2017 comprise chapters 1–4 of the original Tibetan, which dovetails nicely with some of the later volumes that Columbia University has published. Our three volumes contain extensive commentary by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Khedrup-Je, and Jeffrey Hopkins. 

Compiled by Jamgön Kongtrul

It was a major milestone in 2012 when, with the generosity of the Tsadra Foundation, we published the 10th and final volume of Jamgön Kongtrul Lodro Thaye’s Treasury of Knowledge. It's hard to imagine one human being writing such a massive work in their lifetime, yet this was one of five “treasuries,” extensive multi-volume works by this master. Now we are excited to publish the first volume—of eighteen!— in the Treasury of Precious Instructions series on the Eight Practice Lineages of Tibet. This series will be released as individual translators finish their sections. 

Chöd: The Sacred Teachings on Severance is a compilation of twenty-nine incredible texts on Severance. Many of these are, of course, by Machik Lapdrön, but other selections are from Aryadeva the Brahmin, Taranatha, the third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje, Jamgön Kongtrul himself, and many others. 

For more information on these eighteen volumes, you can download the free pdf or epub of the catalog of the eighteen volumes. 

Dudjom Rinpoche

As a nice bridge between this section and the next one on works by contemporary teachers, we are happy to announce that Dudjom Rinpoche’s A Torch Lighting the Way to Freedom: Complete Instructions on the Preliminary Practices was recently released in paperback in December.

Chögyam Trungpa

Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche saw that for dharma students to experience the wisdom he was presenting, it was best accomplished in a setting where they were fully engaged. Early on, he established annual intensive training seminars where students would listen to the teachings and absorb them through engaging in group discussion, reflection, and meditation practice.

The teachings from these seminars are now available in this single volume, Glimpses of the Profound:

• “Glimpses of Mahayana,” on the discovery and characteristics of buddha nature
• “Glimpses of Shunyata,” on the central mahayana teaching of emptiness
• “Glimpses of Space,” on the inseparability of the vastness of the feminine principle and the dynamism of the masculine principle
• “Glimpses of Realization,” on the three bodies of enlightenment (dharmakaya, sambhogakaya, nirmanakaya)

In these short, penetrating talks and lively exchanges with his early Western students, Trungpa Rinpoche presents the essential teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in a direct and experiential way. The talks resonated intensely with his audiences when they were given, and they continue to inspire those who wish to look further into the profundity of human experience.

This collection provides direct glimpses of the possibility of liberation, the opening of the human heart, and the awakening of one’s true potential.

William Magee, Elizabeth Napper, Jeffrey Hopkins, Thubten Jinpa, and more

Learning Tibetan can seem daunting, but is so important for practice. And it is doable. By anyone. 

OK, this is not new, but it was not widely available until now. Fluent Tibetan: A Proficiency-Oriented Learning System is the culmination of years of work with some of the great translators of Tibetan, including none other than Thubten Jinpa, the Dalai Lama’s translator. This includes lessons, exercises and lots of downloadable audio to reinforce terms and phrases on your commute. 

Fluent Tibetan is based upon the courses developed by the U.S. State Department's Foreign Services Institute (FSI) specifically for diplomats needing to learn a language quickly. The FSI model used for this course is unsurpassed in its proven effectiveness. The method acquaints students with the sounds and patterns of Tibetan speech through repetitive, interactive drills enabling them to learn increasingly complex structures quickly and, in this way, promotes rapid progress in speaking the Tibetan language. 

If you are interested in the Tibetan language, see our guide to the resources we recommend. 

Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

Several of us here at Shambhala think The Guru Drinks Bourbon? is Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche’s most important book to date. I do not think we are going out on a limb by saying that anyone involved in Vajrayana practice should read this book. It will challenge you, inspire you, and surprise you.

A lot of people have seen Rinpoche’s recent social media post about the Tulku system, encouraging a hard look at it. This is one of many dimensions of the role of the teacher—and the student—explored in this book.

Several of us read this in a single sitting; it is simply gripping. 

Khetsun Sangpo

Khetsun Sangpo was a lamas’ lama. While he kept a very low profile, he was revered among Nyingmapas the world over. His other books, Tantric Practice in Nyingma and Fundamental Mind, a commentary on Mipham Rinpoche’s famous Dzogchen text, are treasured gems for many of us.

It was in Fundamental Mind where we first heard of Rinpoche’s autobiography, which Strand of Jewels: My Teachers’ Essential Guidance on Dzogchen, is a translation of. This is an exceptional work of one of the last of the great generation of masters. The stories are at once inspiring and instructive, and this is a book many of us will turn to again and again. 

The Dalai Lama

The line of Dalai Lamas has a long history and connection with the Dzogchen tradition, most famously the Fifth Dalai Lama and the present Fourteenth. His Holiness was profoundly impacted by both Kunu Lama and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. 

Now he presents a beautifully clear explanation of Patrul Rinpoche’s famous text, Three Keys Penetrating the Core in The Heart of Meditation: Discovering Innermost Awareness.

This is an excellent introduction to Dzogchen, and His Holiness gives a clear and simple overview, emphasizing the importance of a proper foundation. 

Tibetan Buddhism 2016

35 New Books

Online Courses, Free Videos, and More