Synopses & Reviews
Pabongka Rinpoche was one the twentieth century's most charismatic and revered Tibetan lamas, and in Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand we can see why. In this famous twenty-four-day teaching on the lamrim, or stages of the path, Pabongka Rinpoche weaves together lively stories and quotations with frank observations and practical advice to move readers step by step along the journey to buddhahood. When his student Trijang Rinpoche first edited and published these teachings in Tibetan, an instant classic was born. The flavor and immediacy of the original Tibetan are preserved in Michael Richards' fluid and lively translation, which is now substantially revised in this new edition.
Review
"The English translation effectively captures the force and immediacy of the original Tibetan. This text is a reference treasure for a lifetime's practice, and a true spiritual classic."
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"A comprehensive, accessible, straightforward guide on how to meditate on each step of the path."
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"I feel this guide has given me a friend whom I may consult and appreciate through the years."
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"The richest and most enjoyable volume from the Lamrim tradition... published to date."
Synopsis
A seminal text for the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, this book clearly and powerfully presents the stages of the path to enlightenment (lamrim). Based on a teaching given by Pabongka Rinpoche in 1921 that was recorded by Trijang Rinpoche, a tutor of the current Dalai Lama, Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand is an entertaining, colloquial-style text that uses teaching stories to make its points. A fundamental resource in classes at Buddhist centers, this timeless book appears here in a greatly improved translation.
About the Author
Pabongka Rinpoche (1878-1941) was one of the great lamas of the twentieth century. He was the root lama of both tutors of the present Dalai Lama and the teacher of many of the other Tibetan lamas who have been bringing the Dharma to the West.Trijang Rinpoche (1901-81) was the foremost student of Pabongka Rinpoche, the Junior Tutor of the present Dalai Lama, and the root lama of many of the first generation of great Gelug masters to teach in the West.Michael Richards is an Australian scholar who lived in the Tibetan exile community of Dharamsala for many years.