Thursday 12 May 2011

THE DZOGCHEN INNERMOST ESSENCE PRELININARY PRACTICE – JIG-ME LINGPA



RATING – A

This book is exactly what I was searching for – a ngondro practice from my former lineage that I can follow at home based on former-life memories until such time as I can attend a Buddhist Center or Temple in person!

Along with giving text, commentary and prayers, this book offers the Tibetan script. (I have not yet started to study READING Tibetan, but...) The final chapter on the nine Yanas was very helpful in clarifying the various Buddhist pathways – a subject that can be quite confusing, especially when 'stumbling about through Buddhism' searching for a lineage from a former life and only just having found it.

I would recommend this book to those in the Nyingma Dzogchen Long-chen Nying-thig tradition and the final chapter to those unsure of their former Vajrayana/Mahayana lineage that may be seeking a few clues and pointers as to what they have been previously studying and practicing.

BUDDHIST PEACE RECIPES – PUSHPESH PANT


RATING- C-


Whilst giving some delicious looking vegetarian recipes, the book indulges in the use of certain articles my kitchen does not have – such as a deep-fat fryer & a food blender. Whereas some of the dishes may be able to be altered into meals I can prepare at home, I find being an almost-vegan puts some of them on the 'adapt or no-no' list and living in a village puts others out of bounds due to lack of a decent Indo-asian supermarket nearby.



I would recommend this cook book to vegetarian Buddhists seeking new ideas – providing they have a decent Indo-asian supermarket nearby and a modern kitchen appliances.

Saturday 7 May 2011

THE EXCELLENT PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT – DILGO KHYENTSE RINPOCHE


RATING - B+

I wanted to read a book compatible with practices from the Nyingma Dzogchen lineage to confirm that this is the lineage I once followed in a former life. I found the text both invigorating and helpful. Covering matters I had already encountered, it covered them in assistive ways to ingrain these practices and understandings deeper.

By the time I was a third of the way through the book, I knew it would become a re-read text and be on my 'read again' booklist. This is the sort of book to come back to and practice with – if the next book in line is not the ngondro teachings I choose to at-home practice with, I shall use this one myself!

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in/practicing the Nyingma Dzogchen lineage seeking to have a basis for at-home preliminaries. Also, for those seeking to learn more about or reinforce their current practices.

Monday 2 May 2011

DREAM YOGA AND THE PRACTICE OF NATURAL LIGHT – CHOGYAL NAMKHAI NORBU


RATING - A-

I selected this book partly due to it concerning Dzogchen and partly due to it concerning dream Yoga practices. Both topics interest me enough to participate in practicing them. I have been able to enter the dream zone and participate fully whilst awake for some time, but have had little ability to be aware whilst dreaming/sleeping itself – I thought that this book might assist me.

I found it extremely helpful in learning what I do and do not currently know and what I can and can not currently do. It also amazed me in that I discovered that I had already been practicing what is termed 'Thegchod' without knowing it was called this, due to memories from a past life that resurfaced. As the subject was discussed, I realized that I had already begun to practice this! Obviously, I will need to now find a book on that topic and continue my studies!

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in practicing dream Yoga from a Buddhist point of view – but would also say that this book agrees that for the practice to be conducted properly one needs a transmission – something I have not yet had in THIS life, though have had formerly.