Inner Rave - Books

Books If you would like a deeper understanding of the spiritual path and meditation than will fit on this site read these amazing books. Sometimes it really helps to hear the same thing explained in a variety of different ways. Reading a few pages of Carefree Dignity or As It Is every day is an excellent way to reconnect with freshness and basic goodness and make them a part of our life rather than just cool concepts.

Carefree Dignity by Tsoknyi Rinpoche Tsoknyi Rinpoche is Tulku Urgyen's son. He and his brother Mingyur Rinpoche teach widely in the tradition of their father. Carefree Dignity is a collection of talks given by Tsoknyi Rinpoche to beginning meditators. It is clear, friendly, accessible and profound - one of the best meditation texts anywhere. As you read it you will become familiar with a certain amount of buddhist terminology. When you come across unfamiliar terms just keep on reading. Pretty soon you will figure out what they mean from the context. For example this site calls recognizing the nature of mind "freshness". The Tibetan word for this is "rigpa". Traditionally this is pointed out in person by a realized master. If you connect with this book you may wish to connect with Tsoknyi Rinpoche and his brother Mingyur Rinpoche in person. Anyone is welcome to attend one of their week long "Introduction to the Nature of Mind" retreats. It can be a profound experience to have the enlightened nature of your own mind directly pointed out to you by a realized meditation teacher. Here is their current retreat schedule. Here is a quote from page 158: For a beginner in this practice, in the first moment we notice that we are carried away, that we are distracted. The second moment is to remind oneself to recognize the essence. In the third moment one arrives back in the innate state. That is the moment of recognizing. Sometimes it is possible to arrive in the state of rigpa while walking, sometimes while eating. All of a sudden we are wide awake, in the state of rigpa. Nowhere is it written that you can only recognize the nature of your mind while sitting on your meditation cushion! For some people it may be easier to recognize mind essence while walking. Rigpa is something which is possible to acknowledge at any moment, in any situation. How can it happen at any time, in any situation? When there's a gap between two thoughts, the intrinsic nature is revealed as self-existing awareness. When the past thought has ceased and the future thought hasn't occurred yet there's a gap, and in that gap you can discover your intrinsic nature. But this gap is not necessarily very long. That's why it is said "short moments, many times." From this angle, then, within one meditation session it's fine to repeat the recognition of mind essence many times - twenty times, thirty times, whatever. First you recognize mind essence. You let be. You allow it to last a while. Then you lose track, you get distracted. Then again at some point you remind yourself. Again, let the meditation state last for a while. In this way you alternate between meditating and being distracted. You meditate, the meditation gets destroyed, you try again, it gets destroyed, you try again. Like that. Getting really good at this meditation involves growing used to, getting accustomed to, rather than doing, because its not a meditation on some "thing". As a matter of fact, recognizing self-existing awareness totally destroys the act of meditating. Just let it be. Immediately. Be sharp. Direct. Let be. Published by Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Purchase from Snow Lion or Amazon.	Tsoknyi Rinpoche points out real liberation. Mingyur Rinpoche cognizant of the empty nature. Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche admires non duality with Tulku Urgyen. Vajrayogini dances on the corpse of ego fixation.

As It Is, Volume II by Tulku Urgyen Tulku Urgyen was one of the most enlightened beings on the planet. As It Is Volume II is the main source of my current understanding of the spiritual path. These are the teachings which lead to enlightenment. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you are reading philosophy. You can experience every single thing pointed out in this book. The awakened state is always right under your nose, so close you don't notice it! Here is a quote from Padmasambhava on page 141: Empty cognizance of one taste, suffused with knowing, Is your unmistaken nature, the uncontrived original state. When not altering what is, allow it to be as it is, And the awakened state is now spontaneously present. Here is a quote from Tulku Urgyen, page 209: The nature of mind has a natural stability. This natural stability is evident when uninvolved in subject and object, not focusing on something as outside, not concentrating on something within. In this moment, when past thought has gone and future thought has not yet come, do not reconnect to any thought. To use Dzogchen terminology, it is to be awake, vibrant, crystal-clear, fully present. These incredible words do not need our fabrication, our making. They point to what is naturally so, not at what is cultivated through training. Amazing, natural awareness is beyond thought. Vividly clear, there is no obscuration. Nakedly manifest, there is no delusion. Wide awake, there is no subject and object. The thoughtfree innate state is experienced in vividness. We do not have to think of it to discover it. The natural properties of rigpa are not conceptual. The entire book is like this! Practical heart to heart instructions on how to connect with the awakened state. Published by Rangjung Yeshe Publications. Purchase from Snow Lion or Amazon.	Tulku Urgyen stabilizes the awakened state. Chögyam Trungpa dances in the brilliant space of nowness.

Shambhala, The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chögyam Trungpa A brilliant and readable book on the spiritual path. A warrior is anyone who is not afraid to be themselves and can fearlessly express their basic goodness and intrinsic dignity as a human being. Excellent presentation of basic goodness, ordinary magic, sacred outlook, cosmic mirror, authentic presence, enlightened society, the kingdom of Shambhala. Here is a the beginning of chapter one Creating an Enlightened Society: The Shambhala teachings are founded on the premise that there is basic human wisdom that can help to solve the world's problems. This wisdom does not belong to any one culture or religion, nor does it come only from the West or the East. Rather, it is a tradition of human warriorship that has existed in many cultures at many times throughout history. Published by Shambhala Publications. Purchase from Snow Lion or Amazon.	Dilgo Khyentse shares the view with Chögyam Trungpa.