Mahāmudrā or the great Seal, refers to a Mahayana Buddhist system of meditation on nature of the mind and is undertaken for realising Enlightenment. Taught by Buddha manifesting in the form of Vajradhara, its lineage was passed in India from Tilopa to Naropa to Marpa, and then in Tibet to Mila-repa and Gompa-pa, author of The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. The specific lineage represented here is that of the Karma Ka-gyü which passed from Gampo-pa to the First Karmapa and then through successive Gurus until the present day. This text by the Ninth Karmapa (1556-1603) is one of the most famous expositions of this meditational system. It covers both the preliminary practices as well as the actual Mahāmudrā meditations of mental quiescence (samatha) and penetrative insight (Vipasyana). Explaining the stages and paths as travelled in this system, it represents a complete path to Enlightenment. Accompanying the root text is a commentary given orally by Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, based on the teachings of his Guru, His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa. As a proper relation with a Guru is essential for realising Mahāmudrā, also included is the basic text on Guru-devotion by the first century B.C. Indian Master Aśvaghoṣa with an oral commentary by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey. This work is published under the auspices of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to make available living teachings from the many traditions of Buddhism as preserved in Tibet.

Mahamudra meditation is simultaneously the most profound of meditative disciplines and the most accessible for modern practitioners. Traditionally passed orally from teacher to disciple, mahamudra instructions point the meditator to the innate perfection of every experience. When it first appeared in 1986, Mahamudra: The Moonlight - Quintessence of Mind and Meditation was the first presentation in English of a major Tibetan Buddhist work on meditation. This classic guide was composed in the sixteenth century by an eminent lama of the Kagyu school and is so comprehensive and practical that it is still widely used today as a manual. Divided into two major sections, it presents first the common approach and then the mahamudra approach to tranquility (shamatha) and insight (vipashyana) meditation.

Associated with the promotion of world peace, the Kalachakra - or "Wheel of Time" - tantra is one of the most detailed and encompassing systems of theory and practice within Tibetan Buddhism. This book contains a complete translation of the Kalachakra initiation ritual as it was conferred by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington DC in July 2011, along with his commentary and a comprehensive introduction by Professor Jeffrey Hopkins that explores the Kalachakra's rich symbolism, meaning, and history. The book also includes the Six-Session Yoga.

Associated with the promotion of world peace, the Kalachakra - or "Wheel of Time" - tantra is one of the most detailed and encompassing systems of theory and practice within Tibetan Buddhism. This book contains a complete translation of the Kalachakra initiation ritual as it was conferred by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Washington DC in July 2011, along with his commentary and a comprehensive introduction by Professor Jeffrey Hopkins that explores the Kalachakra's rich symbolism, meaning, and history. The book also includes the Six-Session Yoga.

The relationship between a teacher and student can be a most rewarding and life-enhancing experience, yet it can also be fraught with problems and misunderstandings. For Westerners working with Eastern teachers, the difficulties can be compounded by cultural differences, language barriers, and divergent expectations. Wise Teacher, Wise Student examines the teacher-student relationship as it is understood in the Tibetan Buddhist context. The author surveys a wide spectrum of situations, exploring the causes of potential pitfalls. In illuminating the sources of misunderstandings, he offers methods to heal wounds and encourage healthy relationships.

A powerful collection of essays on race and gender in contemporary Buddhist practice by one of the leading thinkers in the area. Jan Willis was among the first Westerners to encounter exiled Tibetan teachers abroad in the late sixties, instantly finding her spiritual and academic home. TIME Magazine named her one of six “spiritual innovators for the new millennium,” both for her considerable academic accomplishments and for her cultural relevance. Her writing engages head-on with issues current to Buddhist practitioners in America, including dual-faith practitioners and those from marginalized groups. This collection of eighteen scholarly and popular essays spans a lifetime of reflection and teaching by Willis. Grouped in four sections—Women and Buddhism, Buddhism and Race, Tantric Buddhism and Saints’ Lives, and Buddhist-Christian Reflections—the essays provide timeless wisdom for all who are interested in contemporary Buddhism and its interface with ancient tradition. “This collection of essays by Jan Willis, penned over thirty years of study, teaching, and practice, is destined to become an authoritative resource in Buddhist scholarship and thought. Willis challenges many of our preconceptions, but asks no more and no less than what the Buddha asked: come, see, and experience for yourselves.” —Sharon Salzberg, author of Lovingkindness and Real Happiness “From Birmingham to Bodhgaya, Jan bridges worlds like no other. Her essays are treasures of wisdom born from a remarkable life richly lived.” —Matthew T. Kapstein, author of Reason’s Traces: Identity and Interpretation in Indian and Tibetan Buddhist Thought “This book is a blessing for us all—across cultures, across genders, across traditions.” —Larry Yang, author of Awakening Together: The Spiritual Practice of Inclusivity and Community

The worship of a living person as a manifestation of the divine is here examined as it is practiced among the sants of North India. This well-researched book provides the first coherent understanding of the movement as a whole, tracing its sources in both Indic and Islamic milieus and contrasting its perceptions of guru and lineage with those found in orthodox versions of Hindu and Buddhist tantra and Indian Sufism. At the same time, Gold examines the dynamic between holy man and tradition, and guru and disciple, to provide a vivid portrayal of devotees' attitudes toward the independent, and at times highly idiosyncratic, holy men.