The great Pabongkha Dechen Nyingpo said, "Knowing Dharma is not enough; you must practice.” This collection, Heart Advice for Retreat, is a must-have for all practitioners, especially those engaging in longer retreats. Lama Zopa Rinpoche offers advice on the essential aspects of retreat and how to bring about the result of enlightenment. Additionally, Rinpoche provides compelling commentary to Pabongkha's text, Like a Female Cannibal Cheating, and on the rituals and necessary motivations required for entering into retreat. Advice, commentary and resources include “The Importance of Retreat,” “The Meaning of Retreat,” “Special Instructions,” “The Happiness of Dharma,” “Break-time Meditations,” “Dedication Prayers,” “Helpful Resources,” and much more. 176 pages, 2011 edition.

In our busy modern lives, we may not give much thought to death. We fear that thinking about death will take the joy out of living. But in reality, when we actively think about death and prepare for it, we find peace, fulfillment, and happiness in our current lives and our fear of death disappears. Over the course of many years, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has given profound and accessible teachings on death and dying. Heart Advice for Death and Dying contains Rinpoche’s essential advice for preparing for the time of death and leading a fulfilling life. It includes: - An introduction by Kathleen McDonald (Ven. Sangye Khadro) to Buddhist ideas about life, death, and what happens after death - Teachings by Lama Zopa Rinpoche on: The fragility and impermanent nature of life By not contemplating death we will be swayed by the attachment clinging to the happiness of this life By contemplating death we will be inspired to begin, continue, and complete our Dharma practice The nine-point meditation on death based on reflecting on how death is definite, how the time of death is indefinite, and how at the time of death only our Dharma practice will be of help to us The dying process—what actually happens to us as we are dying Preparing for death by practicing the five powers Meditation on tonglen—in order to develop bodhichitta we visualize taking suffering upon our selfishness out of on compassion and giving our happiness away out of love How to help and care for the dying and the dead Practices to do before, during, and after someone’s death The benefits of Medicine Buddha practice - The Medicine Buddha Sadhana - Mantras to benefit the dying and dead - Helpful Resources - Glossary Included with this eBook is complimentary access to the online version of Heart Advice for Death and Dying, which is available on the FPMT Online Learning Center. This FPMT introductory course consists of 11 hours of teachings and guided meditations by Ven. Sangye Khadro, a senior American teacher of Tibetan Buddhism well known for her gentle yet profound teaching style. It is presented as a series of five sessions. Each session consists of teachings by Ven. Sangye Khadro (available in both MP3 and written formats) supplemented by two guided meditations on related topics and two mindfulness practices. Each session concludes with some points for reflection intended to encourage a personal reflection and analysis of the topics taught. Additional supplementary materials are provided to help prepare for one’s own and others' death. 173 pages, 2008 edition.

From a review in BuddhaDharma magazine: The Heart of the Path is a lengthy teaching on guru yoga by a contemporary exemplar of the practice, Lama Thubten Zopa. A close disciple of Lama Thubten Yeshe for more than three decades, Lama Zopa has taught by word and example the importance and power of properly following a guru. The book is based on several decades of dharma talks organized by editor Ailsa Cameron into twenty-four chapters, beginning with the question of why one needs a teacher to progress along the path. The remaining chapters discuss in considerable detail how to cultivate and practice devotion, and generate the view of one’s own teacher as the Buddha. It concludes with several short guru yoga visualization practices. Throughout the book Lama Zopa offers personal reflections and stories to illustrate his message that guru yoga truly is the heart of the path to liberation. From a review in Tricycle magazine: For those interested in stepping beyond the realm of ideas into the world of practice, the latest book from Tibetan master Lama Zopa Rinpoche is a helpful guide to one important aspect of the spiritual path. The Heart of the Path explains the importance of guru devotion and Zopa's view of the proper way to develop a student-teacher bond. Lama Zopa has had many teachers, but his unwavering devotion to Lama Thubten Yeshe shines through on every page. Drawing on this experience and the Buddha's teachings, Zopa effectively conveys the value of relationships based on Buddhist ideals. From a review in Mandala magazine: Although guru devotion is a foundational concept within Tibetan Buddhist thought, for many it remains a bewildering and impenetrable topic. Fortunately for contemporary practitioners, Lama Zopa Rinpoche has spoken extensively on guru devotion, giving teachings and advice about what it really means to have devotion to one’s spiritual friend. Drawing from nearly fifty teachings, this treasure is the result of seven years of painstaking editing by Ven. Ailsa Cameron. Not only does it include teachings on the traditional sub-topics that fall under guru devotion found in Tsongkhapa’s lam-rim, but also a useful outline to guide your reading, several supplementary prayers and teachings from other renowned Tibetan masters, and inspiring images of Lama Zopa, Lama Yeshe and other amazing teachers peppered throughout. A perusal of this masterful work by Lama Zopa Rinpoche will assuage any doubts about the utility or possibility of “seeing the guru as Buddha.” This book is made possible by kind supporters of the Archive who, like you, appreciate how we make these teachings available in so many ways, including in our website for instant reading, listening or downloading, and as printed and electronic books. Our website offers immediate access to thousands of pages of teachings and hundreds of audio recordings by some of the greatest lamas of our time. Our photo gallery and our ever-popular books are also freely accessible there. Please help us increase our efforts to spread the Dharma for the happiness and benefit of all beings. You can find out more about becoming a supporter of the Archive and see all we have to offer by visiting our website. Thank you so much, and please enjoy this e-book.

A portable collection of short inspirational readings by “one of the world's wisest women”—the American Buddhist teacher and author of When Things Fall Apart (O, the Oprah Magazine) Pema Chödrön, beloved Buddhist nun and best-selling author, offers this treasury of 108 short selections from her more than four decades of study and writings. Here she presents teachings on breaking free of destructive patterns; developing patience, kindness, and joy amid our everyday struggles; becoming fearless; and unlocking our natural warmth, intelligence, and goodness. Designed for on-the-go inspiration, this is a perfect guide to Buddhist principles and the foundations of meditation and mindfulness. The Shambhala Pocket Library is a collection of short, portable teachings from notable figures across religious traditions and classic texts. The covers in this series are rendered by Colorado artist Robert Spellman. The books in this collection distill the wisdom and heart of the work Shambhala Publications has published over 50 years into a compact format that is collectible, reader-friendly, and applicable to everyday life.

Doing Vajrasattva retreat is not simply about reciting the mantra and saying some prayers; it is about making the practice effective for your mind, making it the quickest, most powerful way to transform your mind. Experienced meditators have advised that, in general, it is more important to put your everyday life's effort into the practice of purification - this is the way to attain spiritual realization. This eBook contains the short and long practice of Vajrasattva as well as Vajrasattva tsog. It also contains commentary, retreat advice, altar set-up, and retreat preliminaries by Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche. Contents Include: - Heruka Vajrasattva Retreat Sadhana Torma Offering - Abbreviated Heruka Vajrasattva Sadhana - A Short Vajrasattva Meditation - Heruka Vajrasattva Tsog - Dedication Prayers and Long Life Prayers - Multiplying Mantras - Rituals for Commencing the Retreat - A Simple Vajrasattva Practice (without Consort) - Explanation of the Meaning of the Mantra - Breathing Exercise - How to Purify During Mantra Recitation - Burning Offering to Dorje Khadro - Benefits of Purification with Heruka Vajrasattva - Motivations for Practicing Vajrasattva - Introduction to the Heruka-Vajrasattva Tsog - The Meaning of Tsog - Guidelines for Completing 100,000 Vajrasattva Mantras - Vajrasattva Retreat Procedures 171 Pages. 2010 Edition.

Making burning offerings to Dorje Khadro (Vajradaka) is considered to be "a golden Dharma" passed directly from Manjushri to Lama Tsongkhapa. It was one of Lama Tsongkhapa's heart practices and, as such, has a special connection with the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. The practice of Dorje Khadro comes highly praised for its power to purify negative karma in general, but especially for its ability to purify obstacles caused by broken vows and samaya related to highest yoga tantra. It also assists us in assembling the most conducive conditions for success in long retreats. This practice is encouraged as a powerful way to help those who are sick or dying and as a method to readily clear the mind of challenging disturbing emotions. The collection provides everything one needs to be able to do the complete ngöndro of Dorje Khadro, the recitation of the principal mantra 100,000 times coupled with extensive visualization and prayers. The book's practice section includes the Dorje Khadro practice text, Lama Tsongkhapa Guru Yoga and lam-rim and dedication prayers. In addition, the book contains teachings that contribute to a student's understanding of how to best engage in this practice. A precise commentary from Geshe Lama Konchog, an inspiring teaching from Lama Zopa Rinpoche based on a commentary written by Panchen Losang Chökyi Gyältsen, and a unique teaching from Lama Yeshe comprise the commentary section. The book's advice section includes guidelines for how to use the materials to complete the preliminary practice, either as a full-time retreat or as a daily practice. "Offering the burning puja to Dorje Khadro is one of the very profound practices for purification, regarded as a golden Dharma, a precious one. It is Lama Tsongkhapa's heart practice, and his followers practice it knowing it to be extremely beneficial." – Lama Zopa Rinpoche 148 pages, 2012 edition.

Kyabje Lama Zopa Rinpoche gave these teachings during a Medicine Buddha retreat held at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California, from October 26 to November 17, 2001. Edited by Ailsa Cameron, this book covers an amazing range of topics. From a review in BuddhaDharma magazine: Teachings From the Medicine Buddha Retreat is a nearly complete record of the teachings given by Lama Zopa Rinpoche during a twenty-five day Medicine Buddha retreat in the fall of 2001. The sections are short, on topics such as making offerings to the buddhas and the nature of mind. The retreat was held less than two months after the 9/11 attacks, and Lama Zopa's teachings are full of references to terrorism, war, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The book is not meant as a coherent presentation on any particular topic; however, one is rewarded by just opening it and reading anywhere. Lama Zopa is a clear and effective teacher, and his stories are endlessly entertaining and inspiring. This book is made possible by kind supporters of the Archive who, like you, appreciate how we make these teachings freely available in so many ways, including in our website for instant reading, listening or downloading, and as printed and electronic books. Our website offers immediate access to thousands of pages of teachings and hundreds of audio recordings by some of the greatest lamas of our time. Our photo gallery and our ever-popular books are also freely accessible there. Please help us increase our efforts to spread the Dharma for the happiness and benefit of all beings. You can find out more about becoming a supporter of the Archive and see all we have to offer by visiting our website. Thank you so much, and please enjoy this ebook.