Five treatises on the mind alone
Vasubandhu
(Translation and presentation by Philippe Cornu, Interviews by Milinda and Nagasena, Edith Nolot translation and annotations)
(Fayard, 2008)
The Milinda and Nagasena Conversations, as we know them today, are a compilation of several texts written between the XNUMXnd c. BC. and the XNUMXth c. AD The themes addressed in this “dialogue” allow the foundations of Buddhist doctrine and practice to be exposed, as well as some classic points of “Buddhology”. We will find there in particular the very famous comparison of the tank which serves to expose the impossibility of discovering an “I” in the physico-psychic complex with which the individual identifies. But what orthodoxy are we talking about here?
The author: Gandhara Buddhist monk, Vasubandhu, (21th-XNUMXth centuries) is one of the founders of the yogacara school with his half-brother Asanga and Maitreyanatha. He is also the XNUMXst patriarch of Chan or Zen. He is often considered a bodhisattva.
The unique taste of happiness and suffering
Djigme Tenpai Myima
(Padmakara Editions, 1995)
These instructions expound one of the most important practices of Great Vehicle Buddhism. They show how to use all the experiences of life, happy or unhappy, to progress on the path of liberation. In these turbulent times, these methods will allow us to keep the mind calm and relaxed in all circumstances, so that neither joys nor sorrows can affect it anymore.
The author: Djigmé Tenpai Nyima (1865-1926), son of Dudjom Lingpa, disciple of Patrul Rinpoche and many other great masters, spent a large part of his life in retirement writing.
Middle Stances par excellence (Mulamadhyamaka-karika)
Nagarjuna
(Translated from the original Sanskrit, presented and annotated by Guy Bugault)
(Gallimard, Collection Knowledge of the East, 2002)
Considered the founder of the “Middle” school (Madhyamika), Nagarjuna is the first great Buddhist “author” of the Mahayana. A semi-legendary character, we know almost nothing of his life – not even his exact dates. It seems that he must have lived at the end of the XNUMXnd century AD… Very many works are attributed to him, some of which were not written until several centuries after his probable life! Among those which seem to have to be attributed to him with certainty, the Mulamadhyamaka-karika ( Middle Stances par excellence) are certainly the most famous. This work, according to the literary mode of the karikas, consists of 447 couplets (stanzas of two verses), divided into 27 chapters. It is an extremely concise presentation, a kind of memorandum to be learned by heart, which must be commented on and which, moreover, has given rise to no less than eight comments…
The translator: Guy Bugault (1917-2002), one of the best French specialists in Great Vehicle Buddhism, the Prajnaparamita and Nagarjuna literature, translated the Sanskrit text and added not only extracts from the one of the main commentaries, but also his own analyzes and comments, in the form of an “Ariane's thread”, an essential tool for a correct understanding of this capital but difficult work! This great academic, who taught at the University of Paris-X-Nanterre then at the University of Paris-Sorbonne (Paris-IV), where he held the chair of Indian and comparative philosophy, did not have time to see published this remarkable work, published in 2002, the very year of his death.
The Teachings of Vimalakirti (Vimalakirtinirdesa) – The Inconceivable Freedom Sutra
Translation and presentation by Patrick Carré
(Fayard, Treasures of Buddhism Collection, 2000)
The Teachings (nirdesa) of "Immaculate-Glory" (Vimalakirti), or "The Doctrine of Inconceivable Liberations", are among the great sutras of the very early Mahayana period. Transmitted to us in several Chinese translations and one in Tibetan, we have recently discovered an ancient Sanskrit version, but we do not know its exact date of writing. Its themes are those of the first Mahayana and its perspective is close to that of the Madhyamika school. The text was a great success in China and throughout the Far East, especially in the Chan/Zen school. The bodhisattva Vimalakirti is presented as a "master of the house" of the city of Vaisali, endowed with many powers and qualities, which he uses to come to the aid of men and engage them on the path of Liberation.
The author: Born in 1953, Patrick Carré is a French sinologist, translator, essayist and writer. His work includes in particular a considerable number of translations from Chinese, Tibetan and Sanskrit of major texts of Great Vehicle (Mahayana) Buddhism. He is the author of six novels.
The Treasure of Zen and The Other Shore
Texts by Master Dôgen, commented by Taisen Deshimaru
(Albin Michel, Living Spiritualities Collection, 2013)
Here are gathered two major works by Taisen Deshimaru (1914-1982), Zen monk of the Soto school, who founded many dojos (practice centers) in France and in several European countries. This work presents itself as commentaries on the teaching of Master Dôgen, one of the greatest figures of the Zen tradition, who was its real founder by transmitting the spirit and practice of Chinese Chan to XNUMXth century Japan. . Through a discipline that is both spiritual and bodily through sitting meditation (zazen), the practitioner discovers the three fundamental elements of inner liberation: correct breathing, correct state of mind, correct posture. Such is in substance the way of Zen, rooted in the tradition of Mahayana Buddhism, of which two texts devoted to love and wisdom are also commented on by the author.
The author: Introducer to Japan of Soto Zen inspired by the spirit and practice of Chan, Master Dôgen (1200-1253) is recognized as one of the greatest masters of Zen.
The Bowl and the Stick: 120 Zen Tales
Taizen Deshimaru
(Albin Michel, 1986)
The Chinese and Japanese Buddhist tradition is renowned for the beauty of its tales; here are 120, told by Master Taisen Deshimaru: these legendary texts are surprisingly earthy, poetic and humorous. There is the pure spirit of Zen Awakening, because each of these stories opens doors to us that lead to an essential truth, each of these stories being rich in meaning. Reflection of the original.
The author: Yasuo Deshimaru, in religion Mokudo Taisen, better known as Taisen Deshimaru, was a Japanese Zen Buddhist master of the Soto school. He is the founder and main inspiration of a multitude of Zen dojos and groups in the West and more particularly in Europe.
The spirit of Zen
Alan Watts
(The Threshold, Wisdom Points Collection, 2005)
In 1935, at the age of twenty, Alan Watts published this dazzling essay whose whole economy is based on the experience of Awakening – and leads to it. For the spirit of Zen, which the work attempts to convey with extreme acuity and finesse, is expressed in this spiritual experience so precise that it cannot lead to any confusion. Art of going straight ahead, Zen is the « meeting point of self and life in such perfect unity and rhythm that any distinction between the two notions vanishes.. Thus its transmission rests on a teaching impossible to state by way of the intellect. Words and concepts only have a supporting function for man to see into his own nature. Modes of thought and action in the Far East have been profoundly influenced by it.
The author: Character of Celestial tramps de Kerouac and best-selling author, Alan Watts traveled from Oxford to San Francisco, from Anglican puritanism to the psychedelic revolution, including understanding Zen and the Tao.
Instructions to the Zen cook
Dogen
(Gallimard, 2005)
At all times, Zen has exerted a real fascination by its simplicity. “You need neither incense, nor prayers, nor invocation of the Buddha's name, nor confession, nor scriptures; sit down and do zazen”, wrote Dôgen in 1231, and he did not stop repeating all his life: “Zen is simply sitting down, without thinking, forgetting body and mind. Abandon body and mind and settle into full Buddhism by practicing with others, without preconceptions, and then you will immediately attain the path. » Why not take him at his word? Let's sit in the kitchen and become Zen cooks for twenty-four hours by following his instructions.
Author: Dogen is the greatest master of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, which he introduced to Japan from China.
Teachings of Zen Master Dogen
Shôbôgenzô Zuimonki, Faithful Notes of Words Heard by Master Ejô
Treduced and commented by Kengan Denis Robert, Vannes
(Sully Editions, 2001)
Le Shobogenz Zuimonki is a collection of teachings of the Zen master Dôgen, taken down and recorded by his faithful disciple and successor, Koun Ejô.
Author: Dogen is the greatest master of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, which he introduced to Japan from China.
My moon body: Poems from Master Dogen's Eihei Koroku
Philippe Coupey
(2008)
Mujô seppô designates the teaching of the law of the Buddha by all that is not sensitive: trees, flowers, stones, walls, beams, clouds, the sea, the mountains, the rivers, the branches of trees , everything that surrounds us, here and now. It is not a teaching delivered by a human being, but a teaching which comes from the non-human, from the non-sensitive. We always imagine that we need a human being to deliver a message: certainly, that can help, but it is not essential. Outside, the clouds are enough. On a winter night, the moon is enough. When we practice zazen in front of a tree, the tree is enough. In the dojo, the wall is enough. When one practices in the mountain, it is she who gives the teaching of the Tathagata.
Author: Dogen is the greatest master of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, which he introduced to Japan from China.
Polish the moon and plow the clouds
Master Dogen
(Albin Michel, 2013)
We will find the heart of the spiritual teaching of the one who, in the XNUMXth century, introduced Soto Zen to Japan: Bendô-wa, “on the discernment and practice of the Way”, the Gakudôyoiin-shû, "to induce the mind to study the Way", and twelve complete chapters of Dogen's masterpiece, the Shobogenzo (Treasure of the Eye of True Dharma) and, finally, the marvelous poems of the Sanshô Dôei: the Songs of the Way of the Umbrella Pine and the little-known Chinese Poems, imbued with all the abrupt and subtle spirit of Zen.
Author: Dogen is the greatest master of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, which he introduced to Japan from China.
Shobogenzo, The True Law, Treasure of the Eye
1 to 8
Dogen
(The Threshold, Wisdom Points Collection, 2004)
Le Shobogenzo is the major work of Master Dogen. This great monument of Japanese thought is a collection of more than ninety texts, nine of which are offered here to the reader. The thought of Master Dôgen is organized around a few essential ideas: the refined practice of sitting meditation, the assiduous study of Buddhist texts, the veneration of ritual practices, the non-dualism of awakening and bewilderment, the nature and symbolism of the Book. Meaning is called to realize itself as presence at this exact moment when the purity of meditation pulverizes the phenomenal universe. When we manage to perceive the enigma of the self and pierce the mystery of our own existence, the meaning of a word, of a proposal from the Treasure is realized as presence, here and now.
Author: Dogen is the greatest master of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism, which he introduced to Japan from China.
Zen spirit, new spirit
Shunryu Suzuki
(The Threshold, Wisdom Points Collection, 1977)
This book was born from familiar interviews collected by his disciples. Zen is presented in three parts, aiming – in the usual Zen way – to immerse the reader directly in the practice. Here is how each part is presented in the body of the book: “Right practice: The practice of zazen is the direct expression of our true nature. Strictly speaking, for a human being, there is no other practice than this practice; there is no other way to live than this way of living. Right attitude: We insist above all on a firm confidence in our original nature. Right Understanding: Our understanding of Buddhism is not just an intellectual understanding. True understanding is actual practice. »
The author: Deceased in 1971, Shunryu Suzuki is one of the first Zen masters to have settled in the West, in the United States, in 1958. His teaching met with such success that seven centers were founded under his spiritual direction. , as well as the first Zen monastery outside of Asia.
The Fundamental Stances of the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika)
Nagarjuna
(Padmakara Editions, 2014)
The Great Vehicle taught by the Buddha is fully explained in two inseparable traditions: the "profound view" of the Way, or Madhyamaka, systematized by Nagarjuna, and the "vast activities" of contemplative practice, or Yogachara, associated with Asanga. The Fundamental Stanzas of the Middle Way (Mulamadhyamakakarika) of Nagarjuna undeniably form the basis of all philosophical reflection inspired by the idea of "vacuity", which designates the true essence of reality, the direct perception of which, called "transcendent Knowledge" (Prajnaparamita), frees from all painful emotions.
Author: Venerable Nagarjuna was one of the greatest philosophers of Mahayana Buddhism and the founder of the Madhyamika school.
Pearls of Ambrosia – three-volume box set
Kunsang Palden
(Padmakara Editions, 2008)
Le Bodhicaryavatara, or The Walk to Awakening, by Shantideva, which is the most famous and complete treatise devoted to the conduct of bodhisattvas, has been the subject of numerous commentaries both in India and in Tibet. The Padmakara translation committee offers here that of Khenchen Kunzang Palden, better known as Khenpo Kunpal (approx. 1870-1940). This book has the particularity of constantly referring to the teachings of its master, Patrul Rinpoche, tireless propagator of Shantideva's work, of which he was the greatest recognized specialist of his time, and a major figure in the non-sectarian movement of Tibetan Buddhism with Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo, Jamgön Kongtrul and Ju Mipham. Shantideva's text has been entirely retranslated in the light of Khenpo Kunpal's clarifications and choices, and it has quite naturally found its place in the commentary, so that each stanza is immediately followed by its explanation.
The author: Shantideva (circa 685-763) is an Indian Madhyamika philosopher, a branch of Mahayana Buddhism. One of the last great masters of Sanskrit expression, Shantideva enjoys special consideration in Tibetan Buddhism.
letter to a friend
Nagarjuna
Narrated by Kangyur Rinpoche
(Padmakara Editions, 2007)
La Letter to a friend – one of the most widely quoted texts in Buddhist literature – is a collection of advice composed by the sublime Nagarjuna, the father of the Middle Way, for a young king friend of his. This poem describes in only one hundred and twenty-three quatrains the whole path of the Great Vehicle, from the foundations of the discipline to the profound view. Such conciseness requires some clarification, and it is to this that the exceptional master Kangyur Rinpoche is attached in his commentary based on the six transcendent virtues, the last of which, knowledge, is the subject of a particular attention, since it occupies almost half of the collection. There letter to a friend is a major work that deserves to be studied and put into practice, because it will then infallibly lead to its raison d'être: the realization of the ultimate Enlightenment that transcends extremes. This edition presents the Tibetan text then the translation of the root text, followed by the commentary of each stanza by Kangyur Rinpoche.
The author: Venerable Nagarjuna was one of the greatest philosophers of Mahayana Buddhism and the founder of the Madhyamika school.
The Life of an Indian Grand Master: Arya Asanga
Based on Taranatha and Bouteun Rinpoche
Translation from English and Tibetan by Françoise Cartau and Pierre Lafforgue
Under the spiritual authority of Dagpo Rinpoche
(Ganden Ling Institute & Guépèle Institute)
Arya Asanga, one of the two "pillars" of the Mahayana (Great Vehicle), made an extraordinary contribution to the development of Buddhism. Born in India, in present-day Kashmir, in the XNUMXth century AD, this philosopher who shared the Madhyamika philosophical views of the first pillar, Nagarjuna, was nevertheless the author of the founding treatises of a system other than his own. : that of "idealist" Buddhist philosophy, cittamatra.
Bodhicitta, the enlightened mind
Pema Wangyal Rinpoche
Commentary of « Thirty-Seven Bodhisattva Practices« , poem by Thogme Zangpo
(Padmakara Editions, 1997)
Bodhicitta, "the mind of awakening", which means the wisdom of love and compassion, is the ultimate goal of all the vehicles taught by the Buddha in the sutras and tantras. This “mind” has an absolute aspect, emptiness; and a relative aspect, the vow to attain the omniscience of Buddhahood to better serve all sentient beings without exception. This aspiration is deepened in the meditation of love, compassion, joy and equanimity. The action that results from deep intimacy with these impartial and unlimited feelings is found entirely in the six transcendent virtues of the “enlightened being”, or bodhisattva. And it is the transcendent knowledge (prajñaparamita) itself that plunges the enlightened being into the mind of absolute enlightenment, the unspeakable space of clear emptiness with a heart of compassion. The bodhi spirit is therefore the most precious of all spiritual jewels. Here you will find a lively and precise exposition of it by one of the most convincing heralds of the thought and practice of kindness of heart, pure kindness.
The author: Tsétrul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist master who now lives in the Dordogne. Heir to the tradition of his father, Kangyur Rinpoche, he studied with Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. It was he who invited these great masters to come to the West. While his own teachings reveal the depth of his achievement and scholarship, his modesty and generosity are a living example of the Buddhist way of life.
The Myth of Freedom and the Way of Meditation
Chogyam Trungpa
(The Threshold, Collection Points Wisdoms, 1979)
Starting from the “myth of freedom” constituted by our belief in an ego, he first exposes different psychological types as they are presented according to the Buddhist tradition. The body of the book is then devoted to a presentation of meditation (Sit to meditate, Working with emotions, Meditation in action) from the perspective of Mahayana (The open way, Devotion). A final chapter quickly addresses Tantra and the use of the mandala.
The author: Deceased in 1987, Chögyam Trungpa fled Tibet in 1959 and settled in England in 1963. He founded four years later one of the very first centers of Tibetan practice in the West and then taught mainly in the States -United. His teaching, deeply rooted in tradition, is at the same time very personal and attaches great importance to humour.
The Wonderful Lives of 84 Great Sages of Ancient India
Abhayadatta
Translation and presentation by Djamyang Khandro and Phende Rinpoche
(The Threshold, Collection Points Wisdoms, 2005)
From the XNUMXth century, Mahayana Buddhism developed within large monasteries and prestigious universities. Having become a movement of scholars and logicians, it provoked a reaction against scholastic studies and debates, and a certain number of "non-standard" practitioners appeared, outside the institutions, advocating the use of "skillful means" ( upaya) united with knowledge (prajña) in order to directly experience the teachings and achieve their fruits as soon as possible. They were thus going to give birth to the Vajrayana, the “Vehicle of lightning”, with quick results like lightning, but as pure as diamond (another possible translation of the term vajra). On the fringes of orthodoxy, these new Indian masters, who lived between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries, often came from low castes or exercised the most diverse professions – sometimes even the most reprehensible! All of them knew how to use their particular condition as a “skillful means” in order to attain accomplishments or “great (maha) powers (siddhi)”. Their teacher - or the dakini (celestial teachers of tantras) - taught them to seek to take advantage of these particular conditions. These Mahasiddhas thus became known for the diverse and unusual methods they used to attain enlightenment. Their extraordinary and often tasty stories have been transmitted through their biographies, but also through numerous iconographic representations that recall their particularity.
The author: Abhayadatta is an XNUMXth century author of whom little is known. He wrote the lives of the great tantric masters of India, before the Muslim invasions of the XNUMXth century sounded the death knell of this tradition.
The Path to Great Perfection
Patrul Rinpoche
(Padmakara Editions, 1997)
This book is presented as a guide to the preliminaries of The Essence of the Heart of Immensity, a cycle of meditative practices belonging to the school of Tibetan Buddhism called Great Perfection. In fact, it is considered by many masters of all schools as the profound, living and detailed supreme guide to all preliminary practices and, more generally, as a fundamental teaching on the Vehicle of Diamant, of which he exposes the essence in clear and simple terms. The direct, familiar style and the great variety of quotations, anecdotes and proverbs, which support each important idea, spare the reader the monotony of traditional presentations. The constant reference to lived experience denounces the futility of the simply intellectual approach and clearly situates the authentic practice of Buddhism as a real inner transformation.
The author: Patrul Rinpoche (1808-1887) was one of the most remarkable masters of his time. Holder of multiple traditions, and particularly of the Essence of the Heart of Immensity, which he had received from his masters Jigmé Nyougou and Do Khyentsé, he preferred the uncompromising life of the wandering yogi to the monastic function.
diamonds of wisdom
Pema Wangyal Rinpoche
(Padmakara Editions, 1997)
Wisdom is the natural expression of fundamental enlightenment. Unalterable like a diamond, it dissolves the mental veils that hide true freedom. Based on the teachings of his masters, Pema Wangyal Rinpoche transmits the essence of this more than thousand-year-old tradition. This book explains a set of practices that range from the first steps on the spiritual path to the so-called "preliminary" practices, through which one accesses the advanced techniques of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism.
The author: Tsétrul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche is a Tibetan Buddhist master who now lives in the Dordogne. Heir to the tradition of his father, Kangyur Rinpoche, he studied with Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. It was he who invited these great masters to come to the West. While his own teachings reveal the depth of his achievement and scholarship, his modesty and generosity are a living example of the Buddhist way of life.
The Bodhisattva's Tears
Shabkar
(Padmakara, 2006)
This book, based on the teachings of the Buddha, offers the most offensive and impassioned accusations against the consumption of animal flesh that can be found in Tibetan literature. The arguments presented here highlight the harms to self and others, short and long term, of such consumption, and its direct consequences on our spiritual progress. Anyone who advocates vegetarianism will refer to it profitably.
The Author: Shabkar (1781-1851) was a practitioner and master of the mind-training and Great Perfection traditions of Tibetan Buddhism who lived as a hermit and a pilgrim.
diamond light
Overview of the four classes of Buddhist tantras
Dakpo Tashi Namgyal
(Padmakara Editions, 2017)
In the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism, the diamond light by the learned and accomplished Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1513-1587) is considered a reference work by all practitioners and teachers of Buddhist tantras. From the canonical texts that he quotes abundantly, the author begins by laying the foundations of the adamantine vehicle by situating it within the general framework of the Buddha's teaching and its dissemination in India. He then explains, in more detail, the different elements that make up the four classes of tantras, with particular emphasis on the tantras of unsurpassable union, such as Guhyasamaja, Cakrasaṃvara, Hevajra and Kalacakra, where powerful visualizations make it possible to transform the three determining moments of existence: death, the intermediate state and birth. These sequences of the mental “creation” phase thus prepare the yogi for the “perfection” phase, where he will focus directly on the constituents of the subtle body: breaths, channels and drops. This presentation of the practice according to different types of tantras is based on a vast corpus of root texts and Indian treatises, incomprehensible without the insight of a guide who has authentic experience of them. The reliable and detailed map that emerges will allow the advanced practitioner to cross the stages of the fast path of Vajrayana, which leads the bodhisattva to the state of Buddha.
The author: The work of Dakpo Tashi Namgyal (1513-1587), a master renowned for his qualities as a scholar and accomplished in tantras and mahamudra, occupies a large place in the Dakpo Kagyu school. Considered as the reincarnation of Gampopa (1079-1153), he was, four centuries after his founder, the abbot of the monastery of Dakla Gampo, the main seat of the line. After having mastered all the subjects of traditional sciences, which he deepened in various monasteries of central Tibet without the slightest trace of sectarianism, he never ceased, like Milarepa, to devote himself to meditation in places isolated with the sole concern of achieving perfect Enlightenment. His three major treatises form the Trilogy of Rays of Light: the Rays of the Jewel (Diamond Light) are dedicated to the Tantras, the Rays of the Sun illuminate Hevajra Tantra, and the Rays of the Moon deal exhaustively with the Mahamudra. These three flagship works of the Kagyu transmission, which have helped to train generations of meditators, still make up the curriculum today…
Shabkar – autobiography of a Tibetan yogi
Translated by Matthieu Ricard and Carisse Busquet
(Padmakara Editions, 2014)
The life of Shabkar (1781-1851) is undoubtedly the most famous biography in Tibet after that of Milarepa. As the author of Hundred Thousand Songs, but much closer to us in time, Shabkar is revered by the Tibetan people for its Holiness and its simplicity, its ability to move as well as to make laugh, the depth of its spirituality expressed in a style which makes it accessible to all. It is a simple and moving account of the wandering life of a hermit, from his childhood to his ultimate spiritual realization. Begged by his disciples to recount his mystical journey, Shabkar describes all the stages of his spiritual path, the culmination of which is the realization of the Great Perfection (or Dzogchen). He applies himself to it by retracing, in a fascinating prose story interspersed with poetic songs, his wandering path. Having known the most extreme destitution and the greatest happiness, this inspired hermit lavished his teachings on all the beings he met, including dangerous bandits or wild animals. His story perfectly illustrates the Buddhist teaching on the meaning of human life, on death, impermanence and on our possible deliverance from suffering. At a time when Tibet was plagued by religious sectarianism and ethnic rivalry, Shabkar embodied tolerance and altruism, which makes his message all the more contemporary. Shabkar's life story is a perfect illustration of the Buddhist way and practice; it allows us to understand that deep faith, linked to great diligence, is capable of leading anyone to the same goal, enlightenment.
Not for happiness
Guide to so-called preliminary practices
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse
(Padmakara Editions, 2014)
"The first step in learning to appreciate dharma at its true value is to recognize and fully accept that samsara is an incurable disease from which we all suffer", writes Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche. The purpose of this book is to show us how to free ourselves from suffering by uprooting all its causes, not how to annihilate or interrupt our suffering by pretending to be happy: "If well-being is your main concern, you'd be better off getting a full-body massage or listening to uplifting, revitalizing music." It will do you much more good than a Buddhist teaching which is not made to comfort you”. From this perspective, the author describes the meaning of dharma, the tools to be developed and the state of mind with which to approach the “ngeundro” (or preliminary practices) which constitute the heart of Buddhist practice. Explaining in a lively and direct style the importance of the spirit of renunciation, discipline, meditation, wisdom, or even visualization techniques, Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche sheds light on the different stages of ngeundro with numerous advice intended to avoiding the pitfalls on the path for the practitioner, while referring to the masters of the past, from Buddha Shakyamuni to the great masters of the XNUMXth century. Not for Happiness is a detailed guide that contains everything a practitioner needs to know to embark on the path, without false illusions.
The author: Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche (Khyentse Norbu) is a Tibetan lama who travels and teaches all over the world. Author of Is not a Buddhist who wants, award-winning filmmaker, director of the Buddhist organization Siddharthas Intent, he is also the abbot of several monasteries in Asia and the spiritual director of meditation centers in Vancouver, San Francisco, Sydney, Hong Kong and Taipei
Understanding the Middle Way, Emptiness and Dependent Origination
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(Padmakara Editions, 2015)
Nagarjuna is often considered a second Buddha. Author of six dialectical treatises which lay the foundations of the Middle Way, its Fundamental stanzas, are authoritative in terms of an introduction to the nature of reality. Following in the footsteps of Nagarjuna on the path of the investigation of the ultimate, His Holiness the Dalai Lama invites us to ask ourselves the fundamental questions of humanity: what is the “me”? Does it have a beginning? Does it have an end? What is reality? To explore them, his teaching, which is addressed to Westerners with simple but precise terms, is nonetheless the extension of a scholastic tradition two millennia old, whose essential vocation is to lead to perfect Awakening. His Holiness relies primarily on the Bodhi Spirit Commentary of Nagarjuna, which expounds the two principles of the Buddha's teaching: wisdom and the mind of Enlightenment, ultimate and conventional. He then explains several chapters of the famous Fundamental stanzas of the Middle Way. The twenty-sixth, devoted to the twelve links of dependent production, shows how beings are kept prisoners in the vicious circle of conditioned existence, but also how it is possible to free oneself from it. The eighteenth chapter precisely explains the absence of identity of the individual and of phenomena, in other words the ultimate nature of all existence. To prevent a misunderstanding of emptiness from leading us into dead ends, the twenty-fourth chapter shows how, properly understood, the view of emptiness avoids the pitfall of nihilism without denying superficial reality. Basically, this book teaches how the notion of interdependence, which unites the conventional and the ultimate, allows freedom from omnipresent suffering and how, armed with this understanding, we can regard all beings with genuine compassion.
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
The magic vine: the achievements of the Bodhisattva
Kshemendra
(Padmakara Editions, 2001)
La magic creeper, where "the great deeds of the Bodhisattva" are reported, is an inexhaustible source of knowledge, astonishment and joy. In these stories as picturesque as they are edifying, the Buddha gives us all the keys necessary for understanding the invisible and powerful links that weave the world of beings and things. No happiness, no pain arises without a cause: so much for the mystery of karmic causality, which leaves man free to create his own destiny. Free to work for his own happiness, which is already good, he can also devote himself to the happiness of others, and even of all the others, as inconceivable as the enterprise may seem. In any case, this is what these stories invite us to do. In the tone of the tale or the fantastic story usual in ancient India, they transmit to the reader the authentic tradition of the bodhisattvas of limitless goodness, these compassionate and wise heroes who incarnate and reincarnate in the worlds to liberate each of the beings, without exception, from the ocean of suffering.
The author: Kshemendra was a Sanskrit poet, living in Kashmir, India, in the XNUMXth century.
At the Heart of Compassion
Commentary on Thirty-Seven Stanzas on the Practice of Bodhisattvas by Thogme Zangpo
Dilgo Kyhentse
(Padmakara Editions, 2008)
Wouldn't the world be a better place if everyone cared more about others than themselves? The love and compassion that we are capable of can not only cultivate to become stronger, but they can also become infinite, unconditional and perfect. It is to this training of the heart and the mind that the hermit Gyalsé Thogmé of Ngultchou, who lived in Tibet in the XNUMXth century, invites us in his Thirty-Seven Stanzas on the practice of bodhisattvas. In this relatively brief poem, he manages to bring together all the teachings of the famous Bodhicaryavatara by Shantideva, a work which already exposed the quintessence of the texts of the Great Vehicle devoted to the spirit of Awakening. Here you will find a comprehensive review of Thirty-Seven Stanzas by one of the greatest contemporary masters of Tibetan Buddhism, Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche (1910-1991). In the light of his knowledge and his compassion, this scholar, poet and visionary brings a clear and essentially practical explanation of all aspects of the thought and action of the bodhisattvas, these "children of the Victors" whose existence embodies all the virtues of the wisest and most unbridled altruism.
The author: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was born in the Kham region (eastern Tibet). He was a master of Vajrayana Buddhism, a scholar, a poet, a teacher, and the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism between 1987 and 1991.
On the Threshold of Awakening
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
(Padmakara Editions, 2000)
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche provides a clear and concise presentation of the preliminary practices of Tibetan Buddhism, providing valuable advice to those who have embarked on the path of enlightenment.
The author: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was born in the Kham region (eastern Tibet). He was a master of Vajrayana Buddhism, a scholar, a poet, a teacher, and the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism between 1987 and 1991.
Tales of Jataka volume 1, 2, 3, 4
Padmakara Translation Collective and Committee
(Padmakara Editions, 1998)
2 years ago, an Indian prince understood why suffering is our lot, and this enlightenment made him Buddha Shakyamuni. Before being a prince, he had been a hare, stag, tortoise, king, queen… Here are some of his adventures as they were told over and over again in order to show everyone the treasure he carries to the bottom of him.
The Hundred Councils of Padampa Sangye
Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
(Padmakara Editions, 2000)
The Indian master and yogi Padampa Sangyé was a great traveler. The chronicles relate that he crossed the Nepal-Tibetan border in the year 1091. After a stay of ten years in Tibet, he traveled for twelve years in China, after which he returned to the Land of Snows to stay there until his death. . We do not know what the great yogi did in China, even if some like to see him as a Bodhidharma of the second millennium. On the other hand, we know from a reliable source that among his Tibetan disciples was the excellent follower of Transcendent Knowledge, Machik Labdreum (1031-1129). Back in Tingri, the master decides, in 1117, to abandon his body: this will be the occasion for him to pronounce his will, a complete teaching, where awareness and meditation of death culminate in Awakening itself. itself, which in the highest teachings constitutes the path proper. Each of the 101 stanzas of this testament is generously commented on by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, whose thought pursues and clarifies the declarations of his spiritual ancestor by showing us that the "people of Tingri" are none other than all seekers of truth. Point by point, the last canto of the master is therefore explained and expanded to infinity so that everyone can find their account of consolation and practical instructions. Like Padampa Sangye, it is with equanimous love and without flattering concessions that Khyentse Rinpoche reminds us of the secrets of our fundamental freedom - without unnecessary complications, but with more finesse and completeness than one will ever find in purely scholars.
The author: Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was born in the Kham region (eastern Tibet). He was a master of Vajrayana Buddhism, a scholar, a poet, a teacher, and the head of the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism between 1987 and 1991.
Without spreading its wings, the bird cannot fly
The Light of the Path to Enlightenment & Other Texts
(Jowo Atisha, Guépèle Institute)
Masterpiece of Jowo Atisha, the Light of the Path to Awakening constitutes the base and the heart of all the Buddhist schools of the Land of Snows, because it is in fact a true instruction, which explains the hidden meaning of the sutra of wisdom, enunciated long ago by the Buddha at the Peak of the Vultures. It is she, without a doubt, who allowed the Dharma to spread and radiate in Tibet with the brilliance that we know.
The author: The great Indian Buddhist master Atisha (982-1054) is at the origin of the reintroduction of pure Buddhism in Tibet. Although Buddhism had been introduced to Tibet some two hundred years earlier by Padmasambhava and Shantarakshita, the practice of Buddhism had been almost completely destroyed by the anti-Buddhist purges of Tibetan King Lang Darma (c. 836), a follower of Bon, the pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet.
Djetsune Milarepa, Great Tibetan Buddhist Master, 1040-1123
Gilbert Bueso
(Guépèle Institute, 2000)
Djetsune Milarepa is probably the most popular and famous figure of Buddhism in Tibet. This being has made an exceptional journey in many respects. Born into the richest family in his region, he knows from the age of seven years of destitution and misery to the point of inspiring pity. Then, he acquires the powers of a powerful magician who kills and terrorizes populations. Having become the model disciple of one of the most famous Buddhist masters of his country, he accomplished colossal works, covered all the stages of the spiritual path. He successfully devotes himself to meditation and leads the existence of an ascetic, a yogi living in complete destitution. Capable of enduring the worst suffering, both physical and mental, he spent most of his life in meditation, in caves at altitude, without food or clothing, and performed many wonders. Djetsune: “Suffering and death are the ornaments of the yogi”. His life illustrates his point perfectly.
The author: This book was written under the spiritual authority of Dagpo Rinpoche by one of his students, Gilbert Buéso, Tibetan teacher at the Guépèle Institute.
Plea for happiness
Matthieu Ricard
(Ed. Nil, 2003 – Ed. Pocket, 2004)
We all yearn for happiness, but how do we find it, retain it, and even define it? To this philosophical question treated between pessimism and mockery by Western thought, Matthieu Ricard brings the answer of Buddhism: a demanding answer, but soothing, optimistic and accessible to all. To stop looking at all costs for happiness outside of us, to learn to look within ourselves, but to look at ourselves a little less, to familiarize ourselves with a more meditative and at the same time more altruistic approach to the world...
The author: A researcher in cellular genetics, Matthieu Ricard embraced Buddhism and today he is one of the world's specialists. He has lived in the Himalayas for more than thirty years, with great spiritual masters. French interpreter of the Dalai Lama, photographer, translator and editor of sacred texts, he resides in the monastery of Shechen, in Nepal, where he devotes himself to monastic life, the preservation of Tibetan culture and humanitarian projects in Tibet. .
The snow citadel
Matthieu Ricard
(Ed. Nil, 2005 – Ed. Pocket, 2006)
Born in a small village in Bhutan, at the foot of the Himalayas, Déchen felt more attracted by the spiritual life of the monks than by the hard work in the fields. Also, when his uncle offers to accompany him to the mysterious Citadel of the Snows, he does not hesitate for a moment. There, in this place outside the world, he could follow the teaching of a spiritual master, and develop with him both wisdom and method. But before getting there, a long journey awaits Dechen, a path that alone will bear many lessons...
The author: Matthieu Ricard studied cellular genetics before turning to Buddhism. Ordained a monk in 1978, he is one of the world's specialists in Tibetan Buddhism. He lives in the Himalayas with the great spiritual masters. He is the French interpreter of the Dalai Lama.
Kalachakra: a mandala for peace
Matthieu Ricard (with Sofia Strill-Rever and Manuel Brauer)
(La Martiniere, 2008)
A mandala for peace makes it possible to follow the different phases of the construction of a sand mandala during the ceremony of the Wheel of Time (or Kalachakra), a great initiation ritual that the Dalai Lama transmitted about thirty times worldwide. It was in the XNUMXth century BC that Buddha Shakyamuni taught this path of colors, conceived as the projection on a flat surface of his path to enlightenment. Today, this rite is perpetuated in monasteries and public places in the West. The officiants deposit in a diagram drawn with chalk on a table, colored sands whose symbolism represents the inscription of the human conscience in the universal life. Finally, the mandala is ritually dismantled. The sacred sands are collected in an urn and then poured into a river, lake or the ocean. The great water cycle carries the blessings of Kalachakra, for the benefit of all living, in all worlds.
The authors: Sofia Stril-Rever has found her spiritual land in India. Close to Sister Emmanuelle, whose words she collected in La Folie d'amour, meeting the Dalai Lama freed her from the forms of belief, revealing to her the transparency of the heart in spiritual sharing. Having received a traditional education at the University of Sarnath (India) and in a Tibetan monastery, she translated from Sanskrit and published for the first time in Western language the Buddhist scriptures of Kalachakra, of which she is a world specialist. Co-founder of the BuddhaLine portal and member of the International Kalachakra Network, she guides a practice group at the Kalachakra center in Paris. Matthieu Ricard has been photographing spiritual masters, life in monasteries, art and the landscapes of Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal for thirty years. He is the author of several photography books. His photographs have been exhibited in many museums and galleries around the world. Matthieu Ricard devotes all of his royalties to humanitarian projects carried out in Tibet, Nepal and India.
The art of meditation
Matthieu Ricard
(Ed. Nil, 2008 – Ed. Pocket, 2010)
If learning to meditate is a path that even the greatest sages follow throughout their lives, practicing it on a daily basis already transforms our view of ourselves and the world. This is the purpose of this very accessible essay, both a spiritual and philosophical guide and a concrete initiation to the practice of meditation. Rich in his dual culture, his experience as a monk, his knowledge of sacred texts, his frequentation of masters, Matthieu Ricard shows the universal character of a meditation based on altruistic love, compassion, the development of human qualities. . And reveals the obvious benefits that meditation can bring to everyone in our ultra-individualistic and materialistic society, allowing us to discover and cultivate our deepest aspirations.
The author: Son of Jean-François Revel, researcher in cellular genetics, disciple of François Jacob, Matthieu Ricard embraced Buddhism more than thirty years ago. Today he is one of the world's specialists, one of the rare French people to speak Tibetan and the French interpreter of the Dalai Lama. Internationally recognized, he lives in the monastery of Shechen, Nepal, where he devotes himself to monastic life, the preservation of Tibetan culture and, in Tibet, to humanitarian projects.
Spiritual paths: a small anthology of the most beautiful Tibetan texts
Matthieu Ricard
(Ed. Nil, 2010 – Ed. Pocket, 2011)
Matthieu Ricard has been translating the great texts of Tibetan Buddhist literature for more than forty years that he has been living in the East. It is the fruit of this life's work that he offers here. Reflecting the essence of the Buddhist path, commented with step-by-step pedagogy by the author, Spiritual paths offers an accessible approach to this philosophy based on altruistic love, compassion, etc.
The author: A researcher in cellular genetics, Matthieu Ricard embraced Buddhism and today he is one of the world's specialists. He has lived in the Himalayas for more than thirty years, with great spiritual masters. French interpreter of the Dalai Lama, photographer, translator and editor of sacred texts, he resides in the monastery of Shechen, in Nepal, where he devotes himself to monastic life, the preservation of Tibetan culture and humanitarian projects in Tibet. .
Ten Tibetan tales to arouse compassion
Matthieu Ricard
(Ed. Hachette, 2018)
Here is a collection of ancestral stories that have as their theme the very essence of Buddhism: compassion. These tales of sober and sublime beauty will awaken your spirit and nourish it. They will invite you to make the changes you aspire to in order to be in harmony with yourself and with others.
The author: Son of Jean-François Revel, researcher in cellular genetics, disciple of François Jacob, Matthieu Ricard embraced Buddhism more than thirty years ago. Today he is one of the world's specialists, one of the rare French people to speak Tibetan and the French interpreter of the Dalai Lama. Internationally recognized, he lives in the monastery of Shechen, in Nepal, where he devotes himself to monastic life, the preservation of Tibetan culture and, in Tibet, to humanitarian projects.
Sutra of Perfect Awakening and Treatise on the Birth of Faith in the Great Vehicle
Translation by Catherine Despeux
(Fayard, Treasures of Buddhism Collection, 2005)
Le Perfect Awakening Sutra (XNUMXth-XNUMXth century) and the Treatise on the Birth of Faith in the Great Vehicle (XNUMXth century) are two so-called apocryphal sutras, that is to say written directly in Chinese, which are among the finest jewels of Chinese Buddhist literature, having exercised considerable influence in China, but also in Korea and Japan. , notably on the schools of Chan (Zen) and Flower Ornamentation (Avatamsaka).
The translator: Catherine Despeux is one of the greatest specialists in Taoism, professor emeritus at INALCO. She is the author of numerous books and articles including the essential Taijiquan.
Deep Vision: From Mindfulness to Inner Contemplation
Thich Nhat Hanh
(Albin Michel, Living Spiritualities Collection, 2005)
“Wisdom is a living source, not an icon to be kept in a museum. » So speaks Thich Nhat Hanh, the great Vietnamese master of Buddhism of the Southern School (Small Vehicle), living in France since 1982. Drawing inspiration from Buddhist psychology, epistemology and contemporary physics, true to its philosophy that "those who meditate must use the language of their time to express their deep vision", he proposes here to the reader to follow the paths that go from Buddhist Mindfulness to inner deepening, in a simple and sensitive style.
The author: Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hạnh, in Vietnamese, Thich being a title), born Nguyen Xuan Bao on October 11, 1926 in Thua Thien (Central Vietnam), is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk activist for peace. Writer, poet, tireless defender of peace, he is one of the most committed personalities of Buddhism in the Western world after the Dalai Lama.
Teachings on love
Thich Nhat Hanh
(Albin Michel, Living spiritualities, 2004)
Whatever spiritual tradition we belong to, happiness only seems possible if the love is genuine. But you still have to understand the nature of true love, and know how to generate it and then nurture it. Based on the teachings of the Buddha, Thich Nhat Hanh, an internationally renowned Vietnamese Buddhist monk, describes the paths that allow you to unite in yourself love, compassion, joy and non-attachment. It shows us the concrete ways to free ourselves from the afflictions that prevent us from loving well – anger, fear, anxiety, greed, ignorance… And comments on some of the greatest sutras of Buddhism on love. A book inspired by the traditional practice of "deep vision", which guides us to translate it into daily actions.
The energy of prayer
Thich Nhat Hanh
(The Book Courier, 2009)
Prayer represents a practice of love accessible to all, capable of nourishing our lives with serenity, joy and happiness. To transform our suffering into inner peace. The very beautiful cards presented to us by Thich Nhat Hanh are divided into four categories: poems, songs, meditations and quotations. Each card offers a prayer, a meditation, an inspiration. Pick one at random and soak up the intention of the day. Praying is not just wishful thinking, because every prayer stems from a practice of mindfulness and concentration.
The author: Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hạnh, in Vietnamese, Thich being a title), born Nguyen Xuan Bao on October 11, 1926 in Thua Thien (Central Vietnam), is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk activist for peace. Writer, poet, tireless defender of peace, he is one of the most committed personalities of Buddhism in the Western world after the Dalai Lama.
The serenity of the moment
Thich Nhat Hanh
(I read, 2009)
Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, who participated in one of the most important nonviolent resistance movements of this century, invites us to move forward in our lives with calm, through conscious breathing. "Peace is present here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see": hearing the bells, eating mindfully, seeing the sun in a tangerine, printing peace and serenity while walking, smiling in a traffic jam…
The practice, gentle but regular, must extend into our daily lives. Our civilization “provides us with many things that we can use to lose touch with ourselves”. We must learn to stop to see more clearly. We will then have more time to deal with our unpleasant feelings. Rather than chasing them, let's learn to transform them. Anger is rooted in our misunderstanding of ourselves and in deep and immediate causes, but also in desire, vanity, suspicion… These knots must be undone, in harmony with others. Do not let the bad seeds germinate, but cultivate the good ones. Learn to ask "What's going well?" rather than the other way around, meditating while hugging, bringing young and old together, meditating on the suffering of those who made us suffer...
For reality is inter-being and non-duality. In a sheet of paper, there is the sun, the water, the clouds, the minerals... In the same way, the wealth of one society is made up of the poverty of another and in war, there is no there is no evil side. For a “committed Buddhism”, Thich Nhat Hanh calls for getting out of the prison of our “little self” and reconnecting with nature, our mother. “We must use the suffering of the XNUMXth century as compost so that together we can create flowers in the XNUMXst century”. (Matthieu Stricot)
The author: Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hạnh, in Vietnamese, Thich being a title), born Nguyen Xuan Bao on October 11, 1926 in Thua Thien (Central Vietnam), is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk activist for peace. Writer, poet, tireless defender of peace, he is one of the most committed personalities of Buddhism in the Western world after the Dalai Lama.
The art of true power,
Free yourself from addictions, fear and despair
Thich Nhat Hanh
(I read, 2017)
If it is a question of power here, it is not that exercised to the detriment of others. Because power is not bad in itself. On the other hand, the use that is made of it can generate suffering. Thich Nhat Hanh evokes the role of a company manager or a simple employee as well as the relationships of the couple or the behavior of the parents vis-à-vis their children. With his logic forged by experience, his own and that of others, the Vietnamese Zen monk assures that if we apply mindfulness, this “ability to be one hundred percent present”, then our perception of the world will change. Through concentration and insight, we will better understand our own suffering and that of others, and in turn cause less of it. We will feel that happiness is not to be found in fame, political power, financial success or sex. Therefore, we will develop a sense of peace. And we will feel better. (Carole Rap)
The author: Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hạnh, in Vietnamese, Thich being a title), born Nguyen Xuan Bao on October 11, 1926 in Thua Thien (Central Vietnam), is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk activist for peace. Writer, poet, tireless defender of peace, he is one of the most committed personalities of Buddhism in the Western world after the Dalai Lama.
Journey to Awakening
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(Points, Wisdom collection, 2011)
What makes us unhappy? According to Buddhism, it is our erroneous perception of the world, whose roots are: desire, hatred and ignorance. At the origin of our harmful behaviors, these three poisons also lead us to an individualism in contradiction with social life. As our society is undergoing profound transformation, the Dalai Lama invites us to seek a middle way where comfort is both material and spiritual, and benefits all of us. Journeying to Enlightenment offers a progressive method to combat our negative attitudes at their source. Rich in exercises for meditative reflection and analysis, this work accessible to all, believers or not, Buddhists or not, is an essential guide to loving kindness, compassion and patience towards all living beings.
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
How to practice Buddhism
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(Pocket, 2003)
The Dalai Lama shares with us his own experience of Buddhist practice. He shares with us his techniques of spiritual progression to reach a higher degree of peace. As a guide, he leads us on the path of serenity to seize the richness of each moment and give all its meaning to our existence.
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
The Art of Happiness: daily wisdom and serenity
His Holiness the Dalai Lama (with Howard Cutler)
(I read, 2000)
Ask the Dalai Lama if he is happy, he will tell you " Yes " without hesitation, because according to him happiness is the goal of our entire existence. This is what he explains in this art of happiness, a surprising mixture of wisdom several thousand years old, common sense, reflections and concrete advice, which we can all apply. Throughout these conversations, the Dalai Lama shows us how to overcome anxiety, insecurity, anger and discouragement, and explores our daily lives to teach us how to overcome life's obstacles by tapping into our source of inner peace.
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
make the revolution
The Dalai Lama, with Sofia Stril-Rever
(Massot Editions/Rabelais Editions, 2017)
From the first pages, the Dalai Lama sets the tone: “We are the same age, the age of new beginnings”. It is therefore not only addressed to young people in this small text, great for the cry it launches to humanity, but to all those who see each minute as an opportunity to grow, to love and to serve. It is for those who want to stay alive. To this generation that is rising and suffocating on the planet, he orders them to make a revolution: that of compassion. For him, everything starts with love. He argues that if our whole life is turned towards the good of others, we become a fierce defender of life. He encourages us to practice emotional hygiene, because everything we are has a real impact on the world: "Even in your finest structures, you are in resonance with the solar system, the Milky Way and the cosmos, beyond even beyond anything you could imagine. Before your birth, during your life and after the death of your physical body, your cells vibrate with the universe whose limits are unknown. Your thoughts, your feelings extend beyond the conceivable to infinity”.
This manifesto-like text therefore warns us that if we do not change our behavior, degradation on a global scale will exceed all that we have known. This cry of alarm nevertheless opens a door and offers a way out: courageously tap into true strength, that which is born of love and compassion. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
The meaning of life
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(I read, 2008)
With simplicity, clarity and conviction, His Holiness the Dalai Lama presents the fundamental teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and enlightens the reader on the causes of suffering, reincarnation, karma, benevolence, wisdom and individual responsibility. Buddhism, in true science of the spirit, teaches us to become conscious of our thoughts and our actions. This research into our own inner workings is the key to improving ourselves. In the form of questions and answers, the Dalai Lama shows how Buddhism gives meaning to life by making each of us more human, happier and freer.
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
The way of light: all the wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(I read, 2013)
The current Dalai Lama analyzes here The essence of pure gold, a renowned text by the third Dalai Lama, Sonam Gyatso. The work of the man who became the guru of the Mongol ruler Altan Khan is one of the jewels of the Lam Rim tradition, based on The chanting of the stages of the spiritual path by Je Rinpoche. The Lam Rim, the essence of all the Buddha's teachings, presents all the levels and degrees of the techniques transmitted through Nagarjuna and Asanga. Mainly from Sutra on the Perfection of Wisdom, it deals with the deep nature of existence and insists on the importance of spiritual progress in order to progress gradually towards enlightenment.
For this, it is necessary to have a master possessing the six basic qualifications and the other altruistic qualities indicated in The Ornament of the Mahayana Sutras. “By working with the guru and with the laws of cause and effect, you can take advantage of your extremely precious human life,” explains Sonam Gyatso. The teachings of the Buddha are intended to benefit sentient beings and satisfy their spiritual needs, in order to produce high rebirth in samsara, attain the liberated state of nirvana and omniscient enlightenment. In this view, the spiritual aspirant needs a role model. In Buddhism, he takes refuge in the Triple Jewel: the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha.
In order to achieve the higher degree of meditation practice, the aspirant must develop the awakened mind, the central pillar of Mahayana practice. Once he has acquired the three qualities of the free mind of non-attachment, the mind of great compassion and a correct understanding of the doctrine of emptiness, he can enter the path of secret mantra, Vajrayana, by receiving complete attunements from a fully qualified lineage holder. The Dalai Lama specifies that the sign of spiritual progress becomes palpable when the yearning for freedom begins to exert a continuous influence on the mind, day and night... (Matthieu Stricot)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
Journey to the Edge of the Mind: An Exploration of Consciousness, Dreams and the Afterlife
His Holiness the Dalai Lama
(I read, 2013)
Science and technology have a crucial impact on our lives. Journey to the edge of the mind is the result of a week of interviews at the Mind and life conferences in 1992. A meeting where philosophers, physicists, neurologists and even psychologists discuss, with the Dalai Lama, themes as mysterious as sleep, dreams and the death. Dark areas of the ego, where Western science is often uncomfortable, but where the Tibetan Buddhist tradition finds itself fully at home. The exchanges approach Plato, Saint-Augustin or Descartes to evade the question of the self in the West, the place of the human soul in the cosmos... Very quickly the question of the dream appears, on which Freud meets the Tibetan tradition which has looked into , for ten centuries, on its phenomenology.
The book comes to the deepest mystery of existence, death. The philosopher Charles Taylor exposes the notion of eternity in Christianity or even “our belief in being able to control things” in our secular societies, which transforms our relationship to death. What about near-death experiences? Joan Halifax, anthropologist, reports clinical cases on the subject which is, moreover, very well explained in The Tibetan Book of the Dead. For the Dalai Lama, near-death experiences are a separate process from the dissolution-to-death phases. Scientists note that Buddhism could make a great contribution in this area.
On all the topics covered, the teaching of the subtle mind of the Dalai Lama highlights the "really difficult problem" of consciousness for Westerners. These phenomena remain outside our scientific traditions. While contemporary discourse on consciousness is increasingly grounded in experimental evidence, the epistemological gap between modern science and Buddhist teachings remains deep. This book has the merit of building bridges between these two methods, not stimulating debates. (Matthieu Stricot)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
New reality. The age of universal responsibility
The Dalai Lama, with Sofia Stril-Rever
(I read, 2016)
One of the essential missions of the Dalai Lama is to contribute to the happiness of others. For him, this is the only meaning of life. In this line, he tries to raise awareness in the face of the climatic catastrophe that is preparing. He writes: "The air of the overheated planet has become unbreathable in the megalopolises of the five continents, whose tomorrows seem doomed to the disaster of great suffering". The Dalai Lama believes that the XNUMXst century can become the most important century in the history of mankind, because we are facing a new reality. He shows through these pages how all our operating patterns are anachronistic in the face of the ecological upheavals we are experiencing. We must reinvent our entire relationship to ourselves and to nature. He urges us to become the peace we want for the world, to awaken our consciences to restore a fertile link with the earth and no longer a destructive one.
This book is a call to life in all its forms, but above all a call to order of our universal responsibility. Because each of our thoughts, words or actions leaves imprints of consciousness; we can each at our level be the actors of the necessary paradigm shift. "To experience inner peace and healing in each of my gestures, dedicated to the good of all existences, human and non-human, is a great call to be alive, in the joy of universal love which is the life of life. ". An urgency runs through these pages, that of uniting our breath with that of all beings and with the great breath of the universe. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
The heart of meditation. Discover the innermost spirit
The Dalai Lama with Jeffrey Hopkins
(I read, 2016)
The heart of meditation seems to be the Dalai Lama's most intimate work. Because it reveals what animates the heart of his life: the most secret spirit. If the first pages require a certain effort in order to penetrate the powerful teaching that he delivers to us here, we then let ourselves be taken on board by this world which opens up to us, fascinated by the truths and the techniques that it shares. These pages resonate for a long time once the book is closed, because the soul has been touched. You would have to read it several times to grasp its immense significance. What is purest in us is revealed here. So we keep coming back to these words which can become guides: "If you can make all phenomena appear as the vibration of the most secret spirit, without departing from this sphere of the spirit, you will not fall any more under the influence of conventional conceptions. When you identify your own basic entity and directly establish its continuing and definitive meaning in meditative equality, then while acting in the world you will have awakened. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
The Spiritual Paths to Happiness. Make the revolution of the heart
The Dalai Lama
(I read, 2019)
For the Dalai Lama, turning his life towards compassion is the greatest revolution that man can accomplish. He explains throughout this book how compassion is founding for ourselves and the world around us. Our whole existence blooms when it is turned towards the good of others. By this gift of self, this service to humanity, we get out of the cycle of suffering, because our heart opens. He insists on the interdependence of all our actions, our thoughts, our emotions. We are responsible for what we give to the world. Since nothing has its own existence, it is up to us to be a link of light installed in a tranquility that softens the vicissitudes of the world.
The Dalai Lama teaches us here to go through trials in a spirit of compassion. “When people make us suffer, we should feel gratitude towards them. Indeed, these situations give us the opportunity to test our practice of patience (…) Enemies are allies in practice. They test our inner strength to such an extent that even our master could not do it”. By this reversal towards love that the great sage practices throughout the book, we discover that each obstacle is an opportunity to rise by stretching out our hand. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
Milarepa, The Life and The Hundred Thousand Songs
Marie-Jose Lamothe
(Fayard, 2006)
With La Vie et The Hundred Thousand Songs, it is all the narrations, chronicles and poems attributed to the Tibetan hermit-poet that are gathered here. A meticulous evocation of one of the most unique and overwhelming spiritual journeys accomplished by a human spirit, this book is nevertheless akin to an adventure story, an epic. For all Tibetans, this is an essential work, which recounts and exalts the path to the Awakening of a Buddha commensurate with the Himalayan highlands. In her translation, Marie-José Lamothe was able to restore the rhythm or better, the sound of the Tibetan language, so well suited to the space of this Haut-Pays that she knew intimately. This French version retains the echo of the original breath, its power to tear away from the world, to elevate body and mind. In the afterword, the translator, who has followed in the footsteps of Milarepa, offers a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the master of life, a unique opportunity for the reader to take the measure of Tibet today.
The author: Marie-José Lamothe is a French photographer, writer, translator and Tibetologist. She learns Tibetan at INALCO. Samten G. Karmay entrusts him with an old xylographed edition of the Hundred Thousand Songs of Milarepa which allows him to begin the translation. She has translated, from Tibetan into French, the complete works of Milarepa. She also retraced its life in a book.
Is not a Buddhist who wants
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse (translation Anne Benson)
(NiL edition, 2008)
“You may well not be born in a Buddhist country or family, not wear the robe or shave your head, be a carnivore and idolize Eminem and Paris Hilton, that will not prevent you from being a Buddhist. Many today claim Buddhism and ape its attributes without really espousing its deep philosophy. So what does it really mean to be a Buddhist?
The author gives us the answer without mincing his words: the fundamental difference between Buddhism and all other religions lies in the respect and understanding of the “Four Seals”: Any compound thing is impermanent; all emotion is pain; nothing exists in and by itself; nirvana is beyond concepts. Once is not custom, these subtle notions are explained to us in immediately understandable terms, accompanied by a provocative humor. Because if Buddhism is not reduced to “vegetarianism, non-violence, peace and meditation […] a little levity will not prevent you from becoming a Buddhist”. An irreverent and funny reflection on a deep subject.
The author: Born Khyentse Norbu in 1961 in Bhutan, Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse is a lama, writer and film director. At the age of seven, he was recognized as the third incarnation (tulku) of the founder of Khyentse, a famous lineage of Tibetan Buddhism seeking to promote a non-sectarian approach to this religion. Centering his teaching on the Buddhist virtues of wisdom and compassion, he seeks to transcend the cultural and traditional limits of Buddhism.
Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh, who participated in one of the most important nonviolent resistance movements of this century, invites us to move forward in our lives with calm, through conscious breathing. "Peace is present here and now, in ourselves and in everything we do and see": hearing the bells, eating mindfully, seeing the sun in a tangerine, printing peace and serenity while walking, smiling in a traffic jam…
The practice, gentle but regular, must extend into our daily lives. Our civilization “provides us with many things that we can use to lose touch with ourselves”. We must learn to stop to see more clearly. We will then have more time to deal with our unpleasant feelings. Rather than chasing them, let's learn to transform them. Anger is rooted in our misunderstanding of ourselves and in deep and immediate causes, but also in desire, vanity, suspicion… These knots must be undone, in harmony with others. Do not let the bad seeds germinate, but cultivate the good ones. Learn to ask "What's going well?" rather than the other way around, meditating while hugging, bringing young and old together, meditating on the suffering of those who made us suffer...
For reality is inter-being and non-duality. In a sheet of paper, there is the sun, the water, the clouds, the minerals... In the same way, the wealth of one society is made up of the poverty of another and in war, there is no there is no evil side. For a “committed Buddhism”, Thich Nhat Hanh calls for getting out of the prison of our “little self” and reconnecting with nature, our mother. “We must use the suffering of the XNUMXth century as compost so that together we can create flowers in the XNUMXst century”. (Matthieu Stricot)
The author: Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hạnh, in Vietnamese, Thich being a title), born Nguyen Xuan Bao on October 11, 1926 in Thua Thien (Central Vietnam), is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk activist for peace. Writer, poet, tireless defender of peace, he is one of the most committed personalities of Buddhism in the Western world after the Dalai Lama.
If it is a question of power here, it is not that exercised to the detriment of others. Because power is not bad in itself. On the other hand, the use that is made of it can generate suffering. Thich Nhat Hanh evokes the role of a company manager or a simple employee as well as the relationships of the couple or the behavior of the parents vis-à-vis their children. With his logic forged by experience, his own and that of others, the Vietnamese Zen monk assures that if we apply mindfulness, this “ability to be one hundred percent present”, then our perception of the world will change. Through concentration and insight, we will better understand our own suffering and that of others, and in turn cause less of it. We will feel that happiness is not to be found in fame, political power, financial success or sex. Therefore, we will develop a sense of peace. And we will feel better. (Carole Rap)
The author: Thich Nhat Hanh (Nhat Hạnh, in Vietnamese, Thich being a title), born Nguyen Xuan Bao on October 11, 1926 in Thua Thien (Central Vietnam), is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk activist for peace. Writer, poet, tireless defender of peace, he is one of the most committed personalities of Buddhism in the Western world after the Dalai Lama.
From the first pages, the Dalai Lama sets the tone: “We are the same age, the age of new beginnings”. It is therefore not only addressed to young people in this small text, great for the cry it launches to humanity, but to all those who see each minute as an opportunity to grow, to love and to serve. It is for those who want to stay alive. To this generation that is rising and suffocating on the planet, he orders them to make a revolution: that of compassion. For him, everything starts with love. He argues that if our whole life is turned towards the good of others, we become a fierce defender of life. He encourages us to practice emotional hygiene, because everything we are has a real impact on the world: "Even in your finest structures, you are in resonance with the solar system, the Milky Way and the cosmos, beyond even beyond anything you could imagine. Before your birth, during your life and after the death of your physical body, your cells vibrate with the universe whose limits are unknown. Your thoughts, your feelings extend beyond the conceivable to infinity”.
This manifesto-like text therefore warns us that if we do not change our behavior, degradation on a global scale will exceed all that we have known. This cry of alarm nevertheless opens a door and offers a way out: courageously tap into true strength, that which is born of love and compassion. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
Science and technology have a crucial impact on our lives. Journey to the edge of the mind is the result of a week of interviews at the Mind and life conferences in 1992. A meeting where philosophers, physicists, neurologists and even psychologists discuss, with the Dalai Lama, themes as mysterious as sleep, dreams and the death. Dark areas of the ego, where Western science is often uncomfortable, but where the Tibetan Buddhist tradition finds itself fully at home. The exchanges approach Plato, Saint-Augustin or Descartes to evade the question of the self in the West, the place of the human soul in the cosmos... Very quickly the question of the dream appears, on which Freud meets the Tibetan tradition which has looked into , for ten centuries, on its phenomenology.
The book comes to the deepest mystery of existence, death. The philosopher Charles Taylor exposes the notion of eternity in Christianity or even “our belief in being able to control things” in our secular societies, which transforms our relationship to death. What about near-death experiences? Joan Halifax, anthropologist, reports clinical cases on the subject which is, moreover, very well explained in The Tibetan Book of the Dead. For the Dalai Lama, near-death experiences are a separate process from the dissolution-to-death phases. Scientists note that Buddhism could make a great contribution in this area.
On all the topics covered, the teaching of the subtle mind of the Dalai Lama highlights the "really difficult problem" of consciousness for Westerners. These phenomena remain outside our scientific traditions. While contemporary discourse on consciousness is increasingly grounded in experimental evidence, the epistemological gap between modern science and Buddhist teachings remains deep. This book has the merit of building bridges between these two methods, not stimulating debates. (Matthieu Stricot)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
One of the essential missions of the Dalai Lama is to contribute to the happiness of others. For him, this is the only meaning of life. In this line, he tries to raise awareness in the face of the climatic catastrophe that is preparing. He writes: "The air of the overheated planet has become unbreathable in the megalopolises of the five continents, whose tomorrows seem doomed to the disaster of great suffering". The Dalai Lama believes that the XNUMXst century can become the most important century in the history of mankind, because we are facing a new reality. He shows through these pages how all our operating patterns are anachronistic in the face of the ecological upheavals we are experiencing. We must reinvent our entire relationship to ourselves and to nature. He urges us to become the peace we want for the world, to awaken our consciences to restore a fertile link with the earth and no longer a destructive one.
This book is a call to life in all its forms, but above all a call to order of our universal responsibility. Because each of our thoughts, words or actions leaves imprints of consciousness; we can each at our level be the actors of the necessary paradigm shift. "To experience inner peace and healing in each of my gestures, dedicated to the good of all existences, human and non-human, is a great call to be alive, in the joy of universal love which is the life of life. ". An urgency runs through these pages, that of uniting our breath with that of all beings and with the great breath of the universe. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
One of the essential missions of the Dalai Lama is to contribute to the happiness of others. For him, this is the only meaning of life. In this line, he tries to raise awareness in the face of the climatic catastrophe that is preparing. He writes: "The air of the overheated planet has become unbreathable in the megalopolises of the five continents, whose tomorrows seem doomed to the disaster of great suffering". The Dalai Lama believes that the XNUMXst century can become the most important century in the history of mankind, because we are facing a new reality. He shows through these pages how all our operating patterns are anachronistic in the face of the ecological upheavals we are experiencing. We must reinvent our entire relationship to ourselves and to nature. He urges us to become the peace we want for the world, to awaken our consciences to restore a fertile link with the earth and no longer a destructive one.
This book is a call to life in all its forms, but above all a call to order of our universal responsibility. Because each of our thoughts, words or actions leaves imprints of consciousness; we can each at our level be the actors of the necessary paradigm shift. "To experience inner peace and healing in each of my gestures, dedicated to the good of all existences, human and non-human, is a great call to be alive, in the joy of universal love which is the life of life. ". An urgency runs through these pages, that of uniting our breath with that of all beings and with the great breath of the universe. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
For the Dalai Lama, turning his life towards compassion is the greatest revolution that man can accomplish. He explains throughout this book how compassion is founding for ourselves and the world around us. Our whole existence blooms when it is turned towards the good of others. By this gift of self, this service to humanity, we get out of the cycle of suffering, because our heart opens. He insists on the interdependence of all our actions, our thoughts, our emotions. We are responsible for what we give to the world. Since nothing has its own existence, it is up to us to be a link of light installed in a tranquility that softens the vicissitudes of the world.
The Dalai Lama teaches us here to go through trials in a spirit of compassion. “When people make us suffer, we should feel gratitude towards them. Indeed, these situations give us the opportunity to test our practice of patience (…) Enemies are allies in practice. They test our inner strength to such an extent that even our master could not do it”. By this reversal towards love that the great sage practices throughout the book, we discover that each obstacle is an opportunity to rise by stretching out our hand. (Blanche de Richemont)
The author: Tenzin Gyatso, the 1959th Dalai Lama, is known worldwide as a man of peace and a teacher of wisdom. Forced into exile from Tibet in 1989, he remained the political and spiritual leader of his people. His commitment to the policy of non-violence earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in XNUMX.
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