The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones: The Practice of View, Meditation, and Action

This is a very good book, great in fact. The only thing I would point out is that much of it centers around the fact that the author feels it necessary for one to leave their present life, and basically go into solitude to truely progress on their spiritual journey. While this may or may not be the case, many of us are unwilling to do so. For those people, I suggest Thich Nhat Hanh's writings, as they are geared toward people in all circumstances. This is not to say that this book is not of value, it certainly is! It is really quite wonderful and has many great treasures contained within. I merely want people to be aware of this reoccuring suggestion to leave the present hectic life behind.

It has been said by those who know, that His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet knows a thing or two, about a thing or two. In the forward, the Dalai Lama not only lauds this text as containing ALL the Essential instructions to accomplish full enlightenment in one life time, but he goes on to compare it to an elixir for reviving the dead! Having had the very good fortune to receive teachings from every major and many minor Buddhist schools this simple devotee to the Buddha of Compassion can concur whole heartedly with His Holiness. This book is so important, that I have taken it as my Primary Text and as such, read it from cover to cover, Every Single Month. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, wrote this book from the "Rime" or NON-sectarian approach. It has something to offer everyone from wide-eyed beginner to 9th level Bodhisattva! Too many Americans have gotten distracted from Buddha's path to enlightenment by such things as: Culture, Language, Tradition and Politics. THIS text was designed to protect the reader from such foolishness and keep them alertly aware of what is most important in their quest to accomplish the path in THIS life! Many Theravadans and Gelugpas discribe the path of the Sutras in terms of Renunciation, Compassion and Insight: Dilgo Khyentse covers these from the perspective of both a Scholar and a Yogi! Many Nyingmapas and Kagyupas discribe the path to enlightenment in terms of View, Meditation and Action or Ground, Path and Fruition: both these systems are taught in this text. Tantra's path is often described in terms of Generation, Completion and Mahamudra or Maha-yoga, Anu-yoga and Dzogchen: again, both these systems are taught in this text. While NO substitute for the Blessings, Transmissions and Explanations of a fully qualified lama, this book is an indispensable tool for those who long to accomplish Chenrezig in THIS life time. I enthusiastically recommend this book to all my students, and I gently urge you to acquire it, dear reader. And so it is in the spirit of this book's two Bodhichittas of Compassion and Insight and it's two Mahamudra's of Sutra and Tantra that I now wish from the bottom of my heart: May you dear reader; be happy and healthy, may you practice skillfully and joyfully, may you accomplish Chenrezig in THIS life time, and help many others to do likewise! Om Mani Padme Hum, Lama Jigme Gyatso: Rime Manipa Tantrika

The reader is doubly blessed by The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened ones. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, a Buddhist master of the highest order, gives practical and detailed commentary on a long poem by Patrul Rinpoche, also a Buddhist master of the highest order (see the classic, The Words of My Perfect Teacher). Where Patrul Rinpoche offers punch and precision, Khyentse Rinpoche gives paragraph after paragraph of pointed compassion. Such kindness! This book makes the reader want to be more kind. What better reason to read? The purpose of Patrul Rinpoche's poem is to present the entire scope of the Buddhist ark in summary form, without leaving behind any essentials. According to Khyentse Rinpoche, this is important because "in this decadent age, because of their limited intelligence and lack of determination, people need to practice the Dharma in an essentialized form" (32). Chenresi (or Avalokiteshwara) practice is recommended for this reason. (Interested? You may wish to give mani wheel, or prayer wheel, practice a try.) Khyentse Rinpoche's assessment of our situation may sound pessimistic but really it's a chance for everyone to dig in and practice Dharma. According to Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, "If you examine closely the ordinary values that underlie your urge to pursue worldly goals and try to discover where they come from, you will find that their source is a failure to investigate things properly" (40). One way into the practice of investigating things properly is Tarthang Tulku's vision of Time Space and Knowledge. I feel so lucky to have had an opportunity to be exposed to these ideas, and I have reason to believe that all of us without exception would benefit from an increase in compassion. Homage to all true teachers!

As a beginning practitioner of Tibetan Buddhism, I found this book to be an excellent guide to a simple, direct, yet pround practice. Dilgo Khyentse was one of the greatest masters of Tibetan Buddhism and these teachings given not long before his passing are wonderfully fresh, realistic and down to earth about the things one faces in everyday modern life. The practice it teaches is not difficult but it brings great peace and gives the reader practical ways to deal with the confusions and disappointments of modern life. Dilgo Khyentse was a teacher of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and there is no way to go wrong reading anything he has taught. Of all the books I have read on Tibetan Buddhism, this one is the most helpful and most delightful.

The Heart Treasure of the Enlightened Ones is an excellent guide for Vajrayana practice according to the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche was one of the greatest Tibetan masters of this century. The translator and editor of this book, Matthieu Ricard, is one of the ablest translators today. I was fortunate to receive the teachings in this book as they were given by Khyentse Rinpoche in France in 1986. Under Ricard's expert editorship, I think they have lost none of their freshness and relevance for those curious to know more about Tibetan Buddhism, and also for experienced practitioners who wish to understand the view, meditation and conduct of Buddhism more deeply.