This is a text by the greatNyingma scholar-practitioner Ju Mipham Namgyal [1846-1912]. Mipham, as he is usually called, has become the most well known ofNyingma scholars. His text here concerns the practice of the innermost level of Great Completion The innermost level of Great Comple­ tion has two main practices, one called Thorough Cut (chod) and one called Direct Crossing. Of the two, this text concerns itself with the practice of Thorough Cut.

"THE ROOT CAUSE for the perpetual wandering of beings in sa~psara, tormented by endless suffering, is to hold to an incorrect understanding of the fundamental nature• of phenomena. For this misunderstanding to be purified, the compassionate and skillful Buddha turned the wheel of dharma on inconceivable subjects that are in harmony with the true, fundamental nature ofthings. To synthesize these teachings, there are two categories: the causal vehicle of characteristics and the vajra vehicle of Secret Mantra. In the vajra vehicle ofSecret Mantra, there are two divisions: the common outer tantras and the uncommon inner tantras. The inner tantras are the three categories of generation·stage Mahayoga: completion-stage Anuyoga,d and the great perfection-stage Atiyoga.• The tantra ofthe Glorious Secret Essence primarily belongs to the category of Mahayoga. In brief, this commentary [Essence ofClear Light'] gives extremely clear explanations on the topics o f the generation stage, completion stage,  and all the way up through the trekcho instructions of the Great Perfection School. In chis way, since this commentary brings together all the upade- shash of the unsurpassed tantras, it is the epitome of the profound. Just by listening to this profound subject, it is certain that ones mind will be released from its strong hold on ordinary phenomena, needless to mention the benefits of practice."

“The author brings impressive detail and erudition to bear on this topic; he is clearly well read in the relevant Tibetan materials, the Indian background, and relevant contemporary scholarship. This book represents a significant contribution to the fields of Tibetan and Buddhist studies, and it fills a gap in our knowledge of Nyingma philosophy.”   — Gregory A. Hillis, This is a comprehensive review of all the aspects of emptiness which is based on Mipham work. It is a fairly advanced book and goes beyond just Mipham's treatise on Buddha Nature.

Thrangu Rinpoche has a book on understanding the Buddhist concept of emptiness entitled Open Door to Emptiness. In this book he reviews the Four Logical Argument used to prove that things are empty or one could say insubstantial

This is an exploration ofthe critical philosophi- cal approach of Tibetan scholasticism,~ especially its traditions of interpretation of Madhyamaka (Middle Way) philosophy, and the relationship of Madhyamaka to Dzogchen (rdzogs chen) or the Great Perfection, one of the most important and controversial Tibetan traditions of mystical philosophy and meditation pracctice. In particular, this study examines Mipham Rinpoche's polemical defense of the Nyingma school's Great Perfection teaching, his resolution of philosophical controversies that are historically associated with the Great Perfection, and the epistemological and gnoseological6 distinctions he uses to that end. The Beacon's author, Mipham Rinpoche (1r846-1912),was one of the greatest scholars of the Nyingma or"old school" ofT ibetan Buddhism. Mipham's "root" teacher the incomparable scholar and visionary 'Jamgon Khentse wan po (1820-1892), entrusted him with the preservation ofthe Great Perfection teaching. Mipham was an indefatigable scholar, debater, and meditator. He mastered the major scholastic traditions of Tibetan Buddhism and composed commentaries and treatises based upon them, and during numerous meditative retreats, he cultivated a profound experience of the.Vajrayana practices taught in both the older and newer traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.

The Longsal Cycle or The Luminous Clarity of the Universe, Heart Essence ofthe Dakinis  is the col­ ection of  Namkhai Norbu's rediscovered teachings. This series of publications contains translations ofthe original texts together with the histories of their discovery. This sixth volume of teachings from the Long­sal Cycle contains three upadeshas and the histo­ ries of their discovery. These teachings were re­ ceived through dreams over a period oftime from 1985 to 1998. The Upadesha on the Guruyoga ofthe White A (re­ceived in 1987, is a special teaching on the Guru­ yoga of Garab Dorje. The dreams relating to this teaching are connected to Nubchen Sangye Yeshe (9th century) and Garab Dorje. The Actions oft he Guru Jfianaldni received in dreams from 1992 to 2001, contains three extraordinary practices respectively related to the dimen­ sions of the Body, Voice and Mind of the Jfiana­ dakini (Wisdom Dakini) Gomadevi. The dreams through which these teachings were received are mainly related to Gomadevi herself and to the fe­ male master Ayu Khandro Dorje Paldron. The Profound Essential Upadesha of the Long Life Practice "The Thigle of Vajra Life" written down in its formal form in 1998, be­longs to the Mandarava cycle of practices and contains profound instructions on the methods of Tsalung. Included in this section is a dream in which Ayu Khandro Dorje Paldron clarifies im­portant points ofthe main practice ... more info

The Longsal Cycle or The Innermost Essence of the Dakinis of the Luminous Clarity of the Uni­verse is the collection of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu's rediscovered teachings. This publication of teachings from theLongsal Cycle contains three upadeshas received through dreams (mnal chos), including the histories of their discoveries, over a period of time ranging from 1957 to 1989. The Opening of the Gate to the State of Ati  written down in 1977, is a special teaching of Padmasambhava, (8th century), that explains the conditions of the Teaching in this degenerated age and presents a practice of Purification of the Six Lokas based on the principle of 'reversal' of samsara. The Upadesha of Introduction to the State of Ati, written down in 1983, is an extraordinary teach­ ing of the great translator Vairochana (7th century) introducing the authentic principle of Atiyoga or Dzogcheb, i presenting essen­tial instructions on the Four Contemplations of Semde The Upadesha for the Self-Liberation of the Six Lokas  re­ceived in 1989 while leading a retreat in Australia, contains instructions of the Vidya­dhara Nagadhara on how to practice the Purifica­tion of the Six Lekas in a very special way, by adopting also particular physical positions.

Among the many topics taught by the Master Chogyal Namkhai Norbu during a retreat at Monte Faito in spring 1980, that the present writer had the good fortune to attend, he gave the transmission ofa complete and progressive method for those wishing to practise contemplation according to the Dzogchen tradition. This is a progressive method, replete with counsels and exercises to enable a beginner to master the practice, and with precious advice on how to avoid deviating from the right path. Among other things it also gives definitive clarification regarding the crucial moment when students may start to consider themselves Dzogchen practitioners. This method is complete because, starting from the beginner's position it reaches the advanced level, illustrating on the way the increasingly imperceptible and delicate variances that distinguish true contemplation from the deviations that, throughout the path, present a risk to the practitioner.

DZOGCHEN TEACHINGS ORAL COMMENTARY ON THE LONGSAL TERMA: THE OPENING OF THE GATE TO THE STATE OF ATI (ATI GoNGPA GoJED) is the complete Title. Dzokchen is the main practice of the Nyingma lineage who has produced many enlightened beings. In this book gives a very lucid and detailed of the practices of this lineange.