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It is rare to find a recorded lineage of female teachers in either Bon or Tibetan Buddhism, but here thirty heart teachings of Bon Khandro are being made publicly available in English for the first time. In fact, this book combines many unique features in one concise volume.
First and foremost, the Dzogchen Yetri Thasel Mogyud, a succession of women from all over Central and Inner Asia who received precious Dzogchen teachings, and went on to achieve complete Buddhahood within one lifetime. These amazing ladies of wisdom practiced with perseverance in a variety of circumstances and, gaining insight into the true Nature of their own minds, they obtained miraculous powers and passed on the essence of their experience to a single female disciple. These quintessential pith instructions were collected like precious drops of nectar and written down by the eighth century Bonpo sage Lachen Drenpa Namkha.
Yongdzin Lopn Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the most erudite teacher of Yungdrung Bon, has taught on this text twice in the West, and the transcripts have been edited and amalgamated here. The book also includes a translation of the root text.
Another major feature of this publication is the specially commissioned thangka of this cycle of Khandro painted by Geshe Mnlam. Images of this female lineage are extremely rare, and Yongdzin Rinpoche consulted various texts to compile a detailed description of each lady. This text is also included here, and the image of each Khandro is printed alongside her heart teachings enabling the reader to invoke her blessings while reading.
The second half of the book is dedicated to the last yogini in this lineage, Chza Bnmo, who not only fully realized the ultimate meaning of Dzogchen but also played a pivotal role in saving the teachings of Yungdrung Bon from almost certain annihilation during the eighth century persecution in the reign of the Tibetan king Trisong Deutsen. As an inspiration to Western students, Nagru Geshe Gelek Jinpa has compiled her biography by extracting key episodes of her spiritual path - the teachings she received from her two main masters Lachen Drenpa Namkha and Lishu Tagring, how she practiced, and her inspiring Song of Experience. This is a path which, with the guidance of the teachings translated here, we can all aspire to follow.
Apart from the transcript of Yongdzin Rinpoche's teaching, this is a bi-lingual publication in English and Tibetan.
Also included are:
Prayers to Drenpa Namkha and Chza Bnmo; poster of the complete Khandro cycle thangka; 25+ color plates with the images of individual Khandro, Drenpa Namkha, Lishu Tagring etc.
Heart Essence of the Khandro: Experiential Instructions on Bonpo Dzogchen, Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak, Carol Ermakova and Dmitry Ermakov, Nagu Geshe Gelek Jinpa, Heritage Publishers, Hardcover, 182 pp, $ 32.95
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