Based on the author's talks at Naropa University, this volume introduces the reader to the principles of tantra, based on the practice of meditation, which leads to the discovery of egolessness. Trungpa Rinpoche provides a direct and experiential picture of the tantric world, explaining the importance of self-existing energy, the mandala principle, differences between Buddhist and Hindu tantra -- stressing the nontheistic foundation of Buddhism. The role of the teacher and the meaning of tantric transmission are also presented. Written for the student of Buddhism rather than the scholar, Journey Without Goal demystifies the vajrayana and at the same time affirms the power and sacredness of its ancient teachings.

Journey Without Goal, Chogyam Trungpa, Shambhala Publications, Paperback 150 pages, $21.95

Trungpa was born in Eastern Tibet and recognized as an incarnation of the Trungpa line at an early date. He studied with, among others, one of the reincarnations of the Jamgyon Kongtrul who wrote the most famous commentary on the Seven Points. In 1959 he fled to India in the wake of the Communist takeover in Tibet, courageously leading many of his people to safety (this period is described in his book Born in Tibet.) He came to England in the mid-sixties to study at Oxford, learned English, started to teach, and started one of the first Tibetan Buddhist centers in the West. He later dropped his monastic vows, married, and moved to America where he continued his teaching. He founded the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, a large and highly respected Buddhist university, as well as the Shambhala organization. The influence of both his teaching and his books on American Buddhism was and still is enormous.

 

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1
"Intensifying Devotion in One's Heart" by Jamgön Kongtrül Lodrö Thaye 7
The Tantric Practitioner 19
Vajra Nature 25
Mandala 31
Nontheistic Energy 39
Transmission 47
The Vajra Master 55
Visualization 65
Body, Speech, and Mind 71
The Five Buddha Families 77
Abhisheka 87
Being and Manifesting 101
The Question of Magic 109
The Tantric Journey 117
Anuttara Yoga 125
Maha Ati 133
"Lord Marpa's Praise to the Gurus" 143

Index 145