In this classic 17th-century presentation of the union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen, Karma Chagme, one of the great patriarchs of both of these lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, begins with an overview of the spirit of awakening and the nature of actions and their ethical consequences. Then, drawing from his enormous erudition and profound experience, Karma Chagme gives exceptionally lucid instructions on the two phases of Dzogchen practice - the Breakthrough and the Leap-over - followed by an accessible introduction to the practice of the transference of consciousness at the time of death.
The concluding chapters of this treatise present a detailed analysis of mahamudra meditation in relation to Dzogchen practice. This tour de force of scholarly erudition and contemplative insight is made all the more accessible by the lively commentary of the contemporary Nyingma Lama Gyatrul Rinpoche. Although this book stands alone, it is the concluding section of a single body of oral teachings by Karma Chagme, the earlier section published under the title A Spacious Path to Freedom.

Naked Awareness, Karma Chagme, Snow Lion Publications, Paperback, 2000, 344 pages, $24.95