The brief and beautiful Buddhist texts in this book point towards the inexpressible sweet simplicity of our own minds. This simplicity is usually obscured by the complexity of our reified experience and the conceptual elaboration we employ to try to work out who we are and what our life is for.

The doha songs offered here are not fuel for intellectual analysis. Rather they offer us gentle encouragement to turn towards our own minds as the ungraspable simplicity of the ever-present ground.

The dohas here arose from the minds of enlightened yogis in Eastern India during the 8th -10th centuries. The collection is referred to as the Asta Doha Kosa in Sanskrit, Do-Ha mDzod bgGyad in Tibetan. The collection is supplemented by the famous Mahamudra Aspiration prayer, also known as the Kunzang Monlam (Kun-Tu bZang-Poi sMon-Lam in Tibetan), written by the third Karmapa.

The introduction and translation from Tibetan is by James Low.

Sweet simplicity: Mahamudra Doha Songs, James Low, Simply Being, Hardcover, 107 Pages, $22.50

James Low is a disciple and teacher in the Byangter and Khordong lineages of the late C R Lama, Chimed Rigdzin Lama, the Khordong Terchen Tulku.He began studying and practising Tibetan Buddhism in India in the 1960's and received teachings from Kalu Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Kanjur Rinpoche and Dudjom Rinpoche. Having met his main teacher, Chimed Rigdzin Lama (also known as C R Lama), he lived in his home in West Bengal, India for many years, serving him as required and being taught many aspects of the tradition. During this period in India James did several retreats and pilgrimages. In the 1970's and 1980's, on his return to Europe, he also had teachings and guidance from Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche.James translated many tantric texts and sadhanas with CR Lama who wanted texts from his lineages, Byangter and Khordong, to be available in English. These are used as practice texts by CR Lama's disciples and have been translated into various European languages.CR Lama asked James to teach in 1976 and later gave him the transmissions necessary to do this, together with full lineage authority. In particular, James was encouraged to give the traditional instructions using methods that enable people in the west to get the point. James has been teaching in this way for over thirty years.James regularly teaches the principles of dzogchen in Europe and publishes translations and commentaries from time to time.Many of his seminars have been recorded, transcribed and made freely available on his website www.simplybeing.co.uk.James studied at Edinburgh University, at Visva Bharati University (West Bengal) and others. He has retired from his work in London as a Consultant Psychotherapist in the National Health Service. He maintains a small private psychotherapy and supervision practice. He has been a staff member for many psychotherapy trainings in Britain.