His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche often says that breathing easily in a relaxed state free from stress and worry is a sign of inner freedom. Since time without beginning, our true nature has been, is, and always will be, naturally free.

The Path to Perfect Freedom is a collection of teachings by Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche, delivered across the United States and Asia over the past 35 years. It highlights Rinpoche’s direct, spontaneous, and engaging style.

Part One features general teachings on the Tibetan Buddhist path. These talks cover topics such as the purity of being, the essence of wisdom, the infallible law of karma, unconditional intelligence, pure aspiration, and the way of the bodhisattva.

Part Two focuses on the teachings of the vajrayana and Dzogchen. It begins with a line-by-line commentary on His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche’s Calling the Lama from Afar, and a talk on devotion within the lineage of Padmasambhava. It includes Rinpoche’s teachings on the five extraordinary preliminary practices of the Pema Sangtig Ngondro: taking refuge, generating bodhichitta, Vajrasattva purification, mandala offering, and Guru Yoga, followed by a review and commentary on His Holiness Dudjom Rinpoche’s Quintessence of Accomplishment: Instructions for Mountain Retreat. It concludes with an exploration of Patrul Rinpoche’s teachings on The Inner Treasure of Self-Liberation.

Part Three, Key Topics, includes a selection of short teachings on specific subjects, such as The Kindness of the Teacher, Beyond Death, and Unborn Awareness. Rinpoche delivered many of these teachings in response to students’ questions.

Finally, the appendix includes Shyalpa Rinpoche’s Spontaneous Verse on Precious Human Life and his oral translation of The Final Testament of Padampa Sangye.

The Path to Perfect Freedom, Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche, Light of Wisdom Publications, Paperback, 230 pages, $19.95

His Eminence Shyalpa Tenzin Rinpoche was born in the foothills of the Himalayan Mountains. He was recognized as a holy child and began training as a Lama at the age of four. His Eminence attended the Buddhist University of Sarnath in Varanasi, India. Later he received empowerments and transmissions from many of the greatest realized Buddhist masters of his time. His Eminence has conducted countless retreats, seminars and empowerments at centers throughout Asia, North America, and Europe, working to fulfill the wishes of his teachers by sharing his understanding and realization. His Eminence’s direct and spontaneous teachings offer heartfelt advice on how to seize the moment and live mindfully—with kindness and compassion.

In 2013, the Government of Nepal entrusted His Eminence with the task of developing a tract of land at the birthplace of the Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal. This began his visionary quest to create the Universal Peace Sanctuary. This center will serve as a radiant beacon for guiding individuals, communities, and nations toward peace, reconciliation, and unity.

His Eminence has founded non-profit organizations in the United States, including RangrigYeshe, Inc. and Buddhafield, the Center for Enlightenment, in New York. In Asia, he founded Wencheng Gongzhu International Foundation, headquartered in Hong Kong. His Eminence is the abbot of Shyalpa Monastery and Nunnery in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he guides over 150 monks and nuns. His charitable organizations include the Bhrikuti Himalayan Foundation and the Himalayan Children’s Fund, which support humanitarian projects in the Himalayan region.