Meditator's Nest Building a Spiritual Practice- Oral Teachings on the Essentials of the Buddhist Path (Set of 2 Volumes)

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About the Book Drawing from his scholastic and contemplative training, as well as his personal understanding of modern life, Khenpo Jamyang Tenzin offers excellent guidance to both beginners and experienced practitioners on the Buddha's way.

Based on the pith instructions transmitted in the Sakya tradition, such as the Lamdré teachings on The Three Visions and the instructions on Parting from the Four Attachments, as well as the Indian classics of Buddhist philosophy like Shantideva's The Way of the Bodhisattva and Chandrakirti's Introduction to the Middle Way, the teachings offered in this book show us how to inte grate both elements - theory and practice - in a most meaningful way on our path.

Together with The Meditator's Nest, Vol. 2: A Mahayana Meditation Manual, this book forms a set, a precious companion for those travelling the path to awakening.

About the Author Khenpo Jamyang Tenzin is the abbot of Tsechen Dongag Choeling, a Sakya monastery in Mundgod, South India. He studied under the late Khenchen Appey Rinpoche at Sakya College, where he also taught for several years, and completed a three-year retreat under the guidance of H.E. Chogye Trichen Rinpoche.

Since 2001 Khenpo Jamyang Tenzin has been teaching philosophy and meditation at the International Buddhist Academy in Kathmandu, Nepal.

Preface With this publication for the first time we make accessible to the public a one-month course of summer teachings offered at the International Buddhist Academy (IBA) in Kathmandu, Nepal.

These particular teachings are special in so far as they strike a perfect balance between method and wisdom, praxis rooted in genuine understanding. Khenpo Jamyang Tenzin based his instructions on the practical methods of mind training transmitted in the Sakya tradition, such as the instructions on Parting from the Four Attachments and The Three Visions, as well as the Indian classics of Buddhist thought such as Shantideva's The Way of the Bodhisattva, Nagarjuna's Precious Garland, and Chandrakirti's Introduction to the Middle Way. In this way he guided a group of students in June 2011, over the period of one month, in the essentials of the Buddhist path, showing them how the practices they are engaged in must be based on genuine understanding, and how on the other hand knowledge must find expression in our daily lives. His open-minded approach to the teachings, his deeply rooted commitment to the tradition, and his sense of humor make his words accessible, yet extremely precise and authentic.

The companion volume to this publication is a manual entitled The Meditator's Nest: A Mahayana Meditation Manual. Together they form a set of immense value to practitioners on any level of the path.

Introduction My way of reciting the morning prayers First of all, I would like to share with you my way of performing the recitations we will do in the morning before our classes. There are a number of new students among you, so it may be beneficial for them to know why we recite certain prayers. These recitations were prepared on the basis of the Buddhist doctrine in general and, in particular, the Mahayana teachings. They are used at the beginning of formal teachings in order for our actions-my action of delivering the teachings and your action of receiving them-to become the path to complete enlightenment. In order to transform those actions into the path to enlightenment they have to be done with the proper motivation and the proper support, on the basis of which the action is performed.

First, the Heart Sutra is recited before teachings, as in all Tibetan schools of Buddhism. This is done mainly to drive away obstacles to spiritual activities. Then come the practices of taking refuge and generating bodhicitta. These four lines are very important. They form the actual support, based on which we perform the other recitations and listen to the teachings. They help us generate the right motivation out of which the teachings should be given and received. After this, we recite the four limitless prayers to strengthen our motivation.

Next are the prayers to the masters of the lineage. It is through the efforts of these masters that the teachings are available to us today and continue to benefit the fortunate and faithful beings.

**Contents and Sample Pages**