The Emanated Scripture of Manjushri: Shabkar's Essential Meditation Instructions

Description

Instructions for traversing the entire Vajrayana path to enlightenment from one of Tibet's most famous wandering yogis. Shabkar provides practical instructions that cover the entire Tibetan Buddhist path to enlightenment, from the pith instructions of the graded stages of the path (lam-rim), to the practice of calm abiding and special insight, bodhicitta, the bodhisattva vow and the practice of the six perfections, mahamudra, and dzogchen. Throughout, his teachings stress the importance of having a nonsectarian outlook.

SHABKAR TSOKDRUK RANGDROL was born in 1781 to a family of yogins in Rebkong, Amdo. After studying and practicing under the guidance of local masters, he left to study and practice under the guidance of his root master Chogyel Ngakgi Wongpo, a king in Mongolia. Having received ample instruction and clarification, he spent the rest of his life wandering around the Himalayan regions, practicing for long periods contemplative retreat, teaching, and performing virtuous deeds on a vast scale. It is said that wherever he went he left the footprint of virtue--hence his name, Shabkar, the white-footed. After a life dedicated to Buddhist practice and altruistic pursuits, he passed away amid wondrous signs in 1851. SEAN PRICE is the director of Tsadra Foundation's Tibetan Publications. A Buddhist monk, he has lived and studied in East Asia for almost thirty years. He resides primarily at Shechen Tennyi Dhargye Ling Monastery where, under the guidance of Shechen Rabjam Rinpoche, he locates and publishes rare Tibetan books and translates practice materials.

"The Emanated Scripture of Manjushri is quite unique in Tibetan literature, not only because of its being written in the form of questions and answers, alternating verse and prose, but because it is a compendium of short teachings that presents a limpid, concise, and yet profound instruction on the entire graded path to enlightenment. It does so in a nonsectarian manner typical of Shabkar's approach. This graded path takes us first through a thorough presentation of the "mind training" (Lojong) teachings, based on Je Tsongkhapa's Great Graded Path (Lam rim chen mo), to pith instructions, essential teachings on the nature of mind according to the Mahamudra tradition of Milarepa, practical explanations on the songs of realization, or dohas, of Saraha, and culminates with the ultimate teachings of the Great Perfection, Dzogchen, the pinnacle of the Nine Vehicles. Thus, in twenty-three pieces of advice, Shabkar elucidates the essentials of spiritual practice: the need to renounce the world, to rely on a spiritual master, and to unite meditation on emptiness with compassion. He explains how to meditate, how to apply in daily life the insights thus gained, and how to mingle one's mind with the guru's mind and liberate thoughts as they arise. Shabkar's style is crisp and effective, as if he had intended to define each step of the contemplative life in the briefest yet most complete and inspiring way for practitioners."-from the introduction by Matthieu Ricard