The first section of this book is the spiritual biography of Tilopa, the Indian yogi who is considered the founding father of the unbroken lineage of the Kagyupa tradition. It is not a biography in the ordinary sense, but inspirational stories of the events that led to his realization, how he began and applied himself, the methods he used, and how through his realization he benefited others.
The second section of the book contains the root text and commentary on the The Ganges Mahamudra, Tilopa's oral instructions for accomplishing enlightenment - considered the source text for all Kagyu doctrine and the tradition of Mahamudra meditation in general.
Tilopa gave these instructions on the banks of the Ganges River sometime in the eleventh century to his student Naropa, who in turn transmitted them to his Tibetan disciple Marpa Lotsawa. For over a thousand years it has been passed down through an unbroken lineage of realized teachers to Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, so this publication represents something quite extraordinary and wonderful.

Life of Tilopa & The Ganges Mahamudra, Thrangu Rinpoche, Zhisil Chokyi Ghatsal, 2002, 180 pp. $27.50

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche is a renowned Tibetan Buddhist master known for his deep compassion and the clarity of his teachings. He was selected by His Holiness the Dalai Lama to serve as the principal tutor to His Holiness the 17th Karmapa, Oryen Trinley Dorje.

Thrangu Rinpoche is a full holder and teacher of the Kagyu Vajrayana lineages. He founded the Namo Buddha retreat center in Nepal, has established two shedras (monastic universities) in Nepal and India, and serves as Abbot of Gampo Abbey in Nova Scotia. He also built Tara Abbey, where nuns receive a full dharma education qualifying them to become khenpos or teachers. Thrangu Rinpoche teaches extensively throughout Asia, Europe and the United States. He has centers in Maine and California, and is building the Vajra Vidya Retreat Center in Crestone, Colorado.

	Contents: THE LIFE of TILOPA & THE GANGES MAHAMUDRA
	Forward	xi
	Biography of Thrangu Rinpoche	xiii
	Preface	xv
	PART I: THE LIFE OF TILOPA
1.	An Introduction to the Spiritual Biography	1
2.	Tilopa's Childhood	5
3.	Tilopa Renounces Samsara and Meets his Teachers	9
4.	Tilopa Receives Secret Instructions	19
5.	Tilopa Gains Eight Pupils	25
	The Root Text	33
6.	Introduction to Ganges Mahamudra	43
	The Name of the Text
	The Homage
	A Brief Explanation of the Text
7.	The View of Mahamudra	49
	A Detailed Explanation of the Text
	The View of Mahamudra in Six Points
	* Space as an Example of the Absence of Solidity
	* Mist Illustrating the Way Thoughts Dissolve
	* Space as an Example of Changelessness
	* Sunlight as Mind Being Empty and Also Luminosity
	* The Inexpressibility of the Mind's Nature
8.	The Conduct of Mahamudra	67
	The Conduct of Actual Meditation
	Post-Meditation Conduct
9.	The Meditation of Mahamudra	77
10.	The Samaya of Mahamudra	83
11.	The Benefits of Practicing Mahamudra	89
12.	The Defects of Not Practicing Mahamudra	93
13.	How to Practice Mahamudra	97
	The Manner of Practicing Mahamudra
	How to Engage in the Preliminaries
	* How to Rely Correctly on a Guru and Gain a Correct Ascertainment
	* The Ground, Path, and Fruition
	* How to Abandon Distraction and Rely Upon Isolation
	* The Benefits of Meditation upon Mahamudra
14.	The Main Practice of Mahamudra	117
	How to Engage in the Main Body of Practice
	* The Practice for Those of Highest Faculties
	* A Restatement of the View, Meditation, Conduct and Fruition from a Resultant Point of View
	* The Practice for Those of Medium or Lesser Faculties
	* The Result of the Practice of Mahamudra
	Dedication and Aspirations
	The Colophon
	Notes	139
	Glossary of Terms	149
	Index	177