A unique commentary on the preliminary practices of Vajrayana Buddhism, from a beloved Nyingma master.

A Chariot to Freedom is one of the most beloved presentations of the preliminary practices, or ngondro, that form the foundation of the Vajrayana Buddhist path. This set of practices, common to all schools of Himalayan Buddhism, is what nearly every practitioner begins with, yet it also constitutes a complete method in and of itself. Although ngondro are considered a prerequisite for further teachings and initiations into other practices, many of even the most accomplished masters continue to engage in them every day.

Most of the other excellent works on these foundational techniques are specific to a particular tradition, but this text is widely considered to be exemplary, in part, because it is applicable to all traditions of ngondro. Drawing from the original words of the Buddha in the sutras and from later treatises by such masters as Nagarjuna, Shantideva, and Guru Padmasambhava, Shechen Gyaltsap's commentary is a wonderfully curated anthology of Buddhist teachings on the preliminary practices of Vajrayana Buddhism. It covers the thoughts that turn one's mind away from ordinary pursuits and toward enlightenment, taking refuge, arousing the mind set on enlightenment (bodhichitta), purification, mandala offering, and Guru Yoga.

Shechen Gyaltsap explains why each practice is beneficial and provides profound and eminently useful guidance for practitioners, while simultaneously transmitting the wisdom of generations of Buddhist masters.

A Chariot to Freedom: Guidance from the Great Masters on the Vajrayana Preliminary Practices, Shechen Gyaltsap IV, Shambhala Publications, Hardcover, 760 pages, $39.95

Shechen Gyaltsap (1871�1926) was one of Jamgon Mipham Rinpoche's closest disciples and the root teacher of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. He was recognized at a very young age to possess the qualities of a bodhisattva and went on to become a devoted monk, scholar, and accomplished master of the Great Perfection, known for his warmth and simplicity. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche said that Shechen Gyaltsap's teachings were "worth more than all the gold in the entire world."

CONTENTS: Chariot to Freedom
Foreword by Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche		xv
Foreword by Pema Wangyal		xvii
Translators' Introduction		xxiii
A Chariot to Freedom
	Preamble	1
Part One: The Virtuous Beginning, Comprising an Explanation of How the Teachings Should Be Presented and Received
1.	Attitude	9
2.	Conduct	17
3.	The Benefits of Teaching the Dharma and Listening to It	33
Part Two: The Virtuous Middle, Comprising an Explanation on Training One's Being through the Four Common Practices for Turning the Mind
4.	Preliminaries to Beginning a Session	43
5.	Reflecting on the Difficulty of Finding the Freedoms and Advantages	49
6.	Reflecting on Death and Impermanence	81
7.	Reflecting on Actions: Cause and Result	117
8.	Reflecting on the Sufferings of Cyclic Existence	171
Part Three: The Virtuous Ending, Comprising an Explanation of the Main Preliminaries for the Path of the Diamond Vehicle
9.	Taking Refuge	215
10.	Arousing the Mind Set on Enlightenment	273
11.	The Meditation and Recitation of Vajrasattva	409
12.	The Mandala Offering	433
13.	The Instruction on the Guru Yoga	493
Concluding Remarks		583
Concluding Poem		595
Colophon		603
Appendix 1: Structural Outline of A Chariot to Freedom		607
Appendix 2: Prayer to the Lord of the Victorious Ones (gTso rgyal ma)		623
Appendix 3: Confession Prayer		625
Appendix 4: The Seven-Line Prayer		627
Glossary		629
Abbreviations		653
Notes		655
Bibliography		673
Index		689