The basic teachings of Buddhism as they relate to everyday life--presented by the esteemed Tibetan meditation master

In The Heart of the Buddha, Chogyam Trungpa examines the basic teachings of Buddhism and places them within the context of daily life. Divided into three parts, the book begins with a discussion about the open, inquisitive, and good-humored qualities of the "heart of the Buddha"--an "enlightened gene" that everyone possesses. Next, Chogyam Trungpa moves to the stages of the Buddhist path, presenting the three vehicles--Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana--that carry the Buddhist practitioner toward enlightenment. Finally, he describes the direct application of Buddhist teachings to topics as varied as relationships, drinking, children, and money.

The Heart of the Buddha reflects Trungpa's great appreciation for Western culture and deep understanding of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, which enabled him to teach Westerners in an effective, contemporary way.
The Heart of the Buddha: Entering the Tibetan Buddhist Path, Chogyam Trungpa, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 259 pages, $24.95

Chogyam Trungpa was born in Eastern Tibet and recognized as an incarnation of the Trungpa line at an early date. He studied with, among others, one of the reincarnations of the Jamgyon Kongtrul who wrote the most famous commentary on the Seven Points. In 1959 he fled to India in the wake of the Communist takeover in Tibet, courageously leading many of his people to safety (this period is described in his book Born in Tibet.) He came to England in the mid-sixties to study at Oxford, learned English, started to teach, and started one of the first Tibetan Buddhist centers in the West. He later dropped his monastic vows, married, and moved to America where he continued his teaching. He founded the Naropa Institute in Boulder, Colorado, a large and highly respected Buddhist university, as well as the Shambhala organization. The influence of both his teaching and his books on American Buddhism was and still is enormous.

CONTENTS: The Heart of the Buddha
Acknowledgments		vii
Editor's Foreword		ix
PART ONE: PERSONAL JOURNEY
1.	What Is the Heart of the Buddha?	3
2.	Intellect and Intuition	12
3.	The Four Foundations of Mindfulness	18
4.	Devotion	47
PART TWO: STAGES ON THE PATH
5.	Taking Refuge	69
6.	Bodhisattva Vow	87
7.	Sacred Outlook: The Practice of Vajrayogini	106
PART THREE: WORKING WITH OTHERS
8.	Relationship	139
9.	Acknowledging Death	143
10.	Alcohol as Medicine or Poison	150
11.	Practice and Basic Goodness: A Talk for Children	155
12.	Dharma Poetics	161
13.	Green Energy	167
14.	Manifesting Enlightenment	169
APPENDIXES
The Bon Way of Life		177
The Vajrayogini Shrine		187
List of Sources		193
About Chogyam Trungpa		195
Index		197