Mahamudra: Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance is a text by the ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, presenting a complete teaching on the practice of Mahamudra. Based on this text, Thrangu Rinpoche provides profound and accesible teachings on Mahamudra practice beginning with the uncommon and common preliminaries as well as the four extraordinary preliminaries as well as the four extraordinary preliminaries specific to Mahamudra practice (causal condition, dominant condition, focal condition and immediate condition). Rinpoche then taught Mahamudra practices of tranquility including the posture of body and mind, tranquilty meditation resting on each of the five sense objects, eliminating dullness and agitation, and unsupported meditation. Rinpoche continued by teaching Mahamudra practices of vipashyana (insight), including looking at and recognizing the mind at rest, the mind in motion, appearances and mind, and the difference between or sameness of moving and resting mind. These talks conclude with teachings on eliminating obstaclesand on enhancement practices.

Mahamudra: Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance, Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, September 1-10, 2006, 14 talks, 7 DVD-Rs, Vajra Echoes, $130.00

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 entensively 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.