Presented here for the first time in English: a collection of dohas, or songs of realization, lovingly selected and translated from the large compendium The Indian Texts of the Mahamudra of Definitive Meaning, which was compiled by the Seventh Karmapa. Beautiful, profound, and often outrageous, these verses were generally composed spontaneously and thus have a moving sense of freedom, openness, and bliss. They range from summaries of the entire path of Mahamudra to pithy four-liners that point directly to the buddha within us. The authors include famous masters like Saraha and Naropa, dakinis, kings, and also courtesans and cobblers, showing that realization is accessible to all of us, right here in our lives.
Luminous Melodies: Essential Dohas of Indian Mahamudra, Karl Brunnholzl (Translator), Wisdom Publications, Hardcover, 118 pp, $21.95

Karl Brunnholzl, MD, PhD, was originally trained as a physician. He received his systematic training in Tibetan language and Buddhist philosophy and practice at the Marpa Institute for Translators, founded by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche, as well as the Nitartha Institute, founded by Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche. Since 1989 he has been a translator and interpreter from Tibetan and English. Karl Brunnholzl is a senior teacher and translator in the Nalandabodhi community of Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, as well as at the Nitartha Institute. He lives in Seattle and is the author and translator of numerous texts, including A Lullaby to Awaken the Heart: The Aspiration Prayer of Samantabhadra and Its Tibetan Commentaries.

Foreword	xi
Preface	xv
Introduction	1
Translations
A Synopsis of Mahamudra by Naropa, the erudite dropout	27
A song by the dakini Tuft Topknot	30
Five Stanzas on the Love Between Means and Prajna by Maitripa, the fusionist of Mahamudra and Madhyamaka	32
A song by the dakini Queen of splendor	34
A Pith Instruction on Mahamudra (Ganges Mahamudra) by Tilopa, the self-awakened one	35
A song by the dakini Blazing One with a Garland of Lightning	40
Twelve Stanzas of Pith Instructions by Saraha, the great brahman archer	42
A song by the dakini Deity with the Sun Horse	45
Five Stanzas by Kanhapa (Krsna), the dark siddha	46
A song by the dakini Santibhadra	47
A vajra song by Naropa	48
A song by Dhobipa, the eternal laundryman	49
A song by the dakini Bhadra	50
A Song on Connateness by Santadeva	51
A song by the yogini Kankara	52
A Pith Instruction on Untying the Knots in the Yogi's Own Mind by Mitrayogi, the lord of miraculous powers	53
A Doha Treasure Song on the View of the Nature of True Reality by Luhipa, the fish-gut eater	55
A song by Vyalipa, the lucky alchemist	57
A Doha Treasure Song on True Reality by Thagana, the con man	58
A song by Syama	59
A Doha Song on the True Reality of the Vayus by Mahipa, the vain muscleman	60
A song by Ekavajra	62
A song by Saraha	63
A song by Nairatmya, selflessness embodied	64
A song by Savaripa, the jungle hunter	65
A vajra song by Virukara, the stopper of the sun	66
A song by Vimala	67
A song by Dombi Heruka, the pregnant-tigress rider	68
A song by the yogini Mahasiddhi	69
A song by Mahasukhata	70
A song by Taruparna	72
A dharma song by Dipamkarasrijnana, the scholar-siddha	73
A song by Dignaga	74
A song by Kukkuripa, the one with a soft spot for dogs	75
The View of Being Unbound and Letting Go by Kambala, the yogi wrapped in a black blanket	76
A song by Lilabhadra	78
A song by Jalandhara, the guru of gurus	79
The View of Overcoming Mind's Thoughts by Laksmi, the "crazy" princess	80
A song by Durjayacandra	82
A song by Mekhala, the elder severed-headed sister	83
The View of Being Unbound by Kanhapa	84
A song by Prakasa	86
Another song by Dombi Heruka	87
The Completion Stage of the Vajradakini by Vinapa, the musical meditator	88
A song by Javaripa, the petrifier	90
A song by the dakini Queen of Samsaric Existence	91
The Means to Calm Mind and Thinking by Mekopa, the madman with a terrifying gaze	92
Another song by Luhipa	94
A song by Bhasudhari	95
A song by the dakini Jnanavajra	96
A Pith Instruction on the View of Self-Aware Wisdom by Campaka, the flower-garden king	97
A song by Santipa, the scholar whose student attained awakening before him	99
A song by the dakini Wings of the Wind	100
A Pith Instruction on Pure View and Conduct by Sakyasribhadra, the mahasiddha monk	101
A song by Anukira, the yogini of vajra recitation	102
A Pith Instruction on the Liberation of Bondage by Mitrayogi	103
A song by Kanakhala, the younger severed-headed sister	104
The Self-Blessing of Glorious Connate Great Bliss by Savaripa	105
A song by a group of dakinis	106
Notes	113
Selected Bibliography	119
About the Author	121