Essential Mind Training

by Thupten Jinpa

Essential Mind Training is the first volume in the Tibetan Classics series, which aims to make available accessible paperback editions of key Tibetan Buddhist works drawn from Wisdom Publications' Library of Tibetan Classics .

The key to happiness is not the eradication of all problems but rather the development of a mind capable of transforming any problem into a cause of happiness. Essential Mind Training is full of guidance for cultivating new mental habits for mastering our thoughts and emotions.

This volume contains eighteen individual works selected from Mind The Great Collection , the earliest compilation of mind-training ( lojong ) literature. The first volume of the historic Tibetan Classics series, Essential Mind Training includes both lesser-known and renowned classics such as Eight Verses on Mind Training and The Seven-Point Mind Training . These texts offer methods for practicing the golden rule of learning to love your neighbor as yourself and are full of practical and down-to-earth advice.

The techniques explained here, by enhancing our capacity for compassion, love, and perseverance, can give us the freedom to embrace the world.

Genres: Buddhism, Philosophy, Religion, Spirituality, Meditation

296 pages, Paperback

First published November 14, 2011

About the author

Geshe Thupten Jinpa Langri, Ph.D., is the senior translator for His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Pesident of the Institute of Tibetan Classics. His works include the translation of twelve books by the Dalai Lama.

Reviews

[John Stepper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book, I felt like Dr Strange poring through ancient texts to unlock their secrets. This is not an easy read, and I admit to having to go slowly to understand as much of it as I could. But it’s worth the effort, as it gives you a much deeper relationship to the thinking & practice of mind(fulness) training. Amazing scholarship to translate this work and make it accessible. (The notes offer a glimpse into how extraordinarily difficult this must have been!)

[Trey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult Read

Recognizing that the work is an ancient text on mindfulness, I am glad I took the time to read it. If nothing else it helped me understand that living in the world we are going to “suffer” most caused by our own “self grasping “.

[Deepak Imandi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Brilliant! Words can't describe the awesomeness that the book contains. It takes the entire history of the development of mind training in Buddhist culture. Truly a treasure to behold!

#StrongRecommendation

[Private Grave]

These are older writings on Mind Training translated by Thupten Jinpa with minor editing and very minimal commentary.

Not really a book for the complete beginners to Buddhism or Mind Training. This is a very interesting book on the topic that might appeal to more intermediate or experienced readers of Buddhist texts looking to delve a deeper into some older texts.

Nice clear translations that really help make the text approachable if you’re familiar with the concepts before hand.

[Patrick Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed pema chodron and norm fischer's books on lojong mind training, so I thought I'd go closer to the source. I found this really hard to understand from a layperson's perspective, and so it is hard to recommend.

[Dale B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent author