The Golden Letters: The Tibetan Teachings of Garab Dorje, First Dzogchen Master

by John Myrdhin Reynolds, Namkhai Norbu (Foreword), Garab Dorje (Contributor)

The teachings of Dzogchen, which directly introduces the practitioner to the Nature of Mind, were first expounded by Garab Dorje in the country of Uddiyana and later went to India and Tibet. The essence of Garab Dorje's message is "The Three Statements that Strike the Essential Points." Patrul Rinpoche wrote a brilliant commentary, together with practices entitled "The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King"—here translated with notes, commentaries, and a glossary of terms.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality

389 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

John Myrdhin Reynolds is a linguist, translator, mystic, and initiated ngagpa (tantric yogin) of the Nyingmapa school of Tibetan Buddhism. Since his 1974 ngagpa ordination under Kyabjé Dudjom Rinpoche, he also has been known by the dharma names he was then given: Vajranatha in Sanskrit, or Rigdzin Dorje Gonpo in Tibetan.

Reynolds studied History of Religions, Anthropology, Arabic, Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, at the University of California at Berkeley, and at the University of Washington at Seattle under Edward Conze. He did his PhD research in Sanskrit, Tibetan, and Buddhist Philosophy under Prof. Edward Conze.

Since then, his emphasis has been on Dzogchen and the Buddhist Tantras, particularly within the Tibetan Nyingma, Kagyu, and Bön traditions, and especially in comparison with Gnosticism and other mystical traditions of the West. For more than two decades, he has worked most closely with Chogyal Namkhai Norbu and Lopon Tenzin Namdak on translations of important Nyingmapa and Bönpo Dzogchen texts respectively. Meanwhile, he continues his researches and lectures widely in India, Europe, and America.

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is quite a treasure. It contains not only the Three Statements That Strike the Essential Point of Garab Dorje, but a short commentary by HH Dudjom Rinpoche, the Special Teachng of the Wise and Glorious King by Patrul Rinpoche and Patrul's commentary on his own text. These are followed and interspersed with translator's commentaries that serve to help westerners with these profound teachings. Reynolds concludes the book with biographies of both Garab Dorje and Patrul, and discussions and theories about the historical evidence of the origins of Dzogchen.

[Dewi Rhys-jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Amazon: 'The teachings of Dzogchen, which directly introduces the practitioner to the Nature of Mind, were first expounded by Garab Dorje in the country of Uddiyana and later went to India and Tibet. The essence of Garab Dorje's message is The Three Statements that Strike the Essential Points. Patrul Rinpoche wrote a brilliant commentary, together with practices entitled The Special Teaching of the Wise and Glorious King--here translated with notes, commentaries, and a glossary of terms.'
An excellent translation and discussion.

[Eugene Pustoshkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Классический сборник текстов, освещающих сущностные положения тибетско-буддийского учения дзогчен, в частности что касается практики медитации под сенью этой традиции. Одна из лучших и наиболее ясных работ по этой теме, изданных на русском языке. Перевод хороший, не мешает оригиналу просвечивать; при этом лично я предпочитаю при чтении мысленно заменять перевод ригпа как «Осознание» (версия С. Хоса) на «Сознавание». Особенно ценны комментарии англ. переводчика Джона Рейнолдса.

[agnostic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating is for essential texts themselves.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fundamental sources for dzogchen, and a good introduction to it. After this and Reynolds, Self Liberation, look at Tsoknyi Rinpoche's discourses.