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The Bliss of Inner Fire: Heart Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa
In the classic bestseller, Introduction to Tantra, Lama Yeshe offered a profound and wonderfully clear glimpse into the sophisticated practices of Tibetan Buddhist tantra. This present book, the last major teachings of this great lama, opens up the world of advanced practices for Highest Yoga Tantra initiates in much the same way his earlier work opened up the world of tantra in general. Following Je Tsongkhapa's (1357-1419 C.E.) text Having the Three Convictions, Lama Yeshe introduces the renowned Six Yogas of Naropa, focusing mainly on the first of these six, the practice of inner fire (tummo). Mastery of inner fire quickly brings the mind to its most refined and penetrating state--the experience of clear light, an extra-ordinarily powerful state of mind that is unequaled in its ability to directly realize ultimate reality. Lama Yeshe felt that twentieth-century Westerners could easily grasp the often misunderstood ideas of this esoteric "We really need tantra these days because there is a tremendous explosion of delusion and distraction.and we need the atomic energy of inner fire to blast us out of our delusion." Lama Yeshe's aim was for his students to actually taste the experience of inner fire rather than merely gain an intellectual understanding. Lama's own realization of the transformative power of these practices comes through, inspiring his students to discover for themselves their own capacity for inexhaustible bliss.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 1998
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653 people want to read
About the author
Thubten Yeshe
66 books94 followersLama Thubten Yeshe was a monastic teacher of Tibetan Buddhism most closely associated with the Gelug school of the Dalai Lamas. He established the Foundation for the Preservation of the Mahayana Tradition (FPMT), and was succeeded in leadership of that organization by his heart-disciple Lama Thubten Zopa in 1984.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
July 27, 2010
My review from Wildmind:
I have the fantasy that there is a perfect book out there for my next spiritual step. A book like The Bliss of Inner Fire by Lama Thubten Yeshe complicates things. It’s the kind of book that spawns a list of other books to read: First off, Tsongkhapa’s Having Three Convictions, or The Six Practices of Yoga by Naropa, which Lama Thubten Yeshe refers to quite a lot because they are his root texts.
The Bliss of Inner Fire by is based on Lama Yeshe’s talks on the last two intensive retreats that he gave before he died in 1984 at the age of 49. He chose to talk about tummo, one of the six yogas of Naropa, which is explored in Tsongkhapa’s Having the Three Convictions. Tummo is the practice of inner fire. It’s the practice where you can sit outside in the winter and not feel cold — but that’s the exciting magical explanation. Lama Yeshe isn’t into these exotic claims, he’s a real Buddhist. It turns out that it’s like every other practice — it’s designed to move you towards enlightenment. The sense of concentration and insight of deep meditation has a kind of convergent tendency.
Lama Yeshe is from the Gelugpa school, but appreciates the Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu schools, which are the four main schools of the Tibetan Tradition. You probably know this but it’s worth repeating: while the Dali Lama is a world spiritual leader, he is also from the Gelugpa school.
Lama Thubten Yeshe was born in Tibet in 1935. At the age of six, he entered Sera Monastic University in Tibet where he studied until 1959, when he was 24. He had to flee the Chinese invasion. His main teacher was Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. When he finally got to the Tibetan community in exile in India, he resumed his studies. These studies are rigorous and involve much debate, study and even all night sessions. He’s a favorite of the Gelugpa tradition perhaps because of his young death; he’s a kind of James Dean of the Gelugpa tradition.
One theme of the book is the importance of practice over “book Buddhism” — a kind of dilettante Buddhism. Lama Yeshe says, “These days we have no shortage of intellectual information, but I truly believe there is a shortage of fertilization. We collect so much information, but we do very little with it. This is why we have so little success in our spiritual practice.” The dharma lives in people, not just in books. Books represent people in a way, but they are not fully embodied, not interactive. A book is circumstantial speech; it just goes on and on regardless of the reader and the reader’s needs.
Lama Yeshe has encouraging advice for people who regret the time it took to finally find Buddhism, “Try to be reasonable in the way you grow, and don’t ever think it is too late. It’s never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today. If you keep your situation happy day by day, you will eventually reach the greatest happiness of enlightenment.”
The book is based on talks, and so once you get past the three introductions, it reads like smooth encouraging advice for the most part. Then it gets into more complicated visualization practices, where it seems like it would be better to see these teachings live, and be able to seek clarification for yourself.
Lama Yeshe makes some interesting distinctions about western thinking. Lama Yeshe says, “In the West, desire seems to refer to sense gratification. However, in the Buddhist view, desire is not a craving of the senses but the mental concepts and projections that we build up on an object, thereby bring us problems.” And, “If you know the nature of desire, you can really control your mind because you are able to question and to understand your own view of desire’s object. Otherwise, you cannot see the mind’s trick. With it’s constant “I feel, I want,” desire plays tricks on you, leading you to a constant restlessness that can mess up your life.”
He seems to be saying that desire as we know it, wanting the latest electronic gadget, or a new DVD or whatever, isn’t how to think about desire. Noticing how we add on to the story of our desires, is his point. Like “I need to maintain my status,” or, “My life is so difficult I deserve some pleasure and a DVD is the most efficient route to pleasure,” on top of the whole pleasure story. Having pleasure itself is not problematic; it’s our relationship with the pleasures. It’s not the gratification itself, but the story about it. “Ah, now I can relax now that I have a whirlpool bath.” Or, “Now that I am married, I can get on with the business of life” as if these projects truly make us happy. Not that you shouldn’t get a whirlpool bath or get married — just don’t center your story on stories of gratification so superficially.
He also says, “Even though it is sometimes said that something is nonexistent because it is like an illusion, a dream, or a reflection in a mirror, this is not philosophically correct. It is speaking loosely to say, ‘This phenomenon does not exist because it is an illusion. It is just one of my projections.’ In fact, the reverse is true. The phenomenon exists precisely because it exists as an illusion, which is independent. A reflection in a mirror is also interdependent; it exists because of the mirror.”
What he seems to be saying here, is that these illusions we build up are part of our life, you can’t just do an “illusion extraction,” because they are based intimately on your life. In a way it’s our whole world view that’s needs the liberating reorientation of a deeper understanding in Buddhism, the cultivation of insight.
At times he makes intriguing statements without explaining, like “ordinary exercise increases superstition”. Perhaps what he’s saying is that exercise is likely to distract one into the cult of the beautiful body — but we’ll never know because he didn’t expand on it.
For me, this book has too much talk of practices I don’t do, so it was difficult for me to read. Nonetheless, it’s a book worthy of a Buddhist library, for the contemporary section of one’s Tibetan Buddhism section, an informal but useful commentary on Tsongkhapa’s Having Three Convictions, which is itself a commentary on The Six Practices of Yoga by Naropa. If The Six Practices of Yoga is your root text, or you are interested in the Gelugpa tradition, you shouldn’t ignore this book.
I have the fantasy that there is a perfect book out there for my next spiritual step. A book like The Bliss of Inner Fire by Lama Thubten Yeshe complicates things. It’s the kind of book that spawns a list of other books to read: First off, Tsongkhapa’s Having Three Convictions, or The Six Practices of Yoga by Naropa, which Lama Thubten Yeshe refers to quite a lot because they are his root texts.
The Bliss of Inner Fire by is based on Lama Yeshe’s talks on the last two intensive retreats that he gave before he died in 1984 at the age of 49. He chose to talk about tummo, one of the six yogas of Naropa, which is explored in Tsongkhapa’s Having the Three Convictions. Tummo is the practice of inner fire. It’s the practice where you can sit outside in the winter and not feel cold — but that’s the exciting magical explanation. Lama Yeshe isn’t into these exotic claims, he’s a real Buddhist. It turns out that it’s like every other practice — it’s designed to move you towards enlightenment. The sense of concentration and insight of deep meditation has a kind of convergent tendency.
Lama Yeshe is from the Gelugpa school, but appreciates the Nyingma, Sakya and Kagyu schools, which are the four main schools of the Tibetan Tradition. You probably know this but it’s worth repeating: while the Dali Lama is a world spiritual leader, he is also from the Gelugpa school.
Lama Thubten Yeshe was born in Tibet in 1935. At the age of six, he entered Sera Monastic University in Tibet where he studied until 1959, when he was 24. He had to flee the Chinese invasion. His main teacher was Lama Thubten Zopa Rinpoche. When he finally got to the Tibetan community in exile in India, he resumed his studies. These studies are rigorous and involve much debate, study and even all night sessions. He’s a favorite of the Gelugpa tradition perhaps because of his young death; he’s a kind of James Dean of the Gelugpa tradition.
One theme of the book is the importance of practice over “book Buddhism” — a kind of dilettante Buddhism. Lama Yeshe says, “These days we have no shortage of intellectual information, but I truly believe there is a shortage of fertilization. We collect so much information, but we do very little with it. This is why we have so little success in our spiritual practice.” The dharma lives in people, not just in books. Books represent people in a way, but they are not fully embodied, not interactive. A book is circumstantial speech; it just goes on and on regardless of the reader and the reader’s needs.
Lama Yeshe has encouraging advice for people who regret the time it took to finally find Buddhism, “Try to be reasonable in the way you grow, and don’t ever think it is too late. It’s never too late. Even if you are going to die tomorrow, keep yourself straight and clear and be a happy human being today. If you keep your situation happy day by day, you will eventually reach the greatest happiness of enlightenment.”
The book is based on talks, and so once you get past the three introductions, it reads like smooth encouraging advice for the most part. Then it gets into more complicated visualization practices, where it seems like it would be better to see these teachings live, and be able to seek clarification for yourself.
Lama Yeshe makes some interesting distinctions about western thinking. Lama Yeshe says, “In the West, desire seems to refer to sense gratification. However, in the Buddhist view, desire is not a craving of the senses but the mental concepts and projections that we build up on an object, thereby bring us problems.” And, “If you know the nature of desire, you can really control your mind because you are able to question and to understand your own view of desire’s object. Otherwise, you cannot see the mind’s trick. With it’s constant “I feel, I want,” desire plays tricks on you, leading you to a constant restlessness that can mess up your life.”
He seems to be saying that desire as we know it, wanting the latest electronic gadget, or a new DVD or whatever, isn’t how to think about desire. Noticing how we add on to the story of our desires, is his point. Like “I need to maintain my status,” or, “My life is so difficult I deserve some pleasure and a DVD is the most efficient route to pleasure,” on top of the whole pleasure story. Having pleasure itself is not problematic; it’s our relationship with the pleasures. It’s not the gratification itself, but the story about it. “Ah, now I can relax now that I have a whirlpool bath.” Or, “Now that I am married, I can get on with the business of life” as if these projects truly make us happy. Not that you shouldn’t get a whirlpool bath or get married — just don’t center your story on stories of gratification so superficially.
He also says, “Even though it is sometimes said that something is nonexistent because it is like an illusion, a dream, or a reflection in a mirror, this is not philosophically correct. It is speaking loosely to say, ‘This phenomenon does not exist because it is an illusion. It is just one of my projections.’ In fact, the reverse is true. The phenomenon exists precisely because it exists as an illusion, which is independent. A reflection in a mirror is also interdependent; it exists because of the mirror.”
What he seems to be saying here, is that these illusions we build up are part of our life, you can’t just do an “illusion extraction,” because they are based intimately on your life. In a way it’s our whole world view that’s needs the liberating reorientation of a deeper understanding in Buddhism, the cultivation of insight.
At times he makes intriguing statements without explaining, like “ordinary exercise increases superstition”. Perhaps what he’s saying is that exercise is likely to distract one into the cult of the beautiful body — but we’ll never know because he didn’t expand on it.
For me, this book has too much talk of practices I don’t do, so it was difficult for me to read. Nonetheless, it’s a book worthy of a Buddhist library, for the contemporary section of one’s Tibetan Buddhism section, an informal but useful commentary on Tsongkhapa’s Having Three Convictions, which is itself a commentary on The Six Practices of Yoga by Naropa. If The Six Practices of Yoga is your root text, or you are interested in the Gelugpa tradition, you shouldn’t ignore this book.
December 10, 2022
I listened to the audiobook of The Bliss of Inner Fire: Heart Practice of the Six Yogas of Naropa and plan to go back through and make notes. Great reminders for accessing breath in the body and learning to adapt, work with, and harness the energies contained in the body. Thubten Yeshe is a direct and sensitive writer.
April 11, 2017
Lots of useful information here for those who have already received teachings, or to compare varying systems of inner-heat practices, but rather like yoga generally, this is not the kind of thing one can even begin to hope to learn correctly from a book. In this case that is especially true, since many of the key esoteric "secrets" have been deliberately left out.
June 25, 2016
you can yah Yeshe is a good dude. not at all a practical guide., one must have a grasp of Tantric practice and Buddhism. Not user friendly for ignorant heathens such as myself who just wanted to learn breathing practice. I am somewhat suspect of the"path to enlightenment". that is not to say the book is not without its Merrit. May be of value to those looking for a "path" or on the subject of Tantric techniques. thought it was Very cryptic and inigmatic to me full of religious rhetoric and superstition. though you can def tell Yeshe is an compassionate person. His description of the experience of inner fire makes me think he is well versed in what he is explaining. And that he has had those transcendent experiences. Found it difficult to understand somewhat disappointed.
April 27, 2021
Odd text, hard to follow because it descrubes physical exercises that are hard to interpret in the real world. However interesting in its description of breathing exercises and meditation. Reference source to Win Hoff like breathing and breath hold techchnique.
June 21, 2012
Тубтен Еше
Блаженство внутреннего огня
Блаженство внутреннего огня
September 12, 2018
‘All of us are trying our best to be completely happy. Houses, cars, refrigerators- we buy everything in the hope of making ourselves happy, but there’s always something missing...In the West we see so many people who are intelligent but have no bliss. They seem really disturbed...Tantra tries to bring the intellect into actual experience and to unify it with blissful energy. When you can do this, you can eradicate all your worldly problems, all your pleasure problems.
Remember, every moment of our lives can become meditation....’
This is a 10 out of 5
Remember, every moment of our lives can become meditation....’
This is a 10 out of 5
August 22, 2020
This is one of the 6 yogas of Naropa. Yeshe Lama gives detailed instruction for tumo practice. It has to do with visualization and controlling the flow of wind energy within the channels and chakras. Preliminaries are tantric initiations and strong foundation in 3 principle aspects: renunciation, bodhicitta and wisdom of realizing emptiness. It is to be practiced under the guidance of a tantric master because it can be easily done wrong.
October 20, 2023
The book is well written and gives insights into the practice of inner fire meditation. It also informs you not to try it on your own but find a qualified teacher that can guide you in the practice.
It informs you on the practices of the Tantrayana path towards enlightenment. If you are a seeker of your own path and thruth, as I am, this book might be for you. Don’t expect a step to step tutorial towards the highest goal.
It informs you on the practices of the Tantrayana path towards enlightenment. If you are a seeker of your own path and thruth, as I am, this book might be for you. Don’t expect a step to step tutorial towards the highest goal.
April 13, 2019
Very interesting book if you like meditation and enjoy the deep wisdom of Buddhism. In todays hectic and stressful world, this book can be a helpful guide with respect to finding inner peace and wellbeing in a holsitic and spiritual sense. The book elegantly opens the reader's mind to see and feel the inner beauty of the universe.
September 10, 2019
May I become a protector for those without one,
A guide for those who have entered the path;
May I become a bridge, a boat and a ship
For those who wish to cross over.
May I be an island for those who seek one
And a lamp for those needing light,
May I be a bed for all who wish to rest
And a servant for all who want a servant
A guide for those who have entered the path;
May I become a bridge, a boat and a ship
For those who wish to cross over.
May I be an island for those who seek one
And a lamp for those needing light,
May I be a bed for all who wish to rest
And a servant for all who want a servant
October 17, 2021
Clear knowledge on the origins of Tummo, the first of the Six Yogas of Naropa, which Wim Hof does an adapted version of. Basically, if you want to go out in the cold without freezing your nads off this is for you! Anything by the Mahasiddhas is powerful stuff!
November 30, 2023
I really loved this audiobook. Giving it only 4/5 because I felt some of the descriptions could use a visual counterpart to go with it, and it could be kind of repetitive in some sections. Overall an amazing listen, and full of meditative practices I'm sure I'll be using for a long time to come.
August 11, 2017
Pretty good, by far the best written resource you will find on Tummo meditation (and also a good intro to Tibetan Vajrayana). The author also comes across as very likeable
April 29, 2018
Interesting read. Heavily focused on the type of practice that is its subject matter, very little discussion of the philosophical underpinnings.
November 29, 2018
Excellent...
July 16, 2020
A challenging read but one that inspired me to continue with my daily meditation/yoga practice!
February 2, 2021
I find this book incredibly motivating to practice. I certainly don't understand a lot of it, but i keep relistening to the audio book because I like the style so much.
July 4, 2021
Everything makes so much sense. I don’t think I would’ve realized that or how in-depth this book is if I’d read it a few years earlier. It made its way into my life at the right time.
December 21, 2021
Needs to be a reread. I read it much too early.
July 19, 2023
Too religious and too many supernatural claims for me..
September 29, 2024
Good little book on tummo
March 3, 2017
An in-depth look at the famed Tibetan Buddhist meditation technique (tummo) by which practitioners have traditionally been able to generate enough "inner fire" to meditate for prolonged periods of time in freezing Himalayan conditions. In addition to detailed instruction on the practice itself, provides great insight into the overall context of Tibetan tantra. Recommended for serious meditators only and/or students of Tibetan Buddhism.
April 27, 2025
Excellent overview of the inner practices of Buddhist Tantra, particularly the Six Yogas of Naropa and particularly the Inner Fire practices: highly recommended to any serious student of Tibetan Buddhism!
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December 14, 2008A classic for anyone interested in tummo practice.
September 14, 2009
One of the most practical and lucid books on tantra I have read thus far.
December 4, 2009
lama yeshe gives commentary explaining je tsongkhapa's instructions on naropa's yoga of inner fire. most excellent.
May 7, 2011
A good more traditional version of the Tantric teachings, using pleasure to elevate consciousness!
Rather pointed and ONE WAY for me.
Rather pointed and ONE WAY for me.
May 12, 2019
Technical, pragmatic, clear and concise practice manual
September 30, 2019
This more instructional than philosophical, an instruction on steps for meditating and creating inner fire. It was a nice, clear read even though I'm not engaging in that level of meditation.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews