Magic Dance: The Display of the Self-Nature of the Five Wisdom Dakinis

by Thinley Norbu

This is a unique and powerful presentation of the teachings of Tibetan Buddhism on the five earth, water, air, fire, and space. In their gross and subtle forms, these elements combine to make up the infinite illusory display of phenomenal existence. Through teachings, stories, and his distinctive use of language, Thinley Norbu Rinpoche relates how the energies of the elements manifest within our everyday world, in individual behavior and group traditions, relationships and solitude, medicine and art. He explains their links to the five Buddha families and their respective Wisdom Dakinis, and shows how each element relates to our senses, temperament, passions, habits, and karmic potentials. This magic dance of the elements, he concludes, can be transformed through meditation practice and cultivating the calm, vast, and playful state of consciousness that he calls "playmind."

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction

144 pages, Paperback

First published January 19, 1985

About the author

Kyabjé Dungsé Thinley Norbu Rinpoche (Tib. གདུང་སྲས་ཕྲིན་ལས་ནོར་བུ་, Wyl. gdung sras phrin las nor bu), eldest son of Dudjom Rinpoche and father of Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche, was a prominent teacher within the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism, and considered to be an emanation of Longchenpa.

Reviews

[Nor'dzin Pamo · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing book - witty, inspiring, sometimes amusing.

[Eugene Pustoshkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best and most powerful books I have read this year (and among the best books I have read in my life).

[billionaire of epic proportions · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect book doesn’t ex-

[Deep · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not sure if I learned anything here.

[Jigme Jewel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Book by Highly Learned Tibetan Buddhism Master Thinley Norbu Rinpoche 🙏🙏🙏

[Miriam Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful reading and incredibly nuanced; so much so that I had to stop a lot to pause and sort it apart. Overall I prefer a more structured presentation; this is lyrical and powerful in that style.

[Aelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very 'accidentally' I started to read this book. Already from the first pages, I was captivated with the simple and non-encrypted open presentation of the ideas. As I am gradually diving into Vajrajana Buddhism this book is like a direct introduction.
I am reading it very fast, but pretty sure will be 'digesting' it for quite some time.