As It Is, Volume II

by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator), Marcia Binder Schmidt (Compiler)

The teachings presented in As It Is, Volume II are primarily selected from talks given by the Dzogchen master, Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche, in 1994 and 1995, during the last two years of his life. The unambiguous Buddhist perception of reality is transmitted in profound, simple language by one of the foremost masters in the Tibetan tradition. Dzogchen is to take the final result, the state of enlightenment itself, as path. This is the style of simply picking the ripened fruit or the fully bloomed flowers. Tulku Urgyen's way of communicating this wisdom was to awaken the individual to their potential and reveal the methods to acknowledge and stabilize that prospective. His distinctive teaching style was widely known for its unique directness in introducing students to the nature of mind in a way that allowed immediate experience. This book offers the direct oral instructions of a master who inspired admiration, delight in practice, and deep trust and confidence in the Buddhist way.

Genres: Buddhism, Meditation, Spirituality, Philosophy

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2000

Reviews

[Lightningcub · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of a small group of the best Buddhist books I own. Tulku Urgyen was at hand when my teacher Mipham Rinpoche taught his first seminary program as an advisor, as he as guided many Buddhist teachers. Especially for vayrayana students, this is a book of unparalleled clarity, patience, loving guidance on how to further open your mind to effortless clarity, which comes at first in occasional glimpses of clarity which can often be puzzling at first, as we expect things to be conceptually clear. If you have not a realized teacher who has already introduced you to the nature of mind, either save this for later, or read short sections at a time, with plenty of time to meditate and contemplate. It says in the preface that it has been edited "out of respect for the seal of secrecy," but even with the guidance of a teacher one needs to go gently into not turning the teachings here into something you can explain to someone. It would be like trying to drive standard transmission without help near a cliff, thinking you have read what the clutch is for, so you do not need help!
Any sentence can be misunderstood, such as "do not do anything to your natural state." That in no way means you are making progress when you do whatever you feel like doing, and are content with being that way. It is a tip for finding the middle ground between too tight and too loose, and how to gradually sense where you are and what mind is. When I travel it is with deep regret that I cannot always carry both volumes because I am carrying other works of masters. His two sons are also great masters, which is evidence of how good a teacher and father he was. I listed that I have read it twice. I do not know. Some sections I have probably read ten times.

[Everett Grandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Title says it

Because it is so very visible it to intellectual-awareness is invisible because it is not graspable as to be separately owned..." As It Is" is ceaselessly apparent and simply a matter of ones cognizant-awareness

[Neil Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go slowly. Take your time.

Excellent resource for those who don't have the opportunity to meet with a master due to life's situations. I will continually refer to this wonderful teaching.

[Jaku · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am re-reading this book now. It is such a wonderful sharing of straight talk about fundamental reality in the Buddhist aesthetic. If you understand that true virtue is achieved without effort by simply recognizing your own nature then you will probably love the pure poetry that is Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche's speech put to the written word.

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant