Phakchok Rinpoche is a premier example of a new generation of Tibetan Buddhist masters. He combines the most profound aspects of traditional wisdom teachings with his pithy, humorous observations of their ongoing relevance to the incredibly fast pace of modern urban life.
Born in 1981 to a family recognized for their generations of spiritual accomplishment, Rinpoche was recognized as the seventh Phakchok Rinpoche and incarnation of a great teacher and meditation master. Receiving ordination from His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Rinpoche received a thorough education and training in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, studying with some of the most accomplished masters of modern times, his main teachers being his grandfather Kyabje Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche and Nyoshul Khen Rinpoche.
Rinpoche completed his education at the Dzongsar Institute of Advanced Buddhist Studies in Bir, India, where he received the Khenpo title. He is able to playfully combine the scholarly tradition of his studies with the experiential tradition of his main teachers in order to give his students the necessary tools to discover the wisdom and compassion that lies beneath our habitual ways of seeing ourselves and the world around us.
Now, Rinpoche travels the world, teaching in Buddhist centers, universities, and monasteries from Asia to the United States, from South America to Europe.
more information about Rinpoche's teachings can be found at samyeinstitute.org
This book is based on, and a commentary, on the King of Meditation Sutta. The author doesn't go through the sutta in a linear fashion, but takes it apart and enlightens the reader with an idea or interpretation on that verse. It is a great way to understand the sutta and to gain a grasp of coming up with your own understanding.
At the end of each chapter, the author gives you insight and ways to improve your path as a Buddhist. It is an amazing way to keep you engaged and apply the principles of Buddhist philosophies.
I would recommend this to anyone, no matter if they are a practicing Buddhist or not, or the level they are involved with Buddhist teachings.
Phakchok Rinpoche has taken the Buddha’s words from the King of Meditation as the basis for In The Footsteps of Bodhisattvas. This is a spectacular text for all meditation practitioners. Rinpoche teaches in a very engaging manner. This is a text that shouldn’t be read and then kept in a bookcase for posterity. It is a text that could be studied and practiced daily. 🙏🏻
This is of course a Buddhist book, but it contains all 3 pathways in 1: Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana. Clearly described in simple terms, with quotes from the Buddha and exercises that are also structured in a logical, practical way. To be used continuously, I shall come back to this book again and again.
As Buddhists books go, this is highly accessible and practical. I appreciate how Rinpoche turns to the original text of the Heart of Meditation Sutra and provides his own, updated commentary on those select passages. I like how he structured each chapter in waves of increasingly complex ideas, and I like how each chapter concluded with a single page of practical ideas.
I read this as a library copy, and I liked it so much (and plan to re-read it so much) that I bought my own copy.
The earth can break open with its mountains and forests and the ocean waters can likewise part; the sun and moon can fall to the ground, but the speech of the Victorious One never changes. —THE KING OF MEDITATION SUTRA, CHAPTER 14
Great Vehicle teachings from a Vajrayana teacher. Insightful and well written, bare bones, no room for fluff. The Rinpoche seems right on the mark. Not a beginner's manual.
Excellent little read on the path and practice of the Bodhisattva, looking at it both from a Mahayana and Vajrayana perspective. Highly recommended to any serious Buddhist practitioner!