Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand: A Concise Discourse on the Path to Enlightenment

by Pabongkha Rinpoche, Trijang Rinpoche (Editor), Michael Richards (Translator)

A seminal text for the Gelug lineage of Tibetan Buddhism, this book clearly and powerfully presents the stages of the path to enlightenment (lamrim). Based on a teaching given by Pabongka Rinpoche in 1921 that was recorded by Trijang Rinpoche, a tutor of the current Dalai Lama, Liberation in the Palm of Your Hand is an entertaining, colloquial-style text that uses teaching stories to make its points. A fundamental resource in classes at Buddhist centers, this timeless book appears here in a greatly improved translation.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Religion

980 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1988

About the author

Déchen Nyingpo (Tibetan: བདེ་ཆེན་སྙིང་པོ, Wylie: bde chen snying po), the second Pabongkha Rinpoche (Tib.: ཕ་བོང་ཁ་རིན་པོ་ཆེ་, Wyl.: pha bong kha rin po che), most frequently referred to posthumously as Pabongkhapa, was an influential lama and Geshe (equivalent to Doctor of Theology) of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. He was the principle teacher of the 3rd Trijang Rinpoche, Geshe Lharampa Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (1901–1981), who was in turn the junior tutor and "root guru" of the 14th Dalai Lama.

He became a controversial figure both because of his staunch pro-Gelug sectarianism, and within the Gelug for his innovations to the tradition established by the reformer Tsongkhapa at the founding of the order, making Vajrayogini rather than Cakrasamvara the central focus of practice and introducing and emphasizing the replacement of the "the traditional supra-mundane protectors of the Ge-luk tradition" with the propitiation of an arguably worldly (and also fiercely sectarian) spirit, which he received from his teacher Takpu Pema Vajra.

Reviews

[Mojo Tchudi]

The complete Buddhist path in a single text

In this masterwork of Buddhist teachings, Pabongka Rimpoche details every stage of practice. Regardless of one’s level of interest or particular lineage, this text contains something one can use. A must-read!

[Fatdaddy]

Due anni per finirlo, io accanito divoratore di ben altri tomi? Nulla di tutto ciò, semplicemente è un tesoro la cui lettura in realtà non ha mai termine, perché il giungere all’ultima riga segna solo l’istante da cui ricominciare.

Ogni tanto induco nell’oziosa domanda “ma se fossi su un’isola deserta quale unico libro mi porterei con me?”.
Ora ho la risposta.

[Łukasz Kalinowski]

Decent discourse describing the teachings and path of the Gelug School, but sometimes the author is not precise enough, e.g. while using the quite relevant term of "non-abiding nirvana", he didn't explain a meaning staying behind this word.

[Gianmichael Salvato]

This seminal text and commentary is a must- have resource for any Vajrayana practitioner.

I've read and studied it at least eight times, and discover new insights each time.

[Mr.]

One the best books on the Lam Rim Chenmo, it is absolutely essential for anyone starting on the Path. Simply amazing.

[Marc Preston Moss]

Anyone embarking on the Tibetan Buddhist path should make this their first thorough read and study.

[David]

A fundamentalist Buddhist masterpiece. Not the sort of spirituality I find anything but dreadful, but the profundity of the mind behind this commentary is admirable.

[Rat Xue]

Thinking about this book I realize how half-ass my "contributions" to this site are; I gave it 5 stars and should probably recalibrate all my other ratings based on this as some sort of gold standard.
I'm a "christian" which is to say I was fed all that tripe from an early age, result; I'm with Father Dougal McGuire.
This book is different.
This book is The Real Deal, Pabongka was The Real Deal, I Know This.
Does Exactly What It Says On The Tin.
I'm not sure I could ever "own" a copy, I automatically gave mine as a gift as did the person I gave it to.
I could literally cry for joy.

[Jill]

Stages of the Path to Enlightenment

[Marc]

Re-reading. The Lam Rim is the most beautiful, concise compilation of Mahayana (Tibetan) Buddhist teachings.

[Nat]

Excellent detailed Dharma book. Felt it opened my eyes to many aspects of Buddhism. have now read it several times.

[Jan Hauck]

If you follow the teachings in this book, this is probably the only dharma book you're ever going to need. This should be a standard and in my library it is.

[Shinay]

This was the first text I read wanting to learn more about Buddhism. Outstanding book and has started me on my journey.....