BOOKS
Chogyam Trungpa - Nalanda Translation Committee.
The Rain of Wisdom: The Essence of the Ocean of True Meaning. Bringing the Rain of Wisdom. The Spontaneous Self-Liberation. The Blazing Great Bliss. The Quick Path to Realization of the Supreme Siddgi. The Varja Songs of the Kagyu Gurus.
Boston & London, Shambhala Publications Inc , 1999.
€ 29.50
Softcover, 384pp., 18x25.5cm.,in godd condition (light traces os use). ISBN: 9781590309018.
The tradition of composing spontaneous songs that express spiritual understanding has existed in Tibet for centuries. Over a hundred of these profound songs are found in this collection of the works of the great teachers of the Kagyü lineage, known as the Practice Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Many readers are already familiar with the colorful life of the yogin Milarepa, an early figure in the Kagyü lineage, some of whose songs are included here. Songs by over thirty other Buddhist teachers are also presented, from those of Tilopa, the father of the lineage, to those of the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa, as well as several songs by Chögyam Trungpa, the noted teacher of Buddhism in America who directed the translation of The Rain of Wisdom. The diversity of the songs mirrors the richness of Tibetan Buddhism and gives us clear portraits of some of its most eminent teachers. Their longing for truth, their heartfelt devotion, and their sense of humor are all reflected. These poems share a beauty and intensity that have made them famous in Tibetan literature. With its vivid imagery and deep insight, The Rain of Wisdom communicates a profound and timeless understanding. / This volume presents over one hundred spontaneous spiritual songs (dohas) from the Tibetan Kagyü lineage, spanning from early masters like Tilopa and Milarepa to later figures including the Sixteenth Gyalwa Karmapa. Edited and translated under the direction of Chögyam Trungpa by the Nalanda Translation Committee, it offers not only literal translations but also deep spiritual context and commentary. The anthology highlights the devotional intensity, literary aesthetics, and pedagogical use of spontaneous verse in Vajrayana Buddhism, revealing how song poetry serves as a form of experiential teaching. Themen include non-conceptual realization, the interplay of humor and wisdom, and the embodiment of practice, making it a key resource for scholars of Tibetan religious literature, contemplative arts, and the transmission of oral-aural traditions.