Mahamudra, or the Great Seal, refers to a Mahayana Buddhist system of meditation on the nature of mind and is undertaken for the attainment of Enlightenment. Taught by Buddha manifesting in the form of Vajradhara, its lineage was passed in India from Tilopa to Naropa to Marpa, and then in Tibet to Milarepa and Gompapa, author of The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. The specific lineage represented here is that of Karma Ka-gyu which passed from Gampopa to the First Karmapa and then through successive Gurus to the present day.
This text, The Mahamudra Eliminating the Darkness of Ignorance, by the Ninth Karmapa (1556-1603), is one of the most famous expositions of this meditational system. It covers both the preliminary practices and the actual Mahamudra meditations of mental quiescence (shamatha) and penetrative (vipasyana), explaining the stages and paths taken in this system, it represents a complete path to Enlightenment.
Accompanying the root text is a commentary given orally by Beru Khyentze Rinpoche, based on the teachings of his Guru, His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa.
As a proper relationship with a Guru is essential for the realisation of Mahamudra, also included is the basic text on devotion to the Guru by the first century BCE Indian master Asvaghosa with an oral commentary by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey.
About the Author
The Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje (1556-1603) was born in the Trewo region of eastern Tibet and is one of the most important figures in the Kagyü lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. Best known for his powerful writings on the system of meditation known as Mahāmudrā, he also played a vital role in ensuring the continuity of the long tradition of scholarly study in the Kagyü lineage.
Author: Ninth Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje
Language: English
Publisher: LTW
Binding: Soft Cover
Pages: 176
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