Vivid Awareness

Book

In the summer of 1957, the revered Buddhist teacher and scholar Khenpo Gangshar foresaw the difficulties that would soon fall upon Tibet and began teaching in a startling new way that enabled all those who heard him to use the coming difficulties as the path of Dharma practice. The teaching consisted of the essential points of mahamudra and dzogchen, both view and practice, presented in a way that made them easy for anyone to use, even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche was one of the grateful recipients of these teachings, which he regards as among the most important he has ever been given. He transmits them here, for the benefit of all of us who strive to practice in challenging times. They include contemplations on the ephemeral nature of both joy and suffering, meditations for resting the mind, and guidance for cultivating equanimity in any situation. (Source: Shambhala Publications)

Citation	Thrangu Rinpoche. Vivid Awareness: The Mind Instructions of Khenpo Gangshar. Translated and edited by David Karma Choephel. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 2011.

Forewordvii
Translator's Introductionix
Prefacexiii

PART ONE
Helpful Advice for Good Times and Bad
I. Prophecies of Hidden Lands3
2. Recognizing Our Good Fortune19
3· The General Preliminaries30

PART TWO
The Special Preliminaries: The Analytic Meditation of a Pandita
4· The Foundation: Karma, Cause, and Result45
5· The Importance of Mind62
6. Appearances and Mind78
7· Looking at the Mind94
8. A Summary of the Analytic Meditation of a Pandita107

PART THREE
The Resting Meditation of a Kusulu
9· Devotion and Stability113
10. Getting Right Down to Meditation121
II. The Benefits ofthe Kusulu's Meditation133
12. Distinguishing Mind and Awareness154

PART FOUR
Following Through in Our Lives
13. Taking the Situations of Our Lives as the Path169
14. Taking Joy and Sorrow as the Path175
15. Taking Pain and Illness as the Path179
16. Taking Afflictions and Emotions as the Path182
17. Taking the Bardo as the Path199
18. Closing Words210

Appendix: The Texts of Khenpo Gangshar215
- The Concise Mind Instructions Called Naturally Liberating Whatever You Meet217
- Naturally Liberating Whatever You Meet: Instructions to Guide You on the
  Profound Path221
Bibliography234
Index235