New Old photo of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche

Thanks to Shenpen Lhamo for this beautiful picture of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche taken during the building of Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling in Boudhanath during the mid-70s.

Chatral Rinpoche's life and teachings in a new book

Just found a beautiful book in my mailbox which I would like to heartily recommend:

Dear Nyingma Centers of North America,
I am writing to share some exciting news. The brilliant teachings and inspiring life story of the great Dzogchen master Chatral Rinpoche are now available in the West through Snow Lion Publications!

Compassionate Action features Chatral Rinpoche's biography and autobiography, six of his essays, five prayers he composed, an exclusive interview and sixteen pages of photos from throughout his life.

As the book's editor, I am now trying to get the word out about this valuable book. If you are interested in helping me in this regard, please respond to this e-mail and I will donate a copy of the book to your center's library and send some informational postcards for you to share with your sangha.

As you may know, Chatral Rinpoche, now 94 years old, is one of the most revered spiritual figures in South Asia and is believed by many to be a Buddha in person. Father Thomas Merton famously remarked in 1968 that he is “the greatest man I ever met.” He is the Vajra Regent of Dudjom Rinpoche's lineage and the Senior Master of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage. He has been a vegetarian for fifty years and rescues millions of endangered animals each year, epitomizing the Bodhisattva ideal. Like his root teacher Dudjom Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche's teachings are luminous and vibrant, with the potential to liberate fortunate beings on the spot.

For more information, please visit www.myspace.com/CompassionateAction
or Snow Lion Publications

Thanks very much and take care,
Zach Larson

Editor of Compassionate Action

The Joy of Living

The first book by Tulku Urgyen's youngest son Mingyur Rinpoche has recently been released to rave reviews:
From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. This refreshing book is yet another sign that the next generation of Buddhism is creative, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary. Born in 1975 in Nepal, the author is among the generation of Tibetan lamas trained outside of Tibet, and he's also a gifted meditator. His brain activity has been measured during meditation, earning him the enviable sobriquet of "happiest man on earth." He fuses scientific and spiritual considerations, explaining meditation as a physical as well as a spiritual process. Mingyur Rinpoche knows from experience that meditation can change the brain. He experienced panic attacks as a child that he was able to overcome through intensive meditation. If diligently practiced, meditation can affect the "neuronal gossip"—his imaginative rendering of brain cell communication—that keeps us stuck in unhappy behaviors. The meditation master offers a wide variety of techniques, counseling ease in practice to avoid boredom or aversion. Less is more; practice shorter periods more often, he says. His approach will be especially welcome for anyone frustrated by meditation or convinced they're "not doing it right." This book is a fresh breath from the meditation room, written with kindness, energy and wit. Three cheers for a cheerful contemplative. (Mar. 6)
Buy it at your local independent bookseller, or if necessary Amazon.com