Stillness, Insight, and Emptiness

Meditation is the key to meaningful Buddhist practice, but establishing a solid foundation requires skill and sustained effort. In simple and inviting language, this book shows how to develop a successful meditation practice.

In Tibetan Buddhism, developing a consistent and sustained meditation practice is the first step toward discerning the true nature of reality as taught by the Buddha. Lama Dudjom Dorjee encapsulates the Buddha's teaching in terms that are accessible and encouraging for beginning meditators, covering topics from establishing a proper meditation posture to realizing the luminous and spacious qualities of the mind.

Chapters discuss
•The life of the Buddha
•The first turning of the wheel of dharma
•The four noble truths and the eightfold path
•Proper meditation posture
•The nine stages of shamatha, or resting the mind
•Common obstacles to shamatha and their antidotes
•Benefits of developing shamatha
•The subsequent stages of practice, including insight/vipashyana meditation and mahamudra"A profound teaching in a concise and simple style. As a guide to students of meditation at all levels, this book will benefit those seeking to understand and practice the Buddha's holy Dharma."—The 12th Kenting Tai Situpa

"Remarkable in its clear explanation of the profound wisdom of the East for inquiring Western minds. His teachings on meditation are fresh and vital, reminding us of its power to transform our lives."—Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche, author of Rebel Buddha

"Offers a heartfelt and comprehensive presentation that brings clarity to this profound and delightful topic. . . . A wonderfully potent and engaging resource for practitioners at all stages of meditation experience."—Rose Taylor Goldfield, author of Training the Wisdom Body: Buddhist Yogic ExerciseBorn to a nomadic family in eastern Tibet, LAMA DUDJOM DORJEE grew up in India and received a distinguished Acharya degree from Sanskrit University in Varanasi. In 1981, at the request of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, he came to the United States as a representative of the Karma Kagyu lineage. He is presently Resident Lama of Karma Thegsum Choling in Dallas, Texas.