In Volume 2 of this series of collected teachings, Lama Yeshe discusses a range of topics including refuge, impermanence, the death process, karma and delusion. Lama teaches on emptiness in a practical and experiential way and advises how to develop the profound wisdom and method of the Buddha.
Volume 2 includes several excerpts from a commentary on the tantric deity yoga practice of Manjushri and a poignant last letter to Lama's close friend Geshe Jampa Wangdu, written when Lama was seriously ill.
These teachings have been published previously on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive website and in other publications including Mandala magazine. The purpose of this book is to gather the teachings into one central resource. Most of the teachings are edited by Nicholas Ribush, however, Contacting the Bodhgaya Within was edited by Hermes Brandt and the editor of Anger and the Enemy is not known.
The archive numbers for the teachings are: 495, 072, 092, 443, 108, 350, 224, 159, 297, 005, 123, 043 and 472. To access the teachings online, go to www.lamayeshe.com and search for the archive number using the Search the Archive Database link on the home page. A comprehensive glossary of Buddhist terms in this book can also be found on the Lama Yeshe Wisdom Archive website.
The collection is drawn from teachings given by Lama Thubten Yeshe in the 1970s and 1980s, when he travelled the world along with Lama Zopa Rinpoche and taught extensively. Lama Zopa Rinpoche has described how students were inspired by Lama’s teachings. “People would say that when they went back home they felt as if their feet were not touching the ground and they had a feeling of peace and happiness in their heart,” Rinpoche said.
Lama Yeshe was a pioneer in bringing the Dharma to Westerners and the teachings in this book demonstrate his understanding of the Western psyche and his ability to express profound truths in simple terms. He consistently encourages students to recognize and develop their limitless potential, and his dynamic teaching style means that his teachings are as relevant and accessible today as when first taught.
Sandra Smith
August 2019
