The Sadhana of Mahamudra
By Chogyam Trungpa
Foreword by Diana J. Mukpo
Foreword by Samuel Bercholz
In 1968, while on retreat in a cave in Bhutan, Chögyam Trungpa discovered “The Sadhana of Mahamudra,” a terma text, or visionary teaching, that illuminated a path to overcome the obstacles to spiritual maturation and progress. From the time this text was written down onwards, his teachings were dedicated to providing his students with the wisdom to sail clear of the fog of materialism.
In this volume, Chögyam Tungpa offers teachings to unpack the meaning of the text and the practice. In this extensive commentary, Trungpa Rinpoche lays the groundwork we need to gain a deeper appreciation of this profound text and how it applies to our own life and practice. As he states in the book, “The sadhana is a prototype of how emotion and wisdom can work together.”
This is the first time the complete text of the sadhana has been published for a general audience. The book includes forewords by Samuel Bercholz and Diana J. Mukpo, Trungpa Rinpoche’s wife, as well as an introduction by Barry Campbell Boyce. In addition, Carolyn Rose Gimian, who compiled this volume, offers a discussion of the significance of the sadhana. The book also provides a list of resources for further study, a glossary, and an afterword by the Nalanda Translation Committee.
"‘The Sadhana of Mahamudra’ is a profound spiritual treasure that was very dear to Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche greatly valued this text and even requested Trungpa Rinpoche to write an empowerment for it. I received this empowerment, and I consider Trungpa Rinpoche to be one of my teachers. I deeply rejoice in this new publication, which includes the essential terma text and Trungpa Rinpoche’s writings on its profound meaning and practice." —Shechen Rabjam
"It’s a miracle that this visionary work of wisdom and raw power is even available. When I first came across this sadhana, it spoke to my whole being, and it continues to do so with every reading. May all beings be fortunate enough to read this!" —Devendra Banhart, musician and artist
"From the opening lines of ‘The Sadhana of Mahamudra,’ the practitioner is plunged into a sacred world at once devastatingly brilliant and profoundly human. The reverberation that arises from the combined energies of the natural world, our longing and devotion to become free, and the obstacles of fear, complacence, and neurotic habit patterns that keep us bound and suffering, breaks us open into an experience of vivid presence and openness through which the awakening heart of love shines naturally and fully. Especially in these challenging times, as I work to bring the Buddhist teachings to others, I feel how much we need the formulations of devotion, trust, faith, and sanity that the sadhana evokes with such richness and depth. I am so excited that this collection of commentaries and teachings on ‘The Sadhana of Mahamudra,’ edited by Carolyn Gimian, is entering the world at this particular time when its messages are so deeply necessary and healing." —Elizabeth Monson, author of Tales of a Mad Yogi
"‘The Sadhana of Mahamudra’ provides the source code for a powerful, meaningful, and vibrant life on earth. This text has had a profound impact on the arc of my life and work in the world. It radiates the essence of the core practices of Tibetan Buddhism, embodying this wisdom tradition as it enters the stream of life in the West, transforming our culture and society." —David Nichtern, senior teacher in the lineage of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, founder of Dharma Moon
"These brilliant and profound tantric teachings fearlessly proclaim all-pervasive wisdom. They invite us to step beyond aggression and the warfare of materialism. Through our reading study and practice, we join the vast celebration of wakefulness." —Gaylon Ferguson, author of Welcoming Beginner's Mind
"I first came to know ‘The Sadhana of Mahamudra’ some twenty years ago. A collection of students dedicated to this amazing offering from Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche generously decided to share this great treasure of our times with me. To this day, it continues to move me on profound levels. This amazing guide, The Sadhana of Mahamudra: Teachings on Devotion and Crazy Wisdom, will no doubt inspire both longtime students and new seekers to connect with this sacred gift." —Owsley Brown III, Chair, Festival of Faiths