FREE Translations

The texts presented here and in the bookstore were translated with the support of sangha, family, and friends, under the guidance of very kind teachers. There are a number of editors that worked tirelessly on these texts over the past decade, whose work was essential to making these translations what they are. To those who supported these translations and helped in the process, there is endless appreciation. It is difficult to perfectly capture the essence of the meaning of these materials composed by wise and realized meditators of the past. Still, these translations are being humbly offered here with the hope that they will be of at least some benefit to those who seek to practice and learn more about these vast traditions. While many of these teachings may have been kept secret in the past, Tibetan originals are now widely available. The secrecy of these teachings in the past was intended to ensure that these were transmitted accurately with care. The offering of these materials in English is not to discourage anyone from studying, contemplating, and meditating upon these in traditional contexts, but to instead transparently catalyze authentic transmissions of the dharma from qualified teachers and the practice of such. Please use these wisely and enjoy.

The gracious support of people like you make what you find here at Buddha Visions possible. If you appreciate this work and would kindly like to play a role in supporting current and future projects, please consider making a donation and also exploring the offerings in our bookstore.

Stories

Here are stories of the great Buddhist meditators of the past, various meditation practices, deities, and dharma protectors.

Prayers

Here are translations of a variety of prayers and commonly recited practices, including methods to develop love, compassion, and bodhichitta.

Vajrayana Preliminaries

Here are translations of a number of vajrayana preliminary practices according to different Tibetan traditions. The outer common preliminaries include meditating on the preciousness of human life, impermanence and death, cause and effect, and the sufferings of cyclic existence. The inner uncommon preliminaries consist of going for refuge, the meditation and recitation of Vajrasattva, mandala offering, and Guru yoga.

Guru Yoga

Guru yoga is a key part of vajrayana practice. The process of merging your own mind with your teacher’s allows you to see beyond the limited scope of the individual ego and travel through the portal of the teacher’s mind into the selfless realization of the ultimate inseparable nature of mind that pervades all sentient beings and Buddhas throughout the entire universe and the three times. Here you will find a variety of methods to accomplish this.

Generation Stage

The generation stage is a method of vajrayana practice that focuses on purifying our ordinary dualistic relationship with taking birth in this world and the experience of this life. Through the methods of clear visualization, pure recollection of the deeper meanings of the symbolic attributes of the deities, and cultivating stable confidence in ourselves and the universe ultimately being the infinite pure mandala filled with infinite varieties of enlightened deities, we come to realize that the universe and its inhabitants have ultimately been pure expressions of enlightenment from the very beginning. Here you will find a variety of methods to accomplish this.

Completion Stage

The completion stage contains methods of vajrayana practice that focus on purifying our ordinary dualistic relationship with death, dreams, our breath and subtle energies that flow through our bodies, the state between death and rebirth, and the mind itself. This includes instructions on Mahamudra and Dzogchen.

Dharma Protectors

The dharma protectors assist practitioners through various enlightened activities and help us guard against our enemies of inner afflictive emotions, adverse circumstances, and obstacles that hinder us as we strive to attain enlightenment for all beings.