Western culture has long been influenced by tales like Homer’s Odyssey and Virgil’s Aeneid, shaping the way we have come to expect a protagonist's journey to unfold and how we think stories in our contemporary society should be made. However, what would have happened if an alternate tale had dominated storytelling in the West?

The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava, a text rediscovered in the fourteenth century, presents esoteric teachings in poetic form and serves as a biography of Padmasambhava. Like many of our most revered epics, the story of Padmasambhava provides insight into time, knowledge, and consciousness. Just imagine how the stories we have crafted in the West would have changed if this kind of adventure had taken the front seat.

What kind of world would we see?

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“In many respects this work in two volumes is comparable to the Germanic sagas or the Greek and Roman epics, but it differs from them in that this epic hero is also a guru with the spiritual dimension and quality of a Buddha” (The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava, Vol. I, p. xx).

“Now, at rare times a hidden treasure is revealed” (The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava, Part I, p. 335).

A Different Hero’s Journey

The Life and Liberation of Padmasambhava stands as a valuable resource for the history of Buddhism in Tibet and conveys the spiritual environment shaped by the Great Guru and his disciples. However, beyond granting readers insight into Padmasambhava’s life and the establishment of the Dharma in Tibet, the existence of such a narrative gives us permission to ask ourselves about how and why we revere certain stories.

As you go about your day, notice the moments when you use something from literature to convey a point or evaluate a situation. Where did your language come from? Did you read it yourself, or has a certain literary element become incorporated into your daily culture that was inherited from your friends and family?

As you come across these examples, you may be surprised at just how much they influence the way you engage with the world.

For Further Study - Overcoming Anger: A Concise Summary of Key Points

In this upcoming Sunday talk, Mark Henderson, a long-time instructor at the Nyingma Institute, will provide a clear summary of Shantideva’s chapter on patience in The Way of the Bodhisattva, offering practical methods for overcoming anger and how we can apply them in real-time.

Upcoming Retreat - Space and Ease

Are you ready to take a step back and realign yourself? You’re in luck! Ratna Ling Retreat Center is offering another Space and Ease personal retreat to help you at any stage of your life.

Customer Reviews

Five Stars: “‘Double’ translation of a remarkable ancient Tibetan manuscript” (Mark V.W.).