Book Description
Kadampa Buddhism is becoming increasingly popular as a clear and practical spiritual path for the contemporary practitioner.Originating with the special presentation of Mahayana Buddhism by the great Buddhist masters Atisha and Je Tsongkhapa, Kadampa Buddhism makes the path to enlightenment accessible to the modern world and explains clearly how to transform our lives into the spiritual path. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, a meditation master of this living tradition, explains two essential spiritual practices.The first is a special meditation practice in conjunction with Je Tsongkhapa, through which we can receive blessings and gain the realizations of the path to enlightenment. The second is meditation on the Buddha of Wisdom in the aspect of a Dharma Protector, whereby we gain the necessary internal strength to overcome all obstacles to our spiritual practice. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

This Dharma Protector practice should be avoided
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso is a wonderful writer with many insights. Unfortunately, he has been ex-communicated from the Gelugpa lineage of the Dalai Lama for his postion on the Dorje Shugden practice. This is the so-called Dharma Protector practice he prescribes in this book. This practice should be avoided at all costs. Google "Dorje Shugden" to learn more about this controversal practice.

The path to a meaningful life
This little book, Heart Jewel by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, clearly communicatesone of the most profound and important practices to achieve enlightenment in a manner easy to understand to our western culture. This essential meditative practice was the daily meditation of the most important Gelugpa teachers in Tibet, including the renowned Je Phabonkhapa and the tutor to the current Dalai Lama, the venerable Trijang Rinpoche. These are the names of the most highly regarded teachers in the direct lineage of teachings that flow from the old Kadam lineage. It was Trijan Rinpoche himself who asked Geshe Kelsang to introduce these essential practices to the West in a manner that we could understand and practice in our culture. Geshe Kelsang achieved this brilliantly and has called this pure lineage adapted to Western culture the "New Kadampa" tradition. The final result is that we have the opportunity to enter into an ancient lineage of highly realized masters ourselves. I think that there are many spiritual seekers in the West who are tired of constantly seeking. This book allows you to become something so much more, to become a "spiritual finder" in a lineage that has produced highly realized meditation masters for centuries. This is not in any way a new concoction of spiritual beliefs. It is instead a very pure lineage of teachings, a complete path to enlightenment, that has been accomplished by many fortunate students. This book, along with Geshe Kelsang's other clear commentaries to classic Buddhist master works, allows you to enter into, make progress upon, and finally complete the entire path to enlightenment in this very lifetime. How wonderful!

HEART JEWEL : A COMPLETE SERIES OF CLEAR AND INSPIRING TEACHINGS ON THE GURU YOGA OF JE TSONGKAPA
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's Heart Jewel presents two profound spiritual practices that bestow a very special wisdom upon those who engage in them. The first is the Guru Yoga practice of Je Tsongkhapa. This powerful practice enables us to purify our negativity, accumulate merit, and receive profound blessings. The second practice is a method for relying upon the Dharma Protector.By relying on a Dharma Protector, we can overcome obstacles to our spiritual practice and easily gain experiences of profound inner peace and happiness.
These two practices are the very essence of The New Kadampa Tradition of Mahayana Buddhism.Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explains these two practices in great detail, giving the reader very clear instructions on how and what to visualize. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso explains that if we engage in this practice sincerely and regularly, we will make our precious human life extremely meaningful, and we will come to experience the supreme joy of full enlightenment.
I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a sincere spiritual practice that is both powerful and profound.

Some remarks on The Essential Practices of Kadampa Buddhism
I feel the publisher notes are a little bit misleading and don't give clarity what the book is all about. The book deals in the first part with the practice of the Guru-Yoga of Tsongkhapa (tib. Ganden Lha Gyema) especially how to practice the Migtsema prayer. This is an essential practice of the Gelug order. The second part of the book includes the Dorje Shugden practice. Allthough the Dorje Shugden practice became quite popular by the influence of Pabongkha Rinpoche and Trijang Rinpoche (the latter is the main teacher of the author) many buddhist authorities (HH the Dalai Lama, Namkai Norbu Rinpoche among others) see it as a destructive practice. However, this is a point of discussion and one has to accept different views on it. What me confuses is the claim of the publisher Tharpa Publications that the book contents "The Essential Practices of Kadampa Buddhism". Because the ancient Kadampa Tradition never practiced Shugden or the Tsongkhapa-Guru-Yoga. Also the ancient Kadampa Tradition founded by Atisha does not exist anymore. So why Tharpa Publications uses the words "Kadampa Buddhism"? There is no such thing as "Kadampa Buddhism". What exist is the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) founded by the author 1991 in England as a split from the Gelug school (Tibetan Buddhism), and the New Kadampa Traditions essential practices is summerized in this book. It would be fine if the Publisher could avoid such confusion for the reader in the future. More to the facts it would be to write: "Heart Jewel: The Essential Practices of New Kadampa Tradition" and "New Kadampa Tradition is becoming increasingly popular..." For NKT followers the book is a must and inspiring, I think.

From the bottom of my heart....this book is a jewel !
With this book I got started in buddhism about 3 years ago and I must say that it did touch my heart. It explains in a very understandable and pure way how we can get rid of our negativities, overcome the obstacles on our way and live a meaningful human life. Understanding and practicing the Heart Jewel develops our mind in a subtle but very profound way towards more happiness and freedom. ... Read more

Book Description
This book analyses the transplantation, development and adaptation of the two largest Tibetan and Zen Buddhist organizations currently active on the British religious landscape: the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) and the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (OBC). The key contributions of recent scholarship are evaluated and organized thematically to provide a framework for analysis, and the history and current landscape of contemporary Tibetan and Zen Buddhist practice in Britain are also mapped out. A number of patterns and processes identified elsewhere are exemplified, although certain assumptions made about the nature of 'British Buddhism' are subjected to critical scrutiny and challenged. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting, if at times somewhat inaccurate
Kay's book is an interesting, if at times somewhat inaccurate, examination of the New Kadampa Buddhist Tradition (NKT). I cannot comment on his depiction of the Order of Buddhist Contemplatives (OBC) as I have had no contact with that organisation but I was involved with the NKT for some years, studied on their Teacher's Training Programme, lived in one of their centres and was a teacher for a time.

Kay refers to Kelsang Gyatso repeatedly as "Geshe Kelsang" but it is worth noting that, according to Tibetan Gelug sources, Gyatso never received a geshe degree from Sera monastery where he studied. Furthermore the NKT's claim that Gyatso, after leaving Tibet, spent some 18 years mostly in meditation retreat needs to be considered in the light of counter claims that he actuallyspent most of this time in convalescence recovering from illness.

In discussing the NKT's expansion Kay repeatedly refers to its number of members. But anyone involved with the NKT will be aware that other than Gyatso and the other trustees of the NKT charity there are no members. It is not possible to be a member of the NKT. One can be a `student' on one of their teaching programmes (and there are many `students', particularly in the General Programme of study, who do not see themselves as being followers of the NKT), one can be a resident in one of their centres (and there are residents who do not follow Gyatso's particular brand of Buddhism), one can attend their festivals and so on, but one is not a member of the NKT. Also one shouldn't take Kay's figures for NKT groups too seriously as it is often the case that NKT `groups'/'centres' are quite often merely c/o addresses - part of their love of aggrandisement.

Likewise Kay is also wrong when he claims that there are between 2,000 and 3,000 members of the FWBO (page 25). As with the NKT it is not possible to join, ie become a member of, the FWBO. Perhaps he is confusing the WBO and the FWBO?

On page 96 he quotes an NKT student as claiming that "The NKT don't just get a map of the world and stick a pin in it and say `We'll send a teacher there' ... it's not like a missionary activity, because the whole essence of Buddhism is that it is requested." This is simply untrue. I personally have sat at a table with the Centre director and teacher, amongst others, with a map of England whilst they planned which towns they would next attempt to establish NKT groups in - ok, there were no pins involved. Students from the centre were then sent out to `blitz' those towns with posters and leaflets announcing forthcoming lectures/talks. Students were told that, if anyone asked, they were to say that the lectures/talks had been requested by local people although this was a lie. The NKT is very much a missionary organisation.

It's shortcomings aside, Kay's book is certainly worth a read for anyone interested in the introduction of Buddhism to Britain although its price may make an inter-library loan the preferred choice of many.
For a fascinating insight into the `real world' of the NKT one should check out the New Kadampa Survivors group at YahooGroups.

a book with different perspectives, a richness of information and well informed insight on the New Kadampa Traditon
I give the book the full five stars. I am amazed how Kay were able to describe the New Kadampa Tradition in that great depths and insight. Until that research only less was published on NKT which one could rely on as being non parsian and well informed. I read almost nothing in the book I can not agree with. The only critic I have is, that Kay didn't examine the black-white picture established within NKT that the world outsite is 'degenerated' and the NKT is the 'pure' world. If anybody is interested to get a insight into the functioning and basis of both Buddhists schools I can only highly recommend this field research. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Free item not published for sale
This item was not published with the intent that it would be sold. The copyright in the pamphlet states that it may be freely distributed. ... Read more