The Precious Garland of the Sublime Path:
The Oral Instructions of Lord Gampopa
with Geshe Lhakdor
“The Precious Garland of the Sublime Path is, in general, a condensation of the complete key points of all levels of Buddhist training. More particularly, it contains oral instructions that can reach our very hearts and reveal our hidden faults.”
—Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
The Precious Garland of the Sublime Path is an essential guide to Buddhist practice, covering the main ideas of Buddhist training from the fundamental tenets to the most subtle points. Crafted by the renowned 12th-century master Gampopa, a disciple of the legendary Milarepa, these oral instructions weave together explanations of Buddhist sutras with the profound meditation instructions of Mahamudra.
True to the traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, it is structured as a set of 28 memorable lists. Those who contemplate their meaning will uncover valuable truths about their own spiritual journeys, including:
- Ten Things to Persevere In
- Ten Things to Inspire Yourself
- Ten Ways to Destroy Yourself
Delve into the deeper meanings of this beautiful composition with Geshe Lhakdor and experience the teachings in their original lineage, just as they were intended.
These teachings are suitable for all levels of practitioners: beginners and experienced alike.
This program is co-hosted by:
Additional Materials
Text:
The Precious Garland of the Sublime Path – The Oral Instructions of Lord Gampopa (PDF)
Other Readings:
Recordings
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About the Teacher
Ven. Geshe Lhakdor, the director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, is renowned not only for his knowledge and warmth, but also for his very practical and humorous teaching style.
Geshe Lhakdor was born in Yakra, Western Tibet in 1956 and left Tibet in 1962 following the communist Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959. Geshe received his novice monk ordination in 1964, attended the Central School for Tibetans, in Dalhousie, India from 1972 to 1976 and studied specialized Buddhist Philosophy in the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics in Dharamsala, India until 1986.
From December, 1986 to May, 1989 he served as translator and research assistant in Tibet House, the Cultural Centre of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, in New Delhi. In August 1989, Geshe joined the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama where he has served as Religious Assistant and Translator and has accompanied His Holiness the Dalai Lama to over thirty countries in the Americas, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia.
Beside the Master of Prajnaparamita in 1982, he also received the Master of Madhyamika in 1989 and the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) from the University of Delhi. In 1995 he received the Geshe Degree from Drepung Loseling Monastic University in South India. In 2008, he was also conferred Honorary Professorship by the University of Delhi, Department of Psychology.
Since 2005 he has been the director of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives in Dharamsala, after serving as His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s official translator for 16 years (still occasionally travels with H.H. as translator).
Geshe Lhakdor has also co-translated and co-produced several books by His Holiness, including The Way to Freedom, The Joy of Living and Dying in Peace, Awakening the Mind and Lightening the Heart, and Stages of Meditation, among others.
Geshe Lhakdor is a trustee of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility, established by His Holiness, Director of the Central Archive of His Holiness, a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute of Tibetan Classics in Montreal, Canada, and Honorary Professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada.
