Joyful Path of Good Fortune. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

Death and Rebirth

       The Twelve Dependent-related Links

       The Wheel of Life

       The Path to Liberation

       PART THREE: The Great Scope

       Entering the Mahayana

       Developing Bodhichitta

       Engaging in a Bodhisattva’s Actions

       Training the Mind in Tranquil Abiding

       Training the Mind in Superior Seeing

       Progressing through the Spiritual Grounds and Paths

       The Vajrayana Paths

       Full Enlightenment

       Dedication

      Appendix I: The Condensed Meaning of the Commentary

       Appendix II: Sadhanas

       Liberating Prayer

       Essence of Good Fortune

       Prayers for Meditation

       Glossary

       Bibliography

       Study Programmes of Kadampa Buddhism

       Tharpa Offices Worldwide

       Index

       The International Temples Project

       Finding Your Nearest Kadampa Meditation Centre

      Illustrations

       Buddha Shakyamuni

       Maitreya

       Asanga

       Vasubandhu

       Manjushri

       Nagarjuna

       Chandrakirti

       Vajradhara

       Tilopa

       Naropa

       Atisha

       Dromtonpa

       Geshe Potowa

       The Wheel of Life

       Je Tsongkhapa

       Jampel Gyatso

       Khedrubje

       Je Phabongkhapa

      Vajradhara Trijang Rinpoche

      Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche (included at the request of faithful disciples)

      Acknowledgements

      In 1981 Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso Rinpoche gave extensive teachings on the stages of the path to enlightenment to the fortunate students of Manjushri Kadampa Meditation Centre in Ulverston, England. Those teachings form the basis of this present book. We would like to express our very deepest gratitude to the author for making these precious spiritual instructions widely available in English; instructions which if put into practice sincerely will bring peace and joy to many beings.

      We also thank all the dedicated, senior Dharma students who assisted the author with the rendering of the English and who prepared the final manuscript for publication.

      Through the merits created in producing this work, may all living beings find the happiness they seek.

      Roy Tyson,

      Administrative Director,

      Manjushri Kadampa

      Meditation Centre,

      October 1997.

      Contents Page

      Buddha Shakyamuni

      Preface

      Although there are countless living beings, humans and non-humans, all are included within three kinds: those who seek mainly worldly happiness, those who seek mainly the attainment of liberation from samsara, and those who seek mainly the attainment of full enlightenment.

      In the scripture known as the Stages of the Path (Tib. Lamrim) the first kind of being is called