Deity, Mantra, and Wisdom Development Stage Meditation in Tibetan Buddhist Tantra

This collection contains four of the most cherished Tibetan Buddhist commentaries on the practices of visualization, mantra recitation, and meditative absorption—elements that form the core of development stage meditation, one of the most important practices of Buddhist Tantra. The texts within this volume—Ladder to Akaniṣṭha, Clarifying the Difficult Points in the Development Stage, The Four Stakes That Bind the Life-Force, and Husks of Unity—are among the most widely studied commentaries on this topic and have formed the basis for spiritual study and practice for centuries. In these eloquent and inspiring translations, Jigme Lingpa, Patrul Rinpoche, and Getse Mahāpaṇḍita explain the fundamental philosophy of the development stage, illuminating its profound insights into the nature of reality and how to utilize these insights through the practice of meditation.

Jigme Lingpa (1730–1798) was one of the great saints of eighteenth-century Tibet. His profound spiritual revelations and erudite writings have proven to be some of the most enduring classics of the Buddhist tradition.
 
Patrul Rinpoche (1808–1887) was an accomplished scholar and prolific writer with the rare ability to present profound philosophical thought in a manner directly applicable to personal practice.
 
Getse Mahāpaṇḍita Tsewang Chokdrub (1761–1829) revitalized the Nyingma tradition through his commitment to the study and preservation of the Ancient Tantras and the revival of many Nyingma monasteries. His commentaries on the development stage have become central reading for numerous practitioners of Buddhist Tantra.