On the topmost floor, reached by a polished wooden ladder and a trap door, is a small room where the Dalai Lamas of Tibet retired for periods of deep meditation. As early as three centuries ago, unknown artists embellished the walls of this secret meditation chamber with extraordinary paintings, unique in the history of Tibetan art. The beautiful murals of the Lukhang temple in the grounds of the Potala Palace in Lhasa, dedicated to nagas, or serpent-spirits, have for centuries been revered as the greatest depictions of the highest spiritual practices of Tibetan Buddhism. Now the vivid detail, rich colour and awe inspiring impact of these masterpieces can be experienced outside the secret temple in this magnificent, large format volume. It moved upright.
Most spiritual accounts end with illumination or enlightenment.
In this moving work Kornfield writes on how the modern spiritual journey unfolds, and the difficulties encountered by even the most dedicated of spiritual practitioners, whatever their faith. He uses first hand accounts to show the experience of awakening, and gives many practical suggestions. For students of Tibetan language, one of the most valuable study aids, Goldstein's modern colloquial dictionary, is now available in a new edition from the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives. The old hand-drawn Tibetan script parts of the definitions are now typeset, making the dictionary much easier and quicker to read. All examples given now also appear in Tibetan script.