As It Is Vol. 1 (As It Is)

This is a great book on the core concepts of Ati/Dzogchen. Gets right to the point and discusses the core concepts and in some places outlines some of the mechanical processes at a high level. Think executive summary rather than a school text book. Not too many technical terms, not riddled with footnotes. I am impatient, so the high level view was perfect. It is not a step-by-step meditation practice/sadhana guide, in case that's what you are after.It is written and laid out very nicely, the language is cheerful, simple and clear. Very readable, especially when compared to other similar books on Vajrayana. I have read a few books on this and similar topics (not a scholar or expert by any means) and I was familiar with many of the terms/concepts discussed in the book from before, so it was relatively easy for me to follow.However if you are new to tantra concepts, this is not the book to start with. (I would recommend "Emptiness" by Guy Armstrong which is a very nice easy style of writing but covers the concepts with some thoroughness - you still might have to google some of the terms in there, but doable).The only criticism I have of this book is repetition. A lot of concepts are repeated in this book. Many, many, many times. Concepts, sentences, ideas are repeated many times within each chapter, and then repeated several times across chapters. For those of you who are used to getting to the point quickly, this should have been a 80-page book. Not sure if it was intentional on the part of the Rinpoche to drive home the point so that not so bright people get it, or the publisher was trying to stretch it to Volume 1 & 2. I would hate to think that spiritual folks would be that petty. Besides, the book was sponsored by Richard Gere, so I doubt that it was a financially motivated affair.In my opinion, with unfamiliar, unintuitive concepts, it is helpful to have some repetition because it takes out the anxiety of missing some important aspect. That way you can relax just a bit knowing the important points are going to be highlighted a few times and even if you daydreamed your way through one mention, the bulb would light up at the next mention. But the number of repetitions in this book is a bit too many, in my humble opinion. But still a great book that I highly recommend. Few things are perfect in life.I am going to read Vol 2 next.

I have learned so much in reading both volumes one and two. If you want to learn Dzogchen, this series "As It Is" is for you. I would suggest that the student of Buddhism or the reader have a strong background in Buddhism, particularly Tibetan Buddhism. I have been a Zen practitioner for many years, since 1999. As a Southern Baptist minister, I had an NDE in 1989. This old Tulku was able to show me what happened during that experience. This beautiful and masterful work explained it. This is the teaching of Buddha Wisdom that is the goal of all sincere practitioners. For me, Buddha Wisdom was simply explained and easily understood in the treatise. I highly recommend these works. I am presently on my second reading of the series. Thanks to all who put these teachings together. OM MANI PADME HUM!!!

Spiritual seekers - this is it. Out of my relatively large library of Classical and modern Tibetan Buddhist texts and writings by many highly regarded masters, this book and its companion volume provide the most explicit, clearly understandable and profound teachings on Mahamudra and Dzogchen, our 'original mind' in its natural, luminous state. Seeking out and finding our own buddhanature and discovering an unimaginable connection to all, well, words simply fail me. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche comes as close as allowable to giving the "pointing out" instructions for Mahamudra, without stepping over the line. For that, you simply must have a lineaged personal guru (lama) willing to pass the transmission onto you. To be honest, although I do have a sangha and precious guru, the karmic opportunity to receive pointing out instructions may well not happen in this life. Getting as close to it as possible, has been my goal, rather like searching the world for the rarest seed, to let it fall into the prepared spot I've dug for it. This is the type of book for those who yearn for understanding the very deepest of mysteries within ourselves and our place in the universe as bodhisattvas and Buddhas. So, read a bit, relax, contemplate the words, then meditate on its meaning. Let it sink in so as to develop a thoroughly stable understanding. It's a treasure unlike any other. Sarva mangalam! _()_

Very clear essays on Dzogchen. Over and over again Tulku brings home the simplicity of the possibility of Instant Buddha Mind which is our true nature. The encyclopedic Buddhist dogma which accompanies this simplicity can obscure but thankfully, there isn't too much of that here. But nevertheless, this, along with Nisargadatta's "I Am That", with which it has much in common, is one of the clearest books on non-duality.

As it is has always been foundation of our being obscured by attachment to... what truly has know solid substance. We look but we rarely see...what is. Westerners are caught up in opium den of conceptional thinking lost in self identity, obscuration of what is actual.

For serious Buddhist practitioners who are interested in understanding Dzogchen from a true master, I would recommend this book without reservation.

As it is ist ein tolles Werk, dass mir persönlich viele Einsichten und Aha Erlebnisse beschert hat. Rinpoche spricht über den natürlichen Zustand aus seinen eigenen Erfahrungen. Ein absolut empfehlenswertes Buch für alle, die sich mit spiritueller Entwicklung, Dzogchen oder Mahamudra näher auseinandersetzen wollen. Um allerdings die Ratschläge in diesem Buch auch praktisch zu verwerten ist definitiv auch ein Lehrer notwendig oder man hat selbst schon viel Erfahrung auf diesem Gebiet.

Wonderfully written book.

Precious teachings!!!