What Buddhist book has had a significant impact on your practice?
The late Gendun Rinpoche, one of my esteemed teachers, spent more than 30 years in meditation retreat and left no stone unturned on his journey to awakening. He knew where a person could get stuck, lost, or sidetracked, and was there when you needed him. Heart Advice of a Mahamudra Master, which is a summary of his essential teachings, offers a clear map from his valuable perspective of personal realization and deep compassion for those committed to the path. When I first read the book, what struck me was his unassumingness—he didn’t expect anything and didn’t take anything for granted. Reading it, you have a sense that you’re with someone who has taken the time to practice deeply and do the work on themselves thoroughly.
The dharma has always felt like home to me because it’s really everything you need and nothing you don’t. And this book expresses that very well. I’d say I revisit it often, although it’s really become the reality I live in. Most of the content has become my life.
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