The Circle of the sun : a clarification of the most excellent of all vehicles, the secret and unexcelled luminous vajra essence

The most learned Tsele Pema Legdrub was the body-emanation of the great translator Vairochana, and he attained the pinnacle of learning and accomplishment of the masters of the Land of Snow. Also known as Kongpo Gotsand Natsok Rangdroi, he was unmatched in the three qualitieis of scholarship, virtue and noble-mindedness. Among the first five volumes of his collected works, I considered that The Circle of the Sun would benefit anyone interested in the Dharma. The words are clear and easy to understand and lengthy scholarly expositions are not emphasized. This text, easy to comprehend and containing all the key points and very direct instructions, results from following the oral advice of a qualified master. In order to help the foreigners who are presently interested in the Dharma to gain true confidence, I, old Dilgo Khyentse, encouraged my disciple Erik Pema Kunsung to translate this book into English. Therefore, may everyone trust in this. (from the Foreword by His Holiness ilgo Khyents Rinpoche) From the Introduction: This work on Dzogchen by Tsele Natsok Rangdrol provides instructions that are a complete path enabling a practitioner to attain perfect enlightenment within a single lifetime - the unified level of Vajradhara, also known as the royal throne of Samantabhadra. You, the followers of such teaching, pay careful attention to his advice. Short and concise, profound and encompassing, you should study it with great interest. ... Out of great kindness to destined and worthy practitioners, Tsele Natsok Rangdrol extracted the essence of all the Dzogchen tantras and presented it in a most comprehensive and complete form. ... The most effective style of teaching for a practitioner in this dark age is not a lengthy scholarly explanation but a direct 'guidance manual' ... a short, comprehensive teaching. The Dzogchen tantras themselves were written down in a style which shrouds and conceals the meaning so that only a master extremely well-versed in oral instructions and treatises would be able to clarify the tantric statements. A guidance manual, on the other hand, is written down using oral instructions so as to be lucid and simple. ... Trekcho and thogal are the two main topics in this book. -- Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche