The Path of Secret Mantra : Teachings of the Northern Treasures Five Nails - Pema Tinley's guide to vajrayana practice

Born in a period of political uncertainty and religious efflorescence, the late seventeenth-century master of the Northern Treasures (Byang-gter) tradition, the mahavidyadhara Pema Tinley (Padma 'phrin-las) is widely renowned for his perceptive insight, his boundless concern for the welfare of others and his scholarly excellence. The Great Fifth Dalai Lama himself repeatedly refers to Pema Tinley in his autobiographical writings, calling him "the best of reincarnations" and "spiritual son of supreme virtue."In this masterful guide to the full spectrum of vajrayana practice, Pema Tinley leads the reader along an exciting path of self re-discovery towards the all-encompassing state of deep natural awareness - the completely perfect condition of buddhahood, endowed with wisdom, compassion and abundant joyful energy. Moving from a simple series of daily contemplative practices that gradually bring the errantly wandering mind under control and train it to focus upon the true meaning of life, the author skilfully encourages his audience eventually to abandon all meditation on "objects with signs" until it can rest easily without supporting props in the vast expanse of blissful awareness in which all appearances are recognised as the spontaneous display of non-dual emptiness.All Buddhists have something to learn from this book, a complete guide to the innermost path of secret mantra, written by one of its foremost authorities.