I)Transformation

Transforming Despondence into a Miracle

The Courageous Ones

Transforming the suffering of humiliation into something miraculous

Learning of Ways to Deal With Stress

What’s an affliction, anyway!

Transformation

All Afflictions Can Be Solved

How to Outsmart Attachments

The True Winner

Be Free From Fears and Build True Confidence



II)Relationships

There is No Absolute Fairness in This World

Rinpoche’s heartfelt advice

Code of Conduct for Citizens of Earth

The Way to a Harmonious Marriage

The Importance of Respect

Compassion is the root of success

Generosity, a kiss to another with your true heart

Bodhisattvas Amongst Humans?? ?



III)Happiness

The Importance of Humor

Awareness in Happiness

The Eternal Flame of Happiness

Happiness? ?

Finding True Happiness For Yourself



IV)Freedom

True Freedom

Is it Really Necessary to Take Refuge?

Life Without Retirement

Espresso for the Mind

Taking after the Sky

Revelations of a Horse



V)Training the Mind

Have you set your mind straight?

The Three Essentials of Mind Training

Never Trivialize Seemingly Insignificant Words and Deeds

Reaching a Settlement With Your Mind

Seven Self-Suggestion Pointers

How to correctly apply your mind and thoughts

The Worst Enemy of Afflictions

The One Thing Not to Forget While Panicking

The Noble Path Starts from the Trailhead

?? ??? ?

VI)The Present Moment

Dwelling Place of the Mind

Purity: Mind in the Here and Now

The key is to make best of the “now”

The Beauty of Life Lies in Self-Discipline

Extend the Present Moment Indefinitely



VII)Awakening

Awakening

How to Break Through the Ego

Enlightenment through Focus on the Everyday

Self-reflection is the Source of Liberation

Your Life Overflows with Opportunities for Enlightenment

Path to Liberation

Enacting the Dance of Everlasting Vitality



　　Shang Rinpoche often says, “The length of a person’s life is not important, but one must be accountable for it.” Everyone is granted a life, but are they able to live it with brilliance and meaning? Or do they simply blindly follow the crowd? The ability to decide this has always been in our hands, yet compelled by the tumultuous currents of life, some lose their sense of direction, while others have the misfortune of being submerged! In order to commandeer your sailboat with stability, you certainly must possess even greater wisdom. Perhaps we are not particularly endowed with wisdom, but please believe that in every generation there will appear a few sages who are possessed with this sense of direction and come to direct the herd of lost sheep. Or there may be some reincarnated buddhas and bodhisattvas who are unwilling to let go of or abandon those people who need them.



　　We must admit that information has oversaturated this age and that people’s inner ability for awareness has been blunted. It is even more terrible how the environment has worsened to the point that it renders people powerless. All sorts of illnesses which doctors are unable to do anything about have appeared one after another in this century, including spreading epidemics. Furthermore, there are diseases such as depression, bipolar disorder, and the like which are not clearly understood. It is nearly impossible to avoid these afflictive forces which plague us incessantly from morning to night. Other than spending huge sums of money to attend spiritual growth seminars, is there any other way for this generation to acquire a wisdom which is eternal? Shang Rinpoche has said, “The light of a firefly comes from within itself, and the radiance of wisdom must gradually come to illuminate and extend and proliferate from within the continual experience of frustration and defeat. Nobody can help you with this.”



　　Thus, Rinpoche guides us to start from inner awareness to get acquainted with our minds. How shall we coexist with our afflictions? How to trek out of the deep valley of our life? How to seize the moment, to transform ourselves, to achieve a true state of ease and allow the power with our life to extend infinitely? How to become the master of our own life? We must still begin with understanding our own mind. And how do we accomplish that? It is exactly this treasure which we now recommend to each and every reader in the form of these precious texts.



　　-the editor