Below is some suggested reading that will help you prepare for the Teachings.
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To purchase the book of The Stages of Meditation, log on to your Members Area and click on 'Lunchboxes and Book' and follow the prompts.
| Title: Buddhism for Busy People |
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Author: David Michie
Level: All levels
This is an Australian-authored bestselling introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, from the point of view of a busy professional. |
| Title: Hurry Up and Meditate |
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Author: David Michie
Level: All levels
An introduction to meditation practice based on traditional Buddhist principles, from the Australian author of the bestselling Buddhism for Busy People - newly published in April. |
| Title: Buddhism for Mothers |
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Author: Sarah Napthali
Level: All levels
A calm, mindful approach to caring for yourself and your babies and toddlers, now an Australian bestseller. |
| Title: Buddhism for Mothers with Lingering Questions |
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Author: Sarah Napthali
Level: All levels
From the author of the bestselling Buddhism for Mothers, a guide to parenting primary-aged children from a Buddhist perspective. |
| Title: The Open Road |
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Author: Pico Lyer
Level: All levels
Just published this month, this is a moving account of the Dalai Lama's story of bringing the Tibetan message to the world, from an award-winning US journalist with very close connections with His Holiness. |
| Title: Path to Bliss |
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Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated by Thupten Jinpa
Level: All levels
Clear, eloquent, simple and profound, His Holiness' teachings are easily accessible to beginning practitioners, yet richly nourishing to those more advanced in practice. In The Path to Bliss, the Dalai Lama shows how visualisation, reason, and contemplation can be systematically crafted to enhance personal development. Beginning with the practices designed to create an effective mental outlook, His Holiness skilfully guides the student to more advanced techniques for developing the mind's deepest potential and happiness.
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| Title: Essential Practice |
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Author: Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche translated by Jules B. Levinson
Level: All levels
'The great Indian master Kamalashila's Stages of the Middle Way School opens the door of philosophy and practice to meditators at all levels. With brevity and clarity, it covers all the main topics one needs to know from developing compassion, through numerous methods of meditation, to the ultimate realisation of full awakening. Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche has a unique ability to bring forth the central issues of a text and make them available to the contemporary audience. This text will certainly bring great benefit to all those who encounter it.' - The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinle Dorje
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| Title: Path to Enlightenment |
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Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated by Glenn H. Mullin
Level: Introductory - Intermediate
In this extensive teaching, the Dalai Lama beautifully elucidates the meaning of the path to enlightenment through his own direct spiritual advice and personal reflections. Based upon a very famous Tibetan text, this teaching presents in practical terms the essential instructions for the attainment of enlightenment. Its direct approach and lucid style make The Path to Enlightenment one of the most accessible introductions to Tibetan Buddhism ever published.
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| Title: The World of Tibetan Buddhism |
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Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated by Geshe Thupten Jinpa
Levels: Introductory
'His Holiness offers a clear and penetrating overview of Tibetan Buddhist practice from the Four Noble Truths to Highest Yoga Tantra with, as always, special emphasis on the practice of love, kindness, and universal responsibility.' - Richard Gere
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| Title: Guided Meditations on the Stages of the Path |
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Author: Thubten Chodron
Level: All levels
The lamrim (stages of the path) presentation of Buddhist teachings has become a core topic of study at many Buddhist centers in the West. For busy practitioners, the lamrim gives a concise and easily graspable picture of the Buddhist path. Best-selling author Thubten Chodron has a unique ability to present these teachings. In this volume, she provides clear explanations of the stages of the path, while the mp3 files on the accompanying CD contain guided meditations on each of the topics covered in the text.
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Title: The Dalai Lama at Harvard
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Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated by Jeffrey Hokins
Level: Introductory - Intermediate
In 1981, His Holiness the Dalai Lama gave a series of lectures at Harvard University which fulfilled magnificently his intention of providing an in-depth introduction to Buddhist theory and practice. The combination of superb intellect, power of exposition, and practical, compassionate implementation that characterise the Dalai Lama's personality highlights these lectures. He covers the spectrum of issues important to anyone concerned about individual and world peace and answers questions that those interested in Buddhism have long hoped to see addressed.
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| Title: Meditative States |
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Author: Lati Rinbochay & Denma Locho Rinbochay translations by Leah Zahler & Jeffrey Hopkins
Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Meditative States vividly details the meditative practices necessary to develop a calm, alert mind capable of penetrating the depths of reality.
With precision and lucidity, two most prominent modern Tibetan lamas - Lati Rinbochay and Denma Loco Rinbochay - discuss step-by-step the progressive stages of meditation, providing us with practical antidotes to the various obstacles that may arise.
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| Title: Balancing the Mind |
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Author: B. Alan Wallace
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
For centuries Tibetan Buddhist contemplatives have directly explored consciousness through carefully honed rigorous techniques of meditation. B. Alan Wallace explains the methods and experiences of those Tibetan practitioners and compares these with investigations of consciousness by Western scientists and philosophers. Balancing the Mind includes a translation of a classic discussion by the fifteenth-century Tibetan contemplative Tsongkhapa of methods for developing exceptionally high degrees of attentional stability and clarity.
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| Title: Tibetan Buddhism from the Ground up |
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Author: B. Alan Wallace
Level: Introductory - Intermediate
Asking neither unquestioning faith nor blind obedience to abstract concepts or religious beliefs, this highly readable book challenges us to question and investigate life's issues for ourselves in the light of an ancient and effective approach to the sufferings and joys of the human condition.
"Insightful. This practical book provides examples of how these ancient teachings can be applied in contemporary Western life."
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| Title: Kindness Clarity and Insight |
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Author: His Holiness the Dalai Lama translated by Jeffrey Hopkins
Level: Introductory - Intermediate
The teachings in this book comprehend and encapsulate in a crisp and concise manner all of the topics to which the Dalai Lama returns repeatedly--the core subject matter of Tibetan Buddhism. Readers of this single volume, undaunting in size, will be well prepared for understanding all of the Dalai Lama's subsequent books. This book remains the heart-message of this great world leader. 
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| Title: Calming the Mind |
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Author: Gen Lamrimpa translated by B Alan Wallace
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
An invaluable, practical guide for those seeking to develop greater attentional stability and clarity, this work will be of considerable interest to meditators, psychologists, and all others who are concerned with the potentials of the human mind.
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| Title: Realizing Emptiness |
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Author: Gen Lamrimpa, translated by B.Alan Wallace
Level: Intermediate - Advanced
In Realising Emptiness, Gen Lamrimpa draws on his theoretical training as well as his solitary meditative experience to show how students can gain realisation of ultimate reality. He explains in a practical and down-to-earth fashion how to analyse experience to fathom how to use Madhyamaka reasoning to experience the way in which all things exist as dependently related events.
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