A Short, Lucid Commentary on the Summary Verses on Mahāmudrā
Our June text of the month is A Short, Lucid Commentary on the Summary Verses on Mahāmudrā, Emphasizing the Esoteric Instructions with Relevant Citations from the Tantras by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo.
This commentary is a distillation of the profound teachings on Mahāmudrā, attributed to the great mahāsiddha Nāropa and transmitted to Marpa Chökyi Lodrö. Here, the profound instructions on Mahāmudrā—spanning view, meditation, conduct, and result—are presented in an accessible and deeply transformative manner. Drawing upon the authoritative tantras and treatises of the tradition, this text integrates scriptural citations from sources such as Mahāmudrātilaka, the Hevajra Tantra, Guhyasamāja, and others to elucidate the ineffable nature of Mahāmudrā.
The text opens with an exploration of its title and a homage to the state of great bliss, clearly situating the reader within the Vajrayāna context. Each section guides the reader through subtle discussions of appearance and awareness, the unity of emptiness and clarity, and the inseparability of saṃsāra and nirvāṇa, offering insight and practical guidance for direct experiential realization.
Text of the Month Teaching with Elizabeth Callahan and Marcus Perman
Friday, June 13
9 AM MT | 4 PM UTC
For the teaching on this text, we are delighted to welcome translator and Tsadra Foundation Fellow Elizabeth M. Callahan, and Executive Director Marcus Perman for a special collaborative event to celebrate Tsadra’s many contributions to Buddhist translation and transmission, as well as our partnership with them.
During this session, we will explore Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo’s Commentary on the Summary Verses on Mahāmudrā—the first text published by KVP from the Treasury of Precious Instructions (Damngak Dzö), arranged by Jamgön Kongtrul. Casey Kemp, KVP’s editorial director, will host the session, and the discussion will include the significance of the Kagyu Mahāmudrā tradition and its connection to the Khyentse lineage.
Elizabeth Callahan began her contemplative training in the Kagyu tradition in 1977 and has dedicated decades to translating its key texts, including Mahamudra: Ocean of Definitive Meaning, Moonbeams of Mahāmudrā, and The Treasury of Precious Instructions: Marpa Kagyu. She has been a Tsadra Foundation Fellow since 2002 and is a director of Marpa Foundation.
Marcus Perman has served as Executive Director of Tsadra Foundation for sixteen years, where he has developed the Translation & Transmission Conference series and the Lotsawa Workshops, and has devoted his career to building online educational resources and digital tools for translators and scholars of Tibetan Buddhism.