Discover succinct instructions for ending the habits that cause you so much suffering in this contemporary exploration of a foundational four-line teaching from Vajrayana Buddhism.
How do we break free from the habits and compulsions that bring us suffering? In the 12th century, Sakya Drakpa Gyeltsen penned four short but significant lines, known as Parting from the Four Attachments, offering a concise guide to becoming a genuine dharma practitioner and charting a path to enlightenment.
In The Flowing River of Dharma, Anyen Rinpoche and Allison Choying Zangmo offer a fresh, contemporary exploration of this foundational text, drawing on insights from Anyen Rinpoche’s teacher, Khenchen Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche, and a cave-dwelling hermit known as Lama Tsepel. Introducing the rimé movement, which promotes cross-traditional learning to uncover core teachings, the authors use this approach to offer a comprehensive review of the text, referring to teachings from a variety of traditions, including The Four Dharmas of Gampopa, as well as texts from the Longchen Nyingthig lineage and Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu schools.
With clear language and a candid look at the challenges of dharma practice, the authors delve into the power of renunciation, understanding samsara’s true nature, and cultivating bodhicitta—the altruistic intent to relieve others’ suffering—as pathways to genuine happiness. Buddhists of all backgrounds will discover how these lojong (mind training) teachings can anchor us firmly on the path and ensure that we don’t stray from it until we reach complete liberation.
ANYEN RINPOCHE is a recognized tulku of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage within the Nyingma tradition. Born and raised in Amdo, Tibet, he trained extensively in Dzogchen meditation and Buddhist scholarship under his root teacher Kyabje Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche. Founder of the Orgyen Khandroling Buddhist Meditation Center in Denver, Colorado, Anyen Rinpoche is known for his deep spiritual insight and accessible teaching style. He is the author of many books, often in collaboration with his wife and translator, Allison Choying Zangmo, including Union of Dzogchen and Bodhichitta, Stop Biting the Tail You’re Chasing, and The Tibetan Yoga of Breath. He is founder of the Phowa Foundation, which focuses on preparing people for a peaceful and conscious death.
ALLISON CHOYING ZANGMO is Anyen Rinpoche’s longtime student, personal translator, and collaborator. She has received extensive Buddhist training, including empowerments and teachings from various prominent Tibetan masters such as Khenchen Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche and Lama Damphel. With Anyen Rinpoche’s encouragement, she began teaching through the Orgyen Khamdroling Dharma Center in Denver, Colorado, in 2017, and now plays a vital role in bringing the Dharma to a Western audience. She is coauthor, with Anyen Rinpoche, of Stop Biting the Tail You’re Chasing and The Tibetan Yoga of Breath, and has assisted him with many other titles.
Discover succinct instructions for ending the habits that cause you so much suffering in this contemporary exploration of a foundational four-line teaching from Vajrayana Buddhism.
How do we break free from the habits and compulsions that bring us suffering? In the 12th century, Sakya Drakpa Gyeltsen penned four short but significant lines, known as Parting from the Four Attachments, offering a concise guide to becoming a genuine dharma practitioner and charting a path to enlightenment.
In The Flowing River of Dharma, Anyen Rinpoche and Allison Choying Zangmo offer a fresh, contemporary exploration of this foundational text, drawing on insights from Anyen Rinpoche’s teacher, Khenchen Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche, and a cave-dwelling hermit known as Lama Tsepel. Introducing the rimé movement, which promotes cross-traditional learning to uncover core teachings, the authors use this approach to offer a comprehensive review of the text, referring to teachings from a variety of traditions, including The Four Dharmas of Gampopa, as well as texts from the Longchen Nyingthig lineage and Nyingma, Sakya, and Kagyu schools.
With clear language and a candid look at the challenges of dharma practice, the authors delve into the power of renunciation, understanding samsara’s true nature, and cultivating bodhicitta—the altruistic intent to relieve others’ suffering—as pathways to genuine happiness. Buddhists of all backgrounds will discover how these lojong (mind training) teachings can anchor us firmly on the path and ensure that we don’t stray from it until we reach complete liberation.
Author
ANYEN RINPOCHE is a recognized tulku of the Longchen Nyingthig lineage within the Nyingma tradition. Born and raised in Amdo, Tibet, he trained extensively in Dzogchen meditation and Buddhist scholarship under his root teacher Kyabje Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche. Founder of the Orgyen Khandroling Buddhist Meditation Center in Denver, Colorado, Anyen Rinpoche is known for his deep spiritual insight and accessible teaching style. He is the author of many books, often in collaboration with his wife and translator, Allison Choying Zangmo, including Union of Dzogchen and Bodhichitta, Stop Biting the Tail You’re Chasing, and The Tibetan Yoga of Breath. He is founder of the Phowa Foundation, which focuses on preparing people for a peaceful and conscious death.
ALLISON CHOYING ZANGMO is Anyen Rinpoche’s longtime student, personal translator, and collaborator. She has received extensive Buddhist training, including empowerments and teachings from various prominent Tibetan masters such as Khenchen Tsara Dharmakirti Rinpoche and Lama Damphel. With Anyen Rinpoche’s encouragement, she began teaching through the Orgyen Khamdroling Dharma Center in Denver, Colorado, in 2017, and now plays a vital role in bringing the Dharma to a Western audience. She is coauthor, with Anyen Rinpoche, of Stop Biting the Tail You’re Chasing and The Tibetan Yoga of Breath, and has assisted him with many other titles.
