Tantric Buddhism: Twenty-Seven Talks

Rama - Dr. Frederick Lenz, was an American-born enlightened Buddhist teacher. Since Buddhism had adapted in very different ways in countries such as China, Japan, and Tibet, Rama taught Buddhism in contemporary American terms while strictly adhering to the highest traditional standards. He defined the core process as "Self-Discovery," and the spiritual practice as "The Enlightenment Cycle." The Enlightenment Cycle is a balanced combination of intensive daily meditation with full participation in the world, rather than a separation between monastic and worldly life. It is the quality of your morning meditation that enables you to overcome workplace obstacles, and then through excellence in the workplace positive internal energy is generated that in turn fuels an outstanding evening meditation. This daily cycle is the modern "short path" to enlightenment. Although in 25 years of teaching he held many public meditations for over 100,000 people, Rama worked directly with only a few hundred students during most of that time. He integrated other spiritual paths that he felt were on the same level as Vajrayana and Zen Buddhism, in particular the Vedanta tradition of Shankara and Ramakrishna, and the American Indian mysticism described by Carlos Castaneda. He also tried to find things in modern life that would further one's self-discovery, and in computer science saw a career that had much in common with Buddhist mind-strengthening visualization techniques.This transcribed set of 27 talks, from 1989-1990, is the last set of live talks ever recorded, and a unique synthesis of the material he had been teaching for the preceding 10 years. Highlights include "Self-effort," an unflinching explanation of what it takes to be liberated, "The Nexus of All Pathways," which puts the listener in a high world looking down on Earth, and "The Best Meditation I Ever Had," perhaps the most delightful talk he ever gave. This set is a complete course in how to become Enlightened.