Five-Part Mahamudra by Jigten Sumgon

This is one of a series of three Kindle books on “Five-Part Mahamudra”,a specific way of practising Mahamudra that is used in the Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It was first It was first taught by Gampopa to his disciples and since then has become one of the main ways that Mahamudra is practised in the Kagyu lineage. This Kindle book includes three important texts on the subject by key lineage holders of the Kagyu tradition. It also includes an extensive glossary, notes, and a very complete introduction.

The first text contains the exchange between Gampopa and Phagdru that resulted in the teaching called Five-Part Mahamudra. It is followed by a very early text on Five-Part Mahamudra written by one of Phagmo Drupa’s disciples, the translator from Throphu. The main text is by the Zhamar Konchog Yanlag of the Karma Kagyu lineage, but it is really a commentary on the teaching given by Jigten Sumgon, the founder of the Drigung Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. That this is really Jigten Sumgon’s teaching is emphasized here because he received the teaching directly from his guru, Phagmo Drupa, who received it from Gampopa and practised it to completion. In other words, it is a very early presentation of the teaching that tells us how the teaching was originally given and practised.

Jigten Sumgon’s teaching in this text is very pithy and, as with the Translator from Throphu's text, reflects the no-nonsense, get-down-to-it style of the early Kagyu. The commentary to Jigten Sumgon’s teaching by Zhamar Konchog Yanlag is more sophisticated in its presentation, but still has a strong sense of practice lineage, which is not surprising given that the author was very well known for his excellent practice. This text is widely regarded as one of the key texts on five-part Mahamudra because Jigten Sumgon Rinchen personally received the five part instruction from Phagmo Drupa, then practised them to the point of total proficiency and attained great realization of Mahamudra because of them. A complete, modern-day commentary to this text was given by Tenga Rinpoche of Bengchen Monastery. His commentary is available in the book “Gampopa’s Five Part Mahamudra, The Five-part Mahamudra Practice Taught to Phagmo Drupa By Gampopa”, authored by Tony Duff and published by PKTC June 1008, ISBN 978-9937-2-0607-5.