You Are the Eyes of the World

by Longchen Rabjam, Merrill D. Peterson (Translator), Kennard Lipman (Translator)

Just as the images on television are nothing more than light, so are our experiences merely the dance of awareness. Often we form attachments to or feel enslaved by these experiences. But they are only reflections. As easily as television pictures vanish when the channel is changed, the power of our experiences fades if we penetrate to the heart of reality—the light of the natural mind within everyone.

You Are the Eyes of the World presents a method for discovering awareness everywhere, all the time. This book does not discuss how to turn ordinary life off, and it does not describe how to create beautiful spiritual experiences; it shows how to live within the source of all life, the unified field where experience takes place.

Genres: Buddhism, Spirituality, Meditation, Religion

106 pages, Paperback

First published May 25, 2000

About the author

Same author as:
- Longchenpa
- Kloṅ-chen-pa Dri-med-ʼod-zer

Reviews

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a translation of and commentary on a fairly esoteric Dzogchen text. I am not as familiar with Tibetan schools of Buddhism as I am with Zen so this was a bit of a stretch. Admittedly, I was partially interested just because of the translator’s use of a Grateful Dead song in titling it.
There are some notable similarities between this teaching and practice and some of the tenets of Soto Zen. Yet as is typical of Dzogchen, this teaching is much more mystical and esoteric.
I found some of the language pretty challenging and felt like the commenter and his translator both needed a higher degree of understanding of atiyoga practices than I have.

[David Guy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend who has studied Tibetan Buddhism (and is now practicing Zen, as I do) recommended this as the one book about Tibetan Buddhism that I should read. It is a beautiful teaching, very much akin to Zen.

[DennisvdLely · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book about Dzogchen. A Tibetan practice to the purest state of being: pure and total presence. The book presents a method towards this awareness that you can experience everywhere and all the time. I definitely need to read it a couple of more times to fully understand this practice!

[Francine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the most influencial book a ever read about the nature of reality. If there was only one book I could take to a desert island this would be it . If I had two books it would be the I ching translated by Stephen Karcher

[Dean Paradiso · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short length commentary (The Jewel Ship) on a Longchenpa text. Translated by some knowledgeable students of CNNR. I found it easy to read, and accessible for a beginner such as myself. I also rather enjoyed reading portions out aloud. As others have indicated, the commentary by Lipman is also excellent and provides some key understandings in relation to Dzogchen. Likewise for some background information by Namkhai Norbu. The title chosen for this book seems random, as the actual text was 'The Jewel Ship'.

[Kenny B.]

The commentary by Kennard Lipman, most notably pp.75-78, is indispensable.