Some of my Buddhist friends, including some of my teachers, wonder why I never put anything about Buddhism on my web page. I thought I would try to simply enumerate the teachings that I am actively investigating now. As I did I realized I should try to explain, as best I can, how all of this fits together for me. What follows is not meant to be an exposition. It is simply a personal account of how I work with these teachings. To the best of my understanding the following teachings may be organized as follows. All suffering is due to ignorance. This ignorance manifests simultaneously as misconceptions regarding individuals (including ourselves) and misconceptions regarding phenomenon. The explanations below only try to describe how these approaches all work to eliminate ignorant views of reality. They don't attempt to explain how each of these approaches leads to full enlightenment.

• The Madhyamaka dialectic: Using techniques such a Chandrakirti's sevenfold reasoning erroneous ways of viewing individuals and phenomenon are are analyzed and found to be contradictory.
• Generation stage practices: Our view of individuals is transformed through (self-)generation as deities and our view of phenomenon is transformed through generation as celestial palaces and so forth.
• Completion stage practices: Our awareness of both individuals and phenomenon arises in dependence on the movement of winds and drops in the channels. When we gather the winds, drops, and awareness itself into the central channel then we induce a series of experiences culminating in clear light. As we recognize this empty clear light as our own nature, our view of self and persons is tranformed. As we arise from that state our view of phenomena is tranformed.
• Mahamudra vipashyana and Dzogchen separation (rushan) practices: Through investigating into the arising, abiding, and departing of the mind, the mind's natural state is recognized and misconceptions regarding individuals and phenomona naturally subside.
• Direct introduction to the natural state: In the Mahamudra or Dzogchen tradition the lama may show the disciple their natural state directly. Again, in this way our misconceptions regarding individuals and phenomena naturally subside.
• The thogal meditations of Dzogchen: By directly experiencing how phenomena are expressions of our own awareness, misconceptions regarding phenomona are eliminated.

• The Dzogchen tradition of the Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung
  • My teachers: Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, Ponlop Trinley Nyima, Lama Tashi Gyaltsen
  • Root Texts: The Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung, especially the Twenty-one Nails and the Six Lamps
  • Practice Texts: The Practice Text of the Royal Experiential Transmission by Dru Gyalwa
  • Mentors/senior spritual friends: Jean-Luc Achard
• The Dzogchen tradition of the Longchen Nyingtig
  • My teachers: Kunzang Dechen Lingpa and his son Rigzin Dorje Rinpoche, Kahtog Khenpo Lama Loga (empowerment and transmission only)
  • Practice Texts and commentaries:
    • Utmost Secret Guru Yoga (thigle rgya can) by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
    • The Practice Manual of the Yeshe Lama by Jigme Lingpa
    • The Basic Principles of the Yeshe Lama, the Key to the Mother-Son Innermost Essence, Known as the Commentary of the Mind of Samantabhadra by Khenpo Ngawang Palzang.
    • Other notes by Khenpo Ngawang Palzang
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Ngagpa Pema Wangdi
• The Dzogchen tradition of Chogyur Lingpa
  • Root Texts: The Kunzang Thug Tik and the Heart of Wisdom (Lam Rim Yeshe Nyingpo)
  • My teacher: Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche
  • Practice texts and commentaries:
    • The Brilliant Concise Meaning by Karmey Khenpo Rinchen Dargye
    • The Mind Ornament of Samantabhadra by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Erik Schmidt
• The Path and Result Tradition of Virupa
  • My teachers: Lama Kunga, Luding Khen Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche
  • Commentaries on Virupa's Vajra Verses
    • The Treasury of Quintessential Instructions by Lama Dampa Sonam Gyaltsan
    • For My Sons by Sachen Kunga Nyingpo
    • For Nyugma by Sachen Kunga Nyinpo
  • Commentaries on the Later (or Outer) Eight Cycles by Jetsun Dakpa Gyaltsan
  • Commentaries on the Later (or Outer) Eight Cycles by Jamgon Kongtrul
  • Practice texts and commentaries:
    • Ornament of the Three Appearances by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrup
    • Ornament of the Three Tantras by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrup
    • Ornament of the Six Limbed Abhisamaya by Ngorchen Konchog Lhundrup
    • The Sun Rays by Tsarchen Losal Gyamtso
    • Essential Elegant Sayings of the Three Tantras by Panchen Ngawang Chodrak
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Cyrus Stearns
• The Tradition of Naropa's Khecari
  • From the Sakya Tradtion
    • My teachers: Lama Kunga, Luding Khen Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trizin, Jetsun Kushogs
    • The Six Precepts by Jamyang Khyentse Wangchuk
    • The Excellent Three Quintessential Instructions by Ngor Thartse Namkha Palzang
    • The Commentary on the Central Channel by Jetsun Dagpa Gyaltsan
    • A Sadhana for Attaining Khecara without Abandoning the Body by Ludrup Mangtho Gyatso
    • A Brief Practice on the ``Direct Demonstration of Dharmata'' by Losal Tankyong and recorded by Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
  • Sakya mentors/senior spiritual friends: Cyrus Stearns
  • From the Gelugpa Tradtion
    • My teachers: Zong Rinpoche, Khensur Losang Tharchin
    • Heart Essence of the Dakinis by Phabongkha Dechen Nyingpo (partial transission)
    • Heart Drop of the Secret Path of the Journey to Khecara by Ngulchu Dharmabhadra
  • Gelugpa mentors/senior spiritual friends: Art Engles, David Molk, Geshe Michael Roach
  • From the Rime Tradtion
    • My teachers: Lama Kunga, Luding Khen Rinpoche, HH Sakya Trizin, Jetsun Kushogs
    • Imaginal Stages of the Generation and Completion Stages of Naropa's Khecari, Vajrayogini: An Ornamental Guide of the Commentary of Khecari by Ngawang Damcho Gyatso (Gelugpa) from the teachings of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo
    • Sakya mentors/senior spiritual friends: Cyrus Stearns
• The Six Yogas/Doctrines of Naropa
  • My teachers: Lati Rinpoche, Geshe Thubten Dawa, Lithang Rinpoche (Ye lo Tulku)
  • Practice manuals and commentaries:
    • The Three Inspirations by Je Tsong Khapa (no transmission)
    • A Commentary on the Profound Six Doctrines of Naropa: The Source of Siddhis and Great Bliss by Nagtsang Tulku
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Glenn Mullin
• The Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra
  • My teachers: Thrangu Rinpoche, Mingyur Rinpoche
  • Practice manuals:
    • Pointing out the Dharmakaya by Wangchuk Dorje, the 9th Karmapa
    • The Ocean of Definitive Meaning by Wangchuk Dorje, the 9th Karmapa
• The Gelug/Kagyu Tradition of Mahamudra
  • My teachers: Geshe Losang Jamspal, Geshe Losang Tarchin
  • Texts: A Root Text for the Precious Gelug/Kagyü Tradition of Mahamudra and its Autocommentary by Panchen Losang Chokyi Gyaltsan
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Alex Berzin
• The Practice of Akshobyavajra Guhyasamaja
  • My teachers: Zong Rinpoche
  • Commentaries:
    • The Lamp Illuminating the Five Stages of Guhyasamaja by Je Tsong Khapa (no transmission)
    • An Eloquent Explanation of the Grounds and Paths of Tantra in Accordance with the Arya Tradition of the Glorious Guhyasamaja by Yangcan Gaway Lodro (no transmission)
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Alex Berzin
• The Practice of the Rwa Tradition of Vajrabhairava
  • My teachers: Ling Rinpoche, Denma Locho Rinpoche, Geshe Ngawang Dhargye, Takster Rinpoche, Lati Rinpoche, Kirti Tshenzhab Rinpoche
  • Practice manuals and commentaries:
    • Staircase that Leads to the Three Bodies by Lozang Lhundrup (partial transmission)
    • The Profound Path of the Great Secret by Tri Gyaltsan Senge
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Alex Berzin and Glenn Mullin
• The Practice of Kalacakra
  • My teachers: HH the Dalai Lama, Kirti Tsenzhab Rinpoche
  • Practice manuals and commentaries:
    • Ornament of Stainless Light by Khedrup Norzang Gyatso (no transmission)
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Alex Berzin
• The Perfection of Wisdom
  • My teachers: HH the Dalai Lama, Geshe Gedun Samdup, Geshe Michael Roach
  • Texts:
    • The Perfection of Wisdom in 25,000 Verses
    • The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Verses
    • The Diamond Cutter Sutra
    • Kamalashila's commmentary on the Diamond Cutter Sutra
    • The Heart Sutra
    • The Abhisamayalamkara by Maitreya
  • Mentors/senior spiritual friends: Ven. George Churinoff
• Madhyamaka
  • My teachers: Geshe Losang Jamspal, Jeffrey Hopkins
  • Texts:
    • Mulamadhyamakakarika by Nagarjuna
    • Madhyamakavatara by Candrakirti
    • A Mirror which Brilliantly Illuminates the Intention of the Introduction to the Middle Way by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama
    • Explanation of the Root Verses on the Middle Way by Gendun Drup, the First Dalai Lama
• The Bodhisattva's Way of Life
  • My teachers: Khyongla Rato Rinpoche
  • Texts:
    • Bodhicaryavatara by Shantideva