Mahamudra and Dzogchen Library: Daniel P Brown´s reading recommendations.

Foto of a Tibetan Library (click to view)

7 Minute AI video overview

This post is a pretty complete list of all books that Dan Brown recommended as reading material in his retreats. It does not cover all the books and sources he read himself during his life. If you are interested in these, consult the index of "Pointing Out the Great Way".

ESSENTIAL MAHAMUDRA & DZOGCHEN LIBRARY

A curated reading list from the Pointing Out the Great Way (POGW) lineage

The video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOVFb9BzSg8

An AI generated ca 7 minute introduction

 CORE MAHAMUDRA TEXTS

• Moonbeams of Mahamudra – Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

  (Advanced Retreat; Dan Brown's dissertation subject)

• Clarifying the Natural State – Dakpo Tashi Namgyal

  (Core text for Advanced "Path as Radiance" Retreat)

• The Royal Seal of Mahamudra (Vols 1 & 2) – Third Khamtrul Rinpoche

  (Intermediate and Advanced Retreats)

• The Ninth Karmapa's Ocean of Definitive Meaning – Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche

  (POGW Level 2 Retreat)

• Mahamudra: The Ocean of True Meaning – Karmapa Wangchug Dorje

  (Background for Level 1)

• The Practice of Mahamudra – HH Chetsang Rinpoche

  (Intermediate Retreat)

• Pointing Out the Dharmakaya – Thrangu Rinpoche

  (Recommended by Dustin DiPerna)

• Essentials of Mahamudra – Thrangu Rinpoche

  (Recommended by Dustin DiPerna)

• Mahamudra and Related Instructions – Peter Alan Roberts

  (Intermediate and Advanced Retreats)

 DZOGCHEN & BÖN TEXTS

• Self-Arising Threefold Embodiment of Enlightenment – Shar Rdza Bkra Shis Rgyal Mtshan

  (Translated by Dan Brown & Geshe Sonam Gurung)

• Pith Instructions for A Khrid rDzogs Chen – Bru rGyal Ba G Yung Drung

  (Translated by Dan Brown & Geshe Sonam Gurung, 2022 – Pattern for Level 1 retreat)

• Lion's Gaze – Khenchen Palden Sherab Rinpoche & Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal Rinpoche

  (Translation: Sarah Harding – POGW Level 3a Retreat)

• Buddhahood Without Meditation – Dudjom Lingpa

  (Translation: Richard Barron – POGW Level 4 Retreat)

• Three Golden Letters – Garab Dorje

  (POGW Level 3a Retreat)

• Naturally Liberated Mind – Longchenpa

  (POGW Level 3a Retreat)

• Inexhaustible Miracles – Tempa Dukte Lama

  (POGW Level 2 Retreat)

 VIEW & CONDUCT (Emptiness, Compassion, Perfections

• Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness – Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche

  (Essential for POGW Level 2)

• The Six Perfections – Geshe Sonam Rinchen

  (Translation: Ruth Sonam – POGW Level 2)

• The Four Immeasurables – B. Alan Wallace

  (POGW Level 2)

• Awakening Through Love – John Makransky

  (Highly recommended for Intermediate Retreat)

• The Heart of Unconditional Love – Tulku Thondrup

  (Highly recommended for Intermediate Retreat)

• Ground, Path, Fruition – Tsokyni Rinpoche

  (Core text for Advanced Retreat)

 DAN BROWN'S OWN WORKS

• Mahamudra Meditation States – Daniel P. Brown

  (Highly technical 1981 dissertation, available as free PDF download)

• Transformations of Consciousness – Ken Wilber, Daniel P. Brown et al.

  (Technical; recommended for conceptual level – No longer in print, download as PDF)

• Pointing Out the Great Way – Daniel P. Brown

  (Highly technical; recommended for conceptual level)

• Elephant Path – Daniel P. Brown et al.

  (Practical concentration training for children and young adults – Advanced level)

• Cloudless Mind Vol 1-3. Transcriptions of live events in a small circle, 2012-2018. The only work in which Dan can be heard describing much (not all) of his approach. The recordings do not include the times when he translated the texts and dived into Bon Buddhism. They also do not include the live improvised meditations.

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28 essential texts covering the complete path from foundational concentration through full awakening.