This is it: revealing the great completion

Each section of the book leads into the next, showing how, by peeling away our habitual assumptions and projections, we can directly encounter the intrinsic purity of our own mind. "This is it", Dzogchen, the great completion. The first facet, One Thing Leads to Another, offers sutra texts on dependent origination. The second, Increased Transparency, includes the Heart Sutra and indicates that all phenomena, whether seemingly outer or inner, subject or object, are empty and devoid of inherent existence. This leads onto the third facet Encountering the Other, the story of how the Buddha Chakrasamvara manifested in order to deal with cruelty and malicious behaviour. The fourth Facet, Getting Lost Invites Trouble, offers two accounts of how pride and self-confidence can lead a person astray so that their provocations lead to a display the Buddhas' wrathful power, enforcing transformation and the abrupt end to the careers of heartless bullies. Next, in the fifth facet, we see how transformation can be elective rather than imposed. Cutting Free begins with the story of Machig Labdron, her struggle to free herself from social constraints so that she could pursue a life in dharma. There is a short guru yoga practice and her Chöd practice, The Dakinis' Laughter. Finally in facet six, Just This is The Cuckoo Cry, the foundational text of the dzogchen mind series. In just three couplets it sets out the view, meditation and activity which are the inseparability of primordial purity and instant presence.

About the Author :
James Low is a disciple of the late Chimed Rigdzin Lama and he teaches in the Byangter and Khordong lineages according to the instructions of his Guru. He began studying and practising Tibetan Buddhism in India in the 1970's and received teachings from Kalu Rinpoche, Chatral Rinpoche, Kanjur Rinpoche and Dudjom Rinpoche. Having met his root teacher, he lived in his home in West Bengal, India for many years, serving him as required and being taught many aspects of the tradition. On his return to Europe he also had teachings and guidance from Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. James translated many tantric texts and sadhanas with C. R. Lama who wanted texts from his Byangter and Khordong lineages to be available in English so that they can be used as practice texts. James trained in various models of psychotherapy. He has retired from his London work as a Consultant Psychotherapist in the National Health Service. He has taught on many psychotherapy trainings in Britain. He has a website www.simplybeing.co.uk where his teachings can be accessed in various media.

Review :
Reviews of previous books include: "I read this years ago and thought at the time it was the best book ever (in English) on the Dzogchen tradition. I just re-read it and feel the same way, now." (Simply Being) "The author is very lucid and precise in his writing style. So we get a good appreciation of the Vajrayana style of Tibetan Buddhist practice from the first 13 chapters of this book.... any one who has heard about Dzogchen somewhere can readily penetrate the essence laid out in this book. James Low has done great service to the Buddhist community via this book." (Simply Being, 2019) "What comes through to this reader is the freshness and intimacy of this teacher's voice and the inspiration of C R Lama and this remarkable lineage. Wonderful!" (Collected Works of CR Lama) "James Low has made an invaluable contribution to Dzogchen studies with his excellent translation and commentary on this precious Tibetan text. Anyone interested in the view and meditation practices of Dzogchen, the Natural Great Perfection teachings, would benefit from keeping this handbook close to their hearts and minds, as I myself do."-Lama Surya Das. (Being Right Here) "An expansion of the traditional concepts embodied in the text and an examination of how they can function in contemporary life."-Watkins Bookshop Review. (Being Right Here) "Being Right Here is a must-read for anyone interested in awakening the enlightened nature of the mind."-Tulku Thondup Rinpoche. (Being Right Here) "The book contains a beautiful practice of inspiring wisdom. The root text is composed by radiant insights, the explanations are clear and luminous, just as the title of the book." (Radiant Aspiration) "According to James' website, he "was encouraged to give the traditional instructions using methods that enable people in the west to get the point. James has been teaching in this way for over twenty years." This book manages this magnificently, with humour and eloquence. I own hundreds of books on Buddhism, especially on teachings on mind-nature. This might be the very best book I've ever read on Dzogchen. Buy it. (Sparks, 2019)