{"product_id":"me-first-an-account-of-the-rise-of-the-wrathful-buddhas-hardcover","title":"Me first!: an account of the rise of the Wrathful Buddhas - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eJames Low\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eDiana Collins\u003c\/b\u003e (Illustrator)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAccording to \u003cstrong\u003eBuddhism\u003c\/strong\u003e it is helpful to follow a path because of the universal tendency to get lost. However when a teacher explains the path to us we need to make sure that we understand properly what we are being taught and how to put it into practice. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis illustrated book tells the story of a student's misunderstanding that fed into his overweening \u003cstrong\u003eambition\u003c\/strong\u003e and many disasters that ensued on an \u003cstrong\u003eepic\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003ecosmic\u003c\/strong\u003e scale. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMe First!\u003c\/strong\u003e is an ancient \u003cstrong\u003eTibetan\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eBuddhist\u003c\/strong\u003e account of how a teacher's liberating instructions on the path to freedom were misunderstood by one of his disciples. The proud young student called Masterful goes to a Buddhist teacher called Resolute who points out to him that since his mind is always and already intrinsically free, there is therefore no need for him to involve himself in meditations and other practices to improve what is already perfect. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMasterful, however, hears this as a permission to be uncontrolled and do whatever he likes. Instead of awakening to the simple purity of his own awareness he feeds his egotistical ambition and sets out to take whatever he wants without limit, exploiting others without any concern for their capacity and welfare. This leads to universal devastation until finally the accumulated negative \u003cstrong\u003ekarma\u003c\/strong\u003e leads to Masterful manifesting as a \u003cstrong\u003edemon\u003c\/strong\u003e, and known as\u003cstrong\u003e Rudra. \u003c\/strong\u003e In this form he creates havoc until after many outrages the peaceful Buddhas gather together and decide that they need to adopt a new tactic. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eManifesting their powerful controlling energy, all the \u003cstrong\u003eBuddhas\u003c\/strong\u003e transform the teacher Resolute into an all-conquering force of virtue. After many intense adventures the demonic force of Masterful is bound into the service of the true path of freedom, cleansed of his bad karma and bound into the service of the dharma, with the new name, \u003cstrong\u003eMahakala\u003c\/strong\u003e, Great Black One. The people return in peace to the land. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis story points to the dangers of unconstrained power and the associated temptation to follow the path of dictatorship. It highlights how important is the creative collaboration among the forces of good in order to constrain the power of delinquent self-assertion.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe illustrations bring the key points of this story to dramatic life and invite the reader to \u003cstrong\u003eshare in the excitements of this heroic engagement.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe text is based on the Padma bKa'-Thang by Padmasambhava which was revealed by the terton, Urgyen gLing-Pa.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor James Low's full translation of the original Tibetan text see Facet 4 (Getting Lost Invites Trouble), in This is it: revealing the great completion. James Low. (Simply Being, UK, 2020) ISBN: 978-0956923974.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 144\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.56 x 10 x 7 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e February 27, 2022\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42706993709119,"sku":"9780956923981","price":43.2,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0105\/8226\/1823\/files\/7a919f4d0b7637b8ad4510c2624ef74a.webp?v=1765042426","url":"https:\/\/dhl-adrianne.myshopify.com\/products\/me-first-an-account-of-the-rise-of-the-wrathful-buddhas-hardcover","provider":"BBB","version":"1.0","type":"link"}