This selection features profound, provocative, and at times humorous texts from some of the leading figures associated with the Rimé tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, including Patrul Rinpoche, Jamgön Mipham, and Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima. The emphasis of these works is on the esoteric path of Dzogchen, or the Great Perfection, through which the nature of reality is pointed out directly, just as it is.

Throughout the book the translator provides clear, succinct introductions to the translations, masterfully setting the scene and seamlessly threading together the individual works to tell a story of intellectual renaissance, intersectarian debate, and the transmission of cherished insights. The overall effect is to immerse the reader in a world in which scholarly analysis is of limited benefit and genuine wisdom means transcending the ordinary mind.