Rainbow Essence ― The Life and Teachings of Jats霵 Nyingpo

In addition to his revelations, Jatson Nyingpo wrote commentaries, essays on Tibetan religious history, and a number of memoirs. These include accounts of some of his previous lives, his recollections of being with his teachers, and what he classified as his fourfold memoirs. As readers will discover, he called his actual autobiography his Outer Memoir. It is translated in its entirety in this book. Readers will also discover that he finished it and then added more to it several times; I have called these sections Chapter One, Chapter Two, and so on, and indicated the years they deal with. His last entry was while he was in his fifty-seventh year, in 1642 C.E. Jatson Nyingpo called his collected songs and written advice his Inner Memoir. This is not translated here, but many examples of his songs are to be found in these pages as they are also part of the autobiography itself.

??The exceptionally skilled Lama Yeshe Gyamtso, is one of the foremost translators of Tibetan Buddhist written and oral teachings. After completing two traditional three-year retreats under the guidance of Kalu Rinpoche and Lama Norlha, at Kagyu Thubten Choling in Wappingers Falls, New York, he has served as an interpreter for many eminent teachers, including the Seventeenth Gyalwang Karmapa, the Third Jamgon Kongtrul Rinpoche, Kyabje Kalu Rinpoche, Khenpo Karthar Rinpoche, and Mingyur Dorje Rinpoche. Lama Yeshes published translations include Chariot of the Fortunate: The Life of Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche;The Vajra Garland and the Lotus Garden: Treasure Biographies of Padmakara and Vairochana; Nyima Tashi: The Songs and Instructions of the First Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche; Treasury of Eloquence: The Songs of Barway Dorje; The Precious Essence; Garland of Jewels: The Eight Great Bodhisattvas; and The Hundred Tertons. He is also the author of On the Four Noble Truths and Shower of Blessings.