The first section of this book is the spiritual biography of Tilopa, the Indian yogi who is considered the founding father of the unbroken lineage of the Kagyupa tradition. It is not a biography in the ordinary sense, but inspirational stories of the events that led to his realization, how he began and applied himself, the methods he used, and how through his realization he benefited others.

The second section of the book contains the root text and commentary on The Ganges Mahamudra, Tilopa’s oral instructions for accomplishing enlightenment – considered the source text for all Kagyu doctrine and the tradition of Mahamudra meditation in general.

Tilopa gave these instructions on the banks of the Ganges River sometime in the eleventh century to his student Naropa, who in turn transmitted them to his Tibetan disciple Marpa Lotswa. For over a thousand years it has been passed down through an unbroken lineage of realized teachers to Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche, so this publication represents something quite extraordinary and wonderful.