Two Subtle Realities

Geshe Dakpa Topgyal, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, was born in the Western region of Tibet. He entered Drepung Loseling Monastery at the age of ten and received his Geshe degree (Doctorate of Religion and Philosophy) twenty-two years later in 1992. He has lectured throughout the U.S. and Europe, serves as spiritual director of the Charleston Tibetan Society and the South Carolina Dharma Group, and has written numerous books. In addition to his years of experience and expertise, he brings a kind heart and a sense of humor to his teaching that is both disarming and endearing.

Buddhism teaches with simple means how to live day by day with joy and peace. It also teaches with the deepest means how to liberate our mind from the clinging and grasping that form the intricate nets of irritating thoughts and emotions that ensnare us. We liberate our mind through developing a powerful antidote to clinging and grasping. This powerful antidote is the thorough and deep wisdom that sees the truth of reality-the way things really are as opposed to how we ordinarily and naively perceive and believe.

The truth of reality has two levels that hold true in all time, space and conditions. Gaining full knowledge and experience of the two levels of reality is the only means to liberate our mind from clinging and grasping-the two chronic inner mental illnesses. The two levels of reality are impermanence and emptiness. This book offers a clear explanation of subtle impermanence and emptiness, avoiding the use of complicated philosophical terms, so a modern mind can understand the deepest meaning of what Buddha, out of his universal compassion, taught of impermanence and emptiness as his ultimate message to the confused world.