“In this book, Dr. Karl Brunnhölzl, our Nalandabodhi Mitra, unveils the secret of view, meditation, and action as sung by the king of yogins, Milarepa. This book is certain to open a new dimension for your mind and bring the mind-bending experience of the yogi into your heart. These teachings of Milarepa are a timely and straight-to-the-heart wisdom that will surely benefit many in this century and beyond. With heartfelt gratitude, I close with the aspiration that all who even glance at this book may see reality and free their mind.”

– Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

“Karl Brunnholzl provides a delightful overview of Milarepa and Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso’s teachings on view, mediation, and action. The style is straightforward and profound, lighthearted, and even humorous. Karl adds his own images and observations while following Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso’s oral commentaries on Milarepa’s songs of realization. The book emphasizes how Milarepa is talking about ‘view’ as the direct experience of mahamudra, then provides a brief introduction to how Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso taught the progressive stages of approaching emptiness.”

– Lama Shenpen Hookham

“Brunnhölzl’s book focuses particularly on Milarepa’s song called “Ultimate View, Meditation, Conduct, and Fruition.” What is this view? What kind of meditation? How does one do it? And how is it that—fruition being no different from the view—we’ve come anywhere at all by the end of the song? Brunnhölzl nimbly explains what each concept is, and is not. For both him and Milarepa, the process of recognizing then becoming deeply familiar with the ultimate view is a mysterious one. This book is a treasure of subtle revelation.”

– Bonnie Nadzam, Lion's Roar

“In Milarepa’s Kungfu, Karl Brunnhölzl directly and simply—but not simplistically—unpacks the wisdom instructions in a medley of Milarepa’s songs of realization. Brunnhölzl makes the inexpressible accessible, opening up the meaning, explaining key terms and points, and linking the songs with Khenpo Tsültrim Gyamtso Rinpoche’s teachings, including his five stages of meditation on emptiness. This is a masterful and delightful presentation of some of Milarepa’s key teachings on mahamudra—to be enjoyed by all!”

– Elizabeth Callahan, translator of Moonbeams of Mahamudra

“Milarepa, the eleventh-century Tibetan poet and meditation master, was acclaimed for his songs of inner realization and spiritual attainment. In Milarepa’s Kungfu, Karl Brunnhölzl explores the Mahamudra tradition through a detailed commentary on Milarepa’s song of the ultimate view, meditation, conduct, and fruition of Buddhist practice. Written with characteristic clarity and wit, and presented in a highly engaging style, Brunnhölzl’s masterful work elucidates the profound meaning of Milarepa’s words, which encompass the entire path to awakening. Milarepa’s Kungfu illuminates this thousand-year-old poem as part of a living tradition that will interest the newcomer to Buddhist literature and the longtime practitioner alike.”

– Andrew Quintman, associate professor, Department of Religion and College of East Asian Studies, Wesleyan University