About Padmakara
Padmakara is Songtsen’s department responsible for the translation and publication of Tibetan texts. Its principal aim is to preserve and communicate to a Western audience the major texts of classic and contemporary Tibetan literature, particularly works on Buddhist philosophy and practice. With the intention of meeting the pressing needs of Tibetan text preservation and translation, Padmakara was officially founded in 1987, in Dordogne, France.
Books & audio
Translated texts published by Éditions Padmakara (including Padmakara's practice manuals & booklets, audio media, as well as most of Padmakara's French books) can now be purchased from Éditions Padmakara's online store using our secure online transaction form.
Padmakara books published by other major publishers, including most of Padmakara's English books, are now available for online purchase on Padmakara's online store in affiliation with Amazon.
The Padmakara Translation Group
Padmakara is directed by Tsetul Pema Wangyal Rinpoche and Jigme Khyentse Rinpoche, two Tibetan lamas inspired by the non-sectarian tradition who have an intimate knowledge of Western cultures and languages. Composed of translators and editors of a variety of nationalities, the Padmakara Translation Group does its best to convey in as many languages as possible, all the depth and flavour of texts originating in the four great schools of Tibetan Buddhism…
Padmakara projects
Within the preservation, translation and publication of Tibetan texts, Padmakara ongoing projects include…
- Padmakara translation: Translation of Tibetan texts
- Preservation of Tibetan texts: Restoration & reprinting of rare Tibetan texts
- Study Grants: Scholarships for new translators
- The audio archive: Preservation of a unique audio heritage
- The Tibetan library:
- Publishing & printing:
Tibet, its language & its literature
The Tibetan language contains a wealth of profound knowledge acquired over generations and centuries by scholars and masters—not only Tibetan but Indian, too, for starting in the seventh century a vast body of knowledge discovered and developed during the golden age of Buddhism in India was systematically translated into Tibetan from Pali and Sanskrit, there to be preserved long after most of the original texts in India had been lost.
Preservation of Tibetan texts
For more than 1200 years, the Buddhist teachings and rich cultural knowledge was well sheltered, enabling this knowledge to deepen and flourish. Now, as a result of the communist invasion in 1949, this treasure of knowledge and wisdom has been endangered of being lost…
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