The Essence of Buddhism An Introduction to Its Philosophy and Practice

Abstract

IT MIGHT SEEM that there is no need for another introductory book on Buddhism, since today there is a plethora of quality books available on the market, which was not the case a decade ago. However, after some thought, I was persuaded that there may be room for another book, one that introduces the general public to the Tibetan form of Buddhism approached from the perspective of the Kagyü school, which is the second oldest lineage of Tibetan Buddhism. It seems to me that some introductory books are either too elementary or too scholarly to be immediately accessible to newcomers to Buddhism. Moreover, I have not yet seen an accessible introductory book that makes the teachings on the three yanas of Tibetan Buddhism easily understandable to a student who is totally new to Buddhism or even to more experienced students. As a writer, one has a dilemma over how much detail to present. I have tried to maintain this difficult balance so that the text will be neither too shallow nor too dense and inaccessible. The text—based upon teachings I have given in Australia, Europe, and the United States—is divided into three parts, each devoted to one of the three yanas. Chapters 1 through 4 introduce the student to the basic principles of early Buddhist teachings. Here the teachings on the Four Noble Truths and Buddhist training on moral precepts, concentration, and wisdom are discussed in some detail. The fourth chapter is devoted to karma and rebirth, which is a central feature in traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings. The second part is devoted to sutric Mahayana teachings and tantric Mahayana teachings. Here I deal with what sort of obstacles, impediments, and obscurations we need to overcome, the means we employ to overcome them, and the result of having used these antidotes. This is presented from the point of view of the sutric and tantric descriptions of the path and stages of spiritual development. The final part is devoted to the teachings and to meditation, which is seen as the culmination of the three-yana system, and that is from the point of view of the Mahamudra tradition, which is seen as going beyond Tantra itself. It is my wish that this book will be of use to newcomers and to seasoned Buddhists as well. In my mind, if only one person is turned toward the Dharma for having read this book, I will feel more than amply rewarded.