Customer Reviews

E-mailing the Lamas From Afar

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This is a well edited collection of answers to common questions practitioners of Buddhism often entertain yet seldom have a chance to ask of dharma teachers, just as stated in the write-up above. It has been edited into sections according to theme, which aids the reader so he/she isn't sifting through questions posed randomly. The language used by the teachers is simple, concise, yet profound and likely to aid the practitioner reading the question/answer entry. Technical terms are footnoted and Wylie transliteration is provided which can aid practitioners in finding Tibetan terms in a Tibetan language dictionary for further study. This book would be of greatest benefit to those who have an established meditation practice or relationship with a Buddhist teacher.

This book carries into the 21st century the teachings of an ancient spiritual tradition, non-monastic Vajrayana Buddhism, the vehicle of transformation and of direct essential understanding of the nature of mind, within the activities and circumstances of ordinary human life.

Two contemporary teachers reply to the e-mail questions of their students, questions which concern the full range of the students' lives, from the fine points of Buddhist teachings to the nitty-gritty details of relationship, work, family life, and interpersonal conflict. They demonstrate, through concrete examples, the unconditional applicability of Vajrayana Buddhist teachings and practice to all realms of experience. Serious practitioners of Buddhism or any other spiritual discipline rooted in ordinary human life will find here a wealth of warm-hearted and incisive personal advice.

So inspiring - this is real answers to real life questions from real people in email dialogue showing relating between teacher and apprentice. This is different from other books that discuss teachings and theory as ideas.(The practical advice of what to do if your horse gets spooked came in useful also when i went on a riding trip!) I loved this book... looking forward to going to bed to read a bit more and slowing down when coming to the end so it was not all over too quickly. Think I'll have to read it again.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Written in a down to earth question and answer style that includes warmth and humor, it covers a wide range of subjects that will be of interest primarily to students of Buddhism, though anyone wanting to know more about Tibetan Vajrayana will find it useful. Full of excellent advice on all sorts of issues of daily life and meditation practice, I find I can open it most anywhere and find something that I had forgotten I needed to know!

This compulsively readable book presents heartfelt questions from students and warmly helpful answers from two wonderful teachers of Vajrayana Buddhism. The questions and answers range widely, providing a panoramic overview of the Vajrayana path, along with a peek into the relationship between lamas and students.

Central to Vajrayana Buddhism is engagement with the Lama, their Teachings, and the Sangha of practitioners that follows that tradition. This book gives a real sense of all those things, and of how a personal exploration of Vajrayana can manifest in modernity. It also gives a real flavour of the practitioners and ambience of the Aro Tradition. A little gem.