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Meeting the Buddhas: a guide to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and tantric deities

Meeting the Buddhas: a guide to the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas and tantric deities
Vessantara
$49.95
Awaiting stock, will ship in 10 – 15 business days
ISBN / SKU
9781911407874
Format
Paperback
Pages
395
Dimensions
235 x 155

Meeting the Buddhas is a modern classic, giving a vivid and accessible introduction to all the main meditation figures in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition. First published in 1993, this new edition incorporates a section on Vajrakīla, as well as new images, and hundreds of small changes that nuance and deepen earlier editions. It is a mine of information for those who want to learn about buddhas, bodhisattvas, and tantric deities, and of inspiration for those who are already engaged in the practices.

Vessantara powerfully evokes the figures, giving the reader a real feeling for what it’s like to meditate on them, and how they can transform us on a deep level. It gives detailed descriptions of the figures, including their mudras and symbolic emblems, so it can be used as a handy reference to identify and learn about particular images.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vessantara is a senior member of the Triratna Buddhist Order, who also has extensive experience of practice under the guidance of Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Vessantara is much in demand as a Buddhist teacher and has led retreats and courses around the world. He has written several books, including Tales of Freedom and two books on Buddhist meditation: The Breath and The Heart.

Description

Meeting the Buddhas is a modern classic, giving a vivid and accessible introduction to all the main meditation figures in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition. First published in 1993, this new edition incorporates a section on Vajrakīla, as well as new images, and hundreds of small changes that nuance and deepen earlier editions. It is a mine of information for those who want to learn about buddhas, bodhisattvas, and tantric deities, and of inspiration for those who are already engaged in the practices.

Vessantara powerfully evokes the figures, giving the reader a real feeling for what it’s like to meditate on them, and how they can transform us on a deep level. It gives detailed descriptions of the figures, including their mudras and symbolic emblems, so it can be used as a handy reference to identify and learn about particular images.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vessantara is a senior member of the Triratna Buddhist Order, who also has extensive experience of practice under the guidance of Tibetan Buddhist teachers. Vessantara is much in demand as a Buddhist teacher and has led retreats and courses around the world. He has written several books, including Tales of Freedom and two books on Buddhist meditation: The Breath and The Heart.

Contents
Illustrations About the Author Preface to the New Edition Acknowledgements Preface to the Original Edition Publisher's Acknowledgements Introduction Part One Meeting the Buddha Chapter One The Fountainhead of Buddhism Chapter Two The Development of Buddhist Sādhanas Chapter Three The Benefits of Sādhana Practice Chapter Four Taking Up Sādhana Practice Part Two The Mandala of the Five Buddhas Chapter Five Entering the Mandala Chapter Six Touching the Earth in the Eastern Realm Chapter Seven The Wish-Fulfilling Jewel in the South Chapter Eight The Red Buddha and the Mudrā of Meditation Chapter Nine Crossed Thunderbolts and the Buddha of Action Chapter Ten At the Centre of the Mandala Part Three The Great Bodhisattvas Chapter Eleven For the Sake of All That Lives Chapter Twelve The Thousand Arms of Compassion Chapter Thirteen The Soft-Voiced Prince and the Flaming Sword Chapter Fourteen Vajrapāṇi - the Path of Heroic Transformation Chapter Fifteen Green Tārā - the Quick Way to Wisdom Chapter Sixteen White Tārā - Cheating Death Chapter Seventeen The Eight Great Bodhisattvas Part Four Tantra and the Tantric Deities Chapter Eighteen The Tantric Approach Chapter Nineteen Prajñāpāramitā - the Book That Became a Goddess Chapter Twenty Vajrasattva - Prince of Purity Chapter Twenty-One The Tantric Gurus Chapter Twenty-Two The Oath-Bound Deities Chapter Twenty-Three Dancing in the Sky Chapter Twenty-Four The Dark Armies of the Dharma Chapter Twenty-Five The Refuge Tree and Its Future Growth Notes Illustration Credits Glossary Selected Reading Index
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