A Concise Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism

A few years ago I actually did try to read John Powers' Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. I was stubborn because it was a good book, so I did read about 3/5ths of the book before giving up. I did not have even knowledge of the technical jargon need to continue, and I was reading for the sake of my interest in comparative religion anyway, so I had to put the book down. When I was finished, I probably had forgotten at least 75% of what I had learned.This book, A Concise Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, was much easier to digest. I couldn't put the book down, or should I say I couldn't put my Kindle Fire down! I intend to go back and read the book again slowly, and then perhaps tackle the "exhaustive" Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism.Personally, as a 12er Shia Muslim, I find it easier to use what I learned from reading Vietnamese Zen Monk Thich Nhat Hanh's books on Meditation (Breathe! You Are Alive! and The Miracle of Mindfulness) but I learned some things from John Power's books, as well as beginning level books on meditation by other well known Tibetan Buddhist writers. Though 12er Shia Islam and Tibetan Buddhism have different beliefs, I believe some of the goals are the same, such as Charity, Compassion, letting go of wordly desires, enlightening the mind, etc.

The book is very much a summary of the religious beliefs of Tibetan Buddhists from a non-contextual standpoint. The author delves quite deeply into the dogma and philosophy of the region, with connections to other Buddhist denominations, but does not elaborate much on how this connects to the everyday world.It's not the sort of book that allows you to understand what you are seeing in a Tibetan Buddhist Temple, or how Tibetan Buddhism developed to become what it is. It's sort of like reading a book about Catholicism that explains why the pope is the head of the Church, but not why Vatican city is in Rome, or why there are hundreds of millions of Catholics around the world.What it does do, and is interesting in it's own way, is give a very clear idea of what the Tibetan Buddhists believe is important. It is remarkable, but understandable given the thousands of years it took to develop, how complicated this religion is.Conclusion: It is a concise introduction to the religious philosophy that is Tibetan Buddhism, not the practice or cultural and social underpinnings of the religion.

I was interested in first looking at some techniques for relaxation and stress relief and everywhere I turned the material was tied into Buddhism. Knowing nothing of this religion I got this book to see why or how it ties to stress relief. The book clearly describes and details the basic elements of Buddhism and can help the novice grab the basic concepts of one of the oldest and special religions in this world. Without drowning you in some of the many complexities this book still is able to show you some of the depth (or heights in this case) one can attain in walking the Path. It did give me insight as to why the Buddist has the opportunity for a lower stress life among other life lessons lost on western culture. It has helped me understand some things that helped me lower my stress levels and relax. For me it has opened a door to something very special that I intend to explore further.

I have not completed all of this book, but what I have read of this is a very, direct and very detailed and also a book that is more than the average book on Buddhism. This book is for the advanced Buddhist student and if you have not had any experience reading other books on the subject and are just starting out on your journey, you may want to start with something a little more toned down and little easier reading. If you are more advanced, than this is perfect for you, you will be very happy in having a book that is up to your skill level and ready to teach you at a higher grade lever, so to speak and you will not be left wanting.

I enjoyed this book. However, it is not for someone who is already well-versed in Buddhism. For example, Powers doesn't really get into the issues of Tibetan Buddhism until well into the book. When I was searching for a book, I was looking for something specific to Tibetan Buddhism. This book GETS there but it takes awhile. However, if you are not particularly well-versed in Buddhism AND you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism as well (just the beginning) - then this book is a good start.

Book cams fast for the class I needed it for. Wish it was rental so that I could send it back. Now I have to sell it at my school to whomever needs it.

Was interested in learning more about Tibetan Buddhism so that I could see if it were something that I would be interested in following and this book did wonderfully. It has given me a great outline of Tibetan Buddhist beliefs and a foundation for more learning. I am thinking of looking into the Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism next, the not concise one also written by Powers.

I love this book b/c it is exactly what the title conveys -- a great, concise introduction to Buddhism, including specific words' definitions, symbolisms, etc. I have tried to follow the Buddha's teachings for several years now, yet this book has given me further insight into Buddhism instantly that would've normally taken me many more years to grasp/understand. Thank you John Powers for passing on your expertise!

I'm confused by this book and the positive reviews it seems to have received. Maybe I'm missing something. I think that £16 plus is madly expensive for a book of 139 pages of introductory material much of which is no better than you'd get by looking the subject matter up on wikipedia.

Well written and very informative.

Una obra escrita por alguien que entiende y conoce muy bien el budismo. Los aspectos básicos del camino budista están descritos con profundidad y al mismo tiempo son asequibles a budistas y no budistas.Describe las diferentes escuelas, las prácticas y el camino budista de cada una de ellas. Obra sintética y profunda al mismo tiempo. No es sólo para principiantes. También para estudiantes de budismo avanzados.