A Concise Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism

Book excerpt: Lucid and economical, the Concise Introduction delivers a brisk, fast-moving survey. For many years, Powers' nearly six hundred-page Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism has served as the field's most authoritative and comprehensive introductory text on Tibet's distinctive Buddhist tradition. Now Powers has responded to requests to provide an introductory text in compact form. This slimmed-down reference explains the core Buddhist doctrines and the practices of meditation and tantra in an engaging manner. A survey of the four main sects of Tibetan Buddhism and a succinct history of the Tibetan cultural region complete this work.