As Tibetan Buddhism extends its reach in the West, many practitioners are making strong commitments to this path. The Vajrayana tradition still being new to our culture, however, there remain significant gaps in Western students' education and understanding. These can lead to practical difficulties for new or intermediate students.
This book begins with the very awakening of students' interest in spirituality and their initial encounter with Tibetan Buddhism, and leads them through the steps necessary for succussful practice in the West.

Beginner's Guide to Tibetan Buddhism, Bruce Newman, Snow Lion Publications, Paperback, 2004, 184 pp., $16.95

Newman has studied and practiced Tibetan Buddhism, mostly in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions, for almost thirty years. He spent eleven years in India and Nepal studying under his primary teacher, Venerable Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche. Mr. Newman also completed a four-year retreat at Kagyu Samye Ling in Scotland. For the past ten years, he has been practicing and teaching under the guidance of Venerable Gyatrul Rinpoche in Ashland, Oregon

Dedication	vi
Preface by Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche	vii
Acknowledgments	viii
Introduction	ix
Buddha-Nature: The Ground	1
The Teacher	11
Finding a Teacher	19
Empowerment	29
Centers	39
Path Buddha-Nature: Instruction and Practice	51
Getting Started	61
Getting It Wrong	71
Systems and Stages of Practice	87
The Four Noble Truths	95
The Four Thoughts	105
Ngondro: Refuge and Bodhichitta	119
Ngondro: Vajrasattva Practice and Mandala Offerings	131
Ngondro: Guru Yoga and Devotion	137
Kyerim	147
Rituals	159
Dzogrim and the Body	173
The Path of Liberation	187
Fruition	195
The Future	207
Notes	211