Thirty of the most creative, eloquent, and energetic Tibetan Buddhist teachers of Westerners in recent decades are featured in this collection of teachings that are certain to be highly treasured by all students of Buddhism. The contributors are masters who helped establish Buddhism in the West, founding centers in North America, Great Britain, Australia, and Europe: publishing books in English: and gaining recognition among Western Buddhists. Their teachings, drawn exclusively from the spoken word as given in talks and seminars, convey the directness and power for which the oral tradition is so valued in Buddhism. The book highlights the teachings of the practice lineages, the branch of Tibetan Buddhism that emphasizes meditation practice, personal experience, and spiritual realization. Selections are thematically organized, including topics such as the major approaches to the spiritual path, meditation and other practices, Buddhist ethics, tantric practice, and the role of the teacher.
In the Presence of Masters; Wisdom from 30 Contemporary Tibetan Buddhist Teachers, Reginald Ray , ed., Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 2004, 192 pages, $24.95
Reginald A. Ray is Professor of Buddhist Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, and a member of the graduate faculty of the Religious Studies Department at the University of Colorado. An acharya (senior teacher) in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa, he is also Teacher in Residence at Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado. He has written extensively on the history, philosophy, and practice of Indian and Tibetan Buddhism.
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