Here is one of the most thorough and accessible introductions to the Tibetan Buddhist world view ever written. Indestructible Truth leads the reader into the vast and colorful world of Tibetan Buddhism, including its history, philosophy, and meditation practices, presented as elements of a practical, living spirituality. Reginald Ray, Ph.D., elucidates complex and sophisticated teachings and practices in nontechnical language, using engaging stories and personal anecdotes to illustrate his points. Indestructible Truth shows Tibetan Buddhism in its traditional form but also reveals how it is readily applicable to the problems and challenges of modern life in the West.


Indestructible Truth, Reginald Ray, Shambhala Publications, Paperback, 495 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 Ch�gyam 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.

Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
Tibet: People and Place 7

PART ONE: The Sacred Environment 15
1. The Cosmos and Its Inhabitants 17
2. Living in the Sacred Cosmos 47

PART TWO: Tibet's Story 65
3. The Indian Wellspring 67
4. Foundations: The Early Spreading 89
5. Nyingma: The Ancient School 103
6. The Later Spreading: Kadam and Sakya 130
7. The Later Spreading: Kagyu 152
8. Modern Traditions: Geluk 189
9. Modern Traditions: The Ri-me (Nonsectarian) Movement 207

PART THREE: Core Teachings 227
10. Hinayana: The View 241
11. Hinayana: The Practice and Result 280
12. Mahayana: The View 311
13. Mahayana: The Practice and Result 331

PART FOUR: Buddhist Philosophy: The Three Turnings of the Wheel of Dharma 361
14. The First Turning: Abhidharma 367
15. The Second Turning: Madhyamaka 392
16. The Third Turning: Buddha-Nature 419

Conclusion 449
Chronology of Tibetan Buddhist History 455
Notes 461
Bibliography 471
Credits 477
Index 479