"While traveling in disguise in Tibet in the early 1930's, Illion made some chance acquaintances which led to the contacts with an occult fraternity and an invitation to visit the underground city. There he had some truly remarkable experiences, which are recorded in this book. Ilion was one of the first travelers to penetrate Tibet while it was still sealed off from the outside world. Some believe these stories are clearly symbolic but may have some basis and fact and probably capture some of the spirit of popular belief in the region. Determining the account's precise accuracy is difficult from a Western standpoint."--Back cover

Introduction to Inquiry concerning the doctrines of previous lives and emptiness -- Selections from Inquiry concerning the doctrines of previous lives and emptiness -- Introduction to Essence of the Christian religion -- Essence of the Christian religion -- A final thought

Mahāmudrā or the great Seal, refers to a Mahayana Buddhist system of meditation on nature of the mind and is undertaken for realising Enlightenment. Taught by Buddha manifesting in the form of Vajradhara, its lineage was passed in India from Tilopa to Naropa to Marpa, and then in Tibet to Mila-repa and Gompa-pa, author of The Jewel Ornament of Liberation. The specific lineage represented here is that of the Karma Ka-gyü which passed from Gampo-pa to the First Karmapa and then through successive Gurus until the present day. This text by the Ninth Karmapa (1556-1603) is one of the most famous expositions of this meditational system. It covers both the preliminary practices as well as the actual Mahāmudrā meditations of mental quiescence (samatha) and penetrative insight (Vipasyana). Explaining the stages and paths as travelled in this system, it represents a complete path to Enlightenment. Accompanying the root text is a commentary given orally by Beru Khyentse Rinpoche, based on the teachings of his Guru, His Holiness the Sixteenth Karmapa. As a proper relation with a Guru is essential for realising Mahāmudrā, also included is the basic text on Guru-devotion by the first century B.C. Indian Master Aśvaghoṣa with an oral commentary by Geshe Ngawang Dhargyey. This work is published under the auspices of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to make available living teachings from the many traditions of Buddhism as preserved in Tibet.

Retreats in darkness have been used by all the great spiritual traditions for thousands of years as a method for tapping deep clarity, accessing sacred wisdom, connecting with the Divine, and training to transform the mind/body system into a manifestation of wisdom. In dark retreat, the practitioner lives in complete darkness--eating, sleeping, meditating, and simply existing in a world without external light. Traditionally, in Tibet, dark retreats were performed by monks as part of their training with the support of their monastery and their fellow monks. But dark retreats are of value to people from all walks of life, from the monastic to the busy householder--those with jobs, families, and all-too-many responsibilities. Martin Lowenthal has taken a practice little-known in the West and made it accessible by incorporating methods based in western psychology with traditional Tibetan Buddhism. There are many advantages of a retreat in the dark, one of which is rest for our eyes, weary from overstimulation in our visually oriented world, that then promotes overall relaxation of body and mind. This relaxation helps us cut through old mental and emotional habits, harmonizes the elements in the body, works with visions, and rests in the "Natural State." Retreats in the dark also improve the quality of our daily life. We can develop greater clarity and awareness in every aspect of living. When we improve the conditions of our lives, we provide an atmosphere more conducive to continued meditation practices. Dark retreat is also a powerful setting for practicing tantra. Tantra uses imagination, senses, and creativity to transform experience into food for the spirit. Dawning of Clear Light is a celebration, a joyous invitation to find the treasures that are hidden within your world and the world around you.

In 1959 the Dalai Lama emerged in India, where he set up his government in exile. Soon after he left Lhasa the Chinese People's Liberation Army pummeled the city in the "Battle of Lhasa." The Tibetans were forced to capitulate, putting Mao in a position to impose Communist rule over Tibet

Fosco Maraini looks back at the world he first unfolded nearly 50 years ago in his classic account of the visits he made to Tibet. He brings back to life a world which will never be seen again. In the tradition of Italian travellers from the days of Marco Polo, Maraini went to Tibet to learn, to understand, to give and to receive. His encounter with the people of Tibet, from princesses to peasants, aided as he was by a good knowledge of the language, is a true meeting of minds. The text, which attests to the disciplines of the scholar allied to the sensitivity of the poet, is enriched by the narrative value of the author's photographs, including many Buddhist temple artefacts now forever lost. "From the Hardcover edition.