A Guide to the Deities of the Tantra is a fascinating insight into a subject that has captivated the imagination of many but remains mysterious and exotic to all but a few.Tantric deities? Who are they and what do they do?This volume focuses on the deities whose mantra recitation and colorful visualizations lie at the heart of the Tantra. We meet goddesses of wisdom; the prince of purity; the lotus-born guru Padmasambhava; and dakinis— wild-haired women who dance in the flames of freedom. All; the peaceful and the wrathful alike; urge the reader to break through to wisdom; pointing out the true nature of reality with uncompromising vigor.Devoid of pop culture misperceptions; this guide is a window into the sometimes mysterious world of Buddhist Tantra. Vessantara explores the key characteristics of the Tantra in this magical fusion of the practical and the imaginative—giving us a direct insight in into the poetry and the power of the Tantra.A much-published and well-respected Buddhist author; meditator; and teacher; Vessantara is a senior member of the Western Buddhist Order. He holds a particular love for Tibetan Buddhism and is well-known as an effective storyteller. This is one of three volumes looking at Buddha figures in the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
#45869 in Books Seven Stories Press 1999 2011-09-06Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.30 x .50 x 5.60l; .37 #File Name: 1888363827288 pagesSeven Stories Press
Review
38 of 38 people found the following review helpful. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.By Rhio9If you read this book; you’ll find yourself double-checking the dates at the end of each section: 1994; 1996; 1997; 1998. But the book reads like it’s all about today; 2015 – secret trade deals; fast track; the veil of secrecy; the corruption of democracy to the point of near extinction; privatization; austerity measures forced upon the poor and middle class; mass surveillance and collection of personal information; an ever-widening wealth-gap between the 99% and the top 1%; accumulation of wealth by dispossession; union busting; public socialized risk and costs in totally unbalanced ratio to private profit margins and corporate economic control; low and lowering wages; unemployment; out-sourcing manufacturing jobs; rolling back environmental protections and human rights progress; trade union suppression; personhood for corporations (15years before Citizens United); behind-closed-doors trade treaties agreed upon by powerful international trading cartels and corporations but never ratified by the US Congress in violation of the Constitution. And there’s more!From cover-to-cover; the book is an expose of the secret government that controls the world – this is not some imaginary paranoid conspiracy theory from the John Birch Society or the Tea Party; but it’s an invisible government with no accountability to public democratic institutions; no elected officials except those elected board members selected by private stockholders; bankers and international finance lobbyists having no allegiance to nation-states; loyal only to the principles representing international business; profit; wealth and power. Sound familiar?There is no “good news†in this book. But Chomsky attempts to end his book of gloom on a slightly up-beat tone by observing that the public; in fact; WAS able to delay; or at least postpone; an important Clinton-driven trade deal during his administration called the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI). Chomsky points to this “victory†and ends his book with this timely warning dated August 1998: “One should attend carefully to the fear and desperation of the powerful. They understand well the potential reach of public action.†The powerful invisible government (in the US; a “virtual Senateâ€) is determined to prevent the public from seeking a more free and just world by gaining understanding how the system is rigged; and putting that intelligence to work effectively against rich and powerful globalized special interests. They will do everything within their power to prevent that from happening. That’s an understatement!3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Noam Chomsky is brilliant. However this book mostly repeats a lot of ...By CustomerNoam Chomsky is brilliant. However this book mostly repeats a lot of his other work and lectures. To me the book fails to address; clarify or identify potential solutions to the issues raised in the title to the work.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An oldie but goodie providing a great insight and understanding of neoliberalism and the bigger global ...By Anna LichtenbergAn oldie but goodie providing a great insight and understanding of neoliberalism and the bigger global picture and impacts of this shift in power and control. Explains the growing inequality and growth in power by the large corporations around the world.
