David L. Snellgrove - 1987 - Indo Tibetan Buddhism - Indian Buddhists and Their Tibetan Successors (670p).pdf

David L. Snellgrove - 1987 - Indo Tibetan Buddhism - Indian Buddhists and Their Tibetan Successors (670p).pdf

Paperback: 640 pages
Publisher: Shambhala; First Edition edition (January 12, 1987)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0877733791
ISBN-13: 978-0877733799

This volume provides a comprehensive survey of Indian Buddhism and its subsequent establishment in Tibet. It concentrates on the tantric period of Buddhist theory and practice, from the eighth to the thirteenth centuries, when the Tibetans were actively engaged in absorbing all they could find of Buddhist culture and religion into their own country. Snellgrove emphasizes the significant role played by the Central Asian kingdoms along the ancient Silk Route in the gradual process of Tibetan conversion. He draws convincingly upon documents of the time to illustrate the cultural changes that swept Tibet as a result of its rule over an extensive empire from the seventh to the ninth centuries—a period of history largely forgotten by the Tibetans themselves when they later embarked upon the wholesale importation of Buddhism directly from Northern India. Throughout, the author quotes extensively from numerous original sources, many of which have never before been translated into English. The illustrations include iconographic art as well as photographs of historical interest.

This is a stupendously good book for those with any interest in the 3 phases of Buddhist development--the early period of the Buddha and his disciples and the so-called "Old Wisdom" phase of Buddhism, the Mahayana phase, and, especially, the rise of Vajrayana/Tantrayana/Mantrayana. This last phase is what Snellgrove specializes in and he has done an impressive job of presenting his vast erudition to the reader.

David Snellgrove, Ph. D., D. Litt., was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 1968. For a five year period he was Consultant for Buddhism at the then newly established Vatican Secretariat for non-Christian Religions. The author of numerous books and articles on Himalayan and Southeast Asian religions, he has been widely recognized for his extensive contributions to Asian scholarship.