Tibetan Buddhism: A Very Short Introduction

Very Short Introductions #373

by Matthew T. Kapstein

The Tibetan Buddhist tradition has known over thirteen centuries of continuous development. During that time, it has spread among the neighboring peoples - the Mongol, Himalayan, and Siberian peoples, Manchus and Chinese. At its height is has been practiced in regions as far west as the Volga river and to the east in Beijing. Its capacity for creative adaptation is demonstrated by its recent growth in Europe and America. At the same time, it is at the center of political contestation in ethnically Tibetan regions of China, while its best known exponent, the Dalai Lama, has become one of the most admired religious leaders in the world today. But what does this religion teach? Just what is the position of the Dalai Lama, and how will his succession be assured? Is it true that Tibetan Buddhism in entirely suppressed in China? Scholar Matthew Kapstein offers a brief account responding to these questions and more in this Very Short Introduction, in terms that are accessible to students, general readers, journalists, and others who are curious to learn the most essential features of Tibetan Buddhist history, teachings, and practice.
About the Series:
Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.

Genres: Religion, Buddhism, Nonfiction, Philosophy, History, Audiobook, Spirituality

150 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Matthew Kapstein is a scholar of Tibetan religions and Buddhism at the University of Chicago Divinity School. One of his study areas has concentrated on Tibetan culture and the influence of China's invasion.

Reviews

[Darwin8u · Rating 3 out of 5]

VSI#373

A few years ago I attended a Tibetan Buddhist (Kadampa) meditation class (held in a Unitarian church in a very Mormon part of Mesa, AZ). For years, I’ve been very intrigued by Buddhism, but know very little about its history or genealogy of belief. This book does a good job in detailing the orders and laying out the branches and history of Tibetan Buddhism. Probably heavier on history and lighter on teachings than I expected, but still a great read.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't read this book because I'm meeting the professor next week, no siree. Also it's a very good book.

[Steve · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book's greatest strength is also its weakness: the dense information.

I appreciate how in-depth it goes with origins and important historical figures, but it's just too easy to lose oneself in the walls of text. No visual timelines, very little highlighted passages, and not even a glossary of terms and people.

This may work for scholars and those familiar to the subject, but as a general layperson this was not a truly approachable introduction.

[Al Gritten · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good , in depth exploration of the history & practices of Tibetan Buddhism, though its not really for the casual reader but more for the student of religion. With some background & knowledge in this subject, I found it to be informative.

[Blair Hodges · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt the author spent too much time with the obscure ancient origins (lots of genealogies of who taught who, etc.) and way too little time on contemporary Tibetan Buddhism.

[Kunga Dakpa]

Tibetan buddhism a very short introduction
Brief of whole book
According this idea talked about most crucial point is a interdepend arising
and reincarnation.
what is interdependence connection?

Where is the from come?

Why lots of buddhist talked about these words?

Actually these profound topic doesn’t finished few words and sentences.

But the mediator gave concision that karma led your path and changed your destination.

Because karma isn’t your external activity but your internal activity.Its depend on your destination.
Your problem comes from your previous cause and condition therefore you

should purify your mind and be conscious.
this is his essential teaching.

how to buddhism bought to tibet.

How to spread buddhism in entire tibet.

What is different between ancient Tibetan religion Bon and buddhism.

what was differentiated between ancient translation and modern translation

He explained clearly each of lineage how to develop the four Tibetan sect.
Who established,
when beginning
How to practice tantra and sutra in Tibet.

When recognized reincarnation of emanation.

How was power of The Dalai lama’s institution in tibet.

So many amazing explanation here therefore I thought this book who is not
know about Tibetan buddhism. It is really helpful and beneficial.

[Joseph Wickland · Rating 2 out of 5]

Acceptable but too broad a subject matter

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book outlines the philosophy, theology, history, and future prospects of Tibetan Buddhism. It’s a big topic because Tibetan Buddhism is a unique amalgam of Buddhism, indigenous beliefs (e.g. Bön,) and adapted teachings from Yoga and Tantra.

For a concise guide, the discussions of history and philosophy can get deep in the weeds. However, to be fair, Tibetan Buddhism has a long and complicated history, and has produced deep metaphysical ideas, particularly with regards to philosophy of mind. Furthermore, it’s not a unitary religion, having schismed into a number of sub-sects.

Special attention is given to Tibetan Buddhism’s teachings on Enlightenment and death. Even those who aren’t familiar with Tibetan Buddhism may have heard of the “Tibetan Book of the Dead,” and may not be surprised to learn the topic is given its own chapter. I learned that the Bardo (e.g. a lobby between death and rebirth) was in part hypothesized to help reconcile the idea of Anatta (there being no persistent self, or soul) with reincarnation. [i.e. The question arises, what’s reincarnated if there’s no persistent “I” (i.e. atman, soul, etc.?) The book doesn’t really explain how the existence of a Bardo achieves this reconciliation, but achieving accord with the two ideas appears complicated, and -arguably- spurious.]

The book ends with a look at the religion’s prospects for the future, which are darkened by the Chinese government’s desire to subvert the religion’s influence, but may also be brightened by the fact that the current Dalai Lama has been open to dialogues, and – in particular – has made Tibetan Buddhism arguably the religion with the most cordial relationship to the scientific world. (No mean feat for a religion that is as superstitious as any in the modern world.)

If you’re interested in a concise overview of Tibetan Buddhism, give it a read.

[Imaginarium · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is unreadable. It stands out from all the other "A Very Short Introduction" books. You are bombarded with long and difficult names of people, which you cannot remember. The level of historical detail is way too deep. I would expect to learn about explanation of various doctrines, practices, philosophical musings, and the like. What I got was a historical account of the development of Buddhism in Tibet and its link to Buddhist schools from Nepal, China, India. I stopped reading it after 1/3 of the book. Not recommended.

[Justin Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kapstein is a capital-S scholar, and that comes through here: very informative, very responsible, occasionally dry, not particularly elegant. Considering the utter irresponsibility of many writings about Tibetan Buddhism, I consider that pretty high praise, but readers should be aware that this is heavy on the history (with which most of us are unfamiliar) and light on the encomiums to the lamas (with which, and with whom, most of us are at least a bit familiar).

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A hopeless religion that gives guilt out like coffee and doesn't offer cream or sugar. It is built on emotionalism and asceticism mixed together. The doctine is pragmatism and the dogmas are relativistic. When the only rule is that there are no rules, anarchy ensues. Platonist through and through - the body is evil and the soul is good, so we must discipline the soul by pleasing the body. There are no roots here and this makes sense as to why nothing has grown out of this religion for the past few millennias.

Oh, if you are wondering the major difference between Buddhism and Tibetan Buddhism it is this; Mainline Buddhism requires change to the lifestyle whereas Tibetan Buddhism requires change to the perspective of life. Buddhism follows Buddha. Tibetan Buddhism follows the Dali Lama. Both are equally wrong.

[Chamodi Waidyathilaka · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tibetan Buddhism has influenced global cultures for over 1300 years, significantly shaped by the Dalai Lama amidst political challenges in Tibet. Matthew Kapstein's work explores the intersection of teachings, the indigenous Bön religion, and contemporary issues, along with the evolution of different schools and their historical contexts. Core principles include ethical Mahāyāna teachings and the Lojong path.

The 20th century saw major transformations due to the Dalai Lama's exile and the Cultural Revolution, which invigorated the practice among exiled Tibetans and wealthy Chinese despite ongoing political struggles and potential succession conflicts with the Chinese government.

Increasingly, Western views highlight Tibetan Buddhism's intellectual and therapeutic benefits while advocating for Tibetan political rights.

[Pema Woeser · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read this book recently and would like to say thanks to Matthew T. Kapstien for his precious time and hard work.
Though, personally I found out that this book is so informative and it expresses many facts about Tibetan Buddhism and its culture, there are also some misunderstanding or hidden part in his writing.
For instance, he wrote about "Tibetan Buddhism Today" in chapter 8, but he did not give clear image of today's Buddhism to the readers.

My dear brothers and sister, we should appreciate for those who did hard work, but don't merely rely on the books that are written by non indigenous writers.

[Jayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a pretty useful presentation of the essentials of Tibetan Buddhism. I don't feel like I have much of a grasp on the differences between the schools or on specific tantric practices. However I read it with the hope that I would get a better sense of the philosophy underlying Tibetan Buddhism (as opposed to zen, or Theravada) as well as a basic understanding of how tibetan buddhists use the terms tantra, sutra, and yoga and I do feel like I now have that understanding.

[Des Bladet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tibetan Buddhism is enough its own thing to merit its own book, and this is a good one: it makes an effort to balance history and doctrinal stuff with some ethnography of lived experiences and practices, which is very welcome.

It does get a bit bogged down in the details of a millennium's worth of doctrine and histories at times, but that's probably inevitable and you could hum along with all that stuff and know it's there for future reference if you need it.

[Paul van Der Donk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dense, I don’t think it’s very productive to mentions dozens of names of monks every chapter. However, I like how the writer gives an historical overview of Tibetan buddhism, rather than a practical overview. I’ve been looking for something like that and finally found it in this book. And, besides the amount of names you have to process, it’s really a pretty good and seemingly complete summary.

[Milo B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Historical rundown is good. Key terminology is hardly explained if at all, making the entire book much harder than need be. Not enough material on practice or belief. Mostly explaining differing philosophies of various figures which is cool but means nothing when buried in jargon (coming from a #1 lover of jargon). This also could've been structured better, eg by having sections of key issues of debate or evolution over the timeline of Tibetan Buddhism. Chapters/sections often feel arbitrary.

[Taylor Swift Scholar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the introduction and the second half of this book immensely. I thought that the author spent too much time on the history of Tibetan Buddhism before he had even explained the culture and the beliefs. I enjoyed those parts and would have preferred that they were a larger portion of the book. I particularly liked the author’s distinction between Tibetan Buddhism as described in the Official Texts and how it is actually lived by practitioners.

[JOY · Rating 4 out of 5]

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[WH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this book is very short, it still took me quite a bit of time to read. Some parts of it are terribly dry, but perhaps this is due to my own lack of understanding and interest in certain aspects of Tibetan Buddhism. Other parts were very informative, succinct, and interesting.

[Amlux · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very useful, but much less intuitive for the complete novice than the other Very Short Introductions I've read. Don't read it until after you read the ones about Buddhism in general and possibly the one about Indian Philosophy.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good overview, teaches you a lot you didn't know very quickly.
He uses lots of names and places though, so I'd recommend a pen and paper to map out what's going on- this will make it exponentially more worthwhile.

[Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very good, highly detailed, yet easily readable explanation and history of the formulation of Tibetan Buddhism in all it's intricacies. I recommend reading this after first reading the 'Very short introduction' series on 'Buddha', then 'Buddhism', both of which are excellent.

[Rivyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite book on Buddhism or any religion. Its subtitle is “a very short introduction,” but I felt like I needed much more knowledge to keep up. Perhaps worth coming back to after other readings on the subject.

[Raymond · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was as much a history book as a book on Tibetan Buddhism. As with most history books, it contained a lot of information per page: a dense series of names and dates. This made it very slow going and more of a burden than enjoyable.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative and concise introduction, in line with the best books from this series.

[Y · Rating 3 out of 5]

Covers history and different teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. Was hard to keep straight as there are a lot more factions and sects within Tibetan Buddhism than I realized and it was hard to keep them all straight. The book is also on the dry side, with lots of names and dates discusses at length.

[Alexandre von Mayenburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kapstein's short introduction provides a nuanced and thorough look at Tibetan Buddhism, in its many historical and contemporary forms.

[Gavin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not an introduction for a beginner on the topic. Goes too in debth to historical information, figures, dates etc making it hard to follow.

[Stèf · Rating 3 out of 5]

Notes to self and a little bit of review. Interesting learning about how the indigenous Tibetan religion Yungdrung Bön and late-first-century Indian Buddhism, mix and influence modern Tibetan Buddhism.
I appreciate the explanation of the difference between the popular image -- more doctrinal and loftier, and the lived experience -- more down to earth and practical focused. One needs both textual analysis and anthropological analysis to have a broad picture, this short intro manages to give a snippet of both.
Reader is very clear, but a bit boring to listen to -- but he does sound very tranquil. A lot of history, which helps give context to religious practices. A lot of the philosophical, especially epistemology, went over my head. Tantra not having a clear definition is surprising -- it is a word used all the time. My vague understanding is that Tantra literally means weave or loom, but in the Buddhist context it functionally means tradition and ritual. It is about performing sacred rites and imbuing the sacred into the profane via Matras and other rituals, and a recurringly viewing oneself as divine. This seeing oneself as divine, or as a specific deity, or as a buddha seems to be one of the major issues other Buddhist sects have with the tantric tradition -- although I may be extrapolating that last part from insufficient info. Mantras are vital to Tantric traditions, all Buddhist sects use mantras, but tantrism even more so. Mandala only means a diagram in tantric traditions and means order (as in well-ordered person) in all other traditions.