Superb book on tantric practices

Evan-Wentz was one of the first Westerners to meet with authentic tantric Buddhist teachings and probably the first to perform a systematic and accurate study of the Tibetan texts with the invaluable help of the late Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup. The book contains the original texts superbly translated from the Tibetan by the lama and Evans-Wentz own exposition on some of the central practices, such as 'tummo' and 'phowa' (two of the Six Doctriones of Naropa).

Evans-Wentz was remarkably gifted and applied something akin to sublime linguistic flair in writing this book. His greatest achievement perhaps is his invention of a manner of English tantric language to effectively convey Buddhism's rarest and most inaccessible teachings to Western readers. This makes this book not only an accurate and virtually flawless account of tantric Buddhism, but also a delight to read.

Despite dating from the 1950s this book is still one of the finest and most comprehensive renderings of some of the most important tantric practices.

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Still impressive after all these years

This book is a compendium of diverse Tibetan Buddhist works, translated, extensively annotated with footnotes, introductions, & addenda. For most, if not all, this was their original translation & publication in English. Evans-Wentz (E-W) adopted a scientific/anthropological view (per his training); per p. xii: R. R. Marett-"He meant to do his best to look through the window without being baffled by his own reflection in the glass." His critics (Donald Lopez in his preface & John Reynolds in his "Self-Liberation") emphasize E-W's history of Theosophy & Hindu yoga. However, as a scientist, I disagree. As George MacDonald said in "Lilith," "What do they know of England who only England know?" It's like trying to see a polar bear in a snow storm or a black cat in a moonless night! E-W non-dogmatically uses information from many sources e.g. Sufism, Christianity, Greek & modern philosophy, etc. to provide contrast & context with the text. Such background material is essential in order to comprehend meaning (knowledge) vs. mere information (dogma). Interestingly, Chen-Chi Cheng's "Yogic Commentary" points out further correspondences between Mahamudra (MM) & Zen, saying that p. xlii: "A knowledge of Tantric yoga contributes greatly to an understanding of all aspects of Buddhist enlightenment, including difficult & obscure Zen koans." As the "Yogic Precepts" in Book I point out, p. 79: "A philosophy comprehensive enough to embrace the whole of knowledge is indispensable," & per E-W, p. 322 note 1: "The one mind of man in its workings transcends the superficial barriers of clime, & race, & creed." The wide range of these 7 documents & the lack of readers' prior training necessitated very extensive background. Nevertheless, this book, even today, is not for the squeamish; it requires perseverance, reflection, meditation, etc., but can be extremely rewarding to discerning readers. It includes both theory/wisdom & practices: MM, Naropa's 6 yogas, chıd (see Edou's wonderful book on the MM of Machig Labdron), powa (transference of consciousness), the 5 Dyani Buddhas & their wisdoms, & a short Perfection of Wisdom sutra. Some of these topics are addressed in more modern works, but some are not-or not in the detail given here or with the extensive explanatory material in Western terminology & embedded multi-cultural analogies. A few of the book's more interesting/controversial statements include: p. 88: "If the empty nature of the mind be realized, no longer is it necessary to listen to or meditate upon religious teachings," p. 310: "Externally mine our thought-creations which have risen up against me as enemies in the shape of deities & demons," & p. 349: As modern scholars have noted, those great thinkers of ancient India taught, as Kant did 17 centuries afterwards, that the world is will & representation...phenomenal appearances." This is a phenomenal work even today.

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a classic source

Along with the companion volumes making up the Tibetan Series edited by W.Y. Evans-Wentz, this book broke new ground when first published in 1935,effectively placing the first, full length translations of authentic Tibetan Buddhist teachings within our reach. Despite the passage of time and a prolific increase in the number of such translations, the material made available by W.Y. Evans-Wentz and his mentors remains some of the most lucid at our disposal. As W.Y. Evans-Wentz put it: ". . .my aim has been to place on record not only a catena of carefuly made translations of texts . . .but also a body of orally transmitted traditions and teachings relating to the texts, which I received from the late Lamaı@Kazi Dawa Samdup, who was my Tibetan Guru. . ." - hence, the emphasis throughout is essentially practical. In fact, W.Y. Evans-Wentz hinted that the present volume may well be found to be the most valuable, inasmuch as it gives the very texts of some of the principal yogas and meditations which many of the most illustrious Tibetan and Indian philosophers, including Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa and Milarepa, employed in attaining Right Knowledge " (i.e. samyak sambodhi).

The shortened titles of these seven texts are as follows:

(1) Gampopa's Supreme Path, called 'The Precious Rosary. '
(2) The Epitome of the Great Symbol.
(3) The Epitome of the Six Doctrines
(4) The Transference of Consciousness
(5) The Method of Eradicating the Lower Self.
(6) The Fivefold Wisdom of the Long Hum
(7) The Essence of the Transcendental Wisdom.

Briefly summed up as 'Seven Books of Wisdom of the Great Path' - what we actually find here is a compendium of all the major doctrines and practices known to Tibetan Buddhism, as rooted in the Mahayana- although some practices, such as 'Pho-wa' (transference of consciousness) seem to be peculiarly Tibetan - even though utilised in an orthodox Buddhist context. Special commentaries precede each carefully rendered text, a wealth of information at the reader's disposal.

In recent years, some critics have questioned the approach taken by W.Y. Evans-Wentz. It is worth quoting W.Y. E-W again: " this volume is meant at once for the exact scholar and for the general reader. The former will note that the original textual sources, which are sevenfold, are authentic, and that nothing has been incoporated into the texts or presented in the introductions and annotations which has not had doctrinal sanction. "

Earlier editions of this text had a preface and tribute by Prof Chen Chi Chang, a Chinese Buddhist scholar who not only practiced Tibetan Buddhism with leading Lamas, but also had an honorary Tibetan title bestowed upon him - Cha-gyur Khan-po (Master interpreter/translator). W.Y. Evans Wentz was Rhodes scholar with impeccable qualifications. However, he was no dry-as-dust academic. Something of a scholar-gypsy-cum-pilgrim, W-Y Evans-Wentz wandered around N. India, Sikkhim, Tibetan communities etc., sitting at the feet of genuine Buddhist teachers, before that world was turned upside down by political upheaval. These are valuable sources.

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