An excellent book for getting to know the main Buddhist deities

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Product Description

Included in this accessible and thorough guide are: the main figures encountered by Westerners; principle figures from the major Tibetan Buddhist traditions; the meaning and purpose of mantras, sacred symbols, colours and art; a clear account of Buddhist visualization practice and how it works; practical advice on approaching a spiritual teacher, initiation and taking up a visualization practice; and over 50 figures including the five Buddhas of the mandala, three family protectors, long-life Buddhas, Purification Buddha, Buddhas of Wisdom and Compassion, female Buddhas, Sky-Dancers, wrathful deities, historical Buddha and Buddha of the future.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #198170 in Books
• Published on: 1993-03-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 376 pages

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Customer Reviews

Meeting The Buddhas by Vessantara
This is a truly beautiful book, not only has Vessantara made the book visually beautiful by including many colour plates but the descriptions of the different realms and Pure Lands and the visualisation practices speak to something deeper than sheer intellect, they speak directly to that part of us which responds to beauty and to the figures of the Mahayana and Tantra. It is not only a book for scholars but for practitioners too, beginner level to Bodhisattva! Thank You Vessantara.

Clear, insightful survey of personal Buddhist practise.
I started reading this for the visualisation techniques around the Mandala of the Five Buddhas, but soon found there was much more to it than that.

Vessantara demystifies the area of Tantric medidation and visualisation, while making it clear this is no substitute for one-to-one initiation by an adept. This is a bit like having a map for an inhospitable area. A guide/translator is still needed to shepherd one through the various obstacles that may emerge.

Suitable, in my view, for someone who has spent time deepening their solitary meditation and feel they want to spend more time developing the emotional and intellectual connections in their spiritual life.