The first fundamental proposition of this book - that liesure and opportunity to embark on the spiritual journey is indeed an exceptionally rare event - is enough to move one's vacillating spiritual longing off of dead center. Following a long second chapter in which this school of Buddhist theory and practice are lucidly distilled, we find five remaining chapters, each benevolently designed for both fledgling and long-standing students to stay the course through life, and for testing their sure-footedness all along the way.
For me the contraversial title of this book is appropriate: besides providing 'how-to,' Lojong training bestows the 'wish-to'- which, after all, is the prime mover of spiritual progress. I am grateful to Alan Wallace for sharing his deserved wisdom and understanding with us, and hope that a few young and unsuspecting aspirants will be sucked in by the mainstream title.

A truly clear and most interesting dicourse on the Seven-Point Mind Training Method of Buddhism. Compared to HH The Dalai Lama and Geshe Kelsang Gyatso's discourses Chekawa's poem, Mr Wallace truly speaks to the Western mind as a both a philosopher and a teacher. However, the book is highly readable and focused without sacrificing intelligence.

This book is a wonderfully intelligent, cogent, well-grounded, and practical introduction to living life spiritually. You may want to keep a few copies on hand as party favors for the right friends at the right time.

This text stands out as one of the clearest presentations available in English concerning the theoretical and historical basis of Tibetan medicine. Derived from seminars presented by Yeshi Dhonden, one of today's foremost practitioners of Tibetan traditional medicine, the lectures describe the body's constituents, digestive processes, humors, and constitutions in a state of balanced health, and the causes of illness, humoral disorders, contributing conditions, entryways of illnesses, characteristics of humoral imbalances, and classifications of diseases. It includes a variety of useful glossaries.

This book is a complete masterpiece. Dr. Yeshe Dhonden will explain to you the nature of Health and all that name implies. He is the father of Tibetan Medicine. He was His Holiness the Dalai Lama's personal physician. His incredible insights are easy to understand and make this book a "Must Buy" for anyone who wants their family and themselves to remain happy, healthy, and wise! The man is incredible.

You will need to buy and study the book. But I will give you a brief "run down". Phlegm, bile, and wind are the three Tibetan humors in us which regulate our health. If they are perfectly balanced, one is in super-human health. The primary factors in governing the humors are behavior and nutrition. Good behavior is the most important and consists of following the ten positive actions and avoiding the ten negative actions. I can't go into these in a review, but they are "non-killing", "non-stealing", and so forth. By hurting others, we crack our own heads. The humors become imbalanced, and then bugs or small organisms invade the body and cause cancer and other diseases. These bugs are the primary cause of diseases. But not the sole cause. My mother had these bugs popping out of her (six out of seven can be seen with the naked eye). Half-a-dozen doctors believed her mad. As did all of her loved ones. Dr. Dhonden suggests to physicians that they do not go immediately to surgery because these bugs might spread and cause mastasis.

Without knowing anything about Tibetan Medicine, my mother would give herself a self-massage. These bugs would pop out of all pores of her skin. Dr. Yeshe Dhondon, in this book, gives a more thorough analysis. The seven kinds of organisms are in the air. We ingest them with the lungs. They go into the bloodstream and then inhabit in our bodies. Then they spread to all areas. It is not these organisms or "bugs" which cause the disease. It is if these organisms are sick. And they are frequently sick because of pollution and the impure foods that we eat. So "sick bugs" are the cause of both cancer and AIDS. Good behavior and pure foods can help us to prevent many horrible diseases. This is why this book is such a gem. If you are a Seven-Day Advantist Christian, you are probably during pretty good prevention! The ten commandments and vegetarianism come pretty close to a comprehensive "health plan". So this book is simply an incredible introduction of Tibetan

Medicine for everyone! No one is excluded. If I get angry right now, the humor of "bile" will increase. This will increase the habitation of these organisms. That is, making a safe refuge for them to multiply. Impure foods (the Tibteans do not prohibit beer or even meat in our diets) will increase their number. They will spread throughout the body. A tumor may result. This is why good behavior is so well-emphasized. Because of the physical-mental changes that result in the body which are "emotionally charged" by doing certain actions. This is not a "moral judgement". If you slap your spouse with a blank mind, the imbalance might not occur (or occur very little!). But if you slap your wife with a mind full of rage, then the imbalance will occur. Dr. Dhonden will explain to you these ten unskillful actions. So buy this book. And get and stay well. Take care.

Dr. Yeshi Dhonden's Healing From The Source provides a fine presentation of the theory of Tibetan medicine, using over fifty years of the author's teachings in the field to impart the basics of holistic Tibetan medicine. This blends a spiritual perspective with a view of Tibetan healing processes.

Comprehensive- well translated- and with extensive commentary, both erudite and pratical,by Lama Gyaltrul, on this famous Masterpiece of Tibetan meditation technology,a hertofor untranslated section from a large set of cannonical works known collectivly as Karma Lingpas "Shi- Tro Bardo Rangdrol,{from which the well known Tibetan Book of the dead is also derived}A jewel of a Dharma book-brings one of the best Lamas and most highly qualified translators of 20th century(Gyaltrul and Wallace) togather with one of the finest works previous generations of Tibetan scholars and meditators so as to make this book a completly traditional,while at the same time up to date modern classic a welcome addition to any library,Buddhist or other.

Padmasambhava's teachings on the six bardos is truly brought to life by Gyatrul Rinpoche's commentary, and B. Alan Wallace [as usual] does a superb job of translation.

This book should be read by all those who are interested in practicing Buddhism, whether of the Vajrayana, Mahayana, or Theravaden tradition. Here you will find the words of a master, whose words will engage you and urge you to change your life. Those who find this book and begin its practices are indeed fortunate.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of those involved in making this book availible to the public.

Occasionally - very rarely - the wish-granting gem is placed in one's hands. This text, a skilful interweave of the root verses by Guru Padmasambhava and a commentary given recently on the US West Coast by the Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche, is exactly one such opportunity. As a long-term practitioner of the Düd'jom Lineage of teachings, and translator to His Holiness Shenphen Dawa Norbu Rinpoche, I cannot too strongly recommend this book to all those who feel they would like to undertake the Buddhist path. The Ven. Gyatrul Rinpoche skilfully steers the practitioner - be they beginner or mature student - through the various reefs of hope and fear attached to such an undertaking, and brings them clear to at least a vision of the path that leads to the other shore, beyond, and back again. He is to be thanked profoundly for his great compassion, humorous skill and wisdom.

B. Alan Wallace's new book, The Taboo of Subjectivity: Toward a New Science of Consciousness, makes the provocative claim that science has become, in many ways, a modern cult, which promotes certain ways of knowing and metaphysical beliefs to the exclusion of others. Subjectivity, an integral aspect of our experience, has been neglected to the point that its existence is in doubt.

Since the book is aimed at people familiar with the common view of scientific materialism, it focuses upon the weaknesses in the scientific materialist view, and how taking contemplative practice and experience seriously can allow us to see that this scientific view is lacking an awareness and understanding of subjectivity. This exclusion is related to assumptions which may have been necessary to get science off the ground (objectivism, monism, universalism, reductionism, the closure principle, and physicalism). However, these assumptions have become ensconced, and now play a role often attributed to religious doctrines: they go unquestioned, lead us to believe stories regarding our origins and nature which are not empirically grounded, and blind us to aspects of common, everyday experience. He traces the roots of these metaphysical beliefs to ancient Greek philosophy and to early and Medieval Christian theology to point out that these are beliefs, and are not empirically proven. The scientific materialist view has many weaknesses, among them: it gives a highly problematic account of the origin and nature of consciousness, and of the relation of mind and body, based more on faith and dogma than on scientific findings; it has no method for systematically exploring consciousness firsthand; scientific knowledge is inadequate for dealing with either global problems, such as environmental pollution (which it has helped to create), or personal problems, such as mental well-being. He points out that "from a contemplative perspective, scientific materialism arrests human development in a state of spiritual infancy; and when a society of such spiritual infants is put in control of the awesome powers of science and technology, global catastrophe seems virtually inevitable." Since "a thoroughly materialistic view of the universe based on science suggests a [certain] set of values and ideals, with profound implications for dealing with the personal, societal, and environmental problems that beset us today," it is imperative to examine this view in depth, and compare it with other world views, in the light of our current situation.

The two main arguments that have been leveled against the subjective from the scientific side are that: 1. subjective influences taint experiments (of implicitly objective phenomena), 2. subjective phenomena aren't scientifically analyzable, which has developed into the extreme position that such phenomena aren't real, but are merely epiphenonema.

Introspection has traditionally been used to investigate consciousness, but many scientists ignore introspection, claim that it cannot tell us anything important, or argue against the possibility of there even being such an activity. Wallace reviews these claims, showing that many of the objections to the use or possibility of introspection could be equally applied to scientific knowledge and techniques; and yet, science works. Therefore it seems that it is primarily the metaphysical beliefs of scientists which prevent them from admitting, and engaging in, ways of knowing such as those based on introspective, contemplative practice. Wallace supports a pragmatic approach to knowledge: "the only guide for methodology is the universal one, namely, to use anything that works."

But we cannot just tack another viewpoint, such as "the spiritual worldview", onto our accounts from science; there are real conflicts here, especially with respect to consciousness, and its origins and nature. For example, as he points out in another article, "Buddhist inquiry into the natural world proceeds from a radically different point of departure than western science, and its methods differ correspondingly.... Buddhism begins with the premise that the mind is the primary source of human joy and misery and is central to understanding the natural world as a whole." He reviews several kinds of divisions commonly made (subjective/objective, private/public, sacred/profane, fact/value) which might permit some kind of clean compartmentalization, and rejects them all. Instead, he calls for a dialogue between different ways of knowing. In order to open the way for a new science of consciousness, we must radically reevaluate the metaphysical stances of the scientific worldview, and of the relations between science and religion. For example, he argues that contemplative practice is in many ways in the spirit of science: it involves rigorous training to prepare the contemplative to inquire, through experience and reasoning, into the nature of things.

However, for people who are reluctant to admit that there can be nondelusional spiritual experiences, this contemplative perspective is going to seem like a belief, and probably won't shake whatever faith they have in the scientific worldview. This is one reason why Wallace constantly emphasizes that the claims of contemplatives are claims to be evaluated (both experientially and through reason), rather than established facts (which usually assumes some kind of general agreement within a community of which the reader and author are part). It is also probably why he emphasizes how contemplative practice could inform a new science of consciousness, rather than simply claiming that these practices have value on their own, as he does in some of his other books, aimed at different audiences.

Perhaps realizing the limitations of our current sciences of the mind will open us to new methods and new views, to explore the knowledge of other societies, and recover ways of knowing that may have been lost within our own traditions. It is hard to know where a truly open-minded, open-hearted dialogue between science and religion could lead, but it is exciting that this seems to be a genuine possibility today, probably more so than any time in the past. Thus, the central question of book is: "does a way exist to integrate the power of religion and of science for the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of humanity?"

I cannot add much to what the above author has offered, other than expressing my deep respect for B. Alan Wallace as my professor. I am enrolled in a course he is teaching at UC Santa Barbara titled "Religion, Science and Consciousness" and I am quite lucky to hear him pontificate and elaborate upon the ideas set forth in his book, amongst many other topics. Mr. Wallace brings light to the ongoing, seemingly inflexible attitude among scientific materialists toward religious ideas concerning the nature of the mind and consciousness. He, in his clear and unique writing style, enlightens the reader regarding the boundaries of the compatibility of religion and science....After all, in the most colloquial of terms- if religion is defined as the way in which we question and know why the hell we exist and science does the same, who is to say they are not compatible, in some way... Religion is not all about hell-fire, brimstone and heresy, as many scientific materialists would have one think! It is time to look to contemplatives in both our culture and others for assistence in the quest for knowledge (The Buddha is quite knowledgable about such things!)

Normally the word science conjures up images of the new technologies in communications, medicine and manufacturing that are the hallmark of modern life. But science's influence extends beyond matter to the mind. Its main impact there has been to question, if not invalidate, everything from religion to the commonplace components of our inner lives - our thoughts and emotions, values and ideals. Such subjective phenomena are not to be found on science's objective map.

The Taboo of Subjectivity takes on both science and religion in an attempt not to reconcile the two, but to reveal their common connection in consciousness itself. To accomplish this, Alan Wallace, whose academic background includes both physics and religion, sets out to show that science and religion have each embraced "fundamentalist" attitudes that distort their essential natures.

Science, he suggests, has fallen under the spell of scientific materialism, a philosophical interpretation of science, based on Newton's mechanical model of the universe: if something can't be measured objectively, it doesn't exist. This view maintains a hold on both the public and many scientists despite its having been debunked over 100 years ago. The quantum physics pioneered by Max Planck reintroduced subjective human consciousness into nature, emphasizing the importance of the observer and questioning the existence of a universe made up of solid particles unconnected to human perception.

Religion, according to Wallace, has largely abandoned its roots in contemplation, which the author views as a science of consciousness. Religious fundamentalism denies direct human contact with the divine - the aim of contemplation - in favor of unquestioned belief. Science similarly denies validity to consciousness - the realm of free will, the soul, and the possibility of life after death - by reducing all mental phenomena to mere electro-chemical patterns in the brain. Thus there is double taboo against our subjective selves.

How effective are Wallace's arguments? Sound critiques of scientific materialism have already been crafted by philosophers of science, Paul Feyerabend and Bas C. van Fraassen among them. Contributions from the humanistic tradition have come from William James, Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts, and, more recently, Ken Wilber. Wallace synthesizes these strands into a scathing, three-pronged attack claiming that: 1) Scientific materialism is antiquated in its refusal to accept the conclusions of quantum physics. 2) It inflates the conclusions of valid experimental science - especially where neuroscience reduces consciousness to brain processes, for which there is no compelling scientific evidence. 3) The requirement of scientific objectivity ignores the bias of science's own assumptions, which include mathematics and the inculturation process of scientific training.

But most fascinating and compelling are Wallace's chapters on the subjective exploration of the mind - contemplation. The author's contention is that the meditational practices of many Eastern religions are no less reliable and "objective" in their own sphere - the mind - than is experimental science in the realm of the material. It's not all voodoo and hocus-pocus.

Wallace, a religious studies professor at the University of California at Santa Barbara, has expertise in this area. He spent 14 years as a Buddhist monk, teaches meditation, and is a student of and translator for the Dalai Lama. A variety of approaches to contemplation are explained in some detail, showing that the techniques are extremely exacting. As with proofs in experimental science, similar outcomes can be obtained by the meditator using different practices. Results can be repeated and then confirmed by meditational experts.

These arguments cannot be shunted aside as easily as Ken Wilber's more poetic approach in The Marriage of Sense and Soul (1998, Broadway Books). Whereas Wilber speaks in general terms and relies on a grand theory all his own, Wallace is more specific, demonstrating a firm grasp of physics and the history of science. He cements his case with logical arguments that opponents may find challenging to refute.

A response is called for, especially from the neurosciences, because the implications of Wallace's book are sweeping. The incorporation of subjective, contemplative methods within a scientific framework for the exploration of the mind could lend credence to many subjective aspects of human mental life and effect a repositioning of science - as a brother discipline to the arts and humanities rather than as their unforgiving father.

This is no doubt the best explanatory book on Tibetan Buddhism
around. It may me a little bit hard to read for those with
low IQ's. And since you are reading one of my reviews, I must
assume that you do have a low IQ. But don't worry about it.
This book is just the very best. It makes everything clear about the subject matter. And it basically covers everything that you will need. It does so in a very systematic manner.
And Wallace writes in a very clear mathematical manner (he is a physicist). I do believe that you will enjoy reading this book like I did. But better yet, I think that it will make a very complicated subject easy to understand. It's quite an accomplishment. This is my favorite book on explaining Tibetan Buddhism. Not one that I would just hand out to beginners. But one that I would hand out to very smart beginners. Please
buy and enjoy.

This was a great introductory book on Buddhism. It was well written, easy to read, and covered all the general yet important aspects of Buddhism. The author obviously has an in depth understanding of his subject. A must read for anyone seriously interested in this topic.

To put it plainly, this is the best book I've ever read for an introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. B. Alan Wallace explains the major parts of Tibetan Dharma practice in very Western, everyday language. Never does he simplify or generalize, he's a talented author with a deep understanding of his subject and an ability to put it into to terms that a beginner from the West can understand. Whenever I've been asked to recommend literature on Buddhism, this is the first book on the list. Its absolutely the best. I cannot recommend it more highly!

This book consists of a series of teachings on several topics by the highly respected Tibetan lama Gyatrul Rinpoche, skillfully translated by B. Alan Wallace and Sangye Khandro. It's divided into three parts, titled "Transformation," "Dream Yoga" and "Meditation," and each of these three parts consists of a "root text" by a renowned Tibetan author and a commentary by Gyatrul Rinpoche. The first root text is a wonderful "lojong" (mind training) text called "Transforming Felicity and Adversity into the Spiritual Path," by Jigme Tenpe Nyima. The second is a dream yoga text called "Releasing Oneself from Essential Delusion," by Lochen Dharma Shri, and the third is a Dzogchen text called "The Illumination of Primordial Wisdom," by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. Taken together, these three texts and their lucid and practical commentaries give a very complete introduction to the essential teachings of the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, and will be a great treasure for anyone interest in practicing these profound methods.

very useful....profound...... a variety of topics

This book contains numerous quotes from famous personalities and sutras. The commentaries / explanation is in plain English. The layout is such that similar ideas (or at least in some areas) are group and presented together before an explanation is presented.

To me, reading this book is like having a glimpse of key ideas in many other well-known Buddhism texts. Many thanks to those who have made this book available.

this book is solid. great translator of a great text with a great teacher giving a great commentary. this level of instruction is usually reserved for a more direct teaching situation, and without that you may find much of it uselessly vague, abstract or confusing. maybe not. but for those who do have some experience in this realm, it should give you a wealth of helpful information. especially those interested in the gaps and bridges between mahamudra and dzogchen. for a more abbreviated version of this same teaching, by the same author (karma chagmed) see chokyi nyima rinpoche's "union of mahamudra and dzogchen," incidentally done by my favorite translator!

I love working with this text. The text goes line by line through the Kalachakra 6 session guruyoga practice written by His Holiness the Dalai Lama(also included), explaining and amplifying in clear, simple language. It is a transcription of teachings given to an American dharma center: not just what to do, but why. My practice has deepened as a result of this book. I read a passage, then take it into meditation and immediately see that another level of meaning opens. Thank you, Ven. Lamrimpa-la. Thank you, Mr. Wallace. You are sources of sustenance.

If you receive Kalachakra empowerment, this is the book for you. Detailed explanation of six-session guru yoga and Kalachakra overall is excilent.

This book (says the introduction) was distilled from a series of talks Wallace gave as he led a retreat on Shamatha (a.k.a shi nay -- "calm abiding meditation") up in the Sierras, and it retains an informal, practical, nuts-and-bolts atmosphere. This isn't for people who want to speculate or theorize about the Dharma: it's for people who want to practice. I've been meditating for many years, but this is the first and still the only book I've actually used as part of my practice -- often before sitting down on the cushion I'll read a few pages of it, to remind myself of what I'm doing and why.

There's lots of useful advice here. Wallace talks about the art of practicing Shamatha as a sort of tuning the intensity of awareness-- too little intensity and you tend to sink into torpor, too much and you tend to follow distractions. He warns against practicing with too much grim determination, which can squeeze the joy out of it and make one sick of meditation. On down to the simple suggestion that if you're too sleepy during practice you should probably get more sleep.

Wallace is a distinguished scholar. He was for many years a monk in the Tibetan tradition, and he speaks from a deep reservoir of experience and teaching. But he's also a Westerner and (now) a householder, so that he understands the tribulations, and unexpected benefits, of practicing in this world of busy distractions and pressing duties. This book radiates a gentle kindliness and simplicity of heart. For me it's an endless source of comfort and inspiration to practice.

"The Bridge of Quiescence" is an excellent detailed discussion of the basic meditation technique of all schools of Buddhism, and even some non-Buddhist approaches. "Quiescence" refers to tranquility meditation, a way to attain a stabilized mind. The "Bridge" part of the title refers to the role of "restful attention" as a necessary basis for further spiritual development. The central chapter offers a translation from Tsongkhapa of the Gelungpa School of Tibetan Buddhism. This could be a tough slog but Wallace provides his own very helpful interpretation, sometimes making reference to Western psychology. So this book is definitely not an introductory text. But for those with some familiarity with meditation in general and Tibetan Buddhism in particular, you'll benefit immensely.