The Tibetan Way of Life, Death and Rebirth: The Illustrated Guide to Tibetan Wisdom

What's the difference between a lama and a tulku? Who is Tara? What are the four classes of tantra? In this lavishly illustrated book on Tibetan spiritual wisdom, Peacock, a British professor of Indian religions, answers these questions as he analyzes Tibetan approaches to life, death and rebirth. One unusual feature is the book's extended discussion of how Tibetan Buddhism has been informed by Bon, the pre-Buddhist folk religion that is still practiced by many in Tibet. From Bon, Tibetan Buddhism has appropriated ""preoccupation with shamanic healing, demonic forces, and the fight between good and evil,"" contributing to Tibet's complex and esoteric form of Buddhism. Peacock also describes how tied Tibetan religion is to the landscape of Tibet, ""the land of snows""--a particularly important issue in the past 50 years, when Tibetan Buddhism has flourished in exile. Every page is garnished with full-color illustrations, and there are numerous informational sidebars.