1. The Quintessence: The Mentor Worship
2. Seeing the Buddha
3. Meeting the Buddha in the Mentor
4. Practicing Transcendent Renunciation
5. Practicing the Loving Spirit of Enlightenment
6. Practicing the Liberating Wisdom
7. Practicing the Creation Stage
8. Practicing the Perfection and Great Perfection Stages
9. Various Treasures of Tibetan Spiritual Culture

Robert Thurman expertly and lucidly surveys the basic teachings and varieties of Tibetan Buddhism. A concise summary of Buddhism's development across Asia, with particular emphasis on its evolution in Tibet, provides a vital orientation, but the core of this much-needed volume is the first-ever collection of key Tibetan teachings on Buddhism and attaining enlightenment. Here are all the essential texts, freshly translated: the hymns to Tara, the liberator goddess; the riddle-like songs of Milarepa, the wandering poet-saint of the Himalayas; instructions for living the compassionate Bodhisattva Way of Life; selections from The Tibetan Book of the Dead; and more. Excerpts from rarely published tantric practice texts complement Geshe Chaykawa's Seven Point Mind Training and selections from Nagarjuna's Five Stages. Master teachers from all the major schools - Longchempa, Nagarjuna, Shantideva, Atisha, and Tsong Khapa - speak to the modern reader, providing advice on how to integrate Tibetan Buddhism into daily life. Further enhanced by explanatory notes and a bibliography designed to serve as an introductory course, Essential Tibetan Buddhism is a unique guide to this rich spiritual tradition, invaluable to newcomers and seasoned students alike