Produktinformation

• Amazon-Verkaufsrang: #60198 in Bücher
• Veröffentlicht am: 1994-09-13
• Erscheinungsdatum: 1994-09-13
• Originalsprache: Englisch
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• 272 Seiten

Kurzbeschreibung
In The Double Mirror, the author's personal history-- as a student of the late Tibetan master Chogyam Trungpa, known for his unconventional lifestyle and "crazy wisdom" teaching style-- is the framework for an incisive and eloquent examination of a profound spiritual journey. Writing both from a critical perspective and from his direct experience of Vajrayana practice, the author look at Buddhist tantric teachings and practices and their expressions in Vajradhatu, Trungpa's organization. While discussing how the institution may sometimes function like a "cult," Butterfield nonetheless experiences Buddhist tantra as an authentic system of profound spiritual transformation.

The Double Mirror explores the effects of Buddhist practice on personality, autonomy, perception, and health, and discusses what Buddhism has to offer American. With skeptical intelligence, Butterfield illuminates the stages, teachings, and assumptions of the Tibetan Buddhist path, offering a frank and insightful portrayal of the ideal and reality of spiritual life.

Kundenrezensionen

Double vision
Buttefield seems to suffer from double vision in this book. While his descriptions of Buddhist practice are accurate, his focus is unclear. He seems as unable to come to terms with his relationship to Trungpa as he is with his relationship to his own ego. The book struck me as self-indulgent and whimsical, not in the sense of being light-hearted but in the sense of being driven by ever-changing momentary mood. While I believe there is much to be said about Trungpa and his method, this book is not a trustworthy source.

Skeptic describes Trungpas Vajrayana no holds barred
Stephen T. Butterfield was a student of the school of Buddhism founded by Chogyam Trungpa in the 1970's. At first enthralled by the authentic, liberating practices of Tibetian Buddhism, he also comes to grips with the inevitable corruption and authoritarianism inherent in any large organization. He grapples with the issues that every religious practitioner must confront, the paradox that the very practices so enriching and enlightening are contained within a structure full of ego, psychosis and greed. He discovers that Buddhism is not any more pure than Christianity, and that this is part of the thin line that a truthful, honest practitioner must always walk. He also describes the stages and teachings given at the stages within the Vajrayana tradition. Always honest in his critiques as well as praises, Stephen captures the journey of a seeker unwilling to settle for dogma, always seeking the truth behind the words, in actual experience. Although his conclusions are not always happy and comfortable, his appraisal of his Buddhist education is quite engaging.

A westerner's experiences with Tibetan Buddhism.
Butterfield, Stephen J. The Double Mirror: A Skeptical Journey into Buddhist Tantra was published in 1994 by North Atlantic Books of Berkeley, California. A long-time "student" of the Shambala (Dharmadhatu) tradition established by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche which, besides traditional Tibetan Buddhist teachings incorporates certain elements of Zen within an idiosyncratic organizational framework, tells of his progress as well as the problems and conflicts experienced by him especially in the times immediately following Trungpa's death. His description of the travails of ngondro will be especially illuminating to beginners as are the aspects of Vajrayana which emphasize the role of the guru. This is an honest account of one person's experiences and it turned out to be both revealing and helpful rather than a depressing and discouraging expose.