
Tibetan Buddhism
A Very Short Introduction
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Narrated by:
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Neil Shah
About this listen
The Tibetan Buddhist tradition has known over 13 centuries of continuous development. During that time, it has spread among the neighboring peoples - the Mongol, Himalayan, and Siberian peoples, Manchus and Chinese. At its height, it has been practiced in regions as far west as the Volga river and to the east in Beijing. Its capacity for creative adaptation is demonstrated by its recent growth in Europe and America.
At the same time, it is at the center of political contestation in ethnically Tibetan regions of China, while its best known exponent, the Dalai Lama, has become one of the most admired religious leaders in the world today. But what does this religion teach? Just what is the position of the Dalai Lama, and how will his succession be assured? Is it true that Tibetan Buddhism in entirely suppressed in China?
Scholar Matthew Kapstein offers a brief account responding to these questions and more in this Very Short Introduction, in terms that are accessible to students, general listeners, journalists, and others who are curious to learn the most essential features of Tibetan Buddhist history, teachings, and practice.
©2014 Oxford University Press (P)2021 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Buddhist Ethics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Damien Keown
- Narrated by: James Anderson Foster
- Length: 3 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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In this Very Short Introduction audiobook, Damien Keown explores how Buddhism approaches a range of moral issues of our age, including our relationship with our environment, our treatment of animals, and our stance on abortion, on sexuality and gender, on violence and war. This new edition also includes a discussion of the ethical challenges posed by cutting-edge developments in science and biomedical technologies, including neuroscience, artificial intelligence, transhumanism, and gene editing.
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EXCELLENT
- By JK on 12-05-23
By: Damien Keown
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Neoliberalism (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Manfred B. Steger, Ravi K. Roy
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 4 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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This Very Short Introduction explores the considerable variations of neoliberalism around the world, and discusses the origins, evolution, and core ideas of neoliberalism. This new edition brings the story of neoliberalism up to date, and asks whether new versions of neoliberalism might succeed in drowning out the rising tide of national populism and its nostalgic longing for a return to territorial sovereignty and national greatness.
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Recommend
- By Amazon Customer on 01-25-23
By: Manfred B. Steger, and others
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Philosophy of Science (2nd Edition)
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Samir Okasha
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 4 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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How much faith should we place in what scientists tell us? Is it possible for scientific knowledge to be fully "objective"? What, really, can be defined as science? In the second edition of this very short introduction, Samir Okasha explores the main themes and theories of contemporary philosophy of science and investigates fascinating, challenging questions such as these.
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VSI#67
- By Darwin8u on 10-29-24
By: Samir Okasha
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Physics
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sidney Perkowitz
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Physics, the fundamental science of matter and energy, encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. Understanding the physics of our universe is an essential aspect of humanity's quest to understand our environment and our place within it. Doing physics enables us to explore the interaction between environment and human society, and can help us to work towards the future sustainability of the planet.
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Introduces very well
- By M. Hernandez on 06-24-24
By: Sidney Perkowitz
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Bacteria
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sebastian Amyes
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Bacteria form a fundamental branch of life. They are the oldest forms of life and the most prolific of all living organisms, inhabiting every part of the Earth's surface, its ocean depths, and even such inhospitable places as boiling hot springs. In this Very Short Introduction, bacteriologist Sebastian Amyes explores the nature of bacteria, their origin and evolution, bacteria in the environment, and bacteria and disease.
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well done
- By Kim on 08-31-22
By: Sebastian Amyes
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Indian Philosophy
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Sue Hamilton
- Narrated by: Neil Shah
- Length: 4 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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India has a long, rich, and diverse tradition of philosophical thought, spanning some two and a half millennia and encompassing several major religious traditions. In this intriguing introduction to Indian philosophy, the diversity of Indian thought is emphasized. It is structured around six schools of thought that have received classic status.
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Short and sweet as intended for this series
- By Jeff on 04-14-25
By: Sue Hamilton
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Sikhism
- A Very Short Introduction, 2nd Edition
- By: Eleanor Nesbitt
- Narrated by: Siiri Scott
- Length: 5 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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This Very Short Introduction introduces newcomers to the meaning of the Sikh religious tradition, its teachings, practices, rituals, and festivals. Eleanor Nesbitt highlights and contextualizes the key threads in the history of Sikhism, from the first Gurus to martyrdom, militarization, and the increasingly significant diaspora. Examining gender, caste, and the changes that are currently underway in the faith, Nesbitt considers contemporary Sikh identities and their role in our world.
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Misleading Title
- By YB on 09-29-22
By: Eleanor Nesbitt
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Monasticism
- A Very Short Introduction
- By: Stephen J. Davis
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 4 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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In this Very Short Introduction Stephen J. Davis discusses the history of monasticism, from our earliest evidence for it, and the different types that have developed from antiquity to the present day. He considers where monasteries are located, from East Asia to North America, and everywhere in between, and how their settings impact the everyday life and worldview of the monks and nuns who dwell there. Exploring how monastic communities are organized, he also looks at how aspects of life like food, sleep, sex, work, and prayer are regimented.
By: Stephen J. Davis
The conceptual vocabulary is mainly college-level academic English. Those who know the Sanskrit and Tibetan terminology will appreciate hearing the original names-and-nouns spoken precisely. However, when non-English terms are included for completeness, they are smartly added at the end of the sentence. This way, listeners unfamiliar with Sanskrit and Tibetan can effectively skip over unknown terms without losing the meaning of the sentence. Any college educated listener should be able to follow along.
One proof of a master teacher is their ability to outline complex ideas in brief yet richly detailed format. Kapstein's pithy examples and vignettes of historical figures make his topic come alive. [compare to Bertrand Russell's essays] Highly recommended.
Clearly explained, nicely narrated, great overview
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It is short and to the point.
I did order the physical book, and am looking forward to listening/reading again to certain parts of the book, especially the beginning. It is now 9/12/23 and I just finished listening and reading the book at the same time.
It was even better the second time around.
The book is certainly valuable to easily return to for reference to certain sections.
This is a book I HIGHLY recommend.
The narrator, mr. Neil Shah, as usual, is a pleasure to listen to.
Do get this book if you are at all interested in Buddhism.
My thanks to all involved, JK.
GREAT BOOK
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VSI # 373
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I appreciate the explanation of the difference between the popular image -- more doctrinal and loftier, and the lived experience -- more down to earth and practical focused. One needs both textual analysis and anthropological analysis to have a broad picture, this short intro manages to give a snippet of both.
Reader is very clear, but a bit boring to listen to -- but he does sound very tranquil. A lot of history, which helps give context to religious practices. A lot of the philosophical, especially epistemology, went over my head. Tantra not having a clear definition is surprising -- it is a word used all the time. My vague understanding is that Tantra literally means weave or loom, but in the Buddhist context it functionally means tradition and ritual. It is about performing sacred rites and imbuing the sacred into the profane via Matras and other rituals, and a recurringly viewing oneself as divine. This seeing oneself as divine, or as a specific deity, or as a buddha seems to be one of the major issues other Buddhist sects have with the tantric tradition -- although I may be extrapolating that last part from insufficient info. Mantras are vital to Tantric traditions, all Buddhist sects use mantras, but tantrism even more so. Mandala only means a diagram in tantric traditions and means order (as in well-ordered person) in all other traditions.
Notes to self and a little bit of review
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