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The Religions of Tibet

Helmut Hoffmann

Translated from the German: Edward Fitzgerald

Ruskin House - George Allen & Unwin Ltd. London

AUTHOR`S PREFACE

The history and civilization of the Asian peoples is finding growing interest in the eyes of the West, thanks in particular to the great changers which have taken place since the Second World War in the political and ideological situation. In the circumstances therefore, a book which sets out to describe the religious development of a people which up to only a few years ago, was cut off from all other peoples and continued to line in medieval conditions, hardly requires any further justification.

The general character of this book is historical. Whereas, for example, the well-known books of L.A. Waddell and R. Bleich-steiner seek to provide a more accumulative and encyclopedic picture of Lamaism, I felt the need to trace the main developments of the historical religious development more graphically. This meant a careful choice amongst the tremendous amount of material available, and a choice restricted to the typical and the absolutely essential as otherwise all understanding for the real relationship would be lost in a morass of previously unknown happenings and names. An Asian tour and great variety of friendly contacts with the Lamaists of the Himalaya countries Sikkimand Nepal in 1954 did much to make my studies more fruitful.

My book is primarily intended for those interested in religious investigation, ethnologists, and the growing number of those who are taking a lively interest in the civilizations of the East. However, I also hope that it may prove useful for experts in Tibet too, because quite frequently I have been a position to make use of previously unavailable sources.

                                                                  H. HOFFMANN

                                                               Munich, April 1956

Additional note

Owing to lack of time I was not able to make use of any publication after 1956. This will be remedied in a later edition.

CONTENTS

AUTHOR`S PREFACE

I.          The Old Bon Religion

II.          The Development of Buddhism in India and Penetration into Tibet

III.          Padmasambhava and Padmaism

IV.          Religious Strggles of the Eighth and Ninth Centuries

V.           The Systematized Bon Religion

VI.          The Re-birth of Buddhism

VII.         The Rise of the Lamaist Sects

VIII.        The Tsong-kha-pa Reformation and the Priest-State of the Dalai Lamas

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

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