Tibetan Buddhism With Its Mystic Cults

The historical, doctrinal, ritual, and folk aspects of Lamaism are surveyed extensively in this source book, originally published in 1895.

Excerpt:
"For Lamaism is only thinly and imperfectly varnished over with Buddhist symbolism, beneath which the sinister growth of poly-demonist superstition darkly appears."

Waddell was an almost unique authority on hidden Tibet. Stationed for years with the Indian Army at Darjeeling, just over the border from Tibet (which Europeans were forbidden to enter), he systematically studied the language and culture of Tibet with the most authoritative lamaistic scholars. Several times he risked his life by entering Tibet in disguise.

Waddell's book is an extremely thorough, extremely detailed survey of all aspects of Tibetan religions. No other book contains so much specific, basic detail.

Originally published 1895