Modern Tantric Buddhism: Embodiment and Authenticity in Dharma Practice
Currently unavailable
This book is sold out right now. Leave your email — we'll let you know if it comes back, and you'll get 10% off any book today.
In stock now — readers of this book also loved:
This seminal work redefines Tantric Buddhism for the modern age, offering a compelling framework for practitioners to integrate profound spiritual development with active social engagement. It illuminates how ancient Vajrayana wisdom can be a potent tool for confronting oppressive structures and fostering genuine authenticity. For a new generation seeking meaningful spiritual paths, this guide provides practical insights into merging inner transformation with outward action, demonstrating that true dharma extends beyond personal enlightenment into collective liberation and embodied ethics in a complex world.
Praise for this book
“Lama Justin represents a younger generation of well-trained Buddhist teachers who encourage American Tantric Buddhists to trust the power of their practice, find their authentic voice, and express wisdom in the modern world. Modern Tantric Buddhism demonstrates that the wisdom of Tantric Buddhism is as relevant and powerful in the streets of Brooklyn as it was in the remote caves of Tibet. A must-read for the modern tantrika!”
“Interweaving lived religious experience, tantric texts, and critical theorists, von Bujdoss shows how Western tantra can transform the structural afflictions of colonialism, whiteness, and patriarchy. For academics, he provides instructive and valuable primary data to theorize the multiple forms that Vajrayana Buddhism is taking after and beyond modernity.”
“Modern Tantric Buddhism reads like an extended late-night conversation, wherein Western Buddhists can discover the authentic essence of tantra and develop confidence in its relevance to their own lives and spiritual aspirations. Lama Justin exemplifies an urban yogi who embodies the creative blaze of tantra amidst the grit and turmoil of a great city.”
📝 Description: Modern Tantric Buddhism: Embodiment and Authenticity in Dharma Practice
💎 Expert review
📖 Why choose it
Why this book is worth reading
This book is essential for practitioners who feel a dissonance between traditional spiritual retreats and the urgent demands of social justice in the modern world. It offers a vital framework for those seeking to dismantle systemic oppression through the radical power of Vajrayana practice. Readers will find value in its compelling argument that true dharma extends beyond personal enlightenment to include collective liberation and embodied ethics. It is particularly suited for individuals who wish to integrate profound inner transformation with active outward engagement, providing practical insights for fostering authenticity in a complex global landscape while honoring the depth of Tantric wisdom.
⭐ Reader reviews
Reader rating
Von Bujdoss and Owens present a seminal redefinition of Tantric Buddhism that is both intellectually rigorous and spiritually urgent. The work successfully bridges the gap between ancient Vajrayana techniques and contemporary struggles against oppressive structures, offering a potent tool for collective liberation. However, this text may not suit readers seeking purely meditative or escapist spiritual guides devoid of political engagement. It requires a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about power and authenticity. While its focus on systemic injustice is refreshing, those expecting traditional doctrinal exegesis without social critique might find the approach too activist-oriented for their tastes.
❓ Frequently asked questions
📖 Who should read this
If you are a seeker who believes spiritual practice must inform social action, or a Buddhist practitioner eager to deepen your engagement with the world through Vajrayana wisdom, this book offers a transformative path forward. It’s for those ready to embody their ethics.
🎯 Key themes and symbolism
Tantra for Social Justice
The book meticulously details how the transformative power of Vajrayana principles can be harnessed to actively challenge and dismantle systems of power and abuse. It moves beyond individualistic spiritual goals, advocating for a dharma practice that is deeply intertwined with a commitment to creating a more equitable and just society for all beings.
Embodied Authenticity
This work stresses that genuine spiritual practice necessitates full engagement with one's physical and emotional self. It explores how living an authentic life in the modern world means integrating one's spiritual path with one's lived experience, fostering a profound connection between inner realization and outward expression of truth.
Contemporary Vajrayana Adaptation
Addressing the unique spiritual needs of today's practitioners, the book provides a roadmap for adapting ancient Vajrayana teachings to contemporary challenges. It speaks to a new generation of Buddhists who seek to apply the profound wisdom of the Diamond Vehicle in relevant, impactful ways that resonate with their modern sensibilities and ethical concerns.
📜 Historical context
📚 Glossary
- Vajrayana
- Dharma
- Embodiment
📔 Questions to reflect on
- In what specific ways does your personal spiritual practice currently inform or fail to inform your engagement with social justice issues?
- Reflect on a situation where you felt a disconnect between your spiritual ideals and your actions. How might an 'embodied' Tantric approach bridge that gap?
- Consider a system of power or abuse you've witnessed. How could a Vajrayana perspective, focused on transformation and radical compassion, inform your response or activism?
📖 Read on the blog
🏛 Books from this publisher North Atlantic Books
All books from this publisher →
You might also like
See more →
Have a question about this item?
Ask about the edition, condition, delivery or anything else — we reply by email or phone, usually within a day.
