Books, audiotapes, and classes about yoga are today as familiar as they are widespread, but we in the West have only recently become engaged in the meditative doctrines of the East--only in the last 70 or 80 years, in fact. In the early part of the 20th century, it was the pioneering efforts of keen scholars like W. Y. Evans-Wentz, the late editor of this volume, that triggered our ongoing occidental fascination with such phenomena as yoga, Zen, and meditation. Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines--a companion to the popular Tibetan Book of the Dead, which is also published by Oxford in an authoritative Evans-Wentz edition--is a collection of seven authentic Tibetan yoga texts that first appeared in English in 1935.

In these pages, amid useful photographs and reproductions of yoga paintings and manuscripts, readers will encounter some of the principal meditations used by Hindu and Tibetan gurus and philosophers throughout the ages in the attainment of Right Knowledge and Enlightenment. Special commentaries precede each translated text, and a comprehensive introduction contrasts the tenets of Buddhism with European notions of religion, philosophy, and science. Evans-Wentz has also included a body of orally transmitted traditions and teachings that he received firsthand during his fifteen-plus years of study in the Orient, findings that will interest any student of anthropology, psychology, comparative religion, or applied Mah=ay=ana Yoga. These seven distinct but intimately related texts will grant any reader a full and complete view of the spiritual teachings that still inform the life and culture of the East. As with Evans-Wentz's other three Oxford titles on Tibetan religion, which are also appearing in new editions, this third edition of Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines features a new foreword by Donald S. Lopez, author of the recent Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West.

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Be sure to read the author's wonderful introduction and extensive footnotes, which help to weave a story about spirituality, both Eastern and Western.

21 of 21 found the following review helpful:

a classic sourceSep 20, 2005
By Hakuyu "Ikeda"
Along with the companion volumes making up the Tibetan Series edited by W.Y. Evans-Wentz, this book broke new ground when first published in 1935,effectively placing the first, full length translations of authentic Tibetan Buddhist teachings within our reach. Despite the passage of time and a prolific increase in the number of such translations, the material made available by W.Y. Evans-Wentz and his mentors remains some of the most lucid at our disposal. As W.Y. Evans-Wentz put it: ". . .my aim has been to place on record not only a catena of carefuly made translations of texts . . .but also a body of orally transmitted traditions and teachings relating to the texts, which I received from the late Lama@Kazi Dawa Samdup, who was my Tibetan Guru. . ." - hence, the emphasis throughout is essentially practical. In fact, W.Y. Evans-Wentz hinted that the present volume may well be found to be the most valuable, inasmuch as it gives the very texts of some of the principal yogas and meditations which many of the most illustrious Tibetan and Indian philosophers, including Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa and Milarepa, employed in attaining Right Knowledge " (i.e. samyak sambodhi).

The shortened titles of these seven texts are as follows:

(1) Gampopa's Supreme Path, called 'The Precious Rosary. '
(2) The Epitome of the Great Symbol.
(3) The Epitome of the Six Doctrines
(4) The Transference of Consciousness
(5) The Method of Eradicating the Lower Self.
(6) The Fivefold Wisdom of the Long Hum
(7) The Essence of the Transcendental Wisdom.

Briefly summed up as 'Seven Books of Wisdom of the Great Path' - what we actually find here is a compendium of all the major doctrines and practices known to Tibetan Buddhism, as rooted in the Mahayana- although some practices, such as 'Pho-wa' (transference of consciousness) seem to be peculiarly Tibetan - even though utilised in an orthodox Buddhist context. Special commentaries precede each carefully rendered text, a wealth of information at the reader's disposal.

In recent years, some critics have questioned the approach taken by W.Y. Evans-Wentz. It is worth quoting W.Y. E-W again: " this volume is meant at once for the exact scholar and for the general reader. The former will note that the original textual sources, which are sevenfold, are authentic, and that nothing has been incoporated into the texts or presented in the introductions and annotations which has not had doctrinal sanction. "

Earlier editions of this text had a preface and tribute by Prof Chen Chi Chang, a Chinese Buddhist scholar who not only practiced Tibetan Buddhism with leading Lamas, but also had an honorary Tibetan title bestowed upon him - Cha-gyur Khan-po (Master interpreter/translator). W.Y. Evans Wentz was Rhodes scholar with impeccable qualifications. However, he was no dry-as-dust academic. Something of a scholar-gypsy-cum-pilgrim, W-Y Evans-Wentz wandered around N. India, Sikkhim, Tibetan communities etc., sitting at the feet of genuine Buddhist teachers, before that world was turned upside down by political upheaval. These are valuable sources.

20 of 20 found the following review helpful:

The 3rd book in the Tibetan series from W.Y.Evans-WentzNov 26, 2003
By OverTheMoon
This is the third book in the Tibetan series from W.Y.Evans-Wentz. Although this book can be used as a stand-alone yoga book it is certainly not best read that way. Basically this is part of a developing series. The first book in the Tibetan series - The Tibetan Book of the Dead, is the fundamental book of the series which describes Buddhist philosophy, psychology and metaphysics. It is the best translation out there and the original! The second book in the series is called Tibets Greatest Yogi Milarepa is the story of a great yogi who puts into practice most of what we learn from The Tibetan Book of the Dead. It is through the story of Milarepa that we learn more about The Tibetan Book of the Dead. In the story of Milarepa the yogi studies the Seven Books of Wisdom of the Great Path as taught to him by his gurus. THIS BOOK is an expansion that explains those wisdoms and describes the yoga that is used to achieve them. When you understand that, then this book becomes invaluable to anybody who is looking for right yoga path. IT IS HERE!

These texts are ancient and old but have served millions since their inception. The work that Evans-Wentz has done here is substantial if not some of the most important yoga concepts ever seen by the occident. You will probably need a guru of some kind to help you get started in any form of yoga but this book is plain sailing once you learn the basics right. Most of the major yoga practices are covered in this book. Most new books on yoga are indebted to this mans work on the subject, all directly brought back from the orient by master gurus whom which Dr. W.Y.Evans-Wentz was a student for years.

There is lots of philosophy to go through and lots of text and this may put a lot of readers off, or those what to get straight into the practice but there is lots of philosophy and mental orientation to get right first. It is all here... all 434 pages of it! Mostly text! There is nothing else like it! The original is here!

*** The other books in the series are - The Tibetan Book of the dead and Tibets Greatest Yogi Milarepa - before this one. The final book in the series is The Tibetan Book of the Great Liberation. ***

11 of 11 found the following review helpful:

Still impressive after all these yearsMar 17, 2006
By Neal J. Pollock
This book is a compendium of diverse Tibetan Buddhist works, translated, extensively annotated with footnotes, introductions, & addenda. For most, if not all, this was their original translation & publication in English. Evans-Wentz (E-W) adopted a scientific/anthropological view (per his training); per p. xii: R. R. Marett-"He meant to do his best to look through the window without being baffled by his own reflection in the glass." His critics (Donald Lopez in his preface & John Reynolds in his "Self-Liberation") emphasize E-W's history of Theosophy & Hindu yoga. However, as a scientist, I disagree. As George MacDonald said in "Lilith," "What do they know of England who only England know?" It's like trying to see a polar bear in a snow storm or a black cat in a moonless night! E-W non-dogmatically uses information from many sources e.g. Sufism, Christianity, Greek & modern philosophy, etc. to provide contrast & context with the text. Such background material is essential in order to comprehend meaning (knowledge) vs. mere information (dogma). Interestingly, Chen-Chi Cheng's "Yogic Commentary" points out further correspondences between Mahamudra (MM) & Zen, saying that p. xlii: "A knowledge of Tantric yoga contributes greatly to an understanding of all aspects of Buddhist enlightenment, including difficult & obscure Zen koans." As the "Yogic Precepts" in Book I point out, p. 79: "A philosophy comprehensive enough to embrace the whole of knowledge is indispensable," & per E-W, p. 322 note 1: "The one mind of man in its workings transcends the superficial barriers of clime, & race, & creed." The wide range of these 7 documents & the lack of readers' prior training necessitated very extensive background. Nevertheless, this book, even today, is not for the squeamish; it requires perseverance, reflection, meditation, etc., but can be extremely rewarding to discerning readers. It includes both theory/wisdom & practices: MM, Naropa's 6 yogas, chöd (see Edou's wonderful book on the MM of Machig Labdron), powa (transference of consciousness), the 5 Dyani Buddhas & their wisdoms, & a short Perfection of Wisdom sutra. Some of these topics are addressed in more modern works, but some are not-or not in the detail given here or with the extensive explanatory material in Western terminology & embedded multi-cultural analogies. A few of the book's more interesting/controversial statements include: p. 88: "If the empty nature of the mind be realized, no longer is it necessary to listen to or meditate upon religious teachings," p. 310: "Externally mine our thought-creations which have risen up against me as enemies in the shape of deities & demons," & p. 349: As modern scholars have noted, those great thinkers of ancient India taught, as Kant did 17 centuries afterwards, that the world is will & representation...phenomenal appearances." This is a phenomenal work even today.

5 of 6 found the following review helpful:

LiberatingJan 31, 2003
By Author Brian Wallace (Mind Transmission, Inc.)
Ancient wisdom transmuted through the modern, clear perception of Evans-Wentz and delivered in a highly readable and beautifully designed book.

Cannot go wrong here.

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