Contemplating Reality: A Practitioner's Guide to the View in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism

Excellent understanding and explanation of the material. Excellent prose style. Clarified my understanding and enjoyable to read. Good appendices. Done.

This book is unusual in that it presents the complete historical development of Mahayana Buddhist "middle way" philosophy (aka Madyamaka) as both well-expressed concepts (up to the point where concepts cease to work) and also as personal contemplations.These teachings are particularly relevant for our time because they are so consistent with current scientific theories such as quantum mechanics and relativity. We may understand these conceptually (or not); but either way our gut-level view of reality is rooted back in the 19th century with Isaac Newton.Karr's purpose in this book is not to make scholars of us; it is to help us reeducate our perception and thinking about reality in light of the insights of Buddhism's ancient but up-to-date philosophies. And if you know anything about them, you will appreciate the achievement of getting from Vaibhashika to Shentong Madyamaka in 200 clear and readable pages!The author is a serious student of this material, but also a down to earth folksy practitioner who has walked the talk. Contemplating Reality may have only 10 reviews on Amazon (incl. this one) but it is a gem.

I can not tell you how many books I have read on the Buddhist view of 'emptiness', 'Ultimate Reality' and such that just left me feeling more confused or hopeless. So much typical Bubbhist language that didn't reasonate in these Western ears. This one is no such book! Everything is explained in a way that is clear and uses modern, Western language and is backed by modern, everyday life examples. It also isn't too scientific in a way that the language would be beyond a lay person's comprehension. Not to say that the topic doesn't require much contemplation... and the book provides contemplations too! I am very grateful for the ease of understanding this book, through this teacher, has finally provided me with.

Great book for learning about the Buddhist path in Westerner's language.

Extremely well-written and lucid, Andy has taken a challenging journey and made it accessible to all. I recommend this to anyone who is searching to understand the truth about reality or to rid themselves of their underlying sense of unsettledness.

Great

Very inspiring especially for experienced meditators who wish to deeply transform the mind.

This is going to be a good read and very helpful in guiding my next steps, including more reading.

Great book. A fuller exploration of the themes in the classic 'Progressive Stages of Meditation on Emptiness'. Not for beginners, but if you've experience of Buddhist practice this is an experiential exploration of 'emptiness' that guides you though different reflections to really question the way we see self and world.

Wonderfull

Le livre de Andy est un guide excellent pour maitriser les etapes de la contemplation de la vue du Mahayana. Suggestion d'exercises pratiques, examples et un style plus accessible que les textes originaux en font un exellent livre pour entrer dans la profondeur de la sagesse de la tradition des grand meditateurs.