Realizing Emptiness: The Madhyamaka Cultivation of Insight

Trained in Buddhist philosophy and mediatation by some of the greatest Gelugpa masters of the twentieth century, the Tibetan contemplative Gen Lamrimpa went on to spend some twenty years in solitary retreat.

This book offers experiential and analytical approaches to this most important and difficult topic in Buddhism.

"Not quite 'emptiness made easy' (an impossibility) but it is at least 'emptiness made comprehensible.'"--Dharma Life

"Written by an genunine Buddhist master, Realizing Emptiness gives us accurate directions to explore the nature of reality. By refuting inherent existence and establishing illusion-like conventionalities, we can come to the correct view of the Middle Way."--Thubten Chodron

"An important commentary clarifying the Madhyamika view and synthesizing venerated scriptural references enhancing understanding of the view of emptiness. Ven. Gen Lamrimpa's elucidation reflects his remarkable practice and life."--Tenzin Kacho, resident teacher of Thubten Shedrup Ling and Buddhist Chaplain, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

During a long retreat on the West Coast, Gen Lamrimpa drew on his theoretical training as well as his years of solitary meditative experience to show students how they can gain realization of ultimate reality. He explains in a practical and down-to-earth fashion how to analyze experience to fathom how it has been misperceived and misunderstood because of our many delusions, and how to use Madhyamaka reasoning to experience how all things only exist as dependently related events rather than in themselves.

Gen Lamrimpa was born in Tibet in 1934 and lives in Dharamsala, India. He has also authored Calming the Mind.

B. Alan Wallace lives in Santa Barbara, CA and is the author of many books.