Introduction to Tantra
The Transformation of Desire
By Lama Yeshe
Lama Yeshe’s book is a straightforward, succinct, and
engaging overview of the Tantric Buddhist path and
its practice. The author’s view is that contemporary Westerners
are no less suited to this path than the historic Tibetan Buddhist
heroes and heroines of the past.
There are two main styles of presenting Dharma. One is
‘scripture’—a historical text plus commentary by a
subsequent teacher or teachers; the other is a compilation of
transcribed oral teachings by contemporary Lamas. This volume, like
the shorter writings of Tarthang Tulku and the works of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, is a collection of the author’s teachings,
edited by his students.
The presentation is exceptionally warm and clear, unfailingly
cheerful and encouraging about the possibility of practice. There are
however explicit warnings about the need for the guidance of a
qualified Lama.
Lama Yeshé was often described by his disciples as ‘the
Chögyam Trungpa of the Gélug School’ – and to whatever
degree this may be accurate – many aspects of Chögyam Trungpa
Rinpoche’s directness and stylistic can be found in Lama
Yeshe’s explanations. Lama Yeshe once horrified the Tibetan
establishment by encouraging his Western monks and nuns to dance to
rock music. It was one evening of a retreat – when he felt that
they had become a little too crimped by asceticism.
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