Contemplating Reality

Subtitle: A Practitioner's Guide to the View in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
Author: Andy Karr
Foreword By: Dzogchen Ponlop
Softcover ~ 240 pages

This book is for intermediate and advanced Buddhist practitioners who wish to deepen their understanding by joining practice with study of traditional ideas. It introduces the reader to contemplations that investigate a series of views of reality as they evolved in the Buddhist tradition. These views are explained in plain English, with contemporary metaphors and examples to bring out their meaning for modern Buddhists. Quotations from both historical and living meditation masters and scholars are presented as examples of key principles. Topics include 

   • Egolessness 
   • Appearances and reality 
   • Methods of investigation 
   • Enlightenment 
   • Tenets of different schools through the centuries 
   • The root of compassion 
   • The origin of thoughts 

Guided exercises encourage the reader to trust in experiential understanding through deep contemplation of complex concepts. The book is structured as a guide for the reader’s journey.

"After spending a few frustrating years trying to understand the various schools of Buddhist logic and their arguments about the nature of reality, it was a pleasure to read Andy Karr's book, Contemplating Reality. Karr takes the reader step by step through the Buddhist logics in everyday language that makes the journey a simple pleasure. Although the book is written in a way that encourages reading short sections and stopping frequently to think about what has been presented, it is so readable that one can just slow down, smile, and continue on. The progression of the book follows the progression of the Buddhist schools, but somehow Karr has managed to eliminate the tedium that so often accompanies the classic presentations of these arguments.

In fact, I think Karr did a lot of the work for us by clearing up the confusions for himself before presenting the points to us. His understanding make the exercises accessible and enjoyable. And his choice of quotes and poetry from historic Buddhist masters brings a profundity to the material that often transcends logic altogether. So if you are open to investigating the nature of things as they are, Contemplating Reality is a way to understand emptiness and its inherent friendliness that will add freedom and humor to your path in life."