Lama Anagarika Govinda was born in Germany, but early in life he became a Buddhist and monk of the Tibetan Kargyupta Order. Before the Chinese invasion, he spent 20 years in Tibetan monasteries and hermitages. His Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism is a technical exposition of the techniques and philosophy of Vajrayana Buddhism, the “admantine vehicle” developed in the rarified atmosphere of the Himalayas.

The goal of Vajrayana Buddhism is the synthesis of heart and mind, a union of love and knowledge. The Dhyani–Buddha Amoghasiddhi, who embodies All-Accomplishing Wisdom, the wisdom that puts knowledge into action, is a manifestation of the Maitreya Buddha, the one who is to come. The gesture of Amaghasiddhi is that of fearlessness, the acceptance of life’s sufferings. All the Buddhas encountered and visualized in the Middle Way of Vajrayana are integrated into one and become Compassion. It is fitting that Lama Govinda concludes his book with a beautiful prayer by Tagore: “Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain but for the heart to conquer it” (p. 280).

Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism is heavy reading and requires perseverance and discipline. There is no attempt to relate Vajrayana Buddhism to Christianity or other faiths, although there are distinctions made between the Mahayana and Hinayana, or, preferably, Theravada schools. Lama Govinda is also insistent on contrasting Hindu and Buddhist tantrism, to the disadvantage of the former. However, the book is rewarding in that it is thorough, covering information not available elsewhere. It includes illustrations and an appendix on the method of transliteration and pronunciation of Indian and Tibetan words, as well as a bibliography.