Appearance and Reality: The Two Truths in the Four Buddhist Tenet Systems

Excellent book on a couple of levels: especially for extensive Buddhist study, it helps explain one of the most enigmatic Buddhist tenets regarding existence & reality, plus (and this is my favorite), it's a small book and straight to the point; no rambling on-and-on for hundreds of pages (a common feature of many Tibetan Buddhist writings).It is true: this book is written with a specific bent towards a Tantric (Tibetan) Buddhist perspective. Still, what does that matter? In the end, we want to get to the marrow of reality and, especially, what it means for our moment-to-moment experience; so what do we care if it's a Tibetan spin? And, anyway, if one takes all the different spins (Zen, Pure Land, Tantric, etc, etc), and brush away the smoke, you are left with the core Buddhist teachings, so forget any concerns. The book should be read while also reading Nagarjuna, Vimalarkiti or the Lankavatara Sutra in order to maximize its value in your study & meditation, since those writings frequently touch upon the subject of appearance & reality. In short: a good purchase.

Good things come in small packages. This is a very useful book. Read carefully, it shows a stair step through the four major "tenet systems" in Buddhist philosophy, each penetrating more deeply into the actual psychological experience of the illusion of reality. In his introduction, Newland describes how studies of the "tenet systems" might be considered merely academic classification of schools of thought. However, by presenting the tenet systems as a succession of solutions to the problem of why appearances don't correspond to the results logical reasoning, Newland fulfills his assertion that tenet studies can help people "arrive at conclusions...(at least tentatively) in weeks, days or hours" that might otherwise take years. While this book requires perhaps more than "familiarity with Buddhism", I believe it should be possible for those "genuinely interested in the philosophical aspects" to use this as a powerful study guide, as they search out the detailed meanings that this excellent book so lucidly outlines.

A clear explanation of the Gelukpa approach to teaching the tenet systems. Very helpful if studying the Tenet systems or any texts (such as those by Jeffrey Hopkins on Emptiness) that refer to the Tenet systems from the Gelukpa point of view, or in order to understand the Gelukpa point of view if one is already familiar with another lineage's teachings. Guy Newland's explanations are succinct, yet powerful.

I did not want to read about the tenet systems. My teacher directed this reading. I began willingly but with less than desirable expectation. The more I read the better I comprehended. In the end ' concealer truths' won me over. It became a fruitful ground for meditation. Thank you, Guy Newland, for your conscientious endeavor.

While this book is a much better read then others of the same subject, I caution it isn't a book for a beginning Buddhist. You will want to have a good grasp of Tibetan Buddhism and where it came from. I would recommend it for the advanced student of the philosophy of Buddhism.........

It's good for a historical perspective but doesn't include Buddhist views on particle and quantum physics.

very good. Thank you.

I found the book very helpful in my study of the "Two Truths". I have been digging into material from other schools of Buddhism as well and while I found the book to be an excellent account of the Tibetan viewpoint of their own ideas as well as their assesment of the ideas of others. Not suprisingly I did find it to be a little biased. In this book we learn that the Gelukpa's own understanding of the two truths is the highest understanding of the two truths. That other understandings are just lower rungs of a ladder that lead to the final Gelukpa understanding. If one has not studied other accounts of the Two Truths this book might just convince you that the Gelupas are right. What exists here is an account of the two truths heavily influenced by the writings of Tshongkhapa. If you are interested in understanding that view point, this book provides an excellent framework to persue that study.

A beautifully written - clear, accessible elaboration into the Buddhist concept of emptiness and impermanence. The author brings a great deal of literature from four Buddhist tenet systems (schools of Buddhist thought) into a comprehensive and yet relatively brief account. This enabled me to understand both fundamental and nuanced differences between these school.Importantly it also makes clear the underlying common foundation for these schools of thought. Overall this journey also makes the foundation of impermanence and emptiness clear.Highly highly recommended

Clear and concise stroll through the Gelug presentation of the four tenet systems. Not too scholarly but with enough detail to grasp how the systems present reality. Is honest enough to acknowledge that there are different interpretations of many points but unfortunately too short to go into these differences in any detail.

Great book, loads of information, most of it was beyond me to be honest so will have to revisit this one in a few years I think!

I have not had time yet to enter into a proper lenghthy study of the work , some of these works demand a lot of free time overyears.

A very clear explanation of the 4 tenets about selflessness, comprehensive and extensive