Waking Up: A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion

Sam's blog post---a precursor of this book---had a life-changing effect for me. Before, I actually envied the religious people in a way, as they had solace in life---and the life is hard, no matter what you do. But, as a rational and scientifically-minded person, I could not possibly buy into all this Iron (or New) Age cult BS, and so oscillated between common unhappiness and mild depression for the most of my life. Not anymore. I heard about meditation, of course, but always dismissed as something that belongs with the said BS. Only Sam's authority as a truly rational thinker finally broke the ice and I gave it a try. Well, folks---after a year of meditating several times a week and a 10-day retreat, I can say: IT DOES WORK. Life is still hard, but that fact doesn't bother me as much; I feel more connected to the people around me, and way more even-minded. In fact, I can't recall when it was last time me and my wife had an argument (we used to bicker all the time). Besides this anecdotical evidence, there are now thousands of scientific papers on the benefits of meditation, some of which are discussed in the book. However, this is not just yet another book on meditation---it's not only on meditation, and it's not a self-help book---at least in any traditional sense. Unlike most of the former, it's strictly rational and does not give any concessions to any sort of religious accommodation, and unlike the latter it does not give a "30-Day Program to Become Happy" or anything of this sort---although it does discuss practical points. You can look at it as an invitation to look inside our minds, and to use this rational introspection cut through the illusions which are, at the end of the day, the source of our unhappiness. Importantly, "Waking Up" presents a different take on the introspection/meditation techniques than the mainstream meditation literature. Besides introducing the bread-n'-butter mindfulness/vipassana techniques that every novice should start with (there is an extensive literature on that out there), Sam talks about the ways to directly cut through the illusion of the Self, instead of gradually getting to this insight through thousands of hours of vipassana meditation. That part is very interesting, and---depending on the person---it may work right away. However, if you find these instructions totally confusing, I'd suggest to stick to the traditional mindfulness practice, which seems to be a prerequisite for most of the people (for me, at least). The first four chapters is the core of the book, that discusses the problem of consciousness, the Self--and the illusion of thereof, and meditation. The last chapter is somewhat of an appendix that covers various aspects related, one way or the other, to spiritually: the teachers/gurus, near-death experiences, and psychedelic drugs. However, the way it's written, this chapter comes out as an integral part of the book. The prose is superb: elegant, lucid, and to the point. I can't recommend enough the audio version---Sam did an excellent job narrating it. If you are new to the whole meditation thing, I can recommend to first read "10% Happier" by Dan Harris (no relation to Sam). It's a very different, lighter/entertaining book (the audio version is fantastic), but it should serve as an excellent introduction to "Waking Up". Finally, a piece of criticism: I was surprised that Sam didn't discuss the loving kindness (metta) meditation technique in sufficient detail (he does mention it, though). I expected it to be covered: in the very beginning, he talks about his early experience taking MDMA and the effect it had---and you can actually get the same effect through metta. In fact, that's one of the easier experiments to run in the "laboratory of your mind" (it's better to do it after a concentration/mindfulness session, so your mind is sufficiently concentrated). Moreover, this sounds exactly like the kind of experiences many Christians are talking about, but in an absolutely secular, rational context.

The book is well written and in a simple style, which always helps in such endeavors. (for a better experience buy the audio with whispersync narrated by Sam Harris himself) I also liked the way in which the author portrays the notion of spirituality. Although I would not have used the term "spiritual" to describe this phenomenon, I do understand his reasons for doing that, and for lack of a better name, he uses it with the necessary caveats (it does not imply, for example, a believe in the afterlife or the supernatural). He always make clear that spirituality is practice completely separable from the religious domain. He also points to the fact that it has always existed in many forms and shapes, and that it is a very distinct phenomenon from superstitious beliefs. He disentangles it from any mythological obscurantism. Not only in New Era religiosity, but especially within the many Indian traditions that came to symbolize it in the West. He is also honest enough to recognize the ample variety of scams and barefaced gurus that swirl around many “spiritually minded people” and warns readers against it. Lastly, he takes great pains in distinguishing meditative or mystical states from neurological diseases and conditions. Experiences of spirituality, understood as a practice of concentration and awareness, are backed by neuroscientific studies of neuroimaging and fMri that show a very distinct pattern from Schizophrenia, Temporal Lobe paralysis and other brain diseases. It is also distinct from self delusion. Here the evidence comes not from neuro imaging, but from the clinical picture that emanates from their own descriptions of their symptoms. These clearly differentiate “out-of-body experiences” and other clinical hallucinations from meditation practices and their first-person reports of it. (Although he doesn’t mention it, there is also fMRI evidence backing this assertion) There are various chapters dedicated exclusively to understand consciousness according to the most recent studies of the brain’s inner workings, the neurons and known cases of people with exotic conditions. Those are probably the most interesting chapters for anyone not regularly accustomed to neuroscience. For example: How many selfs are there? or is there even something real in the belief of a self? This is, actually, a “delusion” that he devotes a great deal of the book to unravel. It is the so called “illusion of the self”. Buddhist teachings explain that the best way to attain the “Nirvana” or supreme state of well-being is to understand the illusion of the self. Although Harris explains in detail his own understanding of this concept and its consequences (all of them backed or reasonably informed by neuro-scientific studies), he considers that even more important than understanding or attaining this realization is to reap its benefits. In order to do that, he offers some basic exercises sprinkled with stories and anecdotes of his own experiences while learning and practicing them. All of it makes the book, not just an interesting reading, but also a learning experience, and a very entertaining one. There are, however, some parts towards the end of the book, that I found rather disappointing. Specifically his relatively benign treatment of the topic of psychedelic drugs and “enlightenment”. He warns that he does not recommend their use to everyone, but considers that they may “open the doors” to it, as they did for him. Although he doesn’t use them anymore, he still considers them a “uniquely potent means of altering consciousness”. He is talking specifically of his experiences with Hallucinogens such as psilocybin and LSD. I find it disappointing for many reasons. Not the least, that one of those “experiences” could well have taken his life or deeply affected his mental health, as he himself recognizes, or that some of the worst uses of the term “spiritual” have been precisely related to nothing more than poor excuses to the use and abuse of controlled substances. The main reason why I find this disappointing is because his discussion on this topic demonstrates a very poor understanding of the nature of meditation and its relationship with the other so called altered mental states. It is as if Harris was saying that both, deep meditation practices and the use of hallucinogenic or psychedelic drugs, were simply two different, but equally valid and effective paths to self-transcendence. This is not just misleading, but quite untrue, as it contradicts well established scientific results on the topic as well as the intuitions of many dedicated practitioners of passive and active meditation. For a better discussion of this topic I refer the reader to the book Why God Won’t Go Away. It presents an outstanding conceptual and scientific discussion offered by Andrew Newberg and other researchers where they discuss the first fMRIs study of meditative Buddhist monks and contemplative nuns. I recommend specifically the discussion about “mystical” and “cuasi-mystical” experiences and their corresponding differences in the search of what they called the Absolute Unitary State. It is a much richer and profound discussion both in neurological and philosophical terms.

This is an important book in many ways. Perhaps most important because Sam Harris has, for the past several years, been a strong and outspoken critic of organized religion of all stripes. And one thing Harris can do better than almost anyone else, is make his case both clearly and powerfully without any added garbage. If you've watched his many videos on YouTube, you know the man can make an argument and stand his ground without wavering one iota. And the depth of his research is impressive. If Harris kept his message in this same vein, he would stay safe and continue to be accepted as a credible spokesman for the atheist perspective for a long time to come. But did he do that with this book? Not on your life. Harris, makes a whole different argument here, one that many may not be familiar with (but that is on display on his blog posts). Religion may be bunkum, he asserts, but spirituality (which may be the foundation of many religions), is a truly worthy pursuit. No doubt that a great many atheists are not going to like this one little bit. After all, atheists can sometimes be as narrow-minded as believers. For many, spirituality is seen as practically equivalent to religion. But in this book he makes a strong case that nothing could be further from the truth. And he doesn't make his arguments in a detached, completely intellectual way. Some might say that Harris has bought the spiritual kool-aid hook, link and sinker. Harris is a long-time (25+ years) meditator, seeker after wisdom, student of a variety of spiritual practices and disciple of various teachers and gurus in several Eastern traditions. He most closely aligns himself with the school of non-duality or the direct path to awakening. And the stories of his search, his teachers and his realizations, were for me, the most compelling parts of the book. Two of the funniest parts, having to do with burst pipes and a rat in Kathmandu, demonstrate that he can easily poke fun at himself. Now, this is going to go far over the heads of a whole lot of people. This is not simple stuff. It's subtle and deep. And for me, the section on consciousness and the brain wasn't easy reading. Some may have a hard time accepting that his spiritual orientation is nothing but another irrational belief system that he has railed against for so long. So you've got to admit, this guy has guts. First he tears down every organized religion known to man as a bunch of irrational, destructive beliefs that only harm society, and then he takes the position that on the other hand, authentic spirituality is the most worthy pursuit one can possibly engage in. Many people are going to completely misunderstand Harris. (I can't wait to read more of the Amazon reviews as they are posted.) But he's also going to wake up a whole lot of people to a new perspective that they had never even considered seriously for a nanosecond. Some of the most highly regarded non-dualist teachers should be celebrating this book as it lends much credence to their teachings. Teachers and authors such as Rupert Spira (check out his YouTube videos), Greg Goode, and others, speak with clarity and authority about the non-dual perspective and are accessible to western seekers. To say that this book is a watershed moment for spirituality might be hyperbole, but just as Harris made it safer for atheists to come out of the closet, he does the same for those on the path of awakening. I can't wait to see what he writes next!

Sam Harris' Waking Up is a thoughtful, enjoyable, well-written book that accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do: make the case that one can reject traditional organized religious belief as irrational, dangerously divisive, and providing false comfort while still pursuing "spiritual" goals. This is a book that is certain to be controversial, like all of Harris' work. He tackles complex and sensitive subjects, and anyone who has read all of his writing is bound to be displeased by something that he has written (personally, it is his unflinching support for Israel and his questionable position on guns). Still, this is a bright, reasonable, talented writer and mind who is rewarding to engage with. A viewing of any of his interviews, debates or lectures will show that he has a gift for calm, logical discourse. Many of the criticisms of the book seem to be ad hominem attacks on Harris' character. These can be easily dismissed. What is ironic is that people who feel the need to lash out at an author whose opinions make them uncomfortable could probably benefit from the message that he is trying to get across here! I find it strange when Harris is accused of arrogance, when he repeatedly admits in the book that he is far from enlightened. It is important to recognize what this book is not. It is not a guide for how to meditate (plenty of these exist already), it is not an academic study of Buddhism (ditto), nor is it a polemic. It is an attempt to explore the possibility of having a spiritual life (a term Harris carefully qualifies) while remaining skeptical of unnecessary religious dogma, superstition, and charlatans - all too common in the spiritual marketplace. I will not attempt to summarize its contents, but simply recommend this book to anyone who is atheist, agnostic, or simply interested and open-minded about different views on spirituality. This is the kind of book that I would have loved a few years ago when I was letting go of my Catholic upbringing but feeling depressed by the spiritual void left behind. If you have already made up your mind that the "New Atheists" are evil fools, best to avoid (unless you feel compelled to read books that make you angry, in which case, I would gently suggest that you ask yourself why?) I would also recommend reading Alan Watts - especially "The Wisdom of Insecurity" and "The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are." Like Harris, he articulates key elements of Eastern spirituality, and demystifies mysticism in a way that can make a skeptic realize that there may be something to certain "religious beliefs" that might otherwise be dismissed out of hand. If you come away from the book interested in meditation, I recommend "Mindfulness in Plain English" by Bhante Gunaratana. Best wishes to you all in improving your lives and finding true happiness.

This review could be summed up in a single sentence "Read Robert Wright, 'Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment' instead." I came to Waking Up a little bit sceptically, having been put off by Sam Harris many times before. But I'd heard good things about Waking Up, and was really interested in hearing what he had to say in terms of a positive vision. I was even willing to give him a pass on the obligatory nasty, self-congratulatory religion bashing I've come to expect from him (to be clear, I'm also an atheist, and I share much of Harris' general world view). So, I was determined not to let the first chapter of anti-Muslim and anti-Christian boilerplate grumbling affect my review. I was also determined not to let the crass cultural oversimplification "Easterns can't do science but are good at psychology; Westerns can't do psychology but did all the real science" affect my rating. And if you like that sort of thing, it's there. Whatever. It was the meat of the book that held my interest. And Harris is a good writer, and sailed along just fine for a while. I liked the chapters on meditation. They were a bit long on anecdote, but fun and informative. If two or three of those chapters were taken on their own, I'd have given the book a 5 star review. But then, at the point where he laid all the groundwork on mindfulness, and no-self, and the emotional benefits of meditation, he just kind of stopped. So, I get that meditation can help you feel happier, or blissful, or 'one' with the universe. I get that there is no true 'self', and we can experience that enlightenment first hand. But Harris never gets into the practical or philosophical consequences of these experiences, or enlarges on the "what next". It was frustrating, because he led up to this feeling that our spiritual practice of mindfulness and concentration, and even no self should have some bigger implications, than a little bit of self-indulgent woo. Especially after he describes Buddhism as a practical user's manual for the mind. Instead he digresses into a few chapters on mind altering drugs (fun, vaguely interesting stuff) and the difficulty of weeding out predators and kooks from real gurus. Then he bashes Christians and Muslims a bit more, and that's it. Now I'm mostly through Wright's "Why Buddhism is True", and it's already covered all the ground Harris covers, in much greater depth, and to much better effect. Not only does Wright focus on the experiential aspects of meditation, but he spends a lot of time exploring the deeper and broader implications of Buddhist practice and belief. And along the way, Wright explores a few classic sutras of the Buddha, and shows how they might be interpreted as a systematic and rigorous program of self-questioning. This is what I wanted from Harris. Something that explains the problems and contradictions of our Western understanding of the mind and spirituality; that discusses beliefs and practices which can illuminate these problems; and that explores the issues in a way that promises personal growth and intellectual progress. Harris got about half way there, and meanwhile got bogged down in his own narrow conceits.

This is a profound work. I am a fan of Sam Harris' work. The last couple of books were disappointments, but this one exceeds expectations in every way. This quote sums it up: "I still considered the world's religions to be mere intellectual ruins ... but I now understood that important psychological truths could be found in the rubble." We have a longing for contemplation, or transcendence, or something mystical -- let's call it spirituality --- that drives people to religion, while religions drags so much superstition along for the ride. With 90+% of the global population following a religion of some sort, one can not deny that there must be some innate human psychological need. However what is it? Harris promises to look at spirituality with an evidence-based, scientific view. Nothing will be presented that can not be tested in your own experience. If the pursuit of happiness is the goal, spirituality is then a kind of mindfulness to make a path to happiness. Chapter 2 delves into the brain and consciousness. We need to understand who we are. Brain science has advanced tremendously in the past 10 years. He spends a lot of time on split brains, and how there is lot of evidence that there is no single locus of control in the brain. Consciousness emerges the way that the properties of a fluid emerge from the atoms it is made from. And consciousness is divisible: this has serious implications for any religion based on a unified soul. Chapter 3 is an exploration of the illusion of the self. Knowing that consciousness is divisible, there can be no single "I" except as an illusion -- a powerful illusion. Chapter 4 covers meditation -- a little about his own journeys (literally and figuratively) that he made, and some about how meditation bring about a "waking up" as the book is titled. A summary just doesn't do justice to this core of the book. Chapter 5 then explores the intersection of this with religion. Gurus and cult leaders and the nature of spiritual authority. We strive for spirituality, and we need the help of a guide, but those guides can take advantage of the situation. "Head for the door at any sign of deception on the part of a teacher." He has a number of stories to illustrate. He also covers near-death experiences (no evidence that brain function stopped if they retain a memory of the event; Nobody reporting a near death experience was actually dead) as well as the effects of drug may have in helping people understand how profoundly consciousness might be altered. In summary, Harris believes spirituality fills a hole in secularism, humanism, rationalism, and atheism. There are many theists who dislike the silly myths and implausible stories that come with their religion, but stick with the religion for fear of losing that important spiritual feeling. They fear that in honestly following their true belief, they will lose something that only religion can provide. Spirituality after all is a path to happiness, and they believe that without religion they can only be unhappy. Sam Harris may have provided the antidote: you can shed the myths and superstitions, while retaining the important spiritual path to happiness. They are NOT contradictory. It bridges the gap between theists and atheists. It is a very welcome, and possibly very important, story.

Sam Harris, usually a strong critic of religion, begins 'Waking Up' with a decidedly new flavor. Maybe all religion isn’t the ruin of society, but in fact, contains some important psychological truths. Harris isn’t asking, however, that one accept those truths on his word or that of any religious leader. Perhaps there is a middle path between blindly following religion and avoiding spirituality completely, a path that leads to happiness and fulfillment without engagement in the ceaseless change of our minds and the world. Harris suggests a rational definition of spirituality: deepening the understanding of what we call “I” , and recognizing what we call “self” as an illusion, in a way that doesn’t require acceptance of any irrational religious premises. This definition of spirituality presents a fascinating possibility of carving out a functional space between religion and science, geared towards the well-being of humans. This space, Harris points out, already exists, but only in ways that can be categorized as “pseudo-science” or “pseudo-religion”. Harris, for example, dedicated thirteen pages to the cause of debunking the fraudulent claims of Dr. Eben Alexander, a Virginia neurosurgeon who authored a #1 New York Times best-seller on his Near-Death Experience (NDE) in 2012, titled Proof of Heaven. Harris’ comical review of the story leaves one laughing out loud at the resemblance of Alexander’s experience to that of a DMT user’s experience. Could it have been that Alexander simply experienced a surge of DMT, a chemical that already exists in the brain as a neurotransmitter? Harris' take on Alexander's story was refreshing. Also valuable in this book is the way Sam Harris examines the science behind consciousness. There is no physical location in the body where consciousness resides, even in the brain. In fact, Harris points out that those who have had their corpus callosum (the connecter between the two halves of the brain) severed in surgery actually experience a duality of mind, because the two hemispheres operate independently. We all have this duality, but are normally fooled by the communication of the corpus callosum into thinking that our consciousness resides in a unified brain. Sam Harris proves that this ‘consciousness’ can be divided in two. So, is someone who has undergone this surgery, not conscious anymore? Not at all. The concept of a soul “arises from the feeling that our subjectivity has a unity, simplicity, and integrity, that must somehow transcend the biochemical wheelworks of the body. But the spilt-brain phenomenon proves that our subjectivity can quite literally be sliced in two” (page 70). Lack of unity in the brain, suggests the lack of a human soul. As much as we may feel like a self, there is no way to pinpoint the location of this being in our bodies. It’s not in the right or left hemisphere of our brains, so where can it be? We don’t know. Sam Harris says peace can be achieved by searching for this through meditation, because one will only find what he calls the intrinsic selflessness of consciousness. Waking Up includes a chapter on meditation, but Harris doesn’t go on and on about the scientifically proven health and emotional benefits of practice. Those statistics can be read elsewhere. He does explain the benefits of finding good meditation instruction. Harris himself prefers a brand of Zen Buddhism called Dzogchen, and himself studied with Tulku Urgyen. He favors this style of practice because there are direct, empirical instructions aimed at helping one glimpse the true nature of the self. Harris, however, doesn’t explain what experiencing this true nature feels like. He writes that one must experience it for oneself, and encourages the reader to try it, including interspersed instructional sections titled, “How to Meditate”, and “Look for Your Head”. These sections might seem a cheap addition if not backed up by the great wealth of Harris’ knowledge in neuroscience. Sam Harris repeatedly warns the reader about the danger of taking advice from a ‘fradulent’ spiritual guru, or anyone who asks one to accept irrational premises about the self or the nature of reality. He also encourages one to try meditation practices for oneself before endorsing it as effective. His biggest warning is that some of the worst religious ideas in our society will continue to thrive until we can develop rational spirituality. The human mind is the most complex expression of reality, and Harris invites everyone who has not contemplated this to open their eyes and recognize the ‘something’ in them, that, despite all faults, is completely pristine (page 206). If you're at all interested in what Harris has to say about religion, you'll find this book fascinating.

This is the best introduction to a wide secular western audience who are not religious or who are agnostics/atheists of spiritual contemplative waking up traditions in particular Buddhism. Sam Harris is truly brilliant and incisive even if on occasion opinionated. His analysis on the role of obsessive thinking in relation to human discontent and it's ending or dissipation from meditative activity is very clear and incisive. To a large extent Buddhism is about liberating us and ending discontent and opening us to the beauty of our existence through curing us from the disease and misuse of thought. I believe these early pages here are the most important for the reader to take with him. He is aware also of the importance of human compassion and love in spiritual awakening traditions such as Buddhism by examples he brings up but not in any explicit extended manner of discussion. Buddhism is the focus of his spiritual wakening up practices. For Sam Harris it is directly liberative in character without the necessity of metaphysical beliefs in God or an afterlife. Sam Harris is after all a metaphysical naturalist/broadly materialist in character. The more serious practice though of Buddhism is disappointing. Sam Harris likes Dzogchen practice as a direct path to the awakened enlightened mind. Now Dzogchen practitioners who have the outstanding pointing out skills to directly brings their students let alone someone coming to see them who by the way would need much previous serious practice preparation to an enlightenment opening or state of Rigpa are rare in number. The foundational practices of most traditional Dzogchen teachers are complex/esoteric as they say. They would not attract many westerners. Zen practice is certainly more widely accessible to westerners. Sam Harris just I judge unfairly say after many years in zen you do not know if you are practicing correctly. Now correct practice is a difficulty in all Buddhist practices. Good guidance from a teacher is paramount. In light of what Sam Harris has said earlier about thought and human liberation, the silent illumination practice of Sheng Yen in his book The Method of no Method : silent illumination practice is highly recommended. Sheng Yen is in the chinese tradition of zen called Chan. The book can be supplemented by weekly lectures from one of his dharma heirs Gilbert Gutierrez on his Riverside Chan website. Here we do working viable practice justice to the best insights of Sam Harris. The weekly lectures or dharma talks serve as substitute -- again there is nothing better than having a living teacher available for serious spiritual awakening practice such as Buddhism that Sam Harris is advocating--for not having available or even wanting a living teacher. The lectures also amplify what silent illumination practice is and how to avoid pitfalls in the practice. My apologies if the review is too long. I felt I needed to say a lot to do this truly brilliant book justice. And even need--hopefully in not too an opinionated manner-- to give an approach such as silent illumination zen practice that brings out the best of what Sam Harris is saying and in a way that is serious practice viable. This is not to say they are not other good approaches in the spiritual awakening traditions whether Buddhist or not. However silent illumination practice is very simple and direct, much in the spirit of Sam Harris's approach to Waking up that can be more secular in character. Eric Warwick

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is a starting guide to know our spiritual consciousness without religious dogma. The author is very harsh against religious thought (and many people may not like that), but he is compassionate towards the vulnerable people, where it counts.

Les raisonnements sont déroutants et implacables. Sam Harris partage avec une simplicité étonnante des réflexions poussées. Une vraie réflexion scientifique sur la conscience. Un livre qui fait réfléchir. Ca n'est pas un livre sur les religions ou la foi, mais un très bon bouquin à lire si l'on se pose des questions sur la conscience, sa signification, ses implications et sur la spiritualité.

Se sei nella ricerca interiore questo libro fa per te

If I ever resonated with any author's point of view on the same topics the most, this is Sam Harris. Sometimes I feel I am at an echo chamber of sorts when reading Sam Harris' work or listening to his podcasts or the Waking Up app. I had never read his work prior to my interactions with his podcasts and app. Waking Up (the book) is the first of his books I pick up and it has been an amazing experience so far. Apart from resonating with most of what I've thought about so far on the topics of consciousness and mindfulness, his explanations and examples, as well as his erudition on these things is a fresh view for me. It makes you re-think many concepts you probably had before, as well as make you critically think on others not before thought about. Highly recommended for inquisitive minds interested on consciousness, on how to consider mindfulness as not a mere life-hack tool for a facet of your life, but as an invitation to a contemplative life that can change your views on many things, if not all (in a good way). Mind you, the length of this book is not meant to give you all the knowledge you need on this topic, but is a good introduction to it especially if you have some certain knowledge on mindfulness (especially on its Buddhist roots).

苦悩を解放するはずの宗教的探求には、不合理な神話・世界観、知的虐待と思われる教条主義、異教徒への敵意・排他性、まやかしの呪術・魔法など多くの欺瞞がつきまとう。本書では、それらのグロテスクな宗教的信念に一切関わることなく、自己の解放に向けた霊性探求の恩恵に十分あずかることができると提案されている。それらは、一方では意識をめぐる最新の神経科学的知見に基づき、もう一方ではチベットの精神的伝統（dzogchen）の実践的経験に基づくという、著者ならではの特異な立場から述べられている。その探求につきまとうグルと弟子をめぐる、ときにおぞましい問題についても考察されており、とても興味深い。