Vessantara – A Guide to the Deities of the Tantra

Description

A Guide to the Deities of the Tantra is a free ebook written by Vessantara, is a senior member of the Western Buddhist Order.

Born Tony McMahon in London in 1950, he gained an MA in English at Cambridge University. He became interested in Buddhism in his teens, and first had direct contact with Buddhists in 1971. In 1974 he was ordained and given the name Vessantara, which means ‘universe within’.

In 1975 he gave up a career in social work to become more involved with the development of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. Since then he has divided his time between meditating, studying, and assisting the development of several Buddhist centers, including retreat centers in England, Wales, and Spain.

Vessantara is much in demand as a Buddhist teacher. For seven years he led three-month courses for people entering the Order and now gives talks and leads retreats and workshops throughout Europe and Australasia.

He has written several books, including Tales of Freedom, The Mandala of the Five Buddhas, The Vajra and Bell, and Female Deities in Buddhism.