pt. 1. Foundations of Vajrayana ; The Indian prelude ; How the Vajrayana came to Tibet : the early spreading of the Dharma ; How the Vajrayana came to Tibet : the later spreading and beyond ; The Vajrayana in the context of the three-yana journey ; The view of Vajrayana ; pt. 2. Entering the Vajra world ; Some initial Vajrayana perspectives ; The world beyond thought ; The Vajra master ; Entering the Vajrayana path ; Tantric practice : meditation on the yidam ; Subtleties of practice : the inner yogas ; pt. 3. Meeting the essence of mind ; Mahamudra : the great symbol ; Dzokchen : the great perfection ; pt. 4. Tantric applications ; Lessons in mortality : death and dying in trantric practice ; Bodhisattvas in the world : tülkus, reincarnate lamas ; Themes of a Tülku's life ; The practice of solitary retreat ; The passing of a realized master.