Secret Drugs of Buddhism: Psychedelic Sacraments and the Origins of the Vajrayana

I saw the author give a lecture based on some of the things in this book and it sparked my interest. Glad I took the step to get the book. Really interesting information done by someone who has deep knowledge of what they are speaking about. Couldn't put it down or recommend it enough!

Most mushroom trips last only 4 hours or so, but the author manages to sustain a meandering long-form argument for a series of trippy "insights" that lack scholarly rigor and real evidence. As samples, the captions to the plates read as ridiculous and expose the argumentation as far-fetched and ungrounded speculation. See Chris Bennett's review here and extended discussions off amazon, which highlights just a few major missteps and misrepresentations in this book. Likewise, do not be misled by the presence of Sanskrit, Tibetan and Chinese characters - this author is completely unqualified to comment on etymology and semantics, which drives so much of his discussion.It is likely that psychoactive substances were once present in soma and perhaps amrita - but we have been comfortable with such hypotheses for decades. As Bennett rightly laments, this type of work - presented as critical, scholarly, and academic - undermines legitimate inquiries into the role of psychedelics in the development of the world's religions, which must be foremost informed by expertise in these languages.

First heard about this from lectures the author gave that were on podcasts I listen to. So hooked by the story I needed to get this book and read it asap!

A very interesting book that explores the use of psychedelics in Buddhism.

Following an amusing bio, Crowley gives a history of Northwestern India, and examines all the major candidates for soma. He then gets to the meat of the subject - the nature of amrita (Sanskrit for "immortality"), from the word's use in the Rig Veda (as a synonym for soma) to its later, Buddhist, use as a Vajrayana sacrament. The book provides hundreds of scholarly citations, explanatory footnotes, and several appendices (including one on Tibetan magic pills).The illustrations (of which there are over 300) are especially useful, particularly those from the 9th century Japanese Shojo Madara scroll. This is a treasure trove of information which I will read and re-read.

Honestly, I was expecting a little bit more than page after page of "Hey! Doesn't look like a mushroom?"

The author dives into a deep investigation of tantric Buddhism and its secret rites demonstrating the strong possibility that psychedelic substances have formed a key incredient in Vajrayana sacraments since its beginning.

This is a comprehensive and academic book on the subject of sacred sacraments. This is a must-have for the initiate.

While there’s no doub of the entheogenic elements in Vajrayana initiations, this is the work of some yankee hippie who now wears a suit, with no real knowledge either academic nor traditional. It is a long, boring rehash of some already known facts, repetitive and mediocre.

Thanks