About the Author

Tam Shek-wing (1935- ) is a Buddhist scholar, painter, poet, writer and social critic. He is the founder of the Vajrayana Buddhism Association and Sino-Tibetan Buddhist Studies Association in North America. He lives in Toronto, Canada, with his family. Born in Guangzhou, China, Tam was exposed to subjects ranging from the arts to philosophy and science, laying the foundation for a long, multi-faceted career. As a young man, he received systematic training in the Nyingma tradition under the guidance of H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche. At the age of 38, he was ordained a Vajra Archarya by H.H. Dudjom Rinpoche and was given the responsibility to spread Buddhism in the West. Tam has published over 80 books on Buddhism; the most recent series is called Beyond Words, aiming to highlight key teachings beyond the surface meaning. His works have sparked interest in new curricula in Buddhism at universities such as Renmin and Tsinghua in China, where he is now a visiting professor.