A contemporary landmark in English-language writing on the subject of Tibetan Buddhism, this antiquarian text contains a wealth of information written in a remarkably clear manner and accompanied by a plethora of rich visual documentation in the form of photographs and line drawings. A book containing an extraordinary amount of factual documentation pertaining to Tibetan Buddhism, this text provides a fascinating insight into the roots and practices of the religion and, given the destruction of a great deal of Tibetan religious sites, a lot of what has been recorded here will never be seen again - making this rare text a must-have for anyone interested in the subject. Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Austine Waddell was a British explorer, Professor of Chemistry and Pathology, British army surgeon, philologist, amateur archaeologist, Doctor of Laws, and author. This rare book was originally published in 1895 and is proudly republished here with an introductory biography of the author.