PSYCHOLOGY OF BUDDHISM: A practical guide to self-knowledge

Dedicated to my parents

I express my great gratitude to all my spiritual teachers and mentors

His Holiness

the Dalai Lama XIV (Ngagwang Lovzang Tengjin Gyatso) – spiritual leader, follower of Tibetan Buddhism.

To the Head of the Tibetan House, the Honourable Geshe Dorji Damdula La

To the staff

of the Tibet House of Russia

© Alexander Karacharov, 2025

© Karacharov A.E., 2025

"Google Translate trans."

Annotation

Through the mists of the ages, the wisdom born within the walls of ancient Nalanda, the cradle of knowledge, where the mind sought enlightenment, echoes. This book is a journey into the heart of Tibetan Buddhism, where the Nalanda Philosophy has been given new life, flourishing in picturesque valleys and impregnable monasteries. The author, a physician and psychologist, reveals to us the innermost secrets of the mind, as they were understood by the great teachers of the past. We will delve into the depths of consciousness, explore the subtle edges of perception, feel the storm of emotions and find the way to inner silence by following the ancient paths laid out by the sages of Nalanda.

The book does not just talk about psychological principles, it invites transformation, opening the gates to understanding yourself and the world through the prism of Buddhist wisdom. It intertwines the threads of ancient texts and the modern understanding of the psyche, creating a mesmerizing canvas that can touch the very depths of the human soul. Open this book and let the wisdom and teachings of the ancient monasteries of Tibet illuminate your path to yourself.

From the author

A Wake-Up Call from the Heart of Tibet

Imagine a mountain pass shrouded in mist, where the wind carries the whisper of mantras and the echo of ancient teachings. It was there, in the heart of Tibet, where heaven meets earth, that this book was born. Not as a dry statement of facts, but as a guiding thread woven from personal experience and the age-old wisdom of Tibetan Buddhism.

My journey began not with a scientist's office, but with a pilgrimage to the roots. I was looking not just for knowledge, but for living experience, a touch of wisdom that had been passed from mouth to mouth, from heart to heart for centuries. I wandered through the monasteries lost among the peaks, listened to the speeches of lamas whose eyes radiated peace and understanding, and immersed myself in meditation practices rooted in the Nalanda teachings.

This book is not just a story about the psychology of Buddhism, it is an invitation to a journey through the labyrinths of one's own mind, illuminated by the light of ancient wisdom. Here you will not find dry theories, but rather the keys to understanding yourself and the world, tested by time and the experience of thousands of practitioners.

Let this book be your guide to a world where mind and heart merge in harmony, where every breath is a step towards awakening, and every glance is an opportunity to see the world in a new way. Open its pages and you will hear the call of Awakening, echoing from the heart of the Himalayas.

Preface

Dear Reader,

Get ready to embark on a journey not only in space, but also in time, to the origins of wisdom that can illuminate the most secret corners of our inner world. This book is like a key that opens the gates to ancient Nalanda, where the psychology of Buddhism blossomed among flowering gardens and meditative groves, like a lotus growing out of muddy water.

In this legendary Nalanda University, where the echoes of the sages' debates merged with the whisper of prayers, a deep understanding of the human mind was born. Scientists and philosophers of the monastery university, immersed in contemplation and analysis, explored the subtlest nuances of consciousness, like jewelers cutting a precious stone. They were looking for answers to the eternal questions: what is thought, what is emotion, and how to free ourselves from the shackles of suffering generated by our inner world?