Scholars from western Europe discuss both minute details and general questions concerning early medieval Tibet, reflecting the gradual growth of knowledge over the past decades. Covering social and political history, literary and oral transmission, and Chinese trends in Tibetan Buddhism, they discuss six topics, among them the relations of the 11th-century Tsong kha tribal confederation to its neighbor states on the Silk Road, the narrative History of the Cycle of Birth and Death, and the conjunction of Chinese Chan and Tibetan Rdzogs chen thought. No index is provided. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)