Secret Drugs of Buddhism is a historical study of psychedelic uses in the Vajrayana tradition. The book attempts to identify the specific ingredients employed in amrita’s earliest formulations, presenting evidence from Bhutan, Japan, Mongolia, Tibet, and India — the land of the Vajrayana’s origin.
“Secret Drugs of Buddhism represents Mr. Crowley’s extraordinary effort to uncover entheogens at the heart of one of humanity’s oldest and most enduring philosophies. Weaving a narrative that is both engaging and challenging, Crowley mixes history, lore, language, a most impressive handle on Eastern religions, and his own unique insights into a book that is as controversial as it is charismatic.” — Tom Hatsis
“Michael Crowley’s book is a major contribution to an important and long-neglected area of ethnopharmacology: the likely use of psychedelic plants and mushrooms in Buddhist traditions. His work deserves to be taken seriously by Buddhist scholars and laymen alike.” — Dennis McKenna
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Why this book matters
- Uncovers the entheogenic roots of the Vajrayana tradition — a long-neglected and potentially transformative area of Buddhist scholarship
- Draws on evidence from India, Tibet, Bhutan, Japan, and Mongolia to identify the psychedelic ingredients of amrita, the sacred ritual substance
- Praised by Dennis McKenna as “a major contribution” that deserves serious attention from Buddhist scholars and practitioners alike
- Combines history, linguistics, ethnopharmacology, and religious studies in a narrative that is as engaging as it is rigorous
- Opens a formerly forbidden conversation about the role of psychoactive substances in one of humanity’s oldest and most enduring spiritual traditions
