Dzogchen, meaning "great perfection" in Tibetan, is an advanced practice associated particularly with Bon, the native religion of Tibet, and the Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism. This book provides a study and translation of the "Authenticity of Open Awareness", a foundational text of the Bon Dzogchen tradition.

In this book, Anne Carolyn Klein, an American scholar and teacher of Buddhism, and Geshe Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a rigorously trained Tibetan Lama who was among the first to bring Bon Dzogchen teachings to the West, provide a study and translation of the Authenticity of Open Awareness, a foundational text of the Bon Dzogchen tradition. This is the first time a Bon philosophical text of this scope has been translated into any Western language, and as such it is a significant addition to the study of Tibetan religion and Eastern thought. Klein and Rinpoche provide extensive introductory, explanatory and historical material that situates the text in the context of Tibetan thought and culture, thus making it accessible to nonspecialists, and an essential reference for scholars and practitioners alike.

The text is an important exposition on the Dzogchen contemplative traditions of Bon, and its translation offers a major contribution to contemporary understanding of Tibetan philosophical and religious traditions.