Average customer rating:
- An excellent glimpse of Tibetan spirituality
- a great book
- Tibetan Buddhism in Practice
- Diverting
- Fascinating book, leaves you wanting more
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Magic and Mystery in Tibet
Madame Alexandra David-Neel
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
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Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 0486226824 |
Book Description
Seeker, adventurer, pilgrim, and scholar, David-Neel (1868–1969) was the first European woman to explore the once-forbidden city of Lhasa. This memoir offers an objective account of the supernatural events she witnessed during the 1920s among the mystics and hermits of Tibet — including levitation, telepathy, and the ability to walk on water. Includes 32 photographs.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent glimpse of Tibetan spirituality.......2007-09-23
This book present an excellent overview of Tibetan spirituality and the various practices that occur within that spirituality. Perhaps what I liked the best was that the author seemed to avoid incorporating Western cultural biases into her description. Indeed she seemed very intent on describing the practices in an accurate manner.
I was able to take her description of tumo and actually incorporate it into my daily practice. I've also used her chod ritual.
a great book.......2007-05-13
This is information you will find nowhere else. A fascinating book
on the mysterious world of Tibet at the beginning of the last century.
Tibetan Buddhism in Practice.......2006-08-23
While many books about Buddhism and other historically eastern religions focus on high theology, the book describes Tibetan Buddhism as it was practiced in the early 20th century. It is fascinating.
I first read this book in college and have just read it again after many years. It was better the second time around.
The first time, I was entranced by the accounts of exotic magic and mystery. This time I searched for themes and Ms. David-Neel's viewpoint. Dealing with death is the primary theme underlying at least the popular practice of this religion. As for Ms. David-Neel, I was interested in her viewpoint and experience as a Buddhist who did not find the Tibetan version to be her paricular brand. Because of her distance from this version of Buddhism, her accounts of events that she saw or experienced personally are particularly interesting.
Diverting.......2005-03-29
I suppose that Madame David-Neel was truly interested in practicing Buddhism as a means to enlightenment. After all, she went to a great deal of trouble to get to Tibet, learn Tibetan, meet lamas, stay in mountain retreats and borderland monasteries. She must have been a sincere seeker.
But perhaps the idea of a European actually learning truth from "Orientals" was too much for the reading public to handle. Perhaps David-Neel was giving people what they wanted when she wrote about magicians and tricksters and assorted weirdness. Whenever she gets close to her own inner life, she suddenly clams up, saying things like, Whether it is true or not, I can't say, though I have had experiences, but never mind that.
In any case, I found the description of the practice of chod deeply moving. It shares characteristics with Christ's experience on Calvary, and only a deep compassion for all beings could impel one to visualize one's whole being being sacrificed for the salvation even of demonic beings. I wish David-Neel could have been a little less ironic and a little more open about her own passion to learn from the lamas.
Fascinating book, leaves you wanting more.......2003-03-03
This must be a classic book on Tibetan religion and mysticism. It is based on observations from some truly remarkable journeys in Tibet; I only wonder why the author restricts herself when relating what she has seen and heard. Part of the reason may be that she is a sceptical Western-style Buddhist and does not want to be judged as "airy-fairy" by her audience. Nevertheless, she tells of some absolutely fantastic occurences which are rendered even more authentic by her dry, understated style. A fearless person, she handles situations that would have scared most of us out of our wits! But for fear of ridicule, she could no doubt have written a much longer text on this subject.
Amazon.com
In any time, Alexandra David-Neel would have been considered an extraordinary woman, but in the Victorian era, she was truly exceptional. Born in 1868, David-Neel eschewed the dances, dinners, and formal marriages common to women of her era and social standing in order to indulge her fierce independence and insatiable intellectual curiosity. Her interest in comparative religions dated back to early childhood; even as a student in a Catholic convent school, she kept statues of both Christ and the Buddha in her room. She made her first trip to Asia in 1891, then supported herself as a light-opera singer and journalist before marrying a seemingly conventional man, Philip Neel. Fortunately for both Alexandra David-Neel and for posterity, Philip was less stodgy than his position as a well-off engineer might imply; though he did not accompany her, he supported his wife's explorations and even acted as her literary agent when she began to write about the places she visited. Alexandra and Philip remained the closest of friends until his death in 1941.
David-Neel spent years traveling in India and China, but perhaps her most daring adventure was the trip to Tibet's forbidden city of Lhasa. She was 55 years old at the time, fluent in Tibetan and well versed in both Sanskrit and Buddhism. Disguised as a man, she spent four treacherous months on the road before finally becoming the first European woman ever to enter Lhasa. My Journey to Lhasa is David-Neel's own account of her astounding journey, one fraught with hardship and danger. It is both a chronicle of a bygone time and a testimonial to a remarkable human.
Book Description
An exemplary travelogue of danger and achievement by the Frenchwoman Madame Alexandra David–Neel of her 1923 expedition to Tibet, the fifth in her series of Asian travels, and her personal recounting of her journey to Lhasa, Tibet's forbidden city.
In order to penetrate Tibet and reach Lhasa, she used her fluency of Tibetan dialects and culture, disguised herself as a beggar with yak hair extensions and inked skin and tackled some of the roughest terrain and climate in the World. With the help of her young companion, Yongden, she willingly suffered the primitive travel conditions, frequent outbreaks of disease, the ever–present danger of border control and the military to reach her goal.
The determination and sheer physical fortitude it took for this woman, delicately reared in Paris and Brussels, is inspiration for men and women alike.
David–Neel is famous for being the first Western woman to have been received by any Dalai Lama and as a passionate scholar and explorer of Asia, hers is one of the most remarkable of all travellersߴales.
Customer Reviews:
A history of Tibet that no longer exists, we all owe David-Neel a debt.......2007-07-16
Personally, I love this book and have read it more than three times. If, for no other reason, you have an interest in Tibet prior to the Chinese invasion in 1950, this book leaves for posterity a Tibet that no longer exists. The border is gone from modern maps, but even a Westerners' interpretation of their daily lives, is treasure to us all of what once was, a free and spiritually ruled Tibet.
The Chinese have a built a "Disneyland" at the foot of Potalla Palace. I need to remember it before the modern attempt at Chinesification of Tibet.
The Pilgrim was a Lady.......2006-08-11
In 1923 at the age of 55, Alexandra David-Neel put on the robes of a Buddhist monk and walked across Tibet for four months on a pilgrimmage to the holy city of Lhasa. No European woman had ever entered the holy city before, and the road promised many dangers, from wild animals to blizzards to bandits. Her descriptions bear witness to a spunky evolved soul whose scholarly knowledge of Buddhism served her well in her adopted role as an itinerant monk. Her writing is elegant, punctuated by an unselfconscious humor and relentless perspicacity. Truly an adventure trek of many wonders.
An unusual journey to say the least.......2004-01-26
When I was reading the reviews of this book, I was struck by the one of the reviews. It was very negative, and the reviewer missed the beauty of this book entirely. I was glad that I had already read it. I read the reviews because I was curious to see if others had enjoyed the book as much as I did. I was buying it again as a present for a friend. The author was a very unusual person, and this book is very much worth the read. She wrote about customs and values honestly as she saw them. She was not a dispassionate viewer, but I also felt that she was not judgemental or superior. When customs of two peoples are as different as some of Tibet and France are, they will shock a person and that person will remark. However, I felt that she loved and respected the people she wrote about, and she did a remarkable job in recounting what she saw. She gave her readers the pleasure of a most unusual journey with her and her young companion through a country that was worth writing about.
Massively Overrated.......2003-12-24
I did not see what the big deal was, and would not recommend it. Her language and the way she treated people is offensive, Eurocentric, condescending and narrow-minded -- typical of many travel books of this period. For those trying to learn about Tibet, there is not enough here to satisfy. This is your classic I-am-to-be-admired-because-I-left-the-comforts-of-civilization-applaud-me themed books. She is not a traveller but a trophy collector.
Worth the Effort.......2001-03-10
This is a book which I think of often. Ms. David-Neel had or should I say has quite a strong spirit. I would recommend all of her books to anyone interested in spiritual growth, women's triumphs or walking accross high Himalayan passes in the dead of winter with the Lama Yongden. I cross high Rocky Mountain passes regularly, but always in the comfort of an 18-wheeler.
Book Description
This is an account of the Madhyamika (Middle Way) school of Buddhism, a method of mediation and enlightenment that was developed by the great Indian teacher Nagarjuna. In a collaboration between the Frenchwoman Alexandra David-Neel and her friend, the Tibetan lama Aphur Yongden, these teaching are presented clearly and elegantly, intended for the layman who seeks a way to practice and experience the realization of oneness with all existence.
Alexandra David-Neel was born in 1868 in Paris. In her youth she wrote an incendiary anarchist treatise and was an acclaimed opera singer; then she decided to devote her life to exploration and the study of world religions, including Buddhist philosophy. She traveled extensively to in Central Asia and the Far East, where she learned a number of Asian languages, including Tibetan. In 1914, she met Lama Yongden, who became her adopted son, teacher, and companion. In 1923, at the age of fifty-five, she disguised herself as a pilgrim and journeyed to Tibet, where she was the first European woman to enter Lhasa, which was closed to foreigners at the time. In her late seventies, she settled in the south of France, where she lived until her death at 101 in 1969.
Customer Reviews:
The Subtle Aspects of Tibetan Buddhism +++.......2005-11-05
"Yet, despite the occultist flavor of its title, "The Secret Oral Traditions in Tibetan Buddhist Sects", is the most direct, no-nonsence, and down-to-earth explanation of Mahayana Buddhism which has thus far been written. Specifically, it is a wonderfully lucid account of the Madhyamika (or "middle-way") School of Buddhism, a method of meditation and enlightenment which was worked out sometime between 150 and 250 A.D. by the great Indian sage and pandit Nagarjuna." [from the forward by Alan Watts]
Wow!.......2000-10-07
In order to understand this book you must have some knowledge on Buddhism or else you will be completely lost. The book has many eye opening thoughts that will make you say, "Wow, that is so true about society." I think it was a great book and recommend it to anyone who wants to understand a little more to what they already know. This is a great mind-opening book that will make you think twice about all those beliefs you've been taught, for example religious.
One of the best.......2000-06-05
A great quote from the book "Doubt is an incitement to research, and research is the path to true knowledge."
Paraphrase between A David-Neel and her teacher as reported in the book (Note similarities to dialog of Don Juan and Carlos): "Why are these teachings secret? Does that mean I can't write and tell about them?" "No, Alexandra, these teachings are not called 'secret' because it is forbidden to talk about them. They are 'secret' because so few who hear them understand."
An old primer........1999-04-12
This was probably a nice little introductory book for those unacquainted with Buddhism, Tibetan or otherwise, thirty years ago, but there are much better primers available now. Its claim that these are somehow "secret oral teachings" was not true even back then, and I doubt anyone in Tibet would have thought these teachings secret at any time in their history. Indeed, these are largely introductory teachings on the abhidharma and other Intermediate Scope topics that have been a common foundation for all schools of Buddhism for 2500 years. A few peculiarly Tibetan notions are thrown in at the end, but nothing "secret" as far as I can tell. You will do well to look elsewhere for your Buddhadharma.
Incredible.......1998-10-17
I am noticing the similarity of present day quantum physics and some old world theories. I loved what Alan Watts had to say. I found this French philosopher/traveler's stories to be fascinating! Wish I could have traveled with her.
Book Description
Famed traveler and mystic Alexandra David-Neel, the first Western woman to see the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet, examines Eastern concepts of the afterlife in this classic study.
The question of what occurs to the individual personality after death is fundamental to the human experience. In Immortality and Reincarnation Alexandra David-Neel, the first Western woman to see the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet, examines Taoist, Tibetan, and Hindu concepts concerning life after death. Contrary to Western belief, which sees the human being as composed of a mortal body and an immortal soul, many Easterners believe in the immortality of both the body and the soul. Alexandra David-Neel gained firsthand knowledge of these beliefs and the practices they engendered in the course of her travels at the beginning of this century. In Immortality and Reincarnation she ties them together for a unique look at reincarnation and eternal life in a region untouched by the modern world.
Customer Reviews:
Not up to author's usual high standard.......2002-03-10
The author is at her best when she recounts the adventures, both mundane and spiritual, that she encountered during her amazing life and travels. When she expounds on spiritual teachings and doctrines, she is not so skillful.
Given the brevity of the book, one can hardly expect a complete and systematic exposition of the views on the topic of immortality and reincarnation found in China, Tibet and India. Still, the work is so idiosyncratic and choppy that it will be of limited value for anyone seeking an introduction and overview of the teachings and insights offered by these diverse cultures. That is unfortunate, such a work is much needed.
Yet, with these limitation in mind, this work does offer some value for the discerning reader.
Important insight into various interpretations of what it me.......1999-08-01
Important insight into various interpretations of what it means to be immortal,covering Tibetan and Indian beliefs. Alexandra David-Neel seems, to me, to be not only scholarly but also truly spiritual in her approach to this question of what it means to be re-incarnated. The work is intended for serious seekers. It is inspiring, and provocative. It does not set out with any agenda other than to give Westerners a glimpse into the mind of the oriental. It gives no comfort or answers. This , to me, represents its greatest value.
Book Description
The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel is the definitive biography of the explorer Lawrence Durrell called "the most astonishing woman of our time." Alexandra David-Neel was the first European to explore Tibet at a time when foreigners were banned; few have led a life of adventure to equal hers or made so much of it.
In Tibet and Sikkim, David-Neel lived among hermits and shamans while studying first hand the secret mystical practices of Tibetan Buddhism, including out-of-body travel, telepathy, vampiric shamanism, and tantric sex. After returning to France, she wrote more than thirty books, among them My Journey to Lhasa and Magic and Mystery in Tibet. She has had a profound influence on Beat culture and the emergence of American Buddhism.
Drawing from rare source material, including information obtained from the secret files of the India office, Barbara and Michael Foster have written a vividly detailed chronicle-of both David-Neel's quest to conquer her personal demons and of the outer journey that made her one of the most celebrated figures of her day.
Customer Reviews:
A woman explorer .......2005-09-21
Alexandra David-Neel is reputed to be the first Western woman to reach the forbidden city of Lhasa, Tibet. She did so in 1924, a small woman in her mid-50s, disguised as a beggar and accompanied only by her adopted Tibetan son. This was the highlight of a life that lasted until 1969 when she died at age 100.
As the authors point out, however, practically nothing can be said with surety about Mme. David-Neel. One biographer has even claimed that she fabricated the whole story of visiting Lhasa. Probably not -- although she fabricated a lot and was hardly of unimpeachable character. As a matter of fact, although the authors are very respectful of her, she seems a thoroughly selfish, self-centered and repellent person.
David-Neel was a serious student of Buddhism and wrote many books on the subject. One of the juiciest parts of the book concerns the question of whether she participated in group Tantric sex rituals. The authors conclude she probably did.
David-Neel's religion had nothing to do with morality, and it seems unlikely that she ever found inner peace from her Buddhist rituals as she suffered from an endless variety of mental and physical ills. Still, living to be 100 is quite an accomplishment...
Alexandra David-Neel was an opera singer, a hardy and determined traveler, a student of religion, a writer, and a public figure of some note. Some of her papers are still unreleased so the final word about her character and achievements is still to be said. In the meantime this is an entertaining and well-researched biography.
Smallchief
Read Alexandra's own 'My Journey to Lhasa'.......2002-12-24
The best chapters of 'The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel:'
owe much to Alexandra's own account of her journey to Lhasa. Her own books are wonderful to read, all of them , but in particular her 'My Journey to Lhasa' Beacon Press republished it as a paperback in 1993, ISBN 0-8070-5903-X
I can guarantee you will have a most enjoyable read.
Fascinating Biography.......2001-11-01
It is my great pleasure to let Amazon readers know about the exploits of Alexandra David-Neel, the explorer of Tibet, which the Fosters chronicle so vividly in the biography, THE SECRET LIVES OF ALEXANDRA DAVID-NEEL. This bio reads more like a novel or adventure tale due to the wonderfully-detailed scenes with such authentic touches I felt as if I were truly there, and often worried about David-Neel's ability to survive. Obviously the Fosters have done their research incredibly well and write graceful,lucid prose; I was captivated from the first sentence and actually resented having to put down the book to take care of chores. This is is one of the best biographies I have ever read. The story cries out to be told visually on the big screen.
Unique Woman Explorer at Turn of Century.......2001-09-16
Little known crossdressing Victorian Frenchwoman undertakes a dangerous journey of discovery in forbidden country disguised as a monk and lives to tell her tale to the world. Thoroughly well researched,and well crafted The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel is the biography of a remarkable woman. A woman born to the mannered and circumscribed Victorian era who chose to strike out on her own initiative to explore the spiritual secrets and she was among the first Europeans to report about it from inside to the rest of the world.
I found it a fascinating read about a remarkable woman of whom I knew nothing, a woman who accomplished amazing things in her life. I recommend this biography by Barbara and Michael Foster to anyone interested in tales of high adventure in exploration, in the golden age of exploration and of unknown exotic lands. If the story of resolutely fearless woman pursuing her dream of exploring Forbidden Tibet whets your appetite I recommned you read this well crafted biography. I can recommend it without reservation. ZaneMason
Unique Woman Explorer at Turn of Century.......2001-09-16
Little known crossdressing Victorian Frenchwoman undertakes a dangerous journey of discovery in forbidden country disguised as a monk and lives to tell her tale to the world. Thoroughly well researched,and well crafted The Secret Lives of Alexandra David-Neel is the biography of a remarkable woman. A woman born to the mannered and circumscribed Victorian era who chose to strike out on her own initiative to explore the spiritual secrets and she was among the first Europeans to report about it from inside to the rest of the world.
I found it a fascinating read about a remarkable woman of whom I knew nothing, a woman who accomplished amazing things in her life. I recommend this biography by Barbara and Michael Foster to anyone interested in tales of high adventure in exploration, in the golden age of exploration and of unknown exotic lands. If the story of resolutely fearless woman pursuing her dream of exploring Forbidden Tibet whets your appetite I recommned you read this well crafted biography. I can recommend it without reservation. ZaneMason
Book Description
Noted authority discusses mystic rites and doctrines, methods of psychic training among lamas, magicians, yogis, etc. Covered are various kinds of initiations and their aims, role of the spiritual guide and choice of a master, oral instruction, spiritual exercises, "gymnastics" of respiration, many other aspects of Tibetan religious practice. David-Neel was practicing Buddhist, linguist, resident of Tibet for 14 years. 27 black-and-white illus.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent survey of Tibetan beliefs and practices.......2007-09-23
The author is forthright about the cultural differences between the west and Tibet and for that matter recognizes that no words can really even begin to express the actual experiences she had in Tibet. That said, she does an excellent job of explaining the spiritual culture of Tibet and the practices that involve initiation.
This is a must read for anyone who wants to get an idea of the Tibet of yesterday and the Tibet that is currently occupied by china
Notes on Tibetan Buddhism of Generations Past.......2005-01-30
This book is a description of the practices of Tibetan Buddhism found by David-Neel during her tenure in Tibet during the early part of the Twentieth Century. David-Neel had spent many years living in Tibet and studying Buddhism before she wrote this book, even adopting a Tibet son, Lama Yongden. This book describes the main beliefs and ceremonies of Tibetan Buddhism as David-Neel observed them at that time.
The first sentence of the text reminds us that her task is practically unachievable "To present to Westerners a perfectly clear and complete idea of the mysticism of the Tibetans is practically impossible." David-Neel was remarkably cognizant of the immensity of the cultural differences that she was trying to bridge, far more so that many other travel writers of her era. Her fluency in the language and spiritual commitment helped her gain a foothold in the mysterious city of Lhasa, closed at that time to all foreigners-except her.
In this book, David-Neel takes on a variety of topics, including: Tibetan mysticism, kinds of initiations and their meanings, daily spiritual exercises, a historical overview of the Dalai Lamas, types of Buddhism, morality in Tibetan Buddhism, meditation and the cultivation of attention, and the Tibetan intelligentsia. To capture some of the essence of Tibetan mystics, David-Neel terms them "spiritual sportsmen," referring to the boldness of the Tibetan mystics and "their singular impatient desire to measure their strength against spiritual obstacles or occult foes." As she describes some of the types of initiation, these ideas become more clear. For example, in one initiation, the initiates demonstrate their determination to exercise mind over matter as they sit naked for hours in the cold and swallow a four-inch long burning candle. Later in the book, she stresses that the initiation is "not intended to communicate knowledge, but rather to transmit the power to do some physical or mental act."
The workings of the subconscious mind are extremely important to these mystics, and David-Neel tells us how the mystics use the study of sleep and dreams to determine intent, where it can be studied free from the constraints of conscious action. In their beliefs, a person who dreams he murdered someone is guilty of murder because the dream shows his or her true intent. In contrast, a person can actually kill someone and not be guilty of murder, if he or she had no personal motive in the affair. It is intent, and solely intent, upon which the system of morality is based.
This book is not intended to be a guide or introduction to the Buddhist faith, although it does include material summarizing some sacred Buddhist texts. Buddhists are very diverse in their beliefs, and while a number of the statements David-Neel includes are familiar to all Buddhists, some of the practices described here would be abhorrent to many, and may be quite different in modern practice, even in Tibet. As a historical document, however, the book is fascinating in its description of the ceremonies, initiations, and beliefs of Buddhist mystics in early Twentieth Century Tibet.
Oldie but goodie!.......1999-07-01
David-Neel, Alexandra. Possibly the first European woman to do the three year+ retreat, died at the age of 102 in 1969. Her Initiates and Initiations, published in 1931 and translated from the original French Initiations Lamaiques is one of the earliest attempts to explain honestly to the much-obfuscated Western mind (viz. the term lamaique), the nature of the ongoing process that is the method employed by Vajrayana teachers. She understood how less educated Tibetans viewed certain teachings compared with the perceptions of the intellectuals. The chapter on the intelligentsia exists only in the English version, by the way.
Her knowledge of the other Buddhist traditions and of the history of early Buddhism enabled her to attempt to trace the evolution of concepts such as that of Nirvana, for example. She clearly exposed the difference in interpretation by Buddhists of terms that may have had their origins in Hinduism. Her knowledge of Sanskrit and Tibetan enabled her to discuss the different connotations that an expression has even though it seems to refer to the same idea. She had a good grasp of the history of the Kagyu and the other lineages, and showed a surprisingly sophisticated view of the history of Tibet and its relations with its neighbours. Interesting, too, or should I say again, were her observations on the position of the young Dalai Lama in those early days. This edition was printed in 1973 by Ryder in London.
Book Description
The colorful tale of the successful flowering of an obscure, ancient Eastern sect in the modern world.
In a single generation, Tibetan Buddhism developed from the faith of a remote mountain people, associated with bizarre, almost medieval, superstitions, to perhaps the most rapidly growing and celebrity-studded religion in the West.
Disaffected with other religious traditions yet searching for meaning, huge numbers of Americans have found their way to the wisdom of Tibetan lamas in exile. Earthy, humorous, commonsensical, and eccentric, these flamboyant teachers—larger-than-life characters like Lama Yeshe and Chogyma Trungpa—proved to be charismatic and gifted ambassadors for their ancient religion. So did two Western women, born in Brooklyn and London's East End, whose homegrown religious intuitions turned out to be identical with the most sophisticated Tibetan teachings, revealing them to be reincarnated lamas.
With great flair for both the sublime and the human, Jeffrey Paine narrates in page-turning, richly informative fashion how Tibetan Buddhism—rarified and sensual, mystical and commonsensical—became the ideal religion for a "post-religious" age.
Customer Reviews:
When Westerners Went East and What They Found There.......2007-10-17
In the beginning, Westerners went East,with such Victorian voyagers as Alexandra David-Neel (who gets a brief bio in this book) and Sir Richard Francis Burton,who penned the first English translation of the Kama Sutra. "Re-enchantment" studies Westerners' fascination with Tibetan Buddhism in particular, and why Buddhism grows in the West.
"Re-enchantment" is a series of portraits, from Lama Yeshe,one of the first Tibetan monks to teach Westerners to Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, the alcoholic and promiscuous founder of Shambhala Buddhism. Jeffery Paine doesn't gloss over the controversial aspects of people's lives. He sees it as essential to telling their stories. He interviews Richard Gere, and meditates on Tenzin Palmo,the English woman who lived as a hermit in the Himalayas in "The Land of Living Dakinis (Sky Goddesses)." He wrestles with whether or not Jetsunma Akhon Lhamo (nee Alyce Zolli) is a living reincarnation of a 17th century Tibetan female teacher,despite her living a lavish lifestyle and enjoining her former lovers-both male and female-to live celibate lives in her monastery.
Paine understands Tibetan Buddhism's enchantment. It promises peace, compassion, a life free of illusions. He connects monotheism with the 9/11 attacks as well as the current war in Iraq. For Paine, Buddhism is about happiness-for one's self and others-without the disquieting aspects of God and dogma. It is no wonder,then,Buddhism continues to grow in the US, and even in Germany, the home of the current Pope, the Dalai Lama is the more favored spiritual leader.
Interesting, Easy Read, Somewhat Perceptive.......2007-10-12
The goal of this book is to relate the stories of people who brought Tibetan Buddhsm or who received it from Tibet and carried it further into the West. There are chapters on Tenzin Palmo, Dalai Lama, Chogyam Trungpa, Lama Yeshe, and others. One especially interesting chapter for me focused on Jarvis Jay Masters, a prisoner on death row at San Quentin Penitentiary because he killed a prison guard.
Jarvis discovered Tibetan Buddhism through an article in a magazine that had been given him. Eventually he received initiation from a Tibetan Lama within prison. According to the book, a prisoner known as a Buddhist is in more in jeopardy than others.
The author's style is quick moving and interesting. Probably non-Buddhists who are interested in Buddhism or this particular aspect of it would enjoy this book. Buddhists might feel it worth reading and intriguing --despite its popular presentation.
Tibetan Buddhism and Spiritual Regeneration.......2005-06-06
At the beginning of "Re-Enchantment", (2004) a study of Tibetan Buddhism and the West, Jeffery Paine describes Thomas Merton's journey to Dharamsala, the home of the Tibetan government in exile, in 1968. Paine describes how Merton's initial skepticism towards the Tibetan form of Buddhism quickly vanished and how Merton came to think that this then-obscure sect of Buddhism might "spiritually reanimate" (p.8) the West.
Following his exploration of Tibetan Buddhism's reception in the West, Paine discusses (pp. 257-259) three factors that he believes have influenced many people in the West in their search for spiritual renewal: 1. universality and nonpartisanship, by which Paine means that this esoteric Buddhist sect has been transformed in the West to a religion accessible to people of all backgrounds, races, and creeds; 2. individual responsibility, by which Paine means the emphasis given in all schools of Buddhism to individuals working towards their own enlightenment; and 3.heightened capabilities, or the hope Tibetan Buddhism holds out of deepening one's understanding of oneself and reaching new spiritual depths. Paine concludes that "even if Tibetan Buddhism disappeared tomorrow, it would have meanwhile enriched numerous lives and renewed appreciation for what spirituality is." (p. 260)
This is an inspiring vision indeed, and there is much in Paine's study and to teach. Paine introduces the reader to a mixed group of seekers who helped bring Tibetan Buddhism to westerners searching for a revitalized form of spirituality. The prominent characters include Alexandra David-Neel, a woman who made a hazardous journey to Lhasa in the 1920s, while in her mid-50s, overcame her own skepticism, and helped spread early knowledge of Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, Diane Perry, an English woman raised in the slums who became a Tibetan Buddhist nun named Tenzin Palmo and spent 12 years meditating in a cave in Tibet, Lama Thubten Yeshe, one of the first Tibetan lamas to attempt to teach Westerners, the American Harold Talbot, one of the first Americans to study in Tibet and the founder of a publishing house, and, of course primarily, the Dalai Lama himself. The book also discusses other important figures with a mixed influence including Chogyam Trungpa, a former Tibetan monk who became highly influential in the United States but whose life and particularly that of his successor was tainted by sexual, alcoholic, and financial scandal, and Catherine Burroughs, the founder of a large Tibetan center outside Washington, D.C. who has been described in Martha Sherrill's highly critical book, "The Buddha from Brooklyn" (2000)
There is much to be learned from this account, and Paine does not hesitate to point out the scandals that have plagued Tibetan Buddhism in the West, or its adoption by a host of Hollywood and media types. But he also points out that there is something fresh and alive in the movement and that, transplanted and Westernized, Tibetan Buddhism, has brought awakened many people of differing backgrounds -- including secularists -- to possibilities of spiritual growth within themselves.
Paine's book lacks the detail and breadth of a scholarly study. His decision not to include at least a basic bibliography was unfortunate. More importantly, the book does not give much of an account of the teachings of Buddhism and of the specific teachings of Tibetan Buddhism. Such an account, of course, is essential to understanding how this form of Buddhism has itself been transformed by its contact with the West. There is also some tendency, common to many writers on this subject, towards idealization of Tibetan Buddhism -- a too quick attempt to project some of the needs and values of Western secularism onto a religious teaching from a much different source.
Paine's study, I think, is too quick and too heady, but still valuable. I recommend that those readers wanting a more scholarly and sober account of the doctrinal bases of Tibetan Buddhism, as transferred to the West, see the many books of Professor David Lopez. His "Prisoners of Shangri-La" is a good place to start.
Robin Friedman
A magic carpet ride.......2004-09-17
If you want to travel the high himmalayas, find samadhic bliss in a freezing cave, and meet an unimaginable cast of characters rendered in their full-robed glory and unabashed humanity, read this book. If you want to follow the careful hand of a smiling scholar and come to understand the diaspora of Tibetan Buddhism to the west in the last century, likewise.
Re-enchantment, Tibetan Buddism comes to the west.......2004-08-24
Jeffery Paine has told the story of the deepest spiritual migration of the 20th Century with the compassionate eye of a trained historian, a master storyteller and an experienced guide. Don't look to this lively recounting to judge who in this surprising diaspora has followed or represented the true path of the Buddha; the truth in all roads comes apparent in this marvelous survey. Look to it instead for an intimate glimpse into the main characters in the drama, from the indefatigable, pint-sized centenarian Alexandra David Neel to the freewheeling Chongyam Trongpa. A must read, for neo-buddhist and non.
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