Book Description
The Heart of the World recounts an extraordinary journey into one of the most inaccessible places on earth, and a pilgrimage to the heart of Tibetan Buddhism. Tibetan prophecies proclaim that the greatest of beyul, or mystical sanctuaries, lies at the eastern edge of the Himalayas, veiled by a colossal waterfall in the forbidding Tsangpo gorge. After years of investigation, world-class climber and Buddhist scholar Ian Baker and his National Geographic-sponsored team made worldwide news by finding a magnificent 108-foot-high waterfall—the legendary grail of both Western explorers and Tibetan pilgrims.
Customer Reviews:
Good Lord, how did this book get so many glowing reviews.......2007-10-10
...coz when you strip out all the mystical nonsense about sages and esoteric texts and the like, it's just another bush bash into an admitteddly remote part of Tibet that's hard to travel through. But not worth the tedious descriptions of every rock and puddle and leech that the author encounters. There's nothing mystical about the Tsangpo Gorge, it's just remote, tough to get to, tough to travel through, sparsely inhabited and it has a few Tibetan monastries and villages. Whoop-de-doo. What's different to the rest of Tibet. I suspect this guy toked up a bit to much in Kathmandu. Which is admittedly a good place to do it...
Anyhow, if you like crystals, mystical navel gazing and Lopsang Rampa, this book is for you. If you're an outdoors kind of a person who enjoys travelling the wilder parts of the world in person rather than vicariously (as it appears all reviewers to date do...), then give this book a miss. The guys a poser making a big song and dance out of a fairly routine kind of a trek into a remote and admittedly hard to travel destination.
Haven't tried getting into the Tsangpo myself yet but it's on my list of places to go and having done quite a bit of trekking in the Himalaya's (and not on guided treks with porters I might add), I know something about the area and what its like. Mystical my a**. More like poor, dirty, leech-infested and physically demanding. And as for esoteric texts and sages in the mountains back of Kathmandu - I've trekked in back of Kathmandu for a couple of months - way way back of Kathmandu - and sages there ain't - poor mountain villages there are, yaks there are, illiterate villages there are in plenty, the sages may be there but it sounds to me more like this guys spinning a line....a good one mind you, but nevertheless....
Anyhow, you have been warned, If you like this kind of made-up mystical nonsense, you'll love this book. If you're into hard trekking, forget it. Although the trip down the Tsangpo is interesting if you can ignore the nonsense this guy spouts.
High Adventure and Impeccable Scholarship.......2007-09-30
Ian Baker, explorer and Buddhist scholar, narrates a sequence of incredible journeys to the Tsango Gorge in Tibet, the hidden and inaccessible Beyul Pemako.
The book can be read on many levels: as an engrossing adventure; the depiction of a man's passion, determination and endurance to achieve a goal in the face of incredible hardships; rarely described Tibetan customs; and the contrast between the spirituality of the Tibetans and the materialism of the Chinese who were penetrating the area at the same time as the author.
The thread that weaves the narrative together is the inner journey that unfolds as Baker traverses the sacred geography of the area as revealed by Buddhist texts, Tibetan lamas and the experiences of the author and his team. Backed by historical textural references and oral traditions, the author encounters the living, pulsing presence of this landscape in the form of the body of the dakini goddess Dorje Pagmo and her energy centers or chakras. He and his team successfully access the throat of the goddess, the hidden gorge with its long-sought waterfall.
After his arrival at the waterfall, his journey culminates in a visit to the sacred site of Gompe Ne on the banks of the Tsampo River where he enacted, as countless pilgrims before him have, a birth-death-resurrection using the sacred geography of the site.
I was constantly reminded of experiences in the Andes, especially Peru and the Andean Path, where the exchange of energies between man and the natural world and its sacred landscapes create spiritual alchemy and inner spiritual transformation.
The non-fiction and Eastern version of the da Vinci Code.......2007-07-02
A fantastic book for readers who are interested in learning about Tibetan Buddhism, the Tibetan culture and the Tibetan way of living, and readers who enjoy visiting and / or reading about exotic places on earth.
I picked up this book right after a trip to Tibet with my 4-year old son and truly enjoyed reading it. It took me deeper into the land that I had just visited by illuminating a bit about its history, its incredible natural beauty, its people's belief system and, most importantly, the interconnectedness of all. It is a well written book and Ian Baker has done an outstanding job of getting the reader very close to the actual experience.
Connecting with nature is certainly a powerful way to get connected in life and, once connected, the ultimate discoveries are often of the hidden secrets in one's soul.
If you are not convinced about reading this book, I highly recommend viewing the related photos on hollot's site (find the site by doing a search on "hollot + sardar" since amazon does not allow posting URL's).
Great reading >The Heart of the World: A Journey to Tibet's Lost Paradise.......2007-03-31
The Heart of the World: A Journey to Tibet's Lost Paradise takes you on a journey into canyons when no one as recorded before...breath taking..
stumbling among leeches, logs, bogs and Tibetan hermitages.......2007-03-27
The Tsangpo river cuts the eastern Himalayas to join Brahmaputra in the jungles of Assam. Intrepid British explorers have chartered most of its course during the glorious days of the Raj - leaving unexplored ~10 mile stretch of an inaccessible 'Tsangpo gorge'. Because the altitude difference between Tibet and India cannot be accounted for by the known flow of Tsangpo, the Brits hypothesized that this stretch of the river contains a large waterfall (or a series of them). This book describes several expeditions undertaken 1990-2000 by Baker and his colleague Hamid Sardar to solve this geogrpahical enigma.
Both adventurers speak Tibetan and have a working knowledge of Tibetan tantra, both completed silent meditation retreats in isolated caves and both practiced with 'tantric consorts', Tibetan & Indian women placed on special diets (consisting of rose leaves and gold) trained to help men achieve a 'union of male and female principles in order to recognize the ultimate Emptiness of all phenomena." While Baker tittilates the reader here, he never delivers real information.
Baler obtained a number of esoteric texts from lamas familiar with the Tsangpo territory - the texts detailed magical places throughout the gorge, incantation 'keys' necessary to 'open' those places, the nature of 'deities' residing in them and the value of their help to realization of the fact that 'nothing inherently exists on its own'. Heh. These texts, as well as subsequent Baker's narrative, reveal that the valley has ALWAYS been known to and lived in by Tibetans and local Monpa & Lopa tribes; it was never unknown, never had to be discovered and the rivalries driving American and Chinese expeditions to chart the river portrayed in the book seem pointless and even slightly comical. As well as poignant: expeditions (including Baker's own) were quite content leaving ailing and weak members behind to fend for themselves. Personally, I found the obsession with 'discovering' and 'exploring' a bit disconcerting. Why do we have to document, photograph, chart etc. every nook and cranny on this planet? Why can't we let it be? let local people be? What is the confusticated point?
Baker insists on describing every single leech-infested forest and swamp on their way, every impassable boulder, pass, rivulet, stone or log which, with 500 pages, merge into a general picture of hardship, malaise, effort, hunger, leaking tents and, above all, sheer survival luck. There were so many cases where the 'pilgrims' appeared to wander aimlessly, in the dark or fog, having lost their native guides only to find them at the end of the day, against all odds huddling around a fire, that one is forced to contemplate the possibility of divine guidance.
I would mention the fascinating account of 'poison cults' in local villages, and of small Tibetan monasteries and hermitages, scattered throughout the most inaccesible parts of the valley..., the gift of psychedelic mushrooms to a Tibetan hermit monk, and the touching relationship that developed between the Chinese liason officer, 'Mr. Gunn', and Occidental adventurers. Between the lines we can also read about havoc that local Monpas wreak upon local fauna (with mass-killing of rare animals such as the takin buffalo and tigers) and the much more serious Chinese depredation consisting of systematic mechanized exploitation of Tibetan natural resources and destruction of the environment (not to mention cutural genocide). Perhaps understandably, Baker wants to preserve his future access to Tibet.
The greatest weakness of the book is that we learn little about Baker's own practices and realizations. We learn a lot about leeches and orchids, but what was going on with the lama's daughter mentioned early in the book? what about the tantric consorts? what (if any) spiritual realizations and benefits did Baker and Sardar derive from obsessive backpacking along the Tsangpo...? We also don't learn who financed these expensive yearly expeditions. Why are there no photo's of the supposedly discovered waterfall? Why can't the waterfall be seen from sallites or googleEarth? The apparent fear of personal disclosure detracts from the value of the book.
Nevertheless, the book is well written and I enjoyed reading it. One cannot escape the notion that Baker and Sardar exemplify some of the best traits of 'man' - courage, resourcefulnes, commitment to spiritual growth and to having a good time.
Average customer rating:
- A Simple Monk
- A Beautiful Book!
- Much more than your usual collection of quotes
- Thanks to "a reader from Yellow River" for their review
- Lovely to look at, to hold...well done
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A Simple Monk: Writings on His Holiness the Dalai Lama
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Amazon.com's Best of 2001
The regal gift anthology A Simple Monk stands apart from the glut of books about the 14th Dalai Lama. Alison Wright's glorious photographs deliver a visual feast of the landscape and people of Tibet, as well as the face of the Dalai Lama--all of which contain an inspiring blend of serenity and joy against a backdrop of political suffering. Like the photography, the six essays educate readers while avoiding hyperbole and guru worship. One of the most compelling contributions comes from the Dalai Lama's mother, Diki Tsering, who speaks of her son with frank authority. Who would have thought that this peaceful monk was once a 1-year-old tyrant? When he toddled upon people quarreling, he'd pick up a stick and "try to beat them," according to his mother. In straightforward prose, she also recounts the many omens and coincidences that pointed to her son being the next Dalai Lama. Other essays include an interview conducted by Spalding Gray, in which the Dalai Lama speaks of his daily meditation practice (from 4 to 8 a.m.), how he overcomes fear of terrorism and flying, and how he resists the allure of bikini-clad women at the swimming pool. --Gail Hudson
Book Description
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has captured the world's heart with his extraordinary wisdom and humility in the face of China's brutal decades-long occupation of Tibet. This dynamic collection includes impressionistic essays about the Tibetan leader by Diki Tsering, his mother; China scholar and journalist Orville Schell; and travel writer Pico Iyer; as well as an interview with His Holiness by famed monologist Spalding Gray. A stunning visual biography that marries full-color images with insightful essays. A Simple Monk is published in cooperation with New York's Tibet House, which will receive a portion of the proceeds. Award-winning photojournalist Alison Wright, who lived with exiled Tibetans for over a decade, was afforded exceptional access to the government-in-exile for this book.
Customer Reviews:
A Simple Monk.......2006-10-30
A Simple Monk is a collection of essays and interviews that together paint a picture of the life and works of the 14th Dalai Lama. This coffee table book was published as a means of raising funds for Tibet House in New York. The pieces are interesting but sometimes the glowing and over written text contrasts against His Holiness's humility and moniker of "a simple monk."
As it is a coffee table book, every page has at least one full color photograph. They are colorful and beautiful but often times unrelated to the text on the page. They also seem to come out of order. A greater coherence between the text and the illustrations would have helped to paint a richer portrait of the Dalai Lama.
I enjoyed the book but had trouble reading it because of its size. My daughter is a new born and loves to held. The book is too large to read easily one handed so I had to sneak a few pages whenever she was napping.
The two excerpts I enjoyed the most were the interview with the late Spalding Gray and the article on the Dalai Lama's journey to Hollywood. The Spalding Gray interview especially touched me for a number of reasons. First I could feel Gray's sadness; he was clearly looking for some way of easing his inner turmoil. Second I enjoyed the spontaneity of the interview; it felt like the best glimpse of the Dalai Lama as a person. Finally the interview took place in a city I hold dear to my heart as it was the first place I lived as an adult and on my own.
The journey to Hollywood interested me for two reasons. The first is that I majored in film so I understand how the business works and found the meeting of cultures fascinating. I can't say we (Californians) did very well with how we behaved while waiting for the arrival of His Holiness. Second, my husband and I had just recently argued over how the Dalai Lama would act in such a situation and my husband couldn't believe he'd even allow himself to be in a situation like a Hollywood pitch party.
Finally the photographs in the book are beautiful. I wish there were more of them!
A Beautiful Book!.......2002-08-16
This is simply a beautiful book. Early this morning, I gave
it one star and was a bit mean. It didn't get through the submission process. I said words to the effect that the Dali Lama was dictatorial about religious freedom. And that he suppressed religious freedom in 1977 in regards to the Dorje Shugden controversy. I talked to a NKT Buddhist nun this afternoon. And she told me that if you are devoted to the Dali Lama as your teacher, then your practice is pure and you are practicing the dharma fully. This is such a wonderful book. With essays written by different authors. And the pictures are almost breath-taking. The layout of the pages is stunning.
And it just fabulous to read. I know that you will enjoy it. It
is a real gem. And perhaps we should leave politics behind.
Much more than your usual collection of quotes.......2001-12-16
A Simple Monk presents Robert Thurman's gathering of writings on the Dalai Lama, presenting such writings and reflections in a new visual biography which adds full-color images by photojournalist Alison Wright. The result is much more than your usual collection of quotes: a fine, rich gift edition.
Thanks to "a reader from Yellow River" for their review.......2001-12-01
The "a reader from Yellow River" inspired me to order this book and the corresponding video, as a message of compassion and peace, which is what we - and most of all me - needs in our world, at all times and right now.
It's a message that in particular, we as Amercians, after the "events of September 11" - now and in the present - need to hear, listen and LEARN. This review was so thoughtful, comprehensive and detailed that I can't wait to get the book and read it "through and through." The "reader from Yellow River" made the money sound more than worth it, and I'm sure it will be!
"What price peace?"
What price is peace worth? "It's worth it's weight in gold."
The question is, "how do we achieve this?"
I hope the answer (or part of "the answer") can be found in this book. Will let you know what I learn.
Lovely to look at, to hold...well done.......2001-11-30
HH The dalai Lama is a publishing industry unto himself. Nary an unpublished utterance has come forth in recent years,with mostly success. This volume is a tribute to the Dalai Lama,with gorgeous photos by Alison wright. Robert Thruman gives a rather quiet introduction , The Dalai Lama's mother, in an exerpt from her biography tells of how he was discovered,Spalding gray has a wonderful interview with some telling moments{descibing moments of doubt, violent thoughts and lust].Pico Iyer gives, for me, the best article in the book[the God in exile}and, throughout the volume, Alison wrights lovely photographs, of the dalai lama, of pilgrims prostrating themselves in prayer, of buddhist scripture lovingly pictured with some interesting quotes{TOM BROKAW"I LOVE A LIVING GOD WITH A BIG HEART."}and some not so interesting{STEven Seagalon the religious political conection] compliment the essays Over all, a lovely gift beautifully presented, wonderful endpapers and binding. an overall pleasure to read and to own. Similar books are A SIMPLE PATH{Thorsons publishing} and Alison Wrights THE SPIRIT OF TIBET{Snow LIon publications}. Excellent.
Book Description
Written with the full cooperation of the Dalai Lama, this fascinating, up-to-date biography at once captures the public persona and enduring mystery behind one of the world’s most important spiritual leaders.
In 1997, the Indian journalist Mayank Chhaya was authorized by the Dalai Lama to write about his life and times. The only authorized biographer who is not a Buddhist, Chhaya conducted more than a dozen personal interviews with the Dalai Lama in McLeod Ganj in India’s Himalayan north, home to Tibet’s government-in-exile. In Dalai Lama: Man, Monk, Mystic he presents an in-depth, insightful portrait of a figure of perennial interest to people all over the world.
Chhaya writes about Tibet and the Buddhist tradition from which the Dalai Lama emerged, helping readers understand the context that shaped his beliefs, politics, and ideals. Adding depth and nuance to his portrait, Chhaya depicts the Dalai Lama in the light of his life in exile and the various roles he has had to assume for his followers. He sheds light on the highly complex conflict between China and Tibet, and offers insights into the growing discontent among young Tibetans who are frustrated with the nonviolent approach to Chinese occupation that the Dalai Lama advocates.
A balanced, informative view of the Dalai Lama and his work, this biography is both a compelling profile of a remarkable spiritual leader and his mission, and an engaging look at how the current unrest in his country will affect its future.
Customer Reviews:
An External View of the Dalai Lama.......2007-08-06
As the spiritual leader of the once-obscure religion of Tibetan Buddhism, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama has become revered by people in all parts of the world for his sincerity, openness, common-sense, teaching of non-violence, and spirituality. In "Dalai Lama: Man, Monk, Mystic" (2007) the Indian journalist Mayank Chhaya has written an informative if somewhat limited biography of this charismatic spiritual leader. At times, the focus of the book seems to be more on the political conflict between China and Tibet rather than upon the life of the Dalai Lama himself. In his concluding chapter, Chhaya points out that for all the media attention he receives and the people he attacts, the Dalai Lama is difficult to know intimately. But with its focus on externals, this book still constitutes a good introduction to the Dalai Lama.
Chayya does a good job of placing his biography in a proper context by giving an overview of Tibet's geography and history, and its interactions over the centuries with Buddhism, China, and India. Many Westerners have become fascinated with the religion of Tibetan Buddhism. Chayya describes himself as an agnostic. He points out how the spiritual teachings of Buddhism in Tibet became joined with the much earlier religious traditions in Tibet which featured animal sacrifice, nature worship, and shamanism. He also points out, and perhaps exaggerates, the difficulties which many Westerners, with their skepticism and science, have with the Buddhist teaching of rebirth. The author's treatment of Buddhist teachings shows well the dispassion and objectivity which characterize his biography.
Chayya also discusses well, the current Dalai Lama's predecessor, the Thirteenth Dalai Lama, who began the process of modernizing Tibet. He shows who the current Dalai Lama was discovered in a remote Tibetan village at the age of 3 brought to Lhasa, and assumed the spiritual and temporal responsibility of the Dalai Lama as an adolescent. China invaded Tibet in 1950 and in 1959 the Dalai Lama was forced to flee to India. He has not been back to Tibet since that time but has instead tried to work for a nonviolent resolution of the dispute with China and to preserve the essentials of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture. The Dalai Lama received the Nobel Prize in 1989.
Most of the book is given over to a summary of the China-Tibet conflict and of the Dalai Lama's role in trying to secure a peaceful solution. Chayya offers a balanced, circumspect view of this conflict, which does not permit of a clear-cut solution. The Dalai Lama does not advocate an independent Tibet; rather he seeks spiritual and local autonomy for Tibet under the general government supervision of China. His position is too timid for some, too radical for others. For all the sympathy the Dalai Lama's cause has engendered, it has secured only a small place at best on the international political agenda.
With all the attention the book gives to the Tibet-China controversy, Chayya is too short in his consideration of the spiritual, internal dimension of the Dalai Lama and his teaching. He does point out some of the internal spiritual divisions within Tibetan Buddhism, as it involves the worship of spirits, and he points to the great appeal of the Dalai Lama's teaching to those of other faiths -- as well as to those who profess no faith at all. He offers a portrayal of the Dalai Lama -- with his sense of humor, kindness, and interest in the sciences, that is consistent with much other readily accessible public information about him. Yet I finished this book glad that I had read it but feeling that I wanted to know more about the Dalai Lama, his teachings, and the factors that contributed to making him what he is.
Chayya has written a worthwhile book about an inspiring spiritual leader. But I think that many of the Dalai Lama's own published books (I would have liked Chayya to have told more about them) offer better insight into what the Dalai Lama is about.
Robin Friedman
Book Description
Written by the Dalai Lama as a young man in exile, this dignified testament re-creates the miraculous search that identified him as the reincarnated leader of his country. It paints a rare, intimate portrait of Tibetan Buddhisma way of life that would end with a terrifying foreign invasion surpassing sanity and reason. And it reveals the evolution of a man from gentle monk to a world leader, one struggling to this day to free his country one able to touch our hearts with the goodness that makes him one of the most beloved men of our time.
Customer Reviews:
A Simple and Informative Read.......2006-09-27
This book is a wonderful, simple, and quick read. Of course the subject matter does get unpleasant, but it's good to know the facts from the perspective of His Holiness at the time that he wrote it in 1962.
The book tells the story which everyone knows: how the Chinese invaded Tibet and the Dalai Lama was forced to feel to India. But this book goes in to detail and as a reader, it was great to finally get the "real" details of that story, again from his perspective. Prior to reading this, I only knew the story based on films and summaries in guide books, etc.
I highly recommend this book, and I would suggest reading this one prior to reading his second autobiography, "Freedom in Exile" from the early 1990's.
Inspiring.......2006-06-29
Even if you already know the life story of His Holiness, this is a great read. Written in the Dalai Lama's usual clear and forthright style, the story is deeply moving. Recommended for students of both Buddhism and history.
An Amazing Story.......2006-03-18
Having long been a fan of the Dalai Lama and his other books, I was anxious to read his autobiography. It is an amazing story that he has to tell. We should hope that our world had evolved beyond invasions after World War II, but that proved not to be true when China invaded Tibet and eventually ousted the ruling party in 1959.
Having been previously familiar with the story of the exile of the Dalai Lama to some degree, I was anxious to learn about it in more detail. Truly the people of Tibet are and continue to be victims of China. China crept into Tibet saying only that it would help to modernize the "backwards" people of Tibet. After numerous broken promises the Dalai Lama exited just ahead of the first morter blasts that rocked his palace. China's only real goal was to take possession of the land at any cost.
Few religions place a greater emphasis on peace than the Tibetan form of Buddism. While the author gives readers some of the basic principles of the faith, the language should not be confusing to those not familiar with Buddism. This amazing story, though it ends with the Dalai Lama's arrival in India, is still fresh and eye-opening today.
Tibet never belonged to China.......2004-11-29
I enjoyed this narrative, my first experience with the writing of H.H. Dalai Lama. He writes so well. It's clear, descriptive, and engaging from the first sentence to the last. Suitable for all ages, the earlier the better. It has really sparked my interest in this country,, or at least how it once was. It has been almost two generations since this tragedy and I doubt things will ever be the same. Well, at least the chinese have thier railroad at the expense of an entire nation. Oh, but the writing isn't bitter at all. Just me.
A little disappointed, but still a good and important read.......2002-03-04
I am a college student who has studied China extensively in school. I can speak Chinese and have traveled to China several times and to Tibet once. While I have never agreed with many of the Chinese governments policies in the areas of religion, personal freedom, Tibet, and Taiwan, I think this book could have done more for its cause.
I decided to read this book after I spent 2.5 weeks in Tibet last year while studying in China. Tibet was one of the most fascinating places I have been to and I really wanted to know more about what happened there after China invaded. This book tells the Dalai Lama's story very well. Up until the last 15 pages or so, I really loved the book. However, before closing, the Dalai Lama makes several accusations about Chinese human rights abuses in Tibet (beatings, child abductions and the like) but provides no evidence of their existence.
While I personally feel Tibet was and still is a sovereign country and what China has done is wrong in many ways, the charges made in the last few pages don't belong in this book. While the Dalai Lama's story of his life and last days in Tibet are very powerful, I really think it would have been even better had the those last parting shots been omitted. Charges of human rights abuses such as these are very important and would be better served in a book of their own.
I think most Americans will enjoy this book but not share the same reaction I had to the last few pages. I have studied China for several years now and have heard accusations from both China and the world on countless occasions on a wide range of issues. Maybe this is why I get turned off when I don't see concrete evidence included when someone makes a charge such as the Dalai Lama does at the end of his book. I still think the Dalai Lama is a wonderful man and has an important story to tell, but feel this one could have come across a little better.
Amazon.com
If you've ever wondered what it's like to walk in the shoes of a Tibetan monk, you're in for a shocker. Palden Gyatso followed his heart into the monastery at the age of 10 to study under his uncle, also a monk. By his mid-20s, when he should have been preparing for a higher degree, he instead found himself behind the bars of a Chinese communist prison. For the next 30 years, he would endure interrogations, deprivation, starvation, beatings, and psychological torture. When he was finally released in 1992, he fled the country, managing to smuggle out not only the names of his fellow prisoners but Chinese instruments of torture to show the world.
With the help of translator Tsering Shakya, Palden Gyatso has crafted his story into a fluid yet surprisingly dispassionate account of his time in prison. Still, it is almost impossible not to be swept along on waves of pity, horror, and compassion as he suffers unspeakably at the hands of his tormentors. To understand the plight of one Tibetan monk is to step behind the eyes of an entire people. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
Palden Gyatso was born in a Tibetan village in 1933 and became an ordained Buddhist monk at 18 — just as Tibet was in the midst of political upheaval. When Communist China invaded Tibet in 1950, it embarked on a program of “reform” that would eventually affect all of Tibet’s citizens and nearly decimate its ancient culture. In 1967, the Chinese destroyed monasteries across Tibet and forced thousands of monks into labor camps and prisons. Gyatso spent the next 25 years of his life enduring interrogation and torture simply for the strength of his beliefs. Palden Gyatso’s story bears witness to the resilience of the human spirit, and to the strength of Tibet’s proud civilization, faced with cultural genocide.
Customer Reviews:
Engaging Read.......2005-10-04
I recently met Palden Gyatso at a Dalai Lama teaching and bought a copy of his book there, mostly as a way to support him. Though I read all the time I rarely finish a book as I usually lose interest 2/3 of the way through and move on to something else. But this book was an exception - incredibly interesting and inspiring - I finished it very quickly.
About as powerful book as you will ever find............2004-11-16
This book is a testimony to the endurance of the human spirit, able to overcome the most nefarious system perhaps the world has ever known. The fact that Palden Gyatso is able to relay his story to you and me is nothing short of a miracle after what he had to endure for years inside China's prison system undergoing "reformation." The stories of torture, starvation and freezing nights will stay with you forever and make you question how strong your own beliefs are and whether you could do what Palden Gyatso did. I do not wish to reveal too much, but will say that calling the story compelling is a vast understatement.
This book is as important now as ever. China has the 2008 Olympic games and yet these brutalities continue to occur. Not to mention the fact that China is now relocating Chinese into the Tibetan region, threatening forever one of the world's great cultures through dilution of the society and culture.
Buy this book and see both the horrors of mankind and also his greatness in what he can overcome. If you like this book, I would also recommend Ama Adhe's book from a woman's perspective in the same system. We often hear the word hero, but rarely is it so appropriate as it is in describing these amazing individuals.
Informative, interesting, inspiring.......2002-07-20
This is a great book. I am an activist for Tibetan independence and knew much about the atrocities taking place in Tibet since 1949, but this book put a face to the facts. I highly recommend this book if you're interested in Tibet, Buddhism, or in learning about a remarkable man who went through horrible oppression and has emerged gracefully.
The strength of a person.......2001-09-27
I've read a few books about the sufferings of Tibetans by now, but still, this book managed to affect me and make me stop and think. Again and again. First of all, how has nothing changed since this book confirmed that China is continuing to do all it can to wipe out the culture, religion and spirit of Tibet? I know I have responsibility to speak up about this (and I will) but I still can't believe that higher powers up there did not stop China by now.
Anyway, back to the book- Palden Gyatso is the image of courage, compassion and inner strength. I read passages of how he was tortured and bullied and then would flip to the inner photo of this tiny, frail man-astonishing! I see now that the determined and strong look on his face at the UK Independence rally co-exists with the gentle, loving portrait on the cover and it's a wonderful combination. This book reminded me that it takes deep courage to stand up for who you are and what you believe in but there is no greater purpose for each of us than to aim for that goal with all that we have.
Read this book to better understand why Tibet needs our support but also to re-instill your own will to be a decent,kind and courageous human being.
A Powerful Meeting of Palden Gyasto in San Francisco.......2001-02-04
Palden Gyasto was the featured speaker at the Union Center Rally, March 20, 1999. Through an interpeter he gave his compasionate address. Just before his address he kindly signed my copy of his book and blessed my Khata that my son had brought me from Tibet. His story is a lesson is compassion which is created, I believe by his devotion to his Buddist Training. His book gives a rare first hand account of his trying experiences. This is another authentic record of the unchecked communist genocide and repression which exists today.
Book Description
With the respect and fame the current Fourteenth has come to enjoy around the world, the title "Dalai Lama" has entered global consciousness, and yet few people know its origin, meaning, or the system of reincarnation behind it. We cannot understand Tibet's long and rich history without looking at the lives of the fourteen men who have held this title.
The Dalai Lamas: A Visual History presents the history of all fourteen Dalai Lamas in both essays and illustrations. Sixteen contributors from around the world illuminate the institution of the Dalai Lama, including the system of reincarnation; the biographies and religious training of each Dalai Lama; their relationship to religious schools, other lineages, regents, and the Panchen Lamas; their religious and political interconnections with surrounding countries; and their more recent interactions with Russia, Europe, and America.
More than three hundred illustrations, largely unpublished previously, have been meticulously selected from Tibetan, Chinese, Indian, European, and American archives and include thangkas, murals, statues, and historical photographs drawn from public and private collections worldwide to present a comprehensive array of visual representations. The texts also include Tibetan scripts for the first time in such setting, making the book an important reference source for students and researchers of Tibetan art, religious, and political history.
Contributors: Martin Brauen, Georges Dreyfus, Amy Heller, Michael Henss, Fabienne Jagou, Matthew T. Kapstein, Karénina Kollmar-Paulenz, Leonard W. J. van der Kuijp, Erberto Lo Bue, Derek F. Maher, Alexander Norman, Kurtis R. Schaeffer, Hanna Schneider, Tsering Shakya, Shen Weirong, and Per K. Sørensen.
Amazon.com
The Dalai Lama's autobiography should leave no one in doubt of his humility and genuine compassion. Written without the slightest hint of pretense, the exiled leader of Tibet recounts his life, from the time he was whisked away from his home in 1939 at the age of 4, to his treacherous escape from Tibet in 1959, to his winning of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. The backdrop of the story is the 1950 Chinese invasion of Tibet. He calmly relates details of imprisonment, torture, rape, famine, ecological disaster, and genocide that under four decades of Chinese rule have left 1.25 million Tibetans dead and the Tibetan natural and religious landscapes decimated. Yet the Dalai Lama's story is strangely one of hope. This man who prays for four hours a day harbors no ill will toward the Chinese and sees the potential for good everywhere he casts his gaze. Someday, he hopes, all of Tibet will be a zone of peace and the world's largest nature preserve. Such optimism is not naive but rather a result of his daily studies in Buddhist philosophy and his doctrine of Universal Responsibility. Inspiring in every way, Freedom in Exile is both a historical document and a fable of deepest trust in humanity. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
In this astonishingly frank autobiography, the Dalai Lama reveals the remarkable inner strength that allowed him to master both the mysteries of Tibetan Buddhism and the brutal realities of Chinese Communism.
Customer Reviews:
Informative.......2006-07-06
Since I will be seeing the Dahli Lama in September, I wanted to catch up on some of his story. He seems to be a very sincere and intelligent man with the well being of his people at heart. I was quite ignorant of the history of Tibet and found the book very interesting and well worth the read.
Don
Very Good Read on the Cultural Revolution.......2005-08-27
Seeing the Cultural Revolution from the eyes of the Dalai Lama is very interesting and sets the stage for a very sad and imformative story.
Hearbreaking.......2003-08-11
Knowing nothing at all about His Holiness The Dalai Lama or Tibet/China relations I was eager to learn more. As a convert from Catholicisim to Buddhism, I was pleased to read that the Dalai Lama considers himself to be just a regular human, who was chosen to fulfill a specific role. After reading this book, you get the sense that he would be a very pleasant person to talk with.
On the downside, I was absolutely shocked to read about what the Chinese Government has done to Tibet and its people. Tibet is a peace loving country and to be in the army, was the lowest form of life. A 17 point 'agreement' was drawn up by the Chinese for Tibet. Members of the Tibetan delegation were forced under duress to sign the agreement and phony Tibetan state seals were used. Large Tibetan estates were confiscated and redistributed by the Chinese. After monks and nuns were arrested, they were forced, in public, to break their vows of celibacy with one another and even to kill people.
The Tibetan Freedom Fighters were no match for the Chinese army. Besides using bombers to obliterate towns and villages, the Chinese army also crucified, disembowelled, beheaded and buried many Tibetans alive. In order to prevent Tibetans from giving praise to the Dalai Lama on their way to execution, the Chinese tore out their tongues with meat hooks.
It was really disheartening to read about what happened to these people. I think this is a book that everyone at some point needs to read. It really opened my eyes.
Great Book.......2003-07-29
This was the first book I had ever read by (or about) the Dalai Lama. I thought it was a great introduction to his life and his way of thinking. Overall I thought this was a great book. I think everyone should read it.
Free from the gilded cage -- but at what cost........2003-01-19
Not long ago, the question was posed to His Holiness the Dalai Lama as to why he penned his autobiography -- Freedom in Exile. To this query he responded with: `I am human being who had quite a lot of sad situation, yet my mental health seems not bad. I think some people might find some idea [in my tale], some small contribution for inner peace, for happiness.' The story starts in a small village in the roof of the world at an altitude of 3 miles deep in Eastern Tibet... Lhamo Thondup was only 2 when the monks came to fetch him 1937. The search party waltz right into his peasant parents' farmhouse and things were never the same again. Lhamo Thondup was eventually taken away to Lhasa -- the fabled capital in the Land of the Snows. He was God - recognized through the a dozen omens - skeptics will always question - (a) the way the head of the recently deceased 13th Dalai Lama had turned in its coffin toward the east, (b) the direction of the boy's home, and (3) the vision of the child's very house seen in the lake of Lhamo Lhatso by a Reting Rinpoche. When the young Lhamo was escorted to the late 13th Dalai Lama's room at the summer palace in Norbulingka, the toddler allegedly motioned toward a little case and announced nonchalantly, `My teeth are in there.' To the amazement of the accompanying monks a set of the late 13th false teeth were contained therein.
The Dalai Lama told Newsweek, `Exile has made me tougher.' Moreover, according to his younger brother Tenzin Choegyal, exile has `enabled him [the Dalai Lama] to realize his full potential.' This achievement did have a price -- in the Potala, His Holiness the Dalai Lama was both secluded and isolated. If one positive thing has resulted from his having to depart Tibet, was that he was brought closer to the plight of his own people and the rest of the world. Tenzin Gyatso, now the 14th Dalai Lama was given the chance to see things as they really are. In `Freedom in Exile' the message becomes a universal one - one that transcends a locality and that is what makes this book so compelling and necessary. From being the most secluded leader of the modern world, the 14th Dalai Lama is now among the most traveled, most celebrated and best known. The humble figure in maroon robes has become the locus of attention for the world's angst about Chinese authoritarianism and ideological expansion. The situation of the Tibetans - as penned by the Dalai Lama in `Freedom in Exile' is proof positive that despite Mao's utterances that `Religion is Poison' - we are left thinking perhaps the reverse is true - `Non-Religion is Poison'.
Ironically, this is not the role to which he was born. The Dalai Lama not have mixed with ordinary people in Tibet if it had not been for the Chinese invasion. I guess this statement may never be proven true nor false as it hinges on pure speculation. In `Freedom in Exile' the Dalai Lama does allude to the need form change j-but not at the pace and form that the Chinese used. As he outlines in his autobiography, `Freedom in Exile,' on the rare occasions he left his official residence -- the cold 1,000-room Potala palace in Lhasa -- he moved past his minions on a yellow silk palanquin, pulled by 20 army officers in green cloaks and red hats and surrounded by hundreds of men: monks and musicians, sword-wielding horsemen and `porters carrying my songbirds in cages and my personal belongings all wrapped in yellow silk.' To ensure the people didn't get too near, the monastic police encircled the whole entourage. `In their hands they carried long whips, which they would not hesitate to use,' he wrote. Sad for one so attuned now to the needs of his people.
The country over which he ruled was a land of people who believed the Buddha's tenet that one's action in this life determines one's fate in the next. Since the establishment of Buddhism as Tibet's chief religion in the eighth century, parents had inculcated into their children that all life, animal and human, is sacred. `I have never seen less evidence of hatred, envy, malice and uncharitableness [than in Tibet],' penned Hugh Richardson, British India's trade consul to the remote nation in the 1940s. However, that peace in the `Rooftop of the World' was violently destroyed when in 1950, 84,000 PLA troops launched a dawn offensive against six different positions along the border. According to his account, in 1959, the Dalai Lama, by then age 24, fled for his life through the snow across 17,000-foot Himalayan passes into India in an effort to preserve his nation, his people and his heritage. Since then, he has lived in the Indian mountain village of Dharamsala, the capital of the Tibetan government-in-exile. The book is full of references to a man with a sense of purpose -- rising at 4 a.m. daily to meditate, meet with cabinet members and refugees and pursue worldly interests that include Western neurobiology and physics.
Miguel Llora
Book Description
Readers who want to appreciate and understand the scope and depth of the Dalai Lama’s wisdom must currently select from a variety of books. Now, A Lifetime of Wisdom brings together those writings that, taken together, constitute an essential account of the Dalai Lama’s teaching legacy. A thoughtful, inspirational, and beautifully designed and packaged collection of the most essential writings by the Dalai Lama, A Lifetime of Wisdom includes accounts of the Dalai Lama’s early days as a child plucked from obscurity to rule over Tibet, his struggles with the Chinese who invaded his country, and his tireless efforts on behalf of human rights and world peace. Readers will come away with a comprehensive sense of the Dalai Lama’s fundamental themes, from personal happiness to world peace.
Amazon.com
There is more to being a monk than meditating and walking around in spiffy robes. Just ask Bhante Walpola Piyananda, a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who has been serving the Los Angeles community for many years. Although one of the highest-ranking Theravadan monks in America, his spiritual generosity brings him to the aid of punks, prostitutes, and destitute immigrants. Saffron Days in L.A. is his story of these colorful encounters. Not only does he help reconcile a teenager with her strict parents, get a drunk off the bottle, and help a psychotic back to normal life, he explains how he does it. Occasionally, it's through chanting exercises or outside help, but mostly this compassionate, erudite monk picks out the perfect teaching from his own experience or from the vast corpus of Buddhist sutras that he seems to have in his head, and that does the trick. So here we get not only stories and stories within stories, but the basics of Buddhism in a form that's easy to digest. Sometimes, Piyananda's successes seem to come a bit too easily, like something from a Buddhist version of Touched by an Angel, but the teachings--about how to get along, be happy, and walk the Middle Path--still hit home. --Brian Bruya
Book Description
In this delightful memoir, Bhante Walpola Piyananda, a Buddhist monk from Sri Lanka, shares his often amusing, often poignant experiences of life in America. Whether he's reasoning with a group of confrontational punks on Venice Beach, bridging the gap between a rebellious teenager and her traditional parents, explaining to an errant Buddhist that the concept of "non-attachment" does not justify irresponsibility, or dealing with a nude sunbather at a meditation retreat, no situationâno matter how stickyâmanages to affect Bhante's unflappable calm or his phenomenal ability to find the right parable for the moment. Bhante Walpola Piyananda, who is abbot of a Buddhist meditation center in L.A., has met and counseled a wide range of peopleâthe disenfranchised of society, couples dealing with relationship issues, American Buddhists trying to reconcile their practice with their very Western lifestyles, recent immigrants struggling to assimilate but also maintain their traditional values. His stories reveal the complicated, joyous, painful, baffling, and inspiring aspects of the human condition and the power of true compassion.
Customer Reviews:
Do You Have A Problem? Buddha Can Help........2005-02-01
This is a sweet book, featuring 20 short stories about Bhante Piyananda's experiences as a Sri Lankan Theravada monk in America. Specifically the tales take place in Los Angeles, where since the mid 70's he has headed a local temple.
The stories he presents regard a variety of issues and circumstances that he finds himself in, or are brought to him by other Buddhists, many of whom have also immigrated to America. As well, he recounts experiences when his Buddhism attracted attention enough to inspire conversation, judgement, confidences. All the stories are morally driven, as Piyananda passes on the Buddha's words and feelings.
As a resident of L.A. this book seemed by the title an oasis, a peaceful perspective on a wacky, unrooted place. In fact, Los Angeles could be anywhere in America inside these stories. What matters is the lovely heart and soul of Buddhism, shone through it's most disciplined, devoted monks. Whether dealing with marriage troubles, robbery, parent/child conflicts, gossip, wealth, cultural differences, etc., Piyananda's compassion and love evoke the Buddha's and the beauty of their revolutionary religion and lifestyle.
I recommend this as a sweet, easy read. For anyone interested in Buddhism this features a wide range of situations all addressed by Piyananda and Buddhist texts he draws from.
Vijja-Carana: The knowledge and the Practice.......2004-01-16
I am writing from a personal bias, because I have known Ven. Piyananda from about age 5 onwards (20 years). Correction: I *thought* I knew Ven. Piyananda before I had read this book. He had taught me all of the fundamentals of Theravada Buddhism, and he even gave great support to me when as a child I was encountering a great amount of prejudice at a Christian missionary school my parents sent me to. Not only did he teach me about Buddhism by word, but his very character struck me as being the essence of what the Buddha taught.
After I read this book, I saw that Ven. Piyananda had many experiences which I had barely knew of. I had no idea he had his own encounters with religious fundamentalists, or that he gave helpful advice to other young people. I see that he had lived a very interesting life beyond my own relatively brief meetings with him. Although I was surprised by some of the experiences he has had, I was *not* really surprised in the way he dealt with them- with the same dignity and intelligence I have always associated with him.
Someone here has complained that the book appeared to be egotistical. Well, the very *purpose* of this book was to describe some of Ven. Piyananda's own personal experiences in the US!!! There are trillions of books on Buddhist doctrine out there written by a wide assortment of characters, from highly respected academics and experienced monastics to the lowest of hacks and frauds. Here is a book about the experiences of a Sri Lankan monk in the US. If you are not interested in this topic, don't buy this book and then complain that it was 'only' about the experiences of a SL monk in the US. However, if you are curious about how a practitioner of the Dhamma has dealt with some of the craziness one can find in Los Angeles, then I could recommend no better book.
Vijja-Carana: The knowledge and the Practice.......2004-01-16
I am writing from a personal bias, because I have known Ven. Piyananda from about age 5 onwards (20 years). Correction: I *thought* I knew Ven. Piyananda before I had read this book. He had taught me all of the fundamentals of Theravada Buddhism, and he even gave great support to me when as a child I was encountering a great amount of prejudice at a Christian missionary school my parents sent me to. Not only did he teach me about Buddhism by word, but his very character struck me as being the essence of what the Buddha taught.
After I read this book, I saw that Ven. Piyananda had many experiences which I had barely knew of. I had no idea he had his own encounters with religious fundamentalists, or that he gave helpful advice to other young people. I see that he had lived a very interesting life beyond my own relatively brief meetings with him. Although I was surprised by some of the experiences he has had, I was *not* really surprised in the way he dealt with them- with the same dignity and intelligence I have always associated with him.
Someone here has complained that the book appeared to be egotistical. Well, the very *purpose* of this book was to describe some of Ven. Piyananda's own personal experiences in the US!!! There are trillions of books on Buddhist doctrine out there written by a wide assortment of characters, from highly respected academics and experienced monastics to the lowest of hacks and frauds. Here is a book about the experiences of a Sri Lankan monk in the US. If you are not interested in this topic, don't buy this book and then complain that it was 'only' about the experiences of a SL monk in the US. However, if you are curious about how a practitioner of the Dhamma has dealt with some of the craziness one can find in Los Angeles, then I could recommend no better book.
Chicken Soup for the Buddhist Soul?.......2002-01-03
An anecdote of many feel-good stories written by an ordained monk of the Theravada school of Buddhism, the book is simply written and contains some canonical discourses relevant to the situation described in each chapter. Try not to read it as a biography or a self-help book; most people who do so will be sorely disappointed. However, it is a comforting work that leaves one feeling a little more hopeful, and perhaps that's what the bhiku is aiming for and nothing more. The collection is not an explanatory work on Theravada Buddhism and does not really cover the "tenets" of that sect per se. However, since Buddhism relies less on vicarous experience than on personal, individual experience, the lack of theology may even be a good thing! I did find the stories to become a bit too formulaic, but none-the-less they were all heart-warming and at times even humorous.
buddhism in practice.......2001-09-17
Nowadays , Buddhism is viewed as somewhat cerebral . Indeed , it seems to attract the more philosophical amongst us . Not without probable cause , Buddhism starts with the mind and its perspectives / perceptions . With Mahayana , we see this coming to its logical ( or illogical as the case may be ) fruition with a plethora of mind bending philosophical schools .
It is therefore quite refreshing to read a book about a monk's everyday experience . Better still , couched in these experiences are the Buddha's Teachings . Its so much easier to digest a new way of thinking when the context in which it is told is something we can all quite easily identify with . Bhante's little anecdotes are often quite funny , but the message is powerful .
I recommend this book .
Book Description
Now considered a classic, this is an eloquent and compellingly told account of the Dalai Lama's exile from Tibet after its conquest by China.
Customer Reviews:
Chinese invasion of Tibet and Tibetan diaspora, one of the best books.......2006-11-14
Probably this book has not been read in recent times as much as it was before. The reason is that it practically stops at 1985 with a small attempt of updating to 1997. For an historical essay that relies greatly on updated information on a dramatic world situation such as that of Tibet and that still has written on the cover "the definitive account of the Dalai Lama and Tibet since the Chinese conquest" this is a major drawback. However, John Avedon's 500-page book has really represented a milestone for the awareness of the West on Tibetan reality and the crimes and genocide carried out by the Chinese. In the 1980's it was the most read book on Tibet and practically the only updated, precise, journalistic source of all information. If anyone remembers Bertolucci's "Little Buddha" on the airplane to India the boy's father is reading this book! Having been such a great bestseller it is natural that it has slightly passed out of fashion. But this takes nothing away from its value. If you want a readable, engrossing, historical narration of the last years of Tibet's freedom, to the 1955-59 Chinese invasion and especially of what happened from 1959 to 1985 to the refugees in India and to the prisoners in Chinese jails, up to the apparent "normalization" of the 1980's and the visits of the Tibetan delegations to their native land, this book remains the best document around.
One of the main narrative themes is how Tibetans and the Dalai Lama managed to maintain their cultural and religious heritage and only regarding to this aspect there is a wave of optimism running through the book.
John Avedon had a personal relationship with the Dalai Lama and was also interested in Buddhist philosophy and Tibetan culture, so the first journalistic part of the book, mostly built up out of life experiences of eminent Tibetans who survived the genocide, is followed by brief essays on Tibetan medicine, the report of a pilgrimage to Buddha's sites in India by the Dalai Lama, and a personal interview with HH on the philosophy of Buddhism, its outlook on death, life and personal experience. This last part is interesting, but it is detached from the principal narration and it seems introduced only to lengthen the book or to cram into it all the Author's knowledge. The notes and the bibliography are excellent even though dated.
A must read for those interested in modern Tibet, but it would be more honest to subtitle the re-editions "Tibet from the Chinese conquest to the 1990's".
I am looking for a book that tells what has been happening in the last 10-15 years. Have any suggestions?
Not easy to take.......2002-04-09
If your serious about learning about Tibet and the Chinese take- over read this book.Some of the more explicit chapters made me really angry and kept me questioning "How can humans treat each other this way"?
Riveting and realistic.......2001-08-22
A must read to truly understand the complex story of Tibet, although it may disuade you from ever going there. This is the story of the destruction of Tibet, told through a narrative of political history and a few well-chosen personal stories. Internal squabbling contributed to the Tibetan's own downfall, but in the end this small underdeveloped nation could not have withstood the Chinese without significant support from the rest of the world, and that support was shamefully lacking in the 50's. The destruction that followed was unbelievable. I've always thought it would be fascinating to go there, but I now realize that the treasures of Tibet are probably now in China or in the hands of private collectors after the Chinese sold them off, and what's left is part of a carefully constructed show for tourists. I agree with the reviewer who says that Tibetan independence seems a long shot at this point, but the world should keep the pressure on until the Tibetans gain some measure of cultural and religious freedom. My only criticism of this book is that it ends in the mid-80's, and the newer edition that came out in the late 90's contains a rather feeble attempt to update the story through a chronology. Interesting though is the interview with the Dalai Lama.
The Time for Dreaming is Ended.......2001-07-10
If you have had any Shangri-La type illusions about Tibet, this book will soon blow them away. Not that that is a bad thing, but just be warned. This book will open your eyes, make you laugh, weep, clench your fists and probably curse before you're done, but it will not leave you unchanged, either in your opinion of Tibet, the Dalai Lama, and especially of China.
This is a very balanced account from the Tibetan perspective of the period roughly from the end of WWII until 1990. In addition to an unvarnished account of Tibetan bravery, desire to retain their homeland at all costs and credulity, and unlimited Chinese brutality and treachery, there is a great deal of social insight woven in. This is not a "feel-good" story to garner sympathy for the Tibetans, this is a tell-it-like-is book whose message is so daunting that I'm not sure most of the world, much less the Tibetans themselves are ready to face much of it.
This is not a book so much about religion, although you cannot write about Tibet without writing about Buddhism, as about world politics thundering down on a small, isolated nation. It is about the bravery and resourcefulness of the Tibetan people and the greatness of their leader. And it is about the utter shameless cupidity and determination of the Chinese to lay hold of this strategic bit of real estate and anihilate its native population. This book should serve as a powerful reminder of what the PRC is capable of and just how much their talk is worth.
After reading this, I believe (and HHDL must realize) that the chances for any kind of an autonomous, much less independent, Tibetan region are slim to none, but that the facade needs to be kept up for political and morale reasons. None the less it is a bitter truth that the Chinese have done the rest of the world a favor: by driving the Tibetans out of Tibet, they have released a great force for peace and good to the rest of us in the form of Tibetan Buddhism and the presence of HHDL.
I do highly recommend this book.
Truth.......2001-01-16
Books Like "In Exile from the Lands of Snows and Movies like "Seven Years in Tibet" and "Kundun" destroy the myth of Shangri-La while portraying Tibet as real through participation in the production and giving advice on the historical accuracy of both movies and book giving Tibet complexity. The myth of Shangri-La as laid out by James Hilton in "Lost Horizon", as far as the West is concerned, is as real as any Homeric myth can be. Westerners, mired in the irony of losing a fantasy, do not have to deal with real flesh and blood issues. Deconstructing by examining the power relations lifts the veil of fantasy and offers a more authentic discourse. Read this book with an open mind and be ready to discard old notions of myth, fantasy and construction. A resounding 5 stars!
Miguel Llora
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