Soo Hyun Hong Here is a website comparing the experience of the traditional Tibeto-Himalayan momo dumpling meal at three different Tibetan restaurants in New York City; accompanied by short interviews with restaurant staff on the history and establishment of their business, the provenance of their chefs and other employees, and how they perceive Tibeto-Himalayan dishes to … [Read more...]
Pekar Monsal: A Tibetan Woman Artist
Pema Tamang Here is a website created by Pema Tamang introducing the contemporary Tibetan female artist Pekar Monsal, one of the few established female figures of modern Tibetan art. Pekar Monsal advocates for gender equity and the empowerment of Tibetan women. Through numerous examples of Pekar Monsal’s artworks, the author analyses her artistic reflections on specific … [Read more...]
The Science of Tibet in Pema Tseden’s Films
Siqi Deng Introduction For Tibet scholars and film enthusiasts, Tibetan director Pema Tseden’s name will not be unfamiliar. Internationally recognized as the father of contemporary Tibetan Cinema, Pema Tseden’s film depicts the dynamics of contemporary Tibetan life from an inside point of view, presenting to international audiences a Tibetan society that is vivacious and … [Read more...]
The Life and Visions of Yeshé Tsogyal
Nick Vaughan Abstract The Life and Visions of Yeshé Tsogyal: Autobiography of the Great Wisdom Queen is the secret autobiography of Yeshé Tsogyal, originally authored in the 8th century by one of Padmasambhava’s main disciples, Bendé Sangyé Yeshé, and subsequently concealed by Yeshé Tsogyal as an earth Treasure. This treasure text was revealed by Drimé Kunga in 1357 and … [Read more...]
Enlightened Beings: Life Stories from the Ganden Oral Tradition
Phoebe Lummis Abstract Enlightened Beings: Life Stories from the Ganden Oral Tradition traces the life stories of six Tibetan Siddhas from the 14th through 17th centuries. The narratives describe these figures' early childhoods and characteristics, their entrance into monasticism, and inauguration into the Ganden Oral Tradition, a secret lineage of oral teachings deriving … [Read more...]
The Twelve Deeds: A Brief Life Story of Tonpa Shenrab
The Twelve Deeds: A Brief Life Story of Tonpa Shenrab, the founder of the Bon Religion. Translated by Sangye Tandar & Edited by Richard Guard (1995) Ethan Blattman Abstract The Twelve Deeds tells the story of Tonpa Shenrab, the founder and most important figure of the Bon religion. The Bon religion is essentially a variant of Tibetan Buddhism with many ancient … [Read more...]
Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows
Jinpa, Thupten. Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows. Shambhala Publications, 2019. Summary by Nicholas Lillis Abstract Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows details the entire life of Je Tsongkhapa, one of the greatest Buddhist teachers in Tibetan history. Born in 1357 in Amdo, northeastern Tibet, Tsongkhapa led a life that exemplified the importance of … [Read more...]
Lobsang Gyatso, Ngawang & Karmay, Samten Gyaltsen (trans). The Illusive Play: The Autobiography of the Fifth Dalai Lama. Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2014.
Mollie Miller Abstract The Illusive Play: The Autobiography of the Fifth Dalai Lama tells the story of Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso (Ngag dbang blo bzang rgya mtsho), the fifth Dalai Lama, also known as the “Great Fifth.” As an autobiographical account, The Illusive Play tells Lobsang Gyatso’s life story, having been designated from a young age as an incarnate of the Dalai … [Read more...]
The Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds
The Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds: The Life and Times of a Realized Tibetan Master, Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug. Kate Greene Abstract: Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug (1909-1960) was a recognized tulku and tertön from Derge. He was recognized as an emanation of the bodhisattva Manjushri and the body reincarnation of influential teacher and tertönJamyang Khyentse … [Read more...]
Tenzin Norbu, Yolmo. The Illuminated Life of the Great Yolmowa, Benjamin Bogin (trans). Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2013.
Tenzin Norbu, Yolmo. The Illuminated Life of the Great Yolmowa, Benjamin Bogin (trans). Chicago: Serindia Publications, 2013. Summary by Raymond Wayne Heimann Abstract The autobiography (written and illustrated) of Yolmo Tenzin Norbu (Yol mo Bstan 'dzin nor bu) is translated and collected by Benjamin Bogin in his The Illuminated Life of the Great Yolmowa.[1] As a … [Read more...]
Dorjee, Lama Dudjom. Falling Off the Roof of the World: The Autobiography of the Venerable Lama Dudjom Dorjee. PA: Infinity Publishing, 2006.
Dudjom Dorjee was born to a nomadic family in eastern Tibet in the middle 20th century. He was born near a mountain called Pajiri. He is the second child in his family. The first boy, however, died at age one or two. His father’s name was Karma Tsultrim, who was a monk when he was young, and later gave up his vows and got married. His mother’s name was Chodun Dorjee, who was … [Read more...]
The Life of Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo
Tracy Howard Abstract Jamyang Khyentsé Wangpo (‘jam dbyangs mkhyen brtse dbang po) was a nineteenth-century Tibetan lama, scholar, and visionary from Kham. Born in 1820 to an aristocratic family from the Kingdom of Derge (sde dge), he was recognized at a young age as an incarnate lama (sprul sku). Within his lifetime he was renowned for his impressive scholarship, … [Read more...]
Spiritual Biography of Marpa the Translator
Summary of the Spiritual Biography of Marpa the Translator India Wilson In 2000 Sri Satguru Publications published The Spiritual Biography of Marpa the Translator, providing an insightful English Language biography of one of the most influential figures in the Kagyu Lineage. Written by the 20th-century teacher, Thrangu Rinpoche (Geshe Lharampa), the biography … [Read more...]
Fearless in Tibet
The Biography of Tertön Sogyal Tertön Sogyal or Lerab Linpa was a treasure reveler, a tertön, who was born in the year of the Fire Dragon (1856) in Shiwa Village, in Nearing, Eastern Tibet. His family was descended from a financially secure lineage in upper Nyarong in Kham. Dargye, Sonam Gyalop’s father, encouraged his son to follow in the footsteps of the warrior chief … [Read more...]
Xue yu qiu fa ji (Seeking the Dharma in the Snow Land)
Review of Xue yu qiu fa ji by Xing Suzhi. Yiqiang Gong Abstract: Xue yu qiu fa ji (Seeking the Dharma in the Snow Land) is an autobiography based on the oral history of Xing Suzhi, whose Tibetan name is Blo bzang brtson 'grus. The book, only published in Chinese, mainly records Xing’s journey to and experience in Tibet from the 1930s to 1949. Xing was a Han Chinese born in … [Read more...]
The Magical Play of Illusion
Review of The Magical Play of Illusion Brittany Remark ABSTRACT: Trijang Rinpoche’s book The Magical Play of Illusion: The Autobiography of Trijang Rinpoche (skyabs rje khri byang rdo rje 'chang chen po'i gsung rnam 'khrul snang sgyu ma'i zlos gar) describes his life and his work as junior tutor to the Fourteenth Dalai Lama. It covers the time from his birth in 1901 to 1975, … [Read more...]
TIBET 101
A Brief Introduction to the Historic Region of Tibet and Tibet's Rich Culture Rachel Bleau A website introducing Tibet to those interested with no prior knowledge, through the tool of a quiz. For those more advanced, an advanced quiz is available too! … [Read more...]
Tseten Dolkar & Windsor, John. Girl From Tibet. Chicago: Octavo, 1971.
Girl From Tibet By Tseten Dolkar as told by John Windsor Avery Park Abstract Girl from Tibet is an autobiography narrated by Tseten Dolkar and written by John Windsor. The autobiography is of Tseten’s life, narrated when she was still in her twenties. She was born in Lhasa right around the time Communist China colonized the country. Her father, fortunately, had enough … [Read more...]
Taklha, Namgyal Lhamo. Born in Lhasa: The Autobiography of Namgyal Lhamo Taklha. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 2001.
Summary Tenzin Dudul Taklha Born In Lhasa is the autobiography of Namgyal Lhamo Taklha (rnam rgyal lha mo stag lha). Born in 1942, the author tells the story of her life through 2001. The book begins with the author recreating her life in Lhasa as the daughter of an aristocratic family before the Chinese occupation. She describes her education in India (pre-occupation) as … [Read more...]
Kleisath, C. Michelle, ed. Heavy Earth, Golden Sky: Tibetan Women Speak About Their Lives. Sherri’s Women’s Group USA, 2008.
Bilal Choudhry ABSTRACT Heavy Earth, Golden Sky provides a collection of autobiographies of ten women from the Kham and Amdo regions of Tibet. Compiled by C. Michelle Kleisath from students who either were attending or had already graduated from the English Training Program at Qinghai Normal University, these autobiographies give readers a brief look into a series of … [Read more...]
Keyzom, Tsering & Zevon, Sanford S. My Journey to Freedom: One Girl’s Survival Story. Scotts Valley, California: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012.
Sofia Riva Abstract My Journey to Freedom is the autobiography of Tsering Keyzom. Her story recounted through conversation sessions with Dr. Sanford S. Zevon at a local community college, begins in Amdo, a nomadic village in Tibet where she lived with her family, and ends in Westchester, New York way of Kathmandu, New Dehli, and Dharamsala. The language is simple and … [Read more...]
Nulo, Naktsang. My Tibetan Childhood: When Ice Shattered Stone. Durham: Duke University Press, 2014.
Abstract Born in a small village named Madey Chukama in Golok, Amdo region, Naktsang Nulo’s autobiography mainly records the story of his childhood. A cutting line in his life was PLA’s occupation. He witnessed Tibetan monks being forced to smash their monasteries and lamas being beaten to death by the locals. His father tried to have them escape but he died in a battle … [Read more...]
Rinpoche, Trijang. The Magical Play of Illusion: The Autobiography of Trijang Rinpoche. Somerville: Wisdom Publications, 2018.
Jeffrey Daniel Torborg Abstract Kyabje Trijang Rinpoche’s The Magical Play of Illusion: The Autobiography of Trijang Rinpoche (2018) recounts his life from the year of his birth in 1901 until 1975, six years before his death in 1981. A student and then monk at Ganden Monastery in Lhasa, Trijang Rinpoche describes his early training in verse, composition, memorization, … [Read more...]
Losal Rinpoche, Yeshe. From a Mountain In Tibet: A Monk’s Journey. Penguin Life, 2021.
Hiroki Sato ABSTRACT: Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche (Jampal Drakpa) was born in Darak, Kham in 1943. He is the Abbot of Kagyu Samye Ling Monastery and Tibetan Centre, as well as the director of the Holy Island Project in Scotland. His autobiography covers the twist and turns of his life, such as the Chinese invasion and his escape from Tibet, exile in India, purposeless life in … [Read more...]