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 Lawudo Lama: Stories of Reincarnation from the Mount Everest Region
Jamyang Wangmo, The Lawudo Lama: Stories of Reincarnation from the Mount Everest Region. Boston: Wisdom. 2004. Summary by Scarlett Bach Abstract The Lawudo Lama: Stories of Reincarnation from the Mount Everest Region captures the lives of two Lawudo Lamas: Kunzang Yeshe, born in approximately 1865, and his successor, Thubten Zopa Rinpoche, born in 1946, both in the … [Read more...]
A Golden Swan in Turbulent Waters: The Life and Times of the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje
Shamar Rinpoche. A Golden Swan in Turbulent Waters: The Life and Times of the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje. Lexington, Virginia: Bird of Paradise Press, 2012 Summary by Mariah Johnson Abstract The biography of The Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje (1604 - 1674) titled A Golden Swan in Turbulent Waters: The Life and Times of the Tenth Karmapa Choying Dorje (2012) by Shamar … [Read more...]
Tales of a Mad Yogi: The Life and Wild Wisdom of Drukpa Kunley
Monson, Elizabeth L. Tales of a Mad Yogi: The Life and Wild Wisdom of Drukpa Kunley. Shambhala Publications, 2021. Summary by Leif Wood Abstract The Tales of the Mad Yogi is the story of Drukpa Kunley (1455-1529), reconstructed by Elizabeth Monson from the four volumes of The Liberation Tales. The Liberation Tales are episodic, non-chronological, writings about … [Read more...]
Lion of Speech: The Life of Mipham Rinpoche
Khyentse, Dilgo, and Jamgon Mipham. Lion of Speech: The Life of Mipham Rinpoche. Shambhala Publications, 2020. Summary by Michael Deng Abstract Lion of Speech recounts the life of Mipham Rinpoche (1846–1912), one of the greatest 19th-century masters. It was written by Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, who taught many renowned Tibetan figures including the Dalai Lama. Dilgo … [Read more...]
The Life of One Merit Intellect, Summarized
D. L. Snellgrove. Four Lamas of Dolpo, Autobiographies of Four Tibetan Lamas (15th–18th Centuries). By Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1967. Summary by Michaela Sawyer Abstract MERIT INTELLECT (bSod-nams blo-gros) 1456-1521, Abbot of Margom (dMar-sgom). A biography constructed by Merit Intellect's favorite disciple and eventual successor Religious … [Read more...]
The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava
Bsam gtan gling pa (b.1655). The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava the Indian consort of Padmasambhava, Lama Chonam and Sangye Kandro (trans). Boston, Mass: Wisdom Publications, 1998. Summary by Jeffrey Khau Abstract The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava recounts the different manifestations of Pandaravasini with a focus on the life of Mandarava, a … [Read more...]
The Life of My Teacher: A Biography of Ling Rinpoché
His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. The Life of My Teacher: A Biography of Kyabje Ling Rinpoché. Translated by Gavin Kilty, Wisdom Publications, 2017 [Tibetan text published 1989]. Summary by Jeffrey Khau Abstract Written by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, The Life of My Teacher: A Biography of Ling Rinpoché honors the memory and work of Kyabjé Ling Rinpoché … [Read more...]
Enlightened Vagabond: the Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche
Patrul Rinpoche 1808-1887: Ricard, Matthieu, Enlightened Vagabond: the Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche. Shambhala Publications: Boulder, Colorado, 2017. Summary by Darius Rubin Abstract Enlightened Vagabond is a biography of Patrul Rinpoche, a Tibetan Buddhist monk who was given the name Orgyen Jikme Chokyi Wangpo. He lived from 1808 to 1887 and was a … [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...]
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...]
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...]
My Youth In Tibet
Abstract and Review of My Youth In Tibet: Recollections of a Tibetan Woman Sevahn Vorperian Abstract My Youth in Tibet is a two-part narrative written by Tseyang Sadutshang, the niece of the 5th Reting Rinpoche (Thupten Jampel Yishey Gyantsen; Tupten Jampel Yeshe Gyentsen) during the first half of the 20th century. Part 1 is Tseyang’s autobiography of her childhood in … [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 A Review of The Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds By Sebastian Espinosa Abstract The Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds is a biography about Tibetan tulku Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug from birth to death by his nephew Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Born in 1909 in a valley … [Read more...]
Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche
Ricard, Mathieu. Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul Rinpoche [1808-1887]. Boulder: Shambhala, 2017 Constantine Lignos 1 March 2019 Abstract Matthieu Ricard’s Enlightened Vagabond offers an episodic non-linear account of the life of one of Tibet’s most revered nonsectarian scholars and wandering ascetics, a nineteenth century lama from Kham, Patrul … [Read more...]
Becoming Indian: a study of the life of the 16-17th century Tibetan Lama Tāranātha
Templeman, David. Becoming Indian: a study of the life of the 16-17th century Tibetan Lama, Tāranātha. Thesis (Ph.D.). Monash University, 2009 (revised manuscript 2014). Alex Smith February 2019 A Review of Becoming Indian: a study of the life of the 16-17th century Tibetan Lama, Tāranātha Abstract In this six-chapter book, David Templeman provides a critical account of the … [Read more...]
The Knower of the Three Times: The Life of the First Karmapa
Palden Gyal The life of the first Karma-pa, Dus-gsum mkhyen-pa “the knower of the three times” (1110-1193): An annotated translation of his biography from Zla-ba chu-shel-gyi phreng-ba is Ji-young Lee’s MA Thesis from Indiana University, published by ProQuest in 2016. In her introduction, Ji-young Lee (2016) provides a brief account of the historical background of the … [Read more...]
The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava
Natasha Sim Za-hor rgyal poʼi sras mo Lha-lcam Man-dha-ra-waʼi rnam par thar pa. The Lives and Liberation of Princess Mandarava : the Indian consort of Padmasambhava / translated by Lama Chonam and Sangye Khandro ; introduction by Janet Gyatso. (Wisdom Press: 1998) Abstract: This text is perhaps best summed up by Janet Gyatso, in her introduction to this translation, when she … [Read more...]
Summary of the Biography of First Khalkha Jetsundampa Zanabazar
Jonathan Formella Summary of the Biography of First Khalkha Jetsundampa Zanabazar written by Zaya Pandita Luvsanprinlei and translated by Agata Bareja-Starzynska1 Abstract This biography of the First Khalkha Jetsundampa Zanabazar is a critical hagiography of a major figure in the history of Mongolia, Qing China, and Tibetan Buddhism who lived from 1635-1723. He was trained … [Read more...]
Summary of The Madman of Ü
Xinyi Zhang In the fifteenth century, specifically for Kagyü sect, the phenomenon of nyönpas, or madmen, mad yogins, the special kind of enlightened crazy saints appeared. Because of their unconventional and subversive behaviors, they are called “nyönpas”. The most typical representatives for this group listed by DiValerio are Tsang nyön Heruka (1452-1507), Drukpa Kunley … [Read more...]
The King of the Empty Plain
Simon Zhao Abstract: Tangtong Gyalpo is one of the most influential Tibetan figures who ever existed in the combined field of art, technology and religion. According to the record, he had dark skin, long white hair and beard, and he had a very charismatic, calm personality. He is also known as the “Iron Bridge Man” in Tibet and Himalayan region for building fifty-eight iron … [Read more...]