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...]
The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat by Ra Yeshé Sengé
Theresa Ding 03/03/2018 Abstract: The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat is a hagiographical telling of the story of Ra Lotsawa Dorjé Drak, also known as Ralo, one of the most notorious Buddhist saints of Tibet. Though his exact year of birth is unknown, the translator notes that it has been traced back to 1016 by other scholars. Ra Lotsawa’s story begins in the southern region … [Read more...]
The Life of Milarepa
A summary by Zhao (Tina) Sun March 4, 2019 Abstract: The Life of Milarepa is a biography with multiple iterations, the most famous of which was compiled by Tsangnyön Heruka in the 15th century. Various translated editions exist today, but this summary focuses on two English editions, one by Lobsang P. Lhalungpa translated in 1977, and another by Andrew Quintman in 2010, both … [Read more...]
Modern Tibetan Autobiographies
20th -21st Century Tibetan Autobiographies, etc. This list was compiled to illustrate the richness of Tibetan autobiographical writing in Tibet. Over the years, students in Gray Tuttle's "20th Century Tibetan History" course have read most of these works and provided an abstract and summary. If you find that there are auto-biographical works in English that have not been … [Read more...]
Tibetan Biographies in Translation
Biographies under review:Note: The list is in chronological order based on when the biography was written. 14th Century Rinchen Namgyal, Dratshadpa. A Handful of Flowers: A brief biography of Buton Rinchen Drub. (1290-1364, written 1366). Hans van der Bogaert (trans.). Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1996. 15th Century Heruka, Tsangnyon … [Read more...]
Fearless in Tibet; the life of the mystic 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 Amgon, a skilled marksman hunter, … [Read more...]
The Life of Longchenpa
The fourteenth century Nyingma synthesizer known by the epithet Longchenpa occupies a fascinating space within his tradition. He was among the first treasure discoverers, the hallmark of Nyingma, yet he also studied widely across the ‘new tradition’ (Sarma) topics and was ordained – both somewhat characteristics being aberrational in a tradition that largely values its … [Read more...]
The spiritual biography of Marpa, the translator
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 presents part of a planned series on the great masters of the Kagyu Lineage. Ken and Katia … [Read more...]
Life and Times of a Realized Tibetan Master, Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug
The Life of Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug,A Great Master of the Rime Movement Ling-Wei Kung Abstract Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug (མཁྱེན་བརྩེའི་ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབང་ཕྱུག, 1909-1960) is a famous Tibetan master of the Rime movement in Eastern Tibetan region. He was born in Derge (སྡེ་དགེ) between eastern Tibet and western China. At an early age, Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug was recognized as a … [Read more...]
The Life and Works of Shardza Tashi Gyeltsen (1859-1935)
summarized by Shan Wu Source: Achard, Jean-Luc. 2008. The life and works of Shardza Tashi Gyeltsen [1859–1935]. Leiden: Brill. Abstract Shardza Tashi Gyeltsen (1859-1934), born as bKra shis rgyal mtshan, was arguably the most important Bönpo masters of the last century. He was referred to by his contemporaries as rTogs Idan rin poche (“Realized Rinpoche”) and ‘Ja’ lus pa … [Read more...]
Rosary of White Lotuses
A Brief Examination of Two Figures in Rosary of White Lotuses, Being the Clear Account of How the Precious Teaching of Buddha Appeared and Spread in the Great Hor Country Nathan Bates Abstract: Damcho Gyatso Dharmatāla (Dam-chos rGya-mtsho Dharma-ta-la) wrote Rosary of White Lotuses, Being the Clear Account of How the Precious Teaching of Buddha Appeared and Spread in the … [Read more...]
Precious Essence
John P. DeSerio Precious Essence: The Inner Autobiography of Terchen Barway Dorje In Precious Essence: The Inner Autobiography of Terchen Barway Dorje, Kagyu Tashi, a disciple of Terchen Barway Dorje (Gter chen Bar ba’i rdo rje, c.1837-1920), records Terchen Barway Dorje’s autobiography. There are two autobiographies of Barway Dorje’s life: an inner and outer … [Read more...]
The Autobiography of Jamgon Kongtrul
Pete Faggen Jamgön Kongtrul: A Rimé Treasure Digger in Dergé Born in 1813 in Rongyap, Longtri, Kham, Tibet, Jamgön Kongtrul, of the Karma Kagyü Tibetan Buddhist sect, was a prolific author, well-known religious master, founder of a retreat/meditation center (at Pelpung Monastery), terma revealer, and even a historian according to Jamgön Kongtrul’s biographer, Nesar Karma … [Read more...]
The Life of Shabkar
Becky Best The Life of Shabkar: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Yogin Abstract The Life of Shabkar is the autobiography of Shabkar Tsodruk Rangdrol (1781-1851). Tracing his spiritual development and activities from birth through age 56, the autobiography is noteworthy for its songs which convey a rich mixture of sorrow, exuberance and sly wit. The story of Shabkar’s life … [Read more...]
Masters of Meditation and Miracles
Written by Tulku Thondup, Masters of Meditation and Miracles: The Longchen Nyingthig Lineage of Tibetan Buddhism is a collection of summarized biographies of important knowledge-holders within the tradition of Longchen Nyingthig, the mind treasure (terma) revealed to Jigme Lingpa through his visions of Longchen Rabjam. The first part of the collection gives the reader a … [Read more...]
Rdo-ring Bandi-ta’i rnam thar
Review by Zhang Huasha Rdo ring Pandita’i rnam thar [Doring Pandita’s Biograpy] Abstract: Rdo ring Pandita’i rnam thar is the autobiography of Rdo ring Bstan ‘dzin dpal ‘byor (Doring Tendzin Peljor), the third generation of the Tibetan aristocratic Doring (Rdo ring) family family. This autobiography records the origin of the Rdo ring family, the experiences of the head of … [Read more...]
Galun Zhuan
Ulan Galun zhuan (Autobiography of Dokharwa Tsering Wanggyel (1697-1763)) Abstract: Dokharwa Tsering Wanggyel was a pivotal figure in the Lhasa political arena in the first half of the eighteenth century. He served several regimes during that tumultuous era and managed to stabilize his power. Aside from his official career, he was also a gifted scholar who wrote several … [Read more...]
Poluonai Zhuan
Bo Huang Poluonai Zhuan (Polhané’s Biography) Polhané’s Biography is a description of the life of the 18th century Tibetan king Polhané by his close minister Dokhar Zhapdrung Tsering Wanggyel (Duokaxiazhong Cerenwangjie). The book is divided into nineteen chapters and describes the ancestral background of the king, his childhood, his marriage, and his political and … [Read more...]
The Fugitive Lives of the Sixth Dalai Lama
Chris Peacock Abstract The Hidden Life of the Sixth Dalai Lama (trans. Simon Wickham-Smith)[1] is a professed account of the activities of Tsangyang Gyatso (Tsangs dbyangs rgya mtsho), the Sixth Dalai Lama. The text was composed by Ngawang Lhundrup Dargyé (Ngag dbang lhun grub dar rgyas), a Mongol who became a student of the text’s subject and decided to record the events … [Read more...]