Delog: Journey to Realms beyond Death. Composed by Delog Dawa Drolma and Translated by Richard Barron (2002 [1995]). Summary by Gaskin Karlton Abstract In Delog: Journey to Realms Beyond Death, Dawa Drolma provides her account of her journey through the various realms that exist after death. Born in the early 20th century, Dawa Drolma lived most of her life in … [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...]
Samye and its Replicas
An Analysis of the Monastery's Changing Architecture and Symbolism from the Tibetan Plateau to Hebei and the West Ben Guggenheim | December 22, 2020 | PDF Tibetan Buddhism is a rich tradition that has continually contributed to the religious, cultural, and political landscape of Inner and East Asia since its being institutionalized more than 1,200 years ago. In recent … [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...]
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...]
Mapping Women in Tibetan Buddhism
An online map resource by Julia Zeh. Excerpt: In addition to the Maps link which has posts related to the spaces occupied by Tibetan Buddhist women, this page is intended to give a little bit more information about the specific role women have played in Tibetan Buddhism. I found it very difficult to study women in Tibet, primarily because Tibetan written history often does … [Read more...]
The Great Melody of Illusion, the False Account of a Dream
Representations of Shambhala as Sacred Space, a project by Wan Yii Lee The name of this website (“The Great Melody of Illusion, the False Account of a Dream”, or rMi lam rdzun bshad sgyu ma’i sgra dbyangs chen mo) was the name of the document that contained the earliest datable Tibetan itinerary to Shambhala by Man lung Guru (b. 1239). This itinerary, although written in … [Read more...]
Sacred Space
Online essay by Alex Whitman, Sacred Space. Tibet’s srin mo legend has been invoked at key moments of political flux, offering actors new modes of relating to–and benefiting from–a common imperial past. The fight against the demoness is continuously played out in sacred spaces, where institutional duty and virtue are intimately tied to the fulfillment of the imperial … [Read more...]