The Secret Lives Of The Dalai Lama

A complete history of the Dalai Lamas and Tibetan Buddhism, this is a must-read for the Buddhism, religious history, and general spirituality audiences.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is renowned the world over for his unswerving dedication to non-violence in his efforts to achieve justice for Tibet, yet the Chinese call him 'a wolf in monk's robes'. He is fourteenth in a lineage whose history is every bit as bloody and intrigue-laden as that of the Papacy. The sixth Dalai Lama was a notorious womaniser, four successive ones were almost certainly murdered and the present Dalai Lama has himself been the target of attacks that resulted in the brutal murder of a close colleague THE LIVES OF THE DALAI LAMA gives a fast-paced and absorbing insight into the real story of Tibetan culture, politics and spirituality, and shows the Dalai Lama as a man of courage, compassion and honesty.

First published in 1989. This book includes the Tibetan Buddhist hagiography and concentrates on the lives of Pemalingpa (1450-1521) and the Sixth Dalai Lama (1683-1706). One of the main purposes of this study is to communicate the human qualities of these saints to a rather broader audience.

The life of the Sixth Dalai Lama does not end with his supposed death at Kokonor in November 1706, on the way to Beijing, and an audience with the Manchu Emperor Kangxi. This book, the so-called Hidden Life, presents a very different Tsangyang Gyamtso, neither a louche poet nor a drinker, but a sober Buddhist practitioner, who chose to escape at Kokonor and to adopt the guise of a wandering monk, only appearing some years later, after many fantastical and mystical adventures, in what is today Inner Mongolia, where he oversaw monasteries and lived as a Buddhist teacher. The Hidden Life was written by a Mongolian monk in 1756, ten years following the death of the lama, his spiritual teacher, whom he identifies as Tsangyang Gyamtso, and in whose identity as the Sixth Dalai Lama he clearly has complete faith. However, as one might imagine, there is nowadays no agreement among the wider Tibetan, Mongolian and Tibetological scholarly community as to whether this man was a charlatan or deluded, or whether he was indeed the Sixth Dalai Lama. The text is divided into four parts. The first part gives an account of the background and birth of the Sixth Dalai Lama, while the opening section of the second part (which is in direct speech, dictated by the lama) continues on, through the political intrigue in Lhasa at the end of the seventeenth century, to the lama's escape at Kokonor. The remainder of the second part consists of a visionary narrative, in which the lama travels through Tibet and Nepal, and in which he encounters divine figures, yetis, zombies and a man with no head, all of which is presented as fact. The third and longest part is an account of the final thirty years of the lama's life, and his activity in Mongolia as an influential Buddhist teacher, including a lengthy and moving description of his death. The final part includes a list of his students and, most interestingly perhaps, a theological and philosophical justification for the coexistence of the Sixth and Seventh Dalai Lamas.

The first authoritative biography of the Dalai Lama--a story by turns inspiring and shocking--from an acclaimed Tibetan scholar with exceptional access to his subject. The Dalai Lama's message of peace and compassion resonates with people of all faiths and none. Yet, for all his worldwide fame, he remains personally elusive. At last Alexander Norman--acclaimed Oxford-trained scholar of the history of Tibet--delivers the definitive, unique, unforgettable biography. The Dalai Lama recounts an astonishing odyssey from isolated Tibetan village to worldwide standing as spiritual and political leader of one of the world's most profound and complex cultural traditions. Norman reveals that, while the Dalai Lama has never been comfortable with his political position, he has been a canny player--at one time CIA-backed--who has maneuvered amidst pervasive violence, including placing himself at the center of a dangerous Buddhist schism. Yet even more surprising than the political, Norman convinces, is the Dalai Lama's astonishing spiritual practice, rooted in magic, vision, and prophecy--details of which are illuminated in this book for the first time. A revelatory life story of one of today's most radical, charismatic, and beloved world leaders.

The current and 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, inspires perennial fascination. Longstanding exile, religious leader,accomplished writer and skilful diplomat, his many guises seem only to add to his mystique. Who is the real Dalai Lama,and what are the true motivations which drive this simultaneously personable and deeply enigmatic man, considered by his followers to be the living embodiment of the Bodhisattva of Compassion? In a revealing, richly anecdotal, and thoroughly researched biography, Mayank Chhaya strips away the multiple layers of the Dalai Lama's personality to getto the man behind the public face. Adding depth and nuance to his portrait, which is based on many personal interviews,the author depicts the Dalai Lama in the light of his banishment and forced flight from his homeland, uncovering the various contexts which have shaped his subject's beliefs, politics and ideals. Shedding fresh light on the complexities of the relationship between China and Tibet, Chhaya also discusses the growing frustrations of young Tibetans with thenonviolent approach to Chinese occupation advocated by the Dalai Lama. The result is a compelling profile of aremarkable spiritual leader and an engaging picture of how the current unrest in his country will determine its long-termfuture.

"One of the most revered spiritual figures of our time-His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, widely recognized as a paragon of wisdom and compassion-tells the story of his life in an intimate timeless voice accessible to readers of all ages. Featuring stunning illustrations by world-renowned artist Rima Fujita, this book will take you on a mystical journey you won't soon forget"--

A little book for those in search of words to calm and inspire. In this gift book His Holiness the Dalai Lama imparts his message: the importance of love, compassion and forgiveness.