Across Many Mountains: A Tibetan Family's Epic Journey from Oppression to Freedom

Yangzom Brauen

2011    320 pages    (St. Martin's Press)

ISBN 13: 9780312600136    ISBN 10: 0312600135

A powerful, emotional memoir and an extraordinary portrait of three generations of Tibetan women whose lives are forever changed when Chairman Mao’s Red Army crushes Tibetan independence, sending a young mother and her six-year-old daughter on a treacherous journey across the snowy Himalayas toward freedomKunsang thought she would never leave Tibet. One of the country's youngest Buddhist nuns, she grew up in a remote mountain village where, as a teenager, she entered the local nunnery [...]

A powerful, emotional memoir and an extraordinary portrait of three generations of Tibetan women whose lives are forever changed when Chairman Mao’s Red Army crushes Tibetan independence, sending a young mother and her six-year-old daughter on a treacherous journey across the snowy Himalayas toward freedomKunsang thought she would never leave Tibet. One of the country's youngest Buddhist nuns, she grew up in a remote mountain village where, as a teenager, she entered the local nunnery. Though simple, Kunsang's life gave her all she needed: a oneness with nature and a sense of the spiritual in all things. She married a monk, had two children, and lived in peace and prayer. But not for long. There was a saying in Tibet: "When the iron bird flies and horses run on wheels, the Tibetan people will be scattered like ants across the face of the earth." The Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1950 changed everything. When soldiers arrived at her mountain monastery, destroying everything in their path, Kunsang and her family fled across the Himalayas only to spend years in Indian refugee camps. She lost both her husband and her youngest child on that journey, but the future held an extraordinary turn of events that would forever change her life--the arrival in the refugee camps of a cultured young Swiss man long fascinated with Tibet. Martin Brauen will fall instantly in love with Kunsang's young daughter, Sonam, eventually winning her heart and hand, and taking mother and daughter with him to Switzerland, where Yangzom will be born. Many stories lie hidden until the right person arrives to tell them. In rescuing the story of her now 90-year-old inspirational grandmother and her mother, Yangzom Brauen has given us a book full of love, courage, and triumph,as well as allowing us a rare and vivid glimpse of life in rural Tibet before the arrival of the Chinese. Most importantly, though, ACROSS MANY MOUNTAINS is a testament to three strong, determined women who are linked by an unbreakable family bond.   [less]

Book of Tibetan Elders, The

Sandy Johnson

1997    304 pages    (Riverhead Trade)

ISBN 13: 9781573226073    ISBN 10: 1573226076

Including a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this combination inspirational guide and travelogue chronicles some of the world's most precious wisdom in the words of a group of spiritual leaders on the verge of extinction. Reprint. K. "

Including a foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this combination inspirational guide and travelogue chronicles some of the world's most precious wisdom in the words of a group of spiritual leaders on the verge of extinction. Reprint. K. " [less]

Book of Tibetan Elders, The

Sandy Johnson

1996    282 pages    (Riverhead Hardcover)

ISBN 13: 9781573220231    ISBN 10: 157322023X

A collection of stories and meditations gathered from Tibet's spiritual teachers and doctors--many of whom have suffered persecution by the Chinese government--reflects on the spiritual world, the experience of being possessed, and the gift of life.

A collection of stories and meditations gathered from Tibet's spiritual teachers and doctors--many of whom have suffered persecution by the Chinese government--reflects on the spiritual world, the experience of being possessed, and the gift of life. [less]

Buddha's Warriors: The Story of the CIA-Backed Tibetan Freedom Fighters, the Chinese Communist Invasion, and the Ultimate Fall of Tibet

Mikel Dunham, Dalai Lama

2004    448 pages    (Tarcher)

ISBN 13: 9781585423484    ISBN 10: 1585423483

Buddha's Warriors is the first book that brings to life Tibet before the Chinese communist invasions and depicts the transition of peaceful monks to warriors with the help of the CIA. Tibet in the last sixty years has been so much mystified and politicized that the world at large is confused about what really happened to the "Rooftop of the World" when Mao Tse-tung invaded its borders in 1950. There are dramatically conflicting accounts from Beijing and Dharamsala (home of the Dalai Lama's [...]

Buddha's Warriors is the first book that brings to life Tibet before the Chinese communist invasions and depicts the transition of peaceful monks to warriors with the help of the CIA. Tibet in the last sixty years has been so much mystified and politicized that the world at large is confused about what really happened to the "Rooftop of the World" when Mao Tse-tung invaded its borders in 1950. There are dramatically conflicting accounts from Beijing and Dharamsala (home of the Dalai Lama's government-in-exile). Adding to the confusion is the romanticized spin that Western writers and filmmakers have adopted in an effort to appease the popular myth of Shangri-La. Buddha's Warriors is no fairy tale. Set in a narrative framework but relying heavily on the oral transcripts of the Tibetan men who actually fought the Chinese, Buddha's Warriors tells, for the first time, the inside story of these historic developments, while drawing a vivid picture of Tibetan life before, during, and after Mao's takeover. The firsthand accounts, gathered by the author over a period of seven years, bring faces and deeply personal emotions to the forefront of this ongoing tragedy. It is a saga of brave soldiers and cowardly traitors. It's about hope against desolation, courage against repression, atheism against Buddhism. Above all, it's about what happens to an ancient civilization when it is thrust overnight into the modern horrors of twentieth-century warfare. [less]

Buddhist Symbols

Dagyab Rinpoche

ISBN 10: 0861710479

[less]

Circling the Sacred Mountain : A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas

Robert Thurman, Tad Wise

1999    368 pages    (Bantam)

ISBN 13: 9780553103465    ISBN 10: 0553103466

To Tibetan Buddhists, Mount Kailash is the most magical place on earth, a place where one's prayers are answered instantly.  The journey to the diamond-shaped peak is arduous, as it is located in the heart of the world's tallest mountains; yet it is well worth the effort.  For according to tradition, one trip around the sacred mountain at 17,500 feet can wipe away the sins of a lifetime.It was this promise of transformation that inspired Robert Thurman, preeminent [...]

To Tibetan Buddhists, Mount Kailash is the most magical place on earth, a place where one's prayers are answered instantly.  The journey to the diamond-shaped peak is arduous, as it is located in the heart of the world's tallest mountains; yet it is well worth the effort.  For according to tradition, one trip around the sacred mountain at 17,500 feet can wipe away the sins of a lifetime.It was this promise of transformation that inspired Robert Thurman, preeminent Buddhist scholar and teacher, to lead a group of eager pilgrims on the spiritual trek of a lifetime.  Among the group was a former student and longtime friend, Tad Wise.  Together, Thurman and Wise recount their experience circling the mountain, in chapters that counterpoint the most profound inner teachings of Tibetan Buddhism with a magnificent description of a land of awesome beauty and unexpected hardships.Thurman serves as the group's spiritual leader.  Through the wisdom and insight gained from years of study in India with the Dalai Lama and other gurus, he offers his fellow companions a rich understanding of Tibetan Buddhism, including techniques of meditation, visualization, compassion, and selflessness.  Meanwhile, Wise describes in vivid detail the soaring mountains and breathtaking vistas of this hidden land of snows.  He also chronicles the difficulties he faces as he tries to incorporate Thurman's accelerated Buddhist teachings into his own life.Together they take us deep into Chinese-occupied Tibet to visit sites few Westerners have ever seen: sacred graveyards, meditation caves of ancient masters, and majestic monasteries.  As they navigate perilous mountain passages, Thurman guides the travelers past the pitfalls of spiritual life to the realization of the Buddha's promise of liberation from human suffering.Chronicling the inner as well as the outer journey, confrontations both physical and metaphysical, Circling the Sacred Mountain serves as an inspiring metaphor for the challenging passage to enlightenment open to each of us. [less]

Conquest of Tibet, A

Sven Hedin

1934    (Dutton)

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Dreams and Memories of a Lost Land: A Personal History of a Lost Land

Patrick French

2003    352 pages    (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)

ISBN 13: 9780002571098    ISBN 10: 0002571099

In 1982, while he was still a schoolboy, Patrick French met the Dalai Lama for the first time. Ever since, he has been fascinated by Tibet's people, its history, and its recent plight. "Tibet, Tibet" is a combination of travel and history. The book offers an exploration of one of the most beautiful, isolated, mysterious and misunderstood countries on earth. It follows Patrick French's progress on a journey through Tibet, sidetracked on the way by a cascade of information, thoughts and [...]

In 1982, while he was still a schoolboy, Patrick French met the Dalai Lama for the first time. Ever since, he has been fascinated by Tibet's people, its history, and its recent plight. "Tibet, Tibet" is a combination of travel and history. The book offers an exploration of one of the most beautiful, isolated, mysterious and misunderstood countries on earth. It follows Patrick French's progress on a journey through Tibet, sidetracked on the way by a cascade of information, thoughts and reflections on such subjects as the correct method of travelling across a desert by night; the advisability of not naming your children until their sixth year; and events like the removal of a corrupt Regent's eyeballs by means of a yak's knucklebones in 1933. [less]

Early Jesuit Travellers in Central Asia 1603-1721

C. Wessels

2002    233 pages    (Book Faith India)

ISBN 13: 9788173031052    ISBN 10: 8173031053

With special reference to Tibet.

With special reference to Tibet. [less]

Golden Yoke, The

Rebecca Redwood French

2002    424 pages    (Shambhala Publications, Incorporated)

ISBN 13: 9781559391719    ISBN 10: 1559391715

"The "golden yoke" of Buddhist Tibet was the last medieval legal system still in existence in the middle of the twentieth century. This book reconstructs that system as a series of layered narratives from the memories of people who participated in the daily operation of law in the houses and courtyards the offices and courts of Tibet prior to 1959. The practice of law in this unique legal world, which lacked most of our familiar sign posts, ranged from the fantastic use of oracles in the search [...]

"The "golden yoke" of Buddhist Tibet was the last medieval legal system still in existence in the middle of the twentieth century. This book reconstructs that system as a series of layered narratives from the memories of people who participated in the daily operation of law in the houses and courtyards the offices and courts of Tibet prior to 1959. The practice of law in this unique legal world, which lacked most of our familiar sign posts, ranged from the fantastic use of oracles in the search for evidence to the more mundane presentation of cases in court. Buddhism and law, two topics rarely intertwined in Western consciousness, are at the center of this work. The Tibetan legal system was based on Buddhist philosophy and reflected Buddhist thought in legal practice and decision making. For Tibetans, law is a cosmology, a kaleidoscopic patterning of relations which is constantly changing, recycling, and re-forming even as it integrates the universe and the individual into a timeless mandalic whole. The Golden Yoke causes us to rethink American legal culture. It argues that in the United States, legal matters are segregated into a separate space with rigidly define [less]

Heart of the World: A Journey to the Last Secret Place, The

Ian Baker

2004    511 pages    (The Penguin Press)

ISBN 13: 9781594200274    ISBN 10: 1594200270

The myth of Shangri-la originates in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs in beyul, or hidden lands, sacred sanctuaries that reveal themselves to devout pilgrims and in times of crisis. The more remote and inaccessible the beyul, the vaster its reputed qualities. Ancient Tibetan prophecies declare that the greatest of all hidden lands lies at the heart of the forbidding Tsangpo Gorge, deep in the Himalayas and veiled by a colossal waterfall. Nineteenth-century accounts of this fabled waterfall inspired a [...]

The myth of Shangri-la originates in Tibetan Buddhist beliefs in beyul, or hidden lands, sacred sanctuaries that reveal themselves to devout pilgrims and in times of crisis. The more remote and inaccessible the beyul, the vaster its reputed qualities. Ancient Tibetan prophecies declare that the greatest of all hidden lands lies at the heart of the forbidding Tsangpo Gorge, deep in the Himalayas and veiled by a colossal waterfall. Nineteenth-century accounts of this fabled waterfall inspired a series of ill-fated European expeditions that ended prematurely in 1925 when the intrepid British plant collector Frank Kingdon-Ward penetrated all but a five-mile section of the Tsangpo's innermost gorge and declared that the falls were no more than a "religious myth" and a "romance of geography." The heart of the Tsangpo Gorge remained a blank spot on the map of world exploration until world-class climber and Buddhist scholar Ian Baker delved into the legends. Whatever cryptic Tibetan scrolls or past explorers had said about the Tsangpo's innermost gorge, Baker determined, could be verified only by exploring the uncharted five-mile gap. After several years of encountering sheer cliffs, maelstroms of impassable white water, and dense leech-infested jungles, on the last of a series of extraordinary expeditions, Baker and his National Geographic-sponsored team reached the depths of the Tsangpo Gorge. They made news worldwide by finding there a 108-foot-high waterfall, the legendary grail of Western explorers and Tibetan seekers alike. The Heart of the World is one of the most captivating stories of exploration and discovery in recent memory-an extraordinary journey to one of the wildest and most inaccessible places on earth and a pilgrimage to the heart of the Tibetan Buddhist faith. [less]

Himalayan Pilgrimage

David L. Snellgrove

1988    304 pages    (Shambhala)

ISBN 13: 9780877734741    ISBN 10: 0877734747

With the keen insight of a scholar and the warmth of a seasoned traveller, David Snellgrove re-creates the way of life in isolated villages of a land that has changed little for hundreds of years. During a seven-month trek into the remote Tibetan-speaking regions of Nepal, the author and his Sherpa guide journeyed over a thousand miles, from the lowland plains along the border with India, over the high mountain passes of Dolpo, and across Mustang, finally descending again in to the Kathmandu [...]

With the keen insight of a scholar and the warmth of a seasoned traveller, David Snellgrove re-creates the way of life in isolated villages of a land that has changed little for hundreds of years. During a seven-month trek into the remote Tibetan-speaking regions of Nepal, the author and his Sherpa guide journeyed over a thousand miles, from the lowland plains along the border with India, over the high mountain passes of Dolpo, and across Mustang, finally descending again in to the Kathmandu Valley. Along the way they encountered monks and lamas, yak-herders and villagers, temples and shrines, and witnessed esoteric religious rituals and practices in the Buddhist monasteries, which are the centers of culture in these secluded regions. Thanks to Professor Snellgrove's vast knowledge of Buddhism and Himalayan culture, the book is a valuable resource for scholars and students as well as a colorful travelogue. [less]

In the Service of His Country

Dundul Namgyal Tsarong, D.N. Tsarong

2000    256 pages    (Shambhala Publications, Incorporated)

ISBN 13: 9781559391511    ISBN 10: 1559391510

"In the Service of His Country tells the story of a remarkable individual who rose from humble origins as the son of a farmer to become one of the outstanding figures in the social and political life of Tibet prior to the Chinese takeover in the 1950s. Dasang Damdul Tsarong (1888-1959), noted as a child for his unusual intelligence and capability, entered the personal service of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama at the age of twelve. After distinguishing himself in military service, he was promoted to a [...]

"In the Service of His Country tells the story of a remarkable individual who rose from humble origins as the son of a farmer to become one of the outstanding figures in the social and political life of Tibet prior to the Chinese takeover in the 1950s. Dasang Damdul Tsarong (1888-1959), noted as a child for his unusual intelligence and capability, entered the personal service of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama at the age of twelve. After distinguishing himself in military service, he was promoted to a high rank in the Tibetan government, married into an aristocratic family, and soon became commander-in-chief of the Tibetan army and one of Lhasa's leading citizens. Tsarong was a dynamic and sometimes controversial figure, a voice for the modernization of Tibet's government, especially in its relationship to the international community. This book provides insight into the history and causes of the tragic loss of Tibet's power of self-government. Included are forty photographs taken in Tibet at this critical time, many by D. D. Tsarong himself." [less]

In the Shadow of the Buddha: Secret Journeys, Sacred Histories, and Spiritual Discovery in Tibet

Matteo Pistono

2011    288 pages    (Dutton)

ISBN 13: 9780525951193    ISBN 10: 0525951199

Spiritual biography meets edge-of-your-seat undercover reporting: how an American Buddhist smuggled out hard evidence of abuse and torture in Tibet. For nearly a decade, Matteo Pistono smuggled out of Tibet evidence of atrocities by the Chinese government, showing it to the U.S. government, human rights organizations, and anyone who would listen. Yet Pistono did not originally intend to fight for social justice in Tibet-he had gone there as a Buddhist pilgrim. Disillusioned by a career in [...]

Spiritual biography meets edge-of-your-seat undercover reporting: how an American Buddhist smuggled out hard evidence of abuse and torture in Tibet. For nearly a decade, Matteo Pistono smuggled out of Tibet evidence of atrocities by the Chinese government, showing it to the U.S. government, human rights organizations, and anyone who would listen. Yet Pistono did not originally intend to fight for social justice in Tibet-he had gone there as a Buddhist pilgrim. Disillusioned by a career in American politics, he had gone to the Himalayas looking for a simpler way of life. After encountering Buddhism in Nepal, Pistono's quest led him to Tibet and to a meditation master whose spiritual brother is Sogyal Rinpoche, bestselling author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying. Pistono not only became the master's student but also couriered messages to him in Tibet from the Dalai Lama in India. This began an extraordinary, and ultimately vital, adventure. In the Shadow of the Buddha is a book about Tibet through the eyes of a devotee-a stranger hiding in plain sight. It's about how a culture's rich spiritual past is slipping away against the force of a tyrannical future. It's about how Tibetans live today, and the tenacity of their faith in the future in spite of dire repression and abuse. It's also about Pistono's own journey from being a frustrated political activist to becoming a practicing Buddhist mystic, a man who traveled thousands of miles and risked his own life to pursue freedom and peace.Watch a Video [less]

India

1999    (Lonely Planet)

ISBN 13: 9780864423214    ISBN 10: 0864423217

[less]

Lhasa and its Mysteries

ISBN 10: 0486257630

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Lonely Planet Tibet

Bradley Mayhew, Michael Kohn, Daniel McCrohan

2005    360 pages    (Lonely Planet Publications)

ISBN 13: 9781740595230    ISBN 10: 1740595238

This guide to Tibet includes new coverage of the Tibetan areas of Sichuan (China), features a chapter on trekking, as well as new itineraries detailing routes and remote destinations for more adventurous travellers.

This guide to Tibet includes new coverage of the Tibetan areas of Sichuan (China), features a chapter on trekking, as well as new itineraries detailing routes and remote destinations for more adventurous travellers. [less]

Magic and Mystery in Tibet

Alexandra David-Neel

1971    (Penguin Publishing Group)

ISBN 13: 9780140000689    ISBN 10: 0140000682

A practicing Buddhist and Oriental linguist recounts supernatural events she witnessed in Tibet during the 1920s. Intelligent and witty, she describes the fantastic effects of meditation and shamanic magic -- levitation, telepathy, more. 32 photographs.

A practicing Buddhist and Oriental linguist recounts supernatural events she witnessed in Tibet during the 1920s. Intelligent and witty, she describes the fantastic effects of meditation and shamanic magic -- levitation, telepathy, more. 32 photographs. [less]

Mandala of Sound - Concepts and Sound Structures in Tibetan Ritual Music

Terry Jay Ellingson

1979    (UMI)

PhD thesis, University of Madison-Wisconsin, supervised by Geshe Sopa

PhD thesis, University of Madison-Wisconsin, supervised by Geshe Sopa [less]

My Journey to Lhasa

Alexandra David-Neel

1993    310 pages    (Beacon Press)

ISBN 13: 9780807059036    ISBN 10: 080705903X

An exemplary travelogue of danger and achievement by the Frenchwoman Madame Alexandra David–Neel of her 1923 expedition to Tibet, the fifth in her series of Asian travels, and her personal recounting of her journey to Lhasa, Tibet's forbidden city. In order to penetrate Tibet and reach Lhasa, she used her fluency of Tibetan dialects and culture, disguised herself as a beggar with yak hair extensions and inked skin and tackled some of the roughest terrain and climate in the World. [...]

An exemplary travelogue of danger and achievement by the Frenchwoman Madame Alexandra David–Neel of her 1923 expedition to Tibet, the fifth in her series of Asian travels, and her personal recounting of her journey to Lhasa, Tibet's forbidden city. In order to penetrate Tibet and reach Lhasa, she used her fluency of Tibetan dialects and culture, disguised herself as a beggar with yak hair extensions and inked skin and tackled some of the roughest terrain and climate in the World. With the help of her young companion, Yongden, she willingly suffered the primitive travel conditions, frequent outbreaks of disease, the ever–present danger of border control and the military to reach her goal. The determination and sheer physical fortitude it took for this woman, delicately reared in Paris and Brussels, is inspiration for men and women alike. David–Neel is famous for being the first Western woman to have been received by any Dalai Lama and as a passionate scholar and explorer of Asia, hers is one of the most remarkable of all travellersߴales. [less]

Nepali Aama: Life Lessons of a Himalayan Woman

Broughton Coburn

1995    155 pages    (Anchor)

ISBN 13: 9780385474337    ISBN 10: 0385474334

An enchanting portrait of an inimitable  Himalayan woman in her seventies whose life and wisdom  illustrate the strength and resilience of the human  spirit. In 1973 Broughton Coburn lived and taught  school in a subsistence farming village on the edge  of Nepal's Himalayan mountains. It was there that  he met and developed a unique friendship with a  septuagenarian native widow named Vishnu Maya  Gurung, fondly [...]

An enchanting portrait of an inimitable  Himalayan woman in her seventies whose life and wisdom  illustrate the strength and resilience of the human  spirit. In 1973 Broughton Coburn lived and taught  school in a subsistence farming village on the edge  of Nepal's Himalayan mountains. It was there that  he met and developed a unique friendship with a  septuagenarian native widow named Vishnu Maya  Gurung, fondly known to her relatives and locals as Aama  (mother). When Coburn moved into the hay loft  above her water buffalo shed, Aama became his  landlady, but she also treated him like the son she never  had. Having lost his own mother shortly before he  met Aama, Coburn took an instant liking to the  sprightly Nepalese woman. Already a success in two  previous small press editions, Nepali  Aama is Coburn's enchanting account of his  experiences living, working, and traveling with Aama,  illustrated with his own photos and Aama's candid,  sometimes salty, often hilarious observations on  everyday life in the rural third world. By  combining Aama's deep-rooted wisdom with his striking  black-and-white photographs, Coburn places the reader  in a setting that few have ever experienced. He  also offers rare insight into a culture alive with  humor, folklore, and  religion."Aama and her people were poor and uneducated, but  they seemed to possess an uncanny strength  grounded in tradition, family, community, and  self-sufficiency," he writes. "The values and  philosophy that I have learned from Aama, her  relatives, and the villagers are life lessons that are  valuable in my own country, or wherever I go." [less]

Precious Jewels of Tibet: A Journey to the Roof of the World

Jane Bay

208 pages    (Clear Light Pub)

ISBN 13: 9781574160048    ISBN 10: 1574160044

On a pilgrimage to India, Jane Bay is accompanied by a Tibetan Buddhist monk, Lobsang Samten, through a series of adventures and spiritual passage that will change her life forever. Jane embarks on a journey to Tibet travelling again with her spiritual friend, Lobsang, who returns to his homeland for the first time in thirty eight years. Their dangerous mission takes them from the temples of Lhasa to towns brutalised by Chinese occupation, to destroyed monasteries, and remote nomadic outposts.

On a pilgrimage to India, Jane Bay is accompanied by a Tibetan Buddhist monk, Lobsang Samten, through a series of adventures and spiritual passage that will change her life forever. Jane embarks on a journey to Tibet travelling again with her spiritual friend, Lobsang, who returns to his homeland for the first time in thirty eight years. Their dangerous mission takes them from the temples of Lhasa to towns brutalised by Chinese occupation, to destroyed monasteries, and remote nomadic outposts. [less]

Renaissance of Tibetan Civilization, The

Christoph von Furer-Haimendorf, Dalai Lama XIV (Foreword by)

1990    128 pages    (Synergetic Press)

ISBN 13: 9780907791218    ISBN 10: 0907791212

The young ruler of Tibet donned the traditional garb of a Tibetan tribesman and fled on horesback to India to escape the Chinese occupation of his homeland. The 14th Dalai Lama arrived in Indiain the spring of 1959, the first and most illustrious refugee of the waves soon to pour out from the ancient 'Forbidden Kingdom'."The Renaissance of Tibetan Civilization" is an inspiring story of the power of courage and hope - the story of refugees who arrived destitute at the frontiers of India and Nepal [...]

The young ruler of Tibet donned the traditional garb of a Tibetan tribesman and fled on horesback to India to escape the Chinese occupation of his homeland. The 14th Dalai Lama arrived in Indiain the spring of 1959, the first and most illustrious refugee of the waves soon to pour out from the ancient 'Forbidden Kingdom'."The Renaissance of Tibetan Civilization" is an inspiring story of the power of courage and hope - the story of refugees who arrived destitute at the frontiers of India and Nepal, yet a mere forty years later have managed to rebuild the essential patterns of Tibetan culture in exile as a legacy for the future.The book documents the struggle for survival and the emerging way of life of individual refugees and families, as well as there construction of religious and artistic traditions. Per Kvaerne appends an essay on the Bon religion which augments the background material necessary for understanding the ingredients of the diaspora. The forced exodus of Tibetan culture is one of the most remarkable stories of our time: how an enclosed and highly conservative community assumed global significance, in the realm of politics as well as in the realm of culture. The tragedy of Tibet has enriched the world by giving it access to the high intellectual and artistic values which gave Tibetans their sense of meaning. [less]

Series of Basic Information of Tibet of China --Tibetan Customs

Li Tao & Jiang HOng Ying

2003    126 pages    (China Intercontinental Press)

ISBN 13: 9787508502540    ISBN 10: 750850254X

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Settlements of Hope: An Account of Tibetan Refugees in Nepal (Cultural Survival Report)

Ann Armbrecht Forbes

1989    170 pages    (Cultural Survival)

ISBN 13: 9780939521449    ISBN 10: 093952144X

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Snow Leopard (Penguin Nature Classics), The

Peter Matthiessen

338 pages    (Penguin)

ISBN 13: 9780140255089    ISBN 10: 0140255087

When Matthiessen went to Nepal to study the Himalayan blue sheep and, possibly, to glimpse the rare and beautiful snow leopard, he undertook his five-week trek as winter snows were sweeping into the high passes. This is a radiant and deeply moving account of a "true pilgrimage, a journey of the heart."

When Matthiessen went to Nepal to study the Himalayan blue sheep and, possibly, to glimpse the rare and beautiful snow leopard, he undertook his five-week trek as winter snows were sweeping into the high passes. This is a radiant and deeply moving account of a "true pilgrimage, a journey of the heart." [less]

Tibet: My Story

Jetsun Pema

2001    254 pages    (Element Books Ltd.)

ISBN 13: 9781862041240    ISBN 10: 1862041245

Jetsun Pema is the youngest sister of the Dalai Lama. Her family was one of exceptional destiny. Her description of the finding of the new Dalai Lama is unique because she was there as a young girl when the old Lamas arrived to see if her brother had knowledge of the sacred texts from a previous incarnation, and when they announced to the world he would be the next spiritual leader. The book is also an account of the eternal Tibet before the invasion, a story of a hidden world which will never [...]

Jetsun Pema is the youngest sister of the Dalai Lama. Her family was one of exceptional destiny. Her description of the finding of the new Dalai Lama is unique because she was there as a young girl when the old Lamas arrived to see if her brother had knowledge of the sacred texts from a previous incarnation, and when they announced to the world he would be the next spiritual leader. The book is also an account of the eternal Tibet before the invasion, a story of a hidden world which will never be the same again, and the events which overtook it. [less]

Tibetan Diary: From Birth to Death and Beyond in a Himalayan Valley of Nepal

Geoff Childs

2004    228 pages    (University of California Press)

ISBN 13: 9780520241336    ISBN 10: 0520241339

In this rich and deeply personal account of life in the highlands of Nepal, Geoff Childs chronicles the daily existence of a range of people, from venerated lamas to humble householders. Offering insights into the complex dynamics of the ethnically Tibetan enclave of Nubri, Childs provides a vivid and compelling portrait of the ebb and flow of life and death, of communal harmony and discord, and of personal conflicts and social resolutions. Part ethnography, part travelogue, and part biography, [...]

In this rich and deeply personal account of life in the highlands of Nepal, Geoff Childs chronicles the daily existence of a range of people, from venerated lamas to humble householders. Offering insights into the complex dynamics of the ethnically Tibetan enclave of Nubri, Childs provides a vivid and compelling portrait of the ebb and flow of life and death, of communal harmony and discord, and of personal conflicts and social resolutions. Part ethnography, part travelogue, and part biography, Tibetan Diary is a one-of-a-kind book that conveys the tangled intricacies of a Tibetan society.Childs's immensely readable and informative narrative incorporates contemporary observations as well as vignettes culled from first-person testaments including oral histories and autobiographies. Examining the tensions between cultural ideals and individual aspirations, he explores certain junctures in the course of life: how the desire to attain religious knowledge or to secure a caretaker in old age contrasts with social expectations and familial obligation, for example. The result is a vivid and unparalleled view of the quest for both spiritual meaning and mundane survival that typifies life in an unpredictable Himalayan environment. [less]

Tibetan Folk Tales

Frederick Hyde-Chambers, Audrey Hyde-Chambers

1995    208 pages    (Shambhala Publications, Incorporated)

ISBN 13: 9781570620904    ISBN 10: 1570620903

Gleaned from an ancient oral tradition, these imaginative, colorful, and wisdom-filled stories will delight children and adults alike. This collection includes the Tibetan myth of creation; some of the famous Jataka tales, or stories of former lives of the Buddha; and the most popular of all the time-honored legends of Tibet, the great epic of King Gesar of Ling, the warrior who became a national hero.

Gleaned from an ancient oral tradition, these imaginative, colorful, and wisdom-filled stories will delight children and adults alike. This collection includes the Tibetan myth of creation; some of the famous Jataka tales, or stories of former lives of the Buddha; and the most popular of all the time-honored legends of Tibet, the great epic of King Gesar of Ling, the warrior who became a national hero. [less]

Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines: Or, Seven Books of Wisdom of the Great Path, according to the late Lama Kazi Dawa-Samdup's English rendering (Galaxy Books)

1967    448 pages    (Oxford University Press)

ISBN 13: 9780195002782    ISBN 10: 0195002784

First published in English in 1935, this volume of seven authentic Tibetan yoga texts serves as a companion to The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Illustrated with photographs and reproductions of yoga paintings and manuscripts, this edition contains some of the principal meditations used by illustrious Hindu and Tibetan gurus and philosophers through the ages in attaining Right Knowledge and Enlightenment. Special commentaries precede each carefully-rendered text, and a comprehensive preface [...]

First published in English in 1935, this volume of seven authentic Tibetan yoga texts serves as a companion to The Tibetan Book of the Dead. Illustrated with photographs and reproductions of yoga paintings and manuscripts, this edition contains some of the principal meditations used by illustrious Hindu and Tibetan gurus and philosophers through the ages in attaining Right Knowledge and Enlightenment. Special commentaries precede each carefully-rendered text, and a comprehensive preface contrasts the tenets of Buddhism with European concepts of religion, philosophy, and science. [less]

To Lhasa and Beyond, diary of 1948 expedition to Tibet

Giuseppe Tucci

1956   

Reprint 1985

Reprint 1985 [less]

War at the Top of the World: The Struggle for Afghanistan, Kashmir and Tibet

Eric Margolis, Eric S. Margolis

2002    272 pages    (Routledge)

ISBN 13: 9780415934688    ISBN 10: 0415934680

First published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

First published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company. [less]

Warriors of Tibet

Jamyang Norbu

1986    152 pages    (Wisdom Publications)

ISBN 13: 9780861710508    ISBN 10: 0861710509

A heartfelt story of one man's struggle for Tibetan independence. Warriors of Tibet is a vivid portrait of a Tibetan Khampa warrior, Aten, and his people of Nyarong. He tells the history of his people, and relates how the peaceful lifestyle in Kham was shattered by the incursion and final domination of the Chinese government in the 1950s. He tells of blood battles and the terrible suffering of his people, and finally the murder of his family and his escape across the Himalayas to Dharamsala in [...]

A heartfelt story of one man's struggle for Tibetan independence. Warriors of Tibet is a vivid portrait of a Tibetan Khampa warrior, Aten, and his people of Nyarong. He tells the history of his people, and relates how the peaceful lifestyle in Kham was shattered by the incursion and final domination of the Chinese government in the 1950s. He tells of blood battles and the terrible suffering of his people, and finally the murder of his family and his escape across the Himalayas to Dharamsala in northern India. [less]

Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet, and the World

Robert Thurman

2008    256 pages    (Atria Books/Beyond Words)

ISBN 13: 9781582702209    ISBN 10: 1582702209

he suppression of Tibet’s cultural heritage has the potential to set a precedent for all oppressed peoples of the world. Perched on the top of the world. changes in Tibet’s ecosystem affect the entire global climate. And, most importantly, Tibet is the spiritual and physical home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to which he can never return.But why does Tibet matter to you? Tibet is more than its mountains, its monks, and its martyrs. Robert Thurman, renowned Tibetan scholar, teacher [...]

he suppression of Tibet’s cultural heritage has the potential to set a precedent for all oppressed peoples of the world. Perched on the top of the world. changes in Tibet’s ecosystem affect the entire global climate. And, most importantly, Tibet is the spiritual and physical home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, to which he can never return.But why does Tibet matter to you? Tibet is more than its mountains, its monks, and its martyrs. Robert Thurman, renowned Tibetan scholar, teacher, and activist, presents his provocative, five-point plan that will enable China to win the respect of the entire world by allowing Tibet to regain its cultural, economic, and political autonomy. Thurman shows how the Dalai Lama's tireless work is the harbinger of peace for the world yet to come and essential for human survival. The book outlines several key factors that will educate and empower readers to take action:- What is the history of Tibet, and how do the political, religious, ecological, and social factors affect each other?- Who is the Dalai Lama, and why does his work matter to the world?- What does the China-Tibet relationship represent for the global community?- What can individuals do to bring attention to this issue, and make a change where they are?- How can the five-point plan be used as a model of peaceful change in the world? [less]

Women in Tibet: Past and Present

2006    352 pages    (Columbia University Press)

ISBN 13: 9780231130998    ISBN 10: 0231130996

Filling a gap in the literature, this volume explores the struggles and accomplishments of women from both past and present-day Tibet. Here are queens from the imperial period, yoginis and religious teachers of medieval times, Buddhist nuns, oracles, political workers, medical doctors, and performing artists. Most of the essays focus on the lives of individual women, whether from textual sources or from anthropological data, and show that Tibetan women have apparently enjoyed more freedom than [...]

Filling a gap in the literature, this volume explores the struggles and accomplishments of women from both past and present-day Tibet. Here are queens from the imperial period, yoginis and religious teachers of medieval times, Buddhist nuns, oracles, political workers, medical doctors, and performing artists. Most of the essays focus on the lives of individual women, whether from textual sources or from anthropological data, and show that Tibetan women have apparently enjoyed more freedom than women in many other Asian countries. The book is innovative in resisting both romanticization and hypercriticism of women's status in Tibetan society, attending rather to historical description, and to the question of what is distinctive about women's situations in Tibet, and what is common to both men and women in Tibetan society. [less]