Tibetan Buddhism Books

Book SynopsisTsong khapa (14th-century) is arguably the most important and influential philosopher in Tibetan history. This work is a commentary on Nagarjuna's "Mulamadhyamakakarika" ("Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way"). It discusses alternative readings of the text and prior commentaries and provides a detailed exegesis.Trade Review..accuracy cannot be achieved without elegance, and the translators' awareness of this fact is evident throughout. * TLS *Geshe Ngawang Samten and Jay Garfield have succeeded in making available an invaluable resource for the study of Nagarjuna's Root Verses of the Middle Way and the subsequent development of his philosophy by South Asian and Tibetan thinkers. * Felix Holmgren, TLS *

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Book SynopsisThis book provides the first English translation of Candrakirti''s commentary (ca. 6-7th century C.E.) on four illusions that prevent people from becoming Buddhas. Lang''s translation captures the clarity of Candrakirti''s arguments and the lively humour of the stories and examples he uses. Lang''s introduction explores the range of Candrakirti''s interests in religion, philosophy, psychology, politics, and erotic poetry.Trade ReviewLang has done an admirable job of translating an often difficult text into English. ... This book is a significant contribution to the field of Buddhist studies, particularly for those interested in Madhyamaka philosophy. * Religious Studies Review *

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Book SynopsisThanks to the international celebrity of the present Dalai Lama, Tibetan Buddhism is attracting more attention than at any time in its history. Although there have been numerous specialist studies of individual Tibetan texts, however, no scholarly work has as yet done justice to the rich variety of types of Tibetan discourse. This book fills this lacuna, bringing to bear the best methodological insights of the contemporary human sciences, and at the same time conveying to non-specialist readers an impression of the broad domain of Tibetan religious and philosophical thought. For over a millenium a Tibetan Buddhist intelligentsia produced a vast literature in which they explored the legacy of Indian (and to a lesser extent Chinese) Buddhism, often with exceptional rigor and creativity. At the same time, they also articulated perspectives and raised questions that reflected a distinctly Tibetan heritage, above and beyond the impetus derived from foreign sources. The views they generated,Trade Review"...a marvel of erudition....this is a fascinating and informative book."--Parabola "This is an unusual, stimulating piece of scholarship. It is exhaustively researched, linked deeply and broadly to the larger discussions circulating through Tibetan studies and the histories of religions. It is fair-minded in relation to its sources, critical of traditional historiography without being belligerent. Not only will scholars of Tibetan Buddhism benefit from this work, but also historians of Tibet generally, practitioners of tantric Buddhism, philosophers and mythologists should have this book on their shelves."--Transcendent Philosophy

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Book SynopsisThis two-volume set examines the Tibetan debate regarding the possibility of knowledge in the context of Madhyamaka initiated by the 15th century philosopher Taktsang's attack on Tsongkhapa's presentation of epistemology and Madhyamaka. Volume II presents translations of the principal texts.Trade ReviewI celebrate the arrival of this extraordinary book. It marks an important step forward in our understanding of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy. * Guy Newland, Central Michigan University, The Journal of Religion *Table of ContentsChapter 1. Taktsang Sherab Rinchen, Freedom from Extremes Accomplished through Comprehensive Knowledge of Philosophy, Chapter V (translated by Thomas Doctor with Ryan Conlon, Jay L. Garfield, and John Powers) Chapter 2. Mikyö Dorjé, Karmapa VIII, An Excerpt from One Hundred Thousand Discussions of Mah?mudr? and an excerpt from Chariot of the Dakpo Kagyü Adepts (translated by Thomas Doctor with Jay L. Garfield and John Powers) Chapter 3. Panchen Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen, The Lion's Roar of Scripture and 191 Reasoning: A Response to the Objections of Drapa Sherab Rinchen (translated by José Cabezón and Sonam Thakchöe with Jay L. Garfield and John Powers) Chapter 4. Wangchuk Dorjé, Karmapa IX, Concise Compendium of the Middle Way and Conferring the Definitive Meaning (translated by Ryan Conlon with Thomas Doctor, Jay L. Garfield and John Powers) Chaper 5. Purchok Ngawang Jampa, Diamond Slivers: A Rejoinder to Taktsang Lotsawa (translated by Ryan Conlon and Thomas Doctor with Jay L. Garfield and John Powers) Glossary of English Terms Glossary of Tibetan Terms Glossary of Tibetan Place Names and Orders

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Book SynopsisThe Tibetan Buddhist tradition has known over thirteen centuries of continuous development. During that time, it has spread among the neighboring peoples - the Mongol, Himalayan, and Siberian peoples, Manchus and Chinese. At its height is has been practiced in regions as far west as the Volga river and to the east in Beijing. Its capacity for creative adaptation is demonstrated by its recent growth in Europe and America. At the same time, it is at the center of political contestation in ethnically Tibetan regions of China, while its best known exponent, the Dalai Lama, has become one of the most admired religious leaders in the world today. But what does this religion teach? Just what is the position of the Dalai Lama, and how will his succession be assured? Is it true that Tibetan Buddhism in entirely suppressed in China? Scholar Matthew Kapstein offers a brief account responding to these questions and more in this Very Short Introduction, in terms that are accessible to students, general readers, journalists, and others who are curious to learn the most essential features of Tibetan Buddhist history, teachings, and practice.About the Series:Oxford''s Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade Review"A splendidly lucid and insightful account of Tibetan Buddhism. The book surveys the full spectrum of religious ideas, culture, and practices, from everyday ritual to rarified philosophical doctrine and yogic states, all situated in their historical contexts and studded with clarifying charts and choice excerpts from the original texts. The perfect overview for layman and specialist alike." --Janet Gyatso, Hershey Professor of Buddhist Studies, The Divinity School, Harvard UniversityTable of Contents1. The World of Men, Demons, and Gods ; 2. Sources of Tibetan Religious Traditions ; 3. The Growth of the Orders and Schools ; 4. Spiritual Exercise and the Path of the Bodhisattva ; 5. Philosophical Developments and Disputes ; 6. Enlightenment in this Body and Life ; 7. Dying and Death ; 8. Tibetan Buddhism Today ; Appendix: The Nine Ways of Buddhism and of Bon

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Book SynopsisIf any anthropologist living today can illuminate our dim understanding of death's enigma, it is Robert Desjarlais. With Subject to Death, Desjarlais provides an intimate, philosophical account of death and mourning practices among Hyolmo Buddhists, an ethnically Tibetan Buddhist people from Nepal. He studies the death preparations of the Hyolmo, their specific rituals of grieving, and the practices they use to heal the psychological trauma of loss. Desjarlais's research marks a major advance in the ethnographic study of death, dying, and grief, one with broad implications. Ethnologically nuanced, beautifully written, and twenty-five years in the making, Subject to Death is an insightful study of how fundamental aspects of human existenceidentity, memory, agency, longing, bodilinessare enacted and eventually dissolved through social and communicative practices.

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Book SynopsisThe Passion Book is the most famous work of erotica in the vast literature of Tibetan Buddhism, written by the legendary scholar and poet Gendun Chopel (19031951).

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewExhibits that rare combination of meticulous historical research and lively prose in recounting a tale that is sure to intrigue readers. -- Holly Gayley Buddhadharma A significant contribution to Tibetan cultural history and gender studies. -- Amy Holmes-Tagchungdarpa Journal of the American Academy of Religion There are too many points of interest in this brilliant and often innovating book to be mentioned here. -- Anne Chayet HistorianTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Foreword, by Marilyn Strathern Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part I 1. The World of Chokyi Dronma 2. The Life of Chokyi Dronma 3. The Manuscript and Its Enigmas 4. Princess, Nun, Yogini Part II Translation of the Biography of the Venerable Chokyi Dronma Part III 5. Succession and Spiritual Lineages: Meaning and Mysteries of Chokyi Dronma's Reincarnation 6. "Lady of the Lake": The Dorje Phagmo at Samding 7. Dorje Phagmo in the Twentieth Century: Embodied Divinity and Government Cadre 8. The Living Tradition and the Legacy of the Princess Epilogue Twin Reincarnation Line and Tentative Chronology The Families of Chokyi Dronma Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA pleasure to read. Buddhadharma Stimulating. Nature An excellent presentation of what can happen when intelligent, open minds sit down together with the goal of mutual understanding and betterment. -- Sameet Kumar PsyCritiquesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction 1. How Real Are the Elementary Particles? 2. The Emergence of Complexity; and an Interview with Matthieu Ricard 3. Toward the Complexity of Life 4. How Life Unfolds; and an Interview with Richard Gere 5. The Magic of the Human Genome and Its Ethical Problems; and an Interview with His Holiness the Karmapa 6. From Consciousness to Ethics 7. Last Words About the Mind and Life Institute Notes Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewHis writing is fluid and at times witty, and the density of the book's detail calls for a close reading...a lively and significant study... -- Michael J. Sweet Buddhadharma Well-written Library Journal A 'must-read' book Practical Matters A detailed and engrossing story about this enigmatic figure's life. -- David M. DiValerio Journal of Buddhist Ethics Hackett's sympathetic account is a page-turner, meticulously documented over a number of years... Well-written... A readable intellectual account of the life of an ambitious Tibetological pioneer. Asian Ethnology Hackett's work is excellently detailed... [his] construction of Theos' story is so interesting it reads both as a novel and as an academic biography. Nova ReligioTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1. Life in the Desert 2. New York and New Mexico 3. Two Parallel Paths (I) 4. Two Parallel Paths (II) 5. On Holy Ground 6. Pretense and Pretext: Studies in India 7. A Well-Trodden Path: Studies in Darjeeling and Sikkim 8. Tibet, Tantrikas, and the Hero of Chaksam Ferry 9." The Clipper Ship of the Imagination" 10. Yoga on Fifth Avenue 11. Tibetland and the Penthouse of the Gods 12. To Climb the Highest Mountains 13. The Aftermath 14. Postscript: The View from Ki, Sixty Years Later Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewHis writing is fluid and at times witty, and the density of the book's detail calls for a close reading...a lively and significant study... -- Michael J. Sweet Buddhadharma Well-written Library Journal A 'must-read' book Practical Matters A detailed and engrossing story about this enigmatic figure's life. -- David M. DiValerio Journal of Buddhist Ethics Hackett's sympathetic account is a page-turner, meticulously documented over a number of years... Well-written... A readable intellectual account of the life of an ambitious Tibetological pioneer. Asian Ethnology Hackett's work is excellently detailed... [his] construction of Theos' story is so interesting it reads both as a novel and as an academic biography. Nova ReligioTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface Acknowledgments 1. Life in the Desert 2. New York and New Mexico 3. Two Parallel Paths (I) 4. Two Parallel Paths (II) 5. On Holy Ground 6. Pretense and Pretext: Studies in India 7. A Well-Trodden Path: Studies in Darjeeling and Sikkim 8. Tibet, Tantrikas, and the Hero of Chaksam Ferry 9." The Clipper Ship of the Imagination" 10. Yoga on Fifth Avenue 11. Tibetland and the Penthouse of the Gods 12. To Climb the Highest Mountains 13. The Aftermath 14. Postscript: The View from Ki, Sixty Years Later Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA definitive account of the efforts by Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and other conservatives to remake American politics, the American economy, and America’s approach to the world in a pivotal decade.Trade ReviewAn amazing book and a stellar contribution to Columbia University Press's growing catalog of Tibetan and Tibetan Buddhist studies, for it will be the key book on medicine and religion in Tibet for this generation. Like Janet Gyatso's book on autobiography, her new book on medicine will simply be field defining. Little of this literature has received attention to date, and in fact much of it has only been available to a contemporary international scholarly audience for a decade or so. -- Kurtis R. Schaeffer, University of Virginia Janet Gyatso's long-awaited Being Human in a Buddhist World is the most important study of Tibetan medicine in the English language, surpassing previous scholarship in the scope of its history, the extent of its research, and the depth of its insights. Yet it is also more than that. It is the rare work that causes us to rethink the foundations of our field, leaving readers with both answers and questions about what is encompassed by terms like 'Tibetan Buddhism' and 'medical science.' -- Donald Lopez, University of Michigan This book is a fascinating, lucid, and profound exploration of the history in Tibet of the mentality and practices, both empirical and discursive, of probative medicine within the context of Buddhist civilization, a concept introduced and used as a more broad category than that of a 'Buddhism' concerned primarily with ideals of human perfection and supernatural realms. Moving deftly between fine-grained analysis of textual and visual materials from the seventh to seventeenth centuries and an open-ended discussion of large-scale historical and cultural issues, the book makes a significant contribution not only to Tibetan and Buddhist studies but also to current debates on the historiography and philosophy of the interactions and conflicts between religion and science. -- Steven Collins, University of Chicago Janet Gyatso's book is an extraordinarily sophisticated presentation of the history of Tibetan Buddhist medical practice from the inside out-an account that is deeply grounded in Tibetan language sources while never losing sight of key analytical, historical, and methodological questions pertinent to recent debates in the history of medicine and Buddhist studies, not to mention wider studies in the history of culture and literature in South Asia and beyond. This book will be a landmark in the study of South Asian medical traditions. What distinguishes it from other studies is its complexity of vision. It deftly traces the surprising entanglements of Buddhist doctrine, state patronage, and social power with both scholastic medical traditions and medical practitioners on the ground to give us a historical picture that is compellingly nuanced and refreshingly open-clearing the path for future research. -- Daud Ali, University of Pennsylvania A fascinating intellectual history by a mature scholar at the top of her game. Choice Written in a brilliant style, with engaging language... This exceptional work is an inspiring and valuable contribution to a broad range of medical discourses reaching well beyond the world of Tibetan medicine. Isis [Gyatso's] breadth of erudition is matched by the clarity and sophistication with which she frames and explicates her subject matter. Bulletin of the History of Medicine This is a major contribution to the field, and deserves to be widely read. Social History of Medicine Lucid and eloquent... [Being Human in a Buddhist World] is a major contribution to the broader issues of science-religion themes in Asian medicine, and will clearly be outstanding among the works on the history of Tibetan medicine for a long time to come. -- Barbara Gerke Himalaya: The Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies [Being Human in a Buddhist World] greatly increases our understanding of Tibetan medical history, and could complement well readings in a graduate course on the history of science or medicine in Asia. -- Ryan John Jones Religious Studies Review Bridging studies of religion, science, and medicine, Being Human in a Buddhist World will be a valuable resource for scholars interested in thinking through these topics comparatively within and beyond Asian studies. The book will be valued by specialists and in graduate courses for its contributions to Buddhist studies and Tibetan studies, including an overview of the complex Tibetan system of tantric anatomy. At the same time, this intellectual history draws attention to the dearth of social histories of Tibet, and in particular Tibetan medical culture, which might shed further light on the rhetorical contradictions Gyatso identifies among Tibetan medical scholars. -- Stacey Van Vleet Journal of Asian Studies This major publication, the fruit of many years' work and engagement with key sources in the historical development of Tibetan medicine, is likely to remain a landmark in the study of Tibetan medical thought. -- Cathy Cantwell Revue d'Etudes TibetainesTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments A Technical Note Abbreviations Introduction Part I: In the Capital 1. Reading Paintings, Painting the Medical, Medicalizing the State 2. Anatomy of an Attitude: Medicine Comes of Age Part II: Bones of Contention 3. The Word of the Buddha 4. The Evidence of the Body: Medical Channels. Tantric Knowing 5. Tangled Up in System: The Heart, in the Text and in the Hand Coda: Influence, Rhetoric, and Riding Two Horses at Once Part III: Roots of the Profession 6. Women and Gender 7. The Ethics of Being Human: The Doctor's Formation in a Material Realm Conclusion: Ways and Means for Medicine Notes Bibliographies Index

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Book SynopsisA definitive account of the efforts by Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and other conservatives to remake American politics, the American economy, and America’s approach to the world in a pivotal decade.Trade ReviewAn amazing book and a stellar contribution to Columbia University Press's growing catalog of Tibetan and Tibetan Buddhist studies, for it will be the key book on medicine and religion in Tibet for this generation. Like Janet Gyatso's book on autobiography, her new book on medicine will simply be field defining. Little of this literature has received attention to date, and in fact much of it has only been available to a contemporary international scholarly audience for a decade or so. -- Kurtis R. Schaeffer, University of Virginia Janet Gyatso's long-awaited Being Human in a Buddhist World is the most important study of Tibetan medicine in the English language, surpassing previous scholarship in the scope of its history, the extent of its research, and the depth of its insights. Yet it is also more than that. It is the rare work that causes us to rethink the foundations of our field, leaving readers with both answers and questions about what is encompassed by terms like 'Tibetan Buddhism' and 'medical science.' -- Donald Lopez, University of Michigan This book is a fascinating, lucid, and profound exploration of the history in Tibet of the mentality and practices, both empirical and discursive, of probative medicine within the context of Buddhist civilization, a concept introduced and used as a more broad category than that of a 'Buddhism' concerned primarily with ideals of human perfection and supernatural realms. Moving deftly between fine-grained analysis of textual and visual materials from the seventh to seventeenth centuries and an open-ended discussion of large-scale historical and cultural issues, the book makes a significant contribution not only to Tibetan and Buddhist studies but also to current debates on the historiography and philosophy of the interactions and conflicts between religion and science. -- Steven Collins, University of Chicago Janet Gyatso's book is an extraordinarily sophisticated presentation of the history of Tibetan Buddhist medical practice from the inside out-an account that is deeply grounded in Tibetan language sources while never losing sight of key analytical, historical, and methodological questions pertinent to recent debates in the history of medicine and Buddhist studies, not to mention wider studies in the history of culture and literature in South Asia and beyond. This book will be a landmark in the study of South Asian medical traditions. What distinguishes it from other studies is its complexity of vision. It deftly traces the surprising entanglements of Buddhist doctrine, state patronage, and social power with both scholastic medical traditions and medical practitioners on the ground to give us a historical picture that is compellingly nuanced and refreshingly open-clearing the path for future research. -- Daud Ali, University of Pennsylvania A fascinating intellectual history by a mature scholar at the top of her game. Choice Written in a brilliant style, with engaging language... This exceptional work is an inspiring and valuable contribution to a broad range of medical discourses reaching well beyond the world of Tibetan medicine. Isis [Gyatso's] breadth of erudition is matched by the clarity and sophistication with which she frames and explicates her subject matter. Bulletin of the History of Medicine This is a major contribution to the field, and deserves to be widely read. Social History of Medicine Lucid and eloquent... [Being Human in a Buddhist World] is a major contribution to the broader issues of science-religion themes in Asian medicine, and will clearly be outstanding among the works on the history of Tibetan medicine for a long time to come. -- Barbara Gerke Himalaya: The Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies [Being Human in a Buddhist World] greatly increases our understanding of Tibetan medical history, and could complement well readings in a graduate course on the history of science or medicine in Asia. -- Ryan John Jones Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments A Technical Note Abbreviations Introduction Part I: In the Capital 1. Reading Paintings, Painting the Medical, Medicalizing the State 2. Anatomy of an Attitude: Medicine Comes of Age Part II: Bones of Contention 3. The Word of the Buddha 4. The Evidence of the Body: Medical Channels. Tantric Knowing 5. Tangled Up in System: The Heart, in the Text and in the Hand Coda: Influence, Rhetoric, and Riding Two Horses at Once Part III: Roots of the Profession 6. Women and Gender 7. The Ethics of Being Human: The Doctor's Formation in a Material Realm Conclusion: Ways and Means for Medicine Notes Bibliographies Index

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Book SynopsisFollows the evolution of Tibetan Buddhism’s trülku (reincarnation) tradition from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, along with the Emperor of China’s efforts to control its developmentTrade ReviewThe most accessible, archives-based survey of modern Tibetan history ever to be written. -- Gray Tuttle, Columbia University A timely book that fills a vacuum in the study of Tibet's history. Schwieger provides an excellent analysis of the evolution of the institution of the Dalai Lama, particularly the Dalai Lama's relationship with the Chinese emperors, that goes beyond the generalized and accepted view of the relationship as symbolic. -- Tsering Shakya, president of the International Association of Tibetan Studies The Dalai Lama and the Emperor of China marks a coming-of-age for Tibetan historical studies, complementing the New Qing History of the past several decades. Peter Schwieger brings precision to our understanding of Tibet's central political institution, that of the Dalai Lama, reaching beyond earlier scholarship thanks to his innovative and thorough use of archival sources. His work is essential reading for students of early modern relations among Tibet, Mongolia, and the Manchu empire. -- Matthew Kapstein, EPHE, Paris, and the University of Chicago There is much to discover in this rich, informative volume. Skillfully handling the new sources and documents at his disposal, Schwieger has written a book that is essential reading for anyone, specialist and nonspecialist, interested in the rise of the Dalai Lamas and their relations with Mongols, Manchus, and the Qing state. -- Elliot Sperling, Indiana University The originality of this remarkable book lies in the central position it accords to Tibetan documents-letters, edicts, petitions-written at the time of the events to which they relate, giving the reader an unprecedented front-row view of history as it unfolds: things do indeed look very different from this close. Schwieger's mastery of the intractable style of these official sources is matched by a well-trained caution in interpretation, a complete absence of political bias, and the ability to transform eight centuries of complex machinations into a gripping account that will appeal to a readership well beyond the field of Tibetan studies. -- Charles Ramble, EcolePratique des Hautes Etudes, Paris Schwieger's groundbreaking treatment of Tibetan political and religious history offers a new approach to understanding the development of the trulku (reincarnate lama) tradition... Indispensable reading for some upper-level undergraduates and for graduate students and faculty interested in Tibetan religious and political history. Choice The most well-researched, comprehensive book on the modern history of Tibet to be published to date. Reading Religion Accessible... engaging and easy to read. The book is a great addition to any undergraduate or graduate course on the history of Inner Asia, Tibet, and Late Imperial China. -- Ryan John Jones Religious Studies Review [The Dalai Lama and the Emperor of China] does Tibetan studies a great service... An essential resource. -- Max Oidtmann The Journal of Asian StudiesTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. The Historical Development of the Trulku Position 2. A Trulku as the Head of Society 3. Struggle for Buddhist Government 4. The Emperor Takes Control 5. Buddhist Government Under the Imperial Umbrella 6. Imperial Authority Over the Trulku Institution 7. The Aftermath Conclusion Appendix 1: Tibetan Reincarnation Lines of Major Political Significance Appendix 2: Qing Emperors and Qoshot Kings of Tibet Abbreviations Notes Tibetan Orthographic Equivalents Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThe Gathering of Intentions makes a valuable contribution to the field of Tibetan and Buddhist studies and will attract nonacademic readers who are interested in learning about the practice of Tibetan Buddhism. The organization of the book is thoughtfully crafted, the content coverage thorough and wide-ranging, the scholarship superb, and the arguments clear and persuasive. -- Bryan J. Cuevas, author of Travels in the Netherworld: Buddhist Popular Narratives of Death and the Afterlife in Tibet The Gathering of Intentions is an essential contribution to the study of Tibetan Buddhism. This learned and lucid book is an important, insightful, and groundbreaking study of a worthy subject that takes a valuable historical approach to interpreting the development of a Tibetan Buddhist tradition over an extended period of time. In so doing, it provides critical perspectives on both the distinctive moments it explores and the long-term impact of a quietly influential scriptural tradition. -- Christian K. Wedemeyer, author of Making Sense of Tantric Buddhism: History, Semiology, and Transgression in the Indian Traditions The Gathering of Intentions takes a single tantra and shows how it has been at the center of the religious life of practitioners of the Nyingma tradition of Tibet, from the wandering yogins of the tenth century to the Fifth Dalai Lama in the seventeenth and the Tibetan exile communities of the present day. One of the best things about this fascinating book is how Dalton brings together the earliest sources for understanding Tibetan Buddhism with the living, breathing tradition as it exists today in Tibet and across the world. -- Sam van Schaik, author of Tibet: A History Dalton illuminates an important and understudied Buddhist tradition... A useful case study for those interestd in the history of religions in general as well as a valuable resource for students and scholars of Tibetan religion and history. Highly recommended. CHOICE Dalton deserves great praise for his scholarship, historical research and crisp writing. Sumeru This volume prioritizes Tibetan Buddhism's ritual systems for a richer portrait of the tradition. Buddhism Now This book [is] a very valuable contribution to the study of Tibetan Buddhism. BizIndiaTable of ContentsPreface Introduction 1. Origins: Myth and History 2. The Gathering of Intentions in Early Tibetan Tantra 3. The Spoken Teachings 4. The Rise of the Sutra Initiation 5. Dorje Drak and the Formation of a New Lineage 6. The Mindroling Tradition 7. Returns to the Origin Appendix: The Four Root Tantras of Anuyoga Notes Glossary Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisA Qing law mandated that the reincarnations of prominent Tibetan Buddhist monks be identified by drawing lots from a golden urn. In Forging the Golden Urn, Max Oidtmann traces how a Chinese bureaucratic technology was exported to the Tibetan and Mongolian regions of the Qing empire and transformed into a ritual for authenticating reincarnations.Trade Review[Oidtmann’s] work is marked by an exemplary scholarly discipline. . . . What he brings to the table is an extensive insight into the thinking and debates over the Golden Urn’s introduction among the Manchu authorities, and most particularly those of the aging Qianlong emperor (1711–99) himself. -- Martin A. Mills * Journal of Asian Studies *An absorbing read for non-specialists. * Asian Review of Books *Sheds a thoroughly new light on Sino-Tibetan relations against the backdrop of Qing colonialism. * Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies *Max Oidtmann’s tour de force is in introducing the reader to the mysteries of both Manchu and Tibetan powers. [He] offers a remarkable and finely crafted study. * Inner Asia *Meticulously researched and skillfully argued. * Journal of Chinese History *Oidtmann’s eloquent and learned book is thus essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the Qing political order. -- Joseph Lawson * Modern Chinese Literature and Culture *[Forging the Golden Urn] serves as an outstanding model for how to avoid the anachronisms that tend to haunt the historical study of matters mired in contemporary polemics. -- James Gentry, University of Virginia * Journal of Chinese Religions *It is not insignificant that Oidtmann’s story brings together the disparate literary and cultural studies of Tibet and Qing China in an accessible and tidy monograph. -- J. Arya Moallem, Harvard University * Religious Studies Review *The most comprehensive examination of the Golden Urn question to-date. -- Massimo Introvigne * Bitter Winter *Not only does Max Oidtmann do an excellent job providing a captivating account of a famed religious implement in an imperial context, he also opens a valuable window on how Tibet existed as part of an empire during that time. * Reading Religion *The relationship between Qing China and Tibetan elites is explored in this fascinating work based on Manchu, Tibetan, and Chinese sources. * Choice *The book is a must-read for anyone interested in Qing-Tibet relations -- Lei Lin, Harvard University * Saksaha *An excellent and much-needed contribution to our knowledge of the politics of the Qing empire in Tibet. . . . A must-read not only for the historian of Tibet, but for anyone who wants to better understand the current Tibet-China conflict. * Chinese Historical Review *Max Oidtmann explores the impact of the golden urn ritual that the Qianlong emperor introduced in the early 1790s in order to—as he claimed—make the recognition of reincarnated lamas legitimate. The impact of this ritual innovation and its introduction into Tibet had profound consequences, not least regarding how it was subsequently interpreted by the Chinese on one side and the Tibetans and their Western supporters on the other. Oidtmann’s work steps deftly into this binary historiographical struggle and brilliantly shows that everything was not only far more complicated than either side claims, but also far more interesting. In doing so, Forging the Golden Urn queries the actual nature of Qing rule in Tibet. -- Johan Elverskog, Southern Methodist UniversityUsing new source material, Max Oidtmann’s Forging the Golden Urn opens a window to a better understanding of the dynamics that resulted in Tibet’s increasing incorporation into the Qing empire. Framing these imperial efforts as a legal enterprise first and foremost, Oidtmann provides a fresh approach to examine the Qing’s strategy for expanding and justifying its sovereignty. This excellent book—obviously a result of sound and careful research—is a major achievement. -- Peter Schwieger, University of BonnOidtmann’s book opens up new perspectives on the intricate relationship that existed toward the end of the eighteenth century between Lhasa and the Qing court. The presence of reincarnate lamas is a defining feature of Tibetan Buddhism; Oidtmann brilliantly details its political dimension and the way the Qianlong emperor and his court decided to introduce the golden urn as a means to control the process by which reincarnate lamas were selected. Forging the Golden Urn is a tour de force and should be required reading for anyone interested in the history of Tibet, Qing history, and the history of Inner Asia. -- Leonard van der Kuijp, Harvard UniversityAn immensely valuable work in the studies of Qing imperialism in Tibet. * China Review International *A deeply researched account of the politics of reincarnation...all nicely framed by an introduction and conclusion that draw out the larger significance of the politics of the urn in Inner Asia and beyond. * Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies *Table of ContentsPreface and AcknowledgmentsAbbreviationsIntroductionAct I: The Royal RegulationsAct II: Shamanic ColonialismAct III: Amdowas Speaking in CodeConclusion: Paradoxes of the Urn and the Limits of EmpireChronology of Key EventsList of Usages of the Golden Urn RitualTibetan Orthographic EquivalentsTranslation of the Qianlong Emperor’s Discourse on LamasNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA Qing law mandated that the reincarnations of prominent Tibetan Buddhist monks be identified by drawing lots from a golden urn. In Forging the Golden Urn, Max Oidtmann traces how a Chinese bureaucratic technology was exported to the Tibetan and Mongolian regions of the Qing empire and transformed into a ritual for authenticating reincarnations.Trade Review[Oidtmann’s] work is marked by an exemplary scholarly discipline. . . . What he brings to the table is an extensive insight into the thinking and debates over the Golden Urn’s introduction among the Manchu authorities, and most particularly those of the aging Qianlong emperor (1711–99) himself. -- Martin A. Mills * Journal of Asian Studies *An absorbing read for non-specialists. * Asian Review of Books *Sheds a thoroughly new light on Sino-Tibetan relations against the backdrop of Qing colonialism. * Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies *Max Oidtmann’s tour de force is in introducing the reader to the mysteries of both Manchu and Tibetan powers. [He] offers a remarkable and finely crafted study. * Inner Asia *Meticulously researched and skillfully argued. * Journal of Chinese History *Oidtmann’s eloquent and learned book is thus essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the Qing political order. -- Joseph Lawson * Modern Chinese Literature and Culture *[Forging the Golden Urn] serves as an outstanding model for how to avoid the anachronisms that tend to haunt the historical study of matters mired in contemporary polemics. -- James Gentry, University of Virginia * Journal of Chinese Religions *It is not insignificant that Oidtmann’s story brings together the disparate literary and cultural studies of Tibet and Qing China in an accessible and tidy monograph. -- J. Arya Moallem, Harvard University * Religious Studies Review *The most comprehensive examination of the Golden Urn question to-date. -- Massimo Introvigne * Bitter Winter *Not only does Max Oidtmann do an excellent job providing a captivating account of a famed religious implement in an imperial context, he also opens a valuable window on how Tibet existed as part of an empire during that time. * Reading Religion *The relationship between Qing China and Tibetan elites is explored in this fascinating work based on Manchu, Tibetan, and Chinese sources. * Choice *The book is a must-read for anyone interested in Qing-Tibet relations -- Lei Lin, Harvard University * Saksaha *An excellent and much-needed contribution to our knowledge of the politics of the Qing empire in Tibet. . . . A must-read not only for the historian of Tibet, but for anyone who wants to better understand the current Tibet-China conflict. * Chinese Historical Review *Max Oidtmann explores the impact of the golden urn ritual that the Qianlong emperor introduced in the early 1790s in order to—as he claimed—make the recognition of reincarnated lamas legitimate. The impact of this ritual innovation and its introduction into Tibet had profound consequences, not least regarding how it was subsequently interpreted by the Chinese on one side and the Tibetans and their Western supporters on the other. Oidtmann’s work steps deftly into this binary historiographical struggle and brilliantly shows that everything was not only far more complicated than either side claims, but also far more interesting. In doing so, Forging the Golden Urn queries the actual nature of Qing rule in Tibet. -- Johan Elverskog, Southern Methodist UniversityUsing new source material, Max Oidtmann’s Forging the Golden Urn opens a window to a better understanding of the dynamics that resulted in Tibet’s increasing incorporation into the Qing empire. Framing these imperial efforts as a legal enterprise first and foremost, Oidtmann provides a fresh approach to examine the Qing’s strategy for expanding and justifying its sovereignty. This excellent book—obviously a result of sound and careful research—is a major achievement. -- Peter Schwieger, University of BonnOidtmann’s book opens up new perspectives on the intricate relationship that existed toward the end of the eighteenth century between Lhasa and the Qing court. The presence of reincarnate lamas is a defining feature of Tibetan Buddhism; Oidtmann brilliantly details its political dimension and the way the Qianlong emperor and his court decided to introduce the golden urn as a means to control the process by which reincarnate lamas were selected. Forging the Golden Urn is a tour de force and should be required reading for anyone interested in the history of Tibet, Qing history, and the history of Inner Asia. -- Leonard van der Kuijp, Harvard UniversityAn immensely valuable work in the studies of Qing imperialism in Tibet. * China Review International *A deeply researched account of the politics of reincarnation...all nicely framed by an introduction and conclusion that draw out the larger significance of the politics of the urn in Inner Asia and beyond. * Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies *

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Book SynopsisLan Wu analyzes how Tibetan Buddhists and the Qing imperial rulers interacted and negotiated as both sought strategies to extend their influence in eighteenth-century Inner Asia. Revealing the interdependency of two expanding powers, Common Ground recasts the entangled histories of political, social, and cultural ties between Tibet and China.Trade ReviewCommon Ground brilliantly explores the entangled history of the Qing imperial enterprise and the Gelukpa expansion in East Asia, which produced a shared communal Buddhist identity. Lan Wu examines the transregional knowledge network woven by Buddhist intellectuals through monasteries, texts, and images, shedding light on the peripheral regions of Amdo and Inner Mongolia as well as cosmopolitan Beijing. -- Isabelle Charleux, author of Nomads on Pilgrimage: Mongols on Wutaishan (China), 1800–1940Common Ground is a significant addition to the study of late imperial China and Inner Asia. Reconfiguring the terms of the imperial encounter between Qing rulers and Tibetan lamas, it provides a critical contribution to discussions and interpretations of Buddhism as a rhetorical, intellectual, and political space. -- Nicola Di Cosmo, Institute for Advanced StudyCommon Ground delivers fresh perspectives on the formation of the Qing Empire from the vantage of its swelling Inner Asian frontier. Admirably, Lan Wu decenters court narratives in favor of “negotiated platforms” through which Tibetans, Mongols, Manchus, and Chinese actors made (and unmade) visions of sovereignty, territoriality, and belonging. -- Matthew King, author of Ocean of Milk, Ocean of Blood: A Mongolian Monk in the Ruins of the Qing EmpireLan Wu’s engaging and erudite study tours the key nodes of Buddhist Inner Asia, from Lhasa to Beijing. Each stop offers vivid insight into the social, intellectual, and institutional networks built by the Qing state and Buddhist clergy as they competed and cooperated – shaping in the process the trajectories of China, Mongolia, and Tibet. -- Matthew Mosca, author of From Frontier Policy to Foreign Policy: The Question of India and the Transformation of Geopolitics in Qing ChinaThis study by Lan Wu breaks important new ground, conceptually as well as historically. It focuses on the various ways in which the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism's Ganden Podrang government in Lhasa negotiated a political and a religious status quo with the Qing court in Beijing and vice versa. The book makes good on the promise that it seeks to capture "the changing dynamics in the space between the two epicenters of Beijing and Lhasa," the space being occupied by Tibetan Buddhist Inner Asia. The two principals were hardly equals, and Lan Wu deftly analyses the mise en scène of this "common ground" in which there was an obvious give and take by both parties, even if this was not always readily acknowledged by either one. This is a riveting book and a welcome addition to the growing number of studiesthat deal with the relationships that were forged between different Tibetan Buddhist and Manchu actors during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in which of necessity the Mongols played an important if not a central role. -- Leonard W.J. van der Kuijp, Harvard UniversityProvides a unique perspective for understanding the flexible geopolitics strategy of the Qing dynasty. * Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsNote on Transliteration and TranslationIntroduction: Buddhist Inner Asia1. Campaigns2. Manufacturing3. Assemblies4. GovernanceEpilogue: A Balancing ActNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisLan Wu analyzes how Tibetan Buddhists and the Qing imperial rulers interacted and negotiated as both sought strategies to extend their influence in eighteenth-century Inner Asia. Revealing the interdependency of two expanding powers, Common Ground recasts the entangled histories of political, social, and cultural ties between Tibet and China.Trade ReviewCommon Ground brilliantly explores the entangled history of the Qing imperial enterprise and the Gelukpa expansion in East Asia, which produced a shared communal Buddhist identity. Lan Wu examines the transregional knowledge network woven by Buddhist intellectuals through monasteries, texts, and images, shedding light on the peripheral regions of Amdo and Inner Mongolia as well as cosmopolitan Beijing. -- Isabelle Charleux, author of Nomads on Pilgrimage: Mongols on Wutaishan (China), 1800–1940Common Ground is a significant addition to the study of late imperial China and Inner Asia. Reconfiguring the terms of the imperial encounter between Qing rulers and Tibetan lamas, it provides a critical contribution to discussions and interpretations of Buddhism as a rhetorical, intellectual, and political space. -- Nicola Di Cosmo, Institute for Advanced StudyCommon Ground delivers fresh perspectives on the formation of the Qing Empire from the vantage of its swelling Inner Asian frontier. Admirably, Lan Wu decenters court narratives in favor of “negotiated platforms” through which Tibetans, Mongols, Manchus, and Chinese actors made (and unmade) visions of sovereignty, territoriality, and belonging. -- Matthew King, author of Ocean of Milk, Ocean of Blood: A Mongolian Monk in the Ruins of the Qing EmpireLan Wu’s engaging and erudite study tours the key nodes of Buddhist Inner Asia, from Lhasa to Beijing. Each stop offers vivid insight into the social, intellectual, and institutional networks built by the Qing state and Buddhist clergy as they competed and cooperated – shaping in the process the trajectories of China, Mongolia, and Tibet. -- Matthew Mosca, author of From Frontier Policy to Foreign Policy: The Question of India and the Transformation of Geopolitics in Qing ChinaThis study by Lan Wu breaks important new ground, conceptually as well as historically. It focuses on the various ways in which the Gelukpa school of Tibetan Buddhism's Ganden Podrang government in Lhasa negotiated a political and a religious status quo with the Qing court in Beijing and vice versa. The book makes good on the promise that it seeks to capture "the changing dynamics in the space between the two epicenters of Beijing and Lhasa," the space being occupied by Tibetan Buddhist Inner Asia. The two principals were hardly equals, and Lan Wu deftly analyses the mise en scène of this "common ground" in which there was an obvious give and take by both parties, even if this was not always readily acknowledged by either one. This is a riveting book and a welcome addition to the growing number of studiesthat deal with the relationships that were forged between different Tibetan Buddhist and Manchu actors during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in which of necessity the Mongols played an important if not a central role. -- Leonard W.J. van der Kuijp, Harvard UniversityProvides a unique perspective for understanding the flexible geopolitics strategy of the Qing dynasty. * Religious Studies Review *Table of ContentsAcknowledgmentsNote on Transliteration and TranslationIntroduction: Buddhist Inner Asia1. Campaigns2. Manufacturing3. Assemblies4. GovernanceEpilogue: A Balancing ActNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisFocuses on the sixteenth-century wall paintings in a Buddhist temple in the Tibetan cultural zone of northwest India. This illustrated study traces the devotional, political, and artistic histories that have influenced the paintings' production and reception over the centuries of their use.Trade ReviewA forceful study on the specificity of Gyapagpa's painting. * South Asia Research *Emphasizing the visual as primary evidence in the study of history, especially religious history, Kerin moves Buddhist art from the arena of museum displays, art markets, and aesthetics to the arena of dynamic interdisciplinary discourse, thus reaffirming the significance of in situ study. . . . Recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsList of IllustrationsTechnical NotesIntroduction1. Nako's Socio-Political History and Artistic Heritage2. Forgetting to Remember: Gyapagpa Temple's Shifting Identity 3. Mapping Drigung Activity in Nako and the Western Himalaya4. Gyapagpa's Painting Style and its Antecendents5. Origin and Meaning of a Renascent Painting Tradition ConclusionNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Through rich narratives, detailed descriptions, and critical analysis, Hofer brings to light the struggles and hardships of medical practitioners on the socio-political margins of Tibet. . . . This study is a unique and well-crafted ethnography written in beautiful prose that will be of great interest to scholars and students of Tibetan medicine and minorities in China, social anthropologists, and historians alike." -- Benedikte V. Lindskog * Reading Religion *"Medicine and Memory in Tibet is a captivating ethnographic and historical exploration." * New Books Asia *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Through rich narratives, detailed descriptions, and critical analysis, Hofer brings to light the struggles and hardships of medical practitioners on the socio-political margins of Tibet. . . . This study is a unique and well-crafted ethnography written in beautiful prose that will be of great interest to scholars and students of Tibetan medicine and minorities in China, social anthropologists, and historians alike." -- Benedikte V. Lindskog * Reading Religion *"Medicine and Memory in Tibet is a captivating ethnographic and historical exploration." * New Books Asia *

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“Van Schaik unfolds a fascinating history . . . the whole work offers the reader a deep sense of the historical progress and evolution of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition over more than a millennium.”—Wendy C. Hamblet, Metapsychology -- Wendy C. Hamblet * Metapsychology *

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Book SynopsisAn innovative and compelling presentation of world-class Tibetan Buddhist art, elucidating its esoteric themes through visual storytelling Encouraging personal engagement with Tibetan Buddhism, this dynamic book presents spectacular Himalayan art and explores the philosophical tenets encoded in its imagery. Taking as its theme the universally accessible experience of Awakening, the book's main text leads readers along an immersive journey of self-discovery, aided by a virtual guide, or lama, and traditional art meant to support meditative practice. Complementary essays examine Tibetan Buddhism's ritual tools, paintings, symbolic imagery, and artistic traditions. Beautiful color images of all artworks, including three by contemporary Nepalese-American artist Tsherin Sherpa, and selected important details enhance our understanding of their complex iconography. Distributed for the Virginia Museum of Fine ArtsExhibition Schedule:Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond (04/27/1908/18/19)As

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Book SynopsisThe first major compendium of the Dalai Lama's wisdom on all aspects of life from work to happiness and enlightenment.

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Book SynopsisThe first definitive biography of the Dalai Lama—a story by turns inspiring, surprising—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. Now, Alexander Norman, acclaimed Oxford-trained scholar of the history of Tibet, delivers the definitive biography—unique, multilayered, and at times even shocking.  The Dalai Lama illuminates 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&

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Book SynopsisThe work explores the historical and intellectual context of Tsongkhapa''s philosophy and addresses the critical issues related to questions of development and originality in Tsongkhapa''s thought. It also deals extensively with one of Tsongkhapa''s primary concerns, namely his attempts to demonstrate that the Middle Way philosophy''s deconstructive analysis does not negate the reality of the everyday world. The study''s central focus, however, is the question of the existence and the nature of self. This is explored both in terms of Tsongkhapa''s deconstruction of the self and his reconstruction of person. Finally, the work explores the concept of reality that emerges in Tsongkhapa''s philosophy, and deals with his understanding of the relationship between critical reasoning, no-self, and religious experience.Table of ContentsChapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Context and Methodological Issues; Chapter 3 Delineating the Parameters of Madhyamaka Reasoning; Chapter 4 Tsongkhapa's Deconstruction of the Self; Chapter 5 Personal Identity, Continuity, and the I-consciousness; Chapter 6 No-Self, Truth, and the Middle Way; Chapter 7 Conclusion;

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Book SynopsisDemonstrating how the Buddhist revival in Tibet must contend with tensions between the Chinese state and aspirations for greater Tibetan autonomy, the authors discuss ways that Tibetan Buddhists are restructuring their religion through a process of social, political and economic adaptation.

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Book SynopsisLongchenpa''s Three Cycles of Natural Freedom: Oral translation and commentary is a seminal Dzogchen text that is divided into three cycles: Mind, Ultimate Reality and Equality. The ninth Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche (1959-2012) of the Kagyu Nyingma tradition, one of the great meditation master and scholars to come out of the Tibetan diaspora, has provided a detailed oral commentary and spontaneous translation of Longchenpa''s text to help reveal the essential meaning of these profound teachings. A glimpse at each cycle - in the Mind Cycle, Longchenpa is in part concerned with our ability to comprehend and experience the freedom within the authentic state; in the Ultimate Reality Cycle, all dualistic notions are challenged as the nature of self and phenomena are revealed as the same; in the Equality Cycle, our aboriginal state is described as that which transcends conditioned existence. Within each cycle, Lonchenpa also gives concise guidelines on approaching one''s practice within a retreat situation. Traleg Kyabgon Rinpoche''s renowned fluency with the English language, coupled with his own profound levels of realization, makes this translation an exciting opportunity for these transformative teachings to not only be known, but also experienced in these modern times.

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Book SynopsisThis book is the first ethnography of Tibetan Buddhist society from the perspective of its nuns. Gutschow lived for over three years among them, collecting their stories, observing them, and studying their lives. This picture of the little known culture provides valuable insight into the relationship between women and religion in South Asia today.Trade ReviewSolidly based on over a decade of fieldwork, Gutschow successfully dispels a number of stereotypical misconceptions about Buddhist monasticism in general and Buddhist nuns more specifically. She places monasticism in its necessary political and economic spheres, while not ignoring the pragmatic aspects of lived Buddhism. Being a Buddhist Nun transports women and nuns from their marginal peripheral position in Buddhist history to its ideological center. -- Frank J. Korom, Boston UniversityA brilliant analysis, beautifully written, of Buddhism as never before portrayed. Privileging popular practices and local informants over textual expertise, Gutschow takes us right into the heart of the contradictions between Buddhist doctrine and practice, showing the mechanisms that reinstate the very social hierarchies and injustices that the Buddha disdained. The book is a tour de force, a bold and courageous analysis that will change the field of Buddhist studies forever. A truly enlightening and extraordinary book. -- Unni Wikan, University of OsloBeing a Buddhist Nun is a persuasive and moving combination of vivid writing and sophisticated scholarship. The lived experience is wonderfully captured in both verbal and visual thick descriptions of foods, tasks, conversations, all the evocative phenomena of the everyday, while the book raises questions that are significant far beyond the Himalayas, ranging from the usual questions of gender--Why Cannot Nuns Be Monks?--for which Kim Gutschow offers new answers, to the not-so-usual questions of celibacy, in which she sees newly relevant values. -- Wendy Doniger, Mircea Eliade Professor of the History of Religions, University of ChicagoIn many religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Hinduism, women are considered spiritually inferior to men and often suffer inequitable treatment in the wider society. Buddhism, with its highly egalitarian doctrine, is often perceived as being different. Gutschow shows that in this regard we have mistakenly focused on ideals rather than on actual practices. -- James F. DeRoche * Library Journal *The inescapable struggle of being a woman in a patriarchal system is the heart of Gutschow's work and permeates her further discussions, including ideologies of purity and pollution and Tantric approaches to the question of female enlightenment...Gutschow's analysis is penetrating, and her supporting anecdotes are often vivid and effective. Her work reveals that the reality of Himalayan Buddhist monasticism, far from being Shangri-La, is thoroughly rooted in the very foibles of the world it professes to renounce. * Publishers Weekly *Based on [Gutschow's] observations and research in Zangskar, the book describes a rigid hierarchy in which monks rule, enjoying power and prestige and conducting important ceremonies and rituals, such as blessing households and construction sites in their villages. Nuns, who must defer to monks and sit behind them at formal gatherings, are relegated to menial tasks, such as collecting the dung and sticks that the entire community will burn for fuel during the region's harsh winters. -- Anne Stuart * Harvard Magazine *Being a Buddhist Nun is a valuable account of the life of nuns in the Himalayan valley of Zanskar, a region of Ladakh in north-west India. The work is driven by a deep sense of injustice and a compelling focus on a remote society still medieval in character...[Gutschow] present[s] an unrivalled account of monastic economy and social anthropology in Ladakh. Her text is full of 'thick' description, delightful anecdotes, biographies of courageous and not so courageous nuns, as well as accounts of the personal joys and sufferings of individuals. Although she focuses on the often lamentable ways in which nuns suffer discrimination, she is not unduly disrespectful of the monastic system to which they belong; rather she subjects it to a prolonged and penetrating examination and interpretation. -- John Crook * Times Literary Supplement *

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Book SynopsisAs the spiritual leader of Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has captured the attention and admiration of the world through his wisdom. This jewel of a book offers some of his most helpful insights on daily living, inner peace, compassion and justice - for all of us in these troubled times.Trade ReviewA symbol of serenity, a spiritual leader second only to the Pope * Independent *The Dalai Lama is the most influential person in the world * Time magazine *He draws crowds that no other spiritual leader or politician could hope to match...he seems to look at life in a different way to everyone else * The Times *

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Book SynopsisHelena Norberg-Hodge is the founder and director of the International Society for Ecology and Culture (ISEC) and its predecessor, the Ladakh Project. She is the author of Ancient Futures: Learning from Ladakh and co-author of Bringing the Food Economy Home. Her articles have appeared in numerous journals such as The Ecologist, Resurgence, and YES! magazine. Norberg- Hodge's ground-breaking work in the Himalayan region of Ladakh is internationally recognized, and earned her the Right Livelihood Award.Trade ReviewThe book that has had the greatest influence on my life is Ancient Futures, about tradition and change in a remote corner of India that has never been subjected to the brutality of the modern, global economy. * Zac Goldsmith *

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Book SynopsisA 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.His Holiness the Dalai Lama describes how to bring wisdom and compassion into our busy, stressful everyday lives.A beautiful selection of words from His Holiness that will help you to face difficult emotions such as anger in yourself and in others with genuine acceptance and understanding.The only little gift book based on the words of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, this book should have tremendous appeal especially during the holiday season.

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