The Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds: The Life and Times of a Realized Tibetan Master, Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug presents an engaging account of the life of Khyentse Chökyi Wangchug, a realized Tibetan tulku
(reincarnated lama or teacher). The book’s historical references
provide a detailed portrait of Tibet on the verge of invasion and
occupation by Chinese forces in the decades leading up to 1959 when
Chinese repression led the Dalai Lama to take refuge in India.
Narrated
by Chökyi Wangchug’s nephew, author and international Tibetan teacher
Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, this inspired biography describes the
extraordinary events of Chökyi Wangchug’s life during this momentous
period in Tibetan history. Born in 1909 in a valley south of Derge, an
ancient center of Tibetan culture, Chökyi Wangchug was recognized at an
early age as a reincarnation of a tulku and thus received Buddhist
teachings from the greatest masters of the epoch. A privileged
observer of his uncle’s life, Namkhai Norbu reveals the complexity of
Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy and the conflicts caused not only by Chinese
forces, but also by people close to Chökyi Wangchug who had become
members of factions motivated by bigotry and personal greed. Despite the
difficulties he encountered, he maintained a state of equanimity and
dedicated himself to a life of peace and compassion for all sentient
beings. Ultimately tortured and imprisoned by the Chinese, he and two
other realized Tibetan teachers passed away at the same moment while
meditating.
202 pages. Paperback.