Tsering Namgyal Khortsa

A fascinating and riveting life sketch of one of the most respected spiritual leaders of our times, which also delves deep into the various facets of Buddhism . . . The seventeenth Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, is the leader of the Karma Kagyu School, one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in 1985 in eastern Tibet to nomadic parents, he was recognized as the reincarnation of the sixteenth Karmapa who passed away in the US in 1981. He became the first Tibetan reincarnation to be recognized by both the Dalai Lama and the Chinese Government. The 15-year-old monk made headlines when he escaped to India in 2000. Currently living near Dharamshala (in Himachal Pradesh, India), the Karmapa is widely seen as an important spiritual leader of the twenty-first century. Over the past decade and a half, he has grown up into a formidable leader and an impressive orator. Behind the façade of scandals and controversies surrounding the Karmapa is an extraordinary young man, full of charisma and intelligence. Yet few know who the Karmapa is and what he believes in. What are his teachings and what is his vision for the world? How is he restoring his 900-year-old Tibetan Buddhist institution of which he is the head? In a unique mixture of biography, travelogue and reportage, the author brings alive the life of the Karmapa, who is grappling with immense challenges to modernize spirituality, while keeping its essence alive. Here is a timely volume that is highly relevant today given the worldwide attention on the developments in Tibet and its impact on Beijing.