Karmapa: The Politics of Reincarnation

By Lea Terhune

Book Overview

While only a young man, Orgyen Trinley Dorje's life has been marked indelibly by devotion, intrigue, and transformation. Karmapa: The Politics of Reincarnation is his amazing story. For Westerners, Tibet is a land of powerful spiritual teachings, staggering mountain vistas, and geopolitical intrigue. The country's resistance to Chinese occupation, and also the growing presence of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, are not just part of our daily news but of the Western consciousness as well. In January 2000, interest hit a peak as fourteen-year-old Orgyen Trinley Dorje was thrust upon the world stage. Recognized as the Seventeenth Karmapa-arguably the second most powerful figure in the Tibetan Buddhist religious hierarchy-he made a dramatic escape from his Chinese Communist overseers to the land of the Buddha's birth, India, so that he could study with the masters of his religious lineage, follow his conscience, and be a leader to his people. Through wide-ranging research and interviews with key figures, including the Karmapa himself, award-winning journalist Lea Terhune unlocks the riveting tale of the Karmapa's disputed incarnation, and traces the roots of the Kagyu tradition and the history of the previous Karmapas in order to illuminate the tale of the young man born to play a key role in the future of Tibet.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0861711807
• ISBN13: 9780861711802
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: Wisdom Publications
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Polotics and religion don't mix

If you are a person who believes that Buddhists, particularly high lamas, are above politics, this book will disillusion you right away. Unless you watch the world scene very closely, you probably are not aware of the saga of the Karmapa, the young reincarnation of one of Tibetan Buddhism's most revered and beloved teachers. Unfortunately, the current version, # 17, has been a pawn in an international power play between the Tibetans, Chinese, Indians, and factions of his own lineage, since he was recognized as a child. It is a fascinating story. In this book, Ms. Terhune gives you most of the unsavory political details and a few of the inspiring points as well. However, as she is closely associated with one of the senior lamas engaged in the political drama, her impartiality is questionable. While I did enjoy this book, I suggest balancing it with "The Dance of 17 Lives," by Mick Brown. It covers much of the same material and has a flavor that seems to me less biased.

Highly Recommended

Lea Terhune writes a captivating investigation into the events surrounding, Urgyen Trinley Dorje, the 17th Karmapa's life, escape from Tibet and the political intrigue that surrounds his recognition as the head of the Karma Kagyu lineage. Ms. Terhune obviously researched and interviewed highly credible and well placed sources for this book. This story has drama and intrigue, antagonists and protagonists. Once I started reading, I could hardly put this book down. This book opened my eyes to the extent which unscrupulous spiritual leaders will go in order to sieze ill gotten power and gains. I highly recommend this book to Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike.