Memoirs of a Tibetan Lama [Paperback]

A Tibetan patriot and unswerving follower of the Dalai Lama, Lobsang Gyatso emerges from these memoirs as a master storyteller, a fearless social critic, and a devoted Buddhist monk. With unusual wit and realism, he provides a picture of his country from the perspective of a common Tibetan, recounting his early life in Kham as a herder and a rambunctious young monk, his travels to Lhasa, his life in one of Tibet’s most famous monasteries, and his flight into exile. Outspoken and critical of both himself and his society, Lobsang Gyatso’s memoirs tell the story of his struggle for personal religious transformation and his fight to create a new vision for his country.Gareth Sparham is a British-born monk who studied at the Institute of Buddhist Dialectics from 1974 until 1982. He completed a doctorate in Asian studies at the University of British Columbia in 1989 and continues to study and serve as a translator in India.US