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9781666913453

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The Life of the Sixteenth Karmapa combines a scholarly study of Buddhist textual sources on the status of the Karmapa lineage with a succinct account of the Sixteenth Karmapa's efforts to encourage the spread of Tibetan Buddhism in the West in the 1960s and 1970s, which led to the setting up of some 300 Buddhist centres worldwide. The Life sheds light on the pre-eminent role of those close to the Karmapa - notably Freda Bedi, Choegyam Trungpa, Akong Rinpoche and Kalu Rinpoche - in making that expansion possible, presents translations of two little-known Tibetan texts on the Karmapa's life, and provides valuable insight into the often-overlooked importance of Tibetan agency and tradition in the expansion process.--Robert Barnett, King's College Meng Wang has produced an impressive and important biographical study of the 16th Karmapa, one of the most important Tibetan lamas of the 20th Century. The book not only studies the life of the 16th Karmapa, but it is also the story of the globalization of Tibetan Buddhism and the reestablish and transformation of Tibetan Buddhism as a global religion.--Tsering Shakya, The University of British Columbia The sixteenth in the lineage of Karmapas of Tibet - also known as the 'Black Hat Lamas' - was one of the major spiritual figureheads in the 20th century. From the cataclysm of being a refugee to India in 1959 to the time of his death, in 1981, he had instigated and enabled the spread of Tibetan Buddhism from the highlands of remote Tibet to be pervasive in Western culture. He was an inspiration to many people worldwide. Meng Wang's book traces and analyses this journey, in terms of the work done firstly in preservation of the precious Vajrayana tradition and then the strategy in spreading Buddhist teaching and practice to the West. This book is a valuable and timely contribution to our understanding of the phenomenal spread of Tibetan Buddhism to the West in the late 20th century.--Charles Manson, The Second Karmapa Karma Pakshi: Tibetan

The sixteenth in the lineage of Karmapas of Tibet - also known as the 'Black Hat Lamas' - was one of the major spiritual figureheads in the 20th century. From the cataclysm of being a refugee to India in 1959 to the time of his death, in 1981, he had instigated and enabled the spread of Tibetan Buddhism from the highlands of remote Tibet to be pervasive in Western culture. He was an inspiration to many people worldwide. Meng Wang's book traces and analyses this journey, in terms of the work done firstly in preservation of the precious Vajrayana tradition and then the strategy in spreading Buddhist teaching and practice to the West. This book is a valuable and timely contribution to our understanding of the phenomenal spread of Tibetan Buddhism to the West in the late 20th century.--Charles Manson, The Second Karmapa Karma Pakshi: Tibetan

Meng Wang has produced an impressive and important biographical study of the 16th Karmapa, one of the most important Tibetan lamas of the 20th Century. The book not only studies the life of the 16th Karmapa, but it is also the story of the globalization of Tibetan Buddhism and the reestablish and transformation of Tibetan Buddhism as a global religion.--Tsering Shakya, The University of British Columbia The sixteenth in the lineage of Karmapas of Tibet - also known as the 'Black Hat Lamas' - was one of the major spiritual figureheads in the 20th century. From the cataclysm of being a refugee to India in 1959 to the time of his death, in 1981, he had instigated and enabled the spread of Tibetan Buddhism from the highlands of remote Tibet to be pervasive in Western culture. He was an inspiration to many people worldwide. Meng Wang's book traces and analyses this journey, in terms of the work done firstly in preservation of the precious Vajrayana tradition and then the strategy in spreading Buddhist teaching and practice to the West. This book is a valuable and timely contribution to our understanding of the phenomenal spread of Tibetan Buddhism to the West in the late 20th century.--Charles Manson, The Second Karmapa Karma Pakshi: Tibetan

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Meng Wang is postdoctoral research associate at the Centre of Buddhist Studies at SOAS University of London.

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