HIS HOLINESS THE DALAI LAMA : THE LIFE OF MY TEACHER A Biography of Ling Rinpoché

The Sixth Ling Rinpoché (1903–83) was a towering figure in Tibetan Buddhism. Combining great learning with great humility, he was ordained by the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and went on to serve as the the head of the Geluk tradition and as the senior tutor to the present Dalai Lama. In temperament and wisdom, he had a profound influence on the Dalai Lama’s spiritual development, and he became a steadying presence for His Holiness during the chaotic changes that defined the Tibetan experience of the twentieth century, with the invasion of their county by Communist forces and the subsequent rebuilding of their culture in India. Ling Rinpoché’s extensive travels among exiled communities abroad and across India bouyed the spirits of the Tibetan diaspora, and the training and activities of this consummate Buddhist master, here told by the Dalai Lama in the traditional Tibetan style, will inspire and amaze. Over one hundred archival photos bring the text in this book to life.

• Hardcover
• 472 pages, 6.00 x 9.25 inches
• ISBN 9781614293323

Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people. He frequently describes himself as a simple Buddhist monk. Born in northeastern Tibet in 1935, he was as a toddler recognized as the incarnation of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama and brought to Tibet’s capital, Lhasa. In 1950, Mao Zedong’s Communist forces made their first incursions into eastern Tibet, shortly after which the young Dalai Lama assumed the political leadership of his country. He passed his scholastic examinations with honors at the Great Prayer Festival in Lhasa in 1959, the same year Chinese forces occupied the city, forcing His Holiness to escape to India. There he set up the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, working to secure the welfare of the more than 100,000 Tibetan exiles and prevent the destruction of Tibetan culture. In his capacity as a spiritual and political leader, he has traveled to more than sixty-two countries on six continents and met with presidents, popes, and leading scientists to foster dialogue and create a better world. In recognition of his tireless work for the nonviolent liberation of Tibet, the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. In 2012, he relinquished political authority in his exile government and turned it over to democratically elected representatives.
His Holiness frequently states that his life is guided by three major commitments: the promotion of basic human values or secular ethics in the interest of human happiness, the fostering of interreligious harmony, and securing the welfare of the Tibetan people, focusing on the survival of their identity, culture, and religion. As a superior scholar trained in the classical texts of the Nalanda tradition of Indian Buddhism, he is able to distill the central tenets of Buddhist philosophy in clear and inspiring language, his gift for pedagogy imbued with his infectious joy. Connecting scientists with Buddhist scholars, he helps unite contemplative and modern modes of investigation, bringing ancient tools and insights to bear on the acute problems facing the contemporary world. His efforts to foster dialogue among leaders of the world’s faiths envision a future where people of different beliefs can share the planet in harmony. Wisdom Publications is proud to be the premier publisher of the Dalai Lama’s more serious and in-depth works.

Photo of His Holiness provided by Olivier Adam.

Other books by His Holiness the Dalai Lama: 
The Library of Wisdom and Compassion 10-Volume Set 
The Perfection of Wisdom in First Bloom 
Vajrayāna and the Culmination of the Path 
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s Stages of the Path, Volume 2 
Appearing and Empty 
Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 4 
Realizing the Profound View 
Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 3 
The Extraordinary Life of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama – Tibetan Edition 
The Fourteenth Dalai Lama’s Stages of the Path, Volume 1 
Searching for the Self 
The Extraordinary Life of His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama 
Courageous Compassion 
Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 2 
In Praise of Great Compassion 
Mastering Meditation 
Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps 
The Essence of Tsongkhapa’s Teachings 
The Compassionate Life 
The Life of My Teacher (Paperback) 
Ecology, Ethics, and Interdependence 
Samsara, Nirvana, and Buddha Nature 
The Foundation of Buddhist Practice 
Buddhism 
Approaching the Buddhist Path 
Science and Philosophy in the Indian Buddhist Classics, Vol. 1 
Kalachakra Tantra 
MindScience 
The World of Tibetan Buddhism 
Sleeping, Dreaming, and Dying