The Autobiography of Geshe Lhundub Sopa
Geshe Lhundub Sopa,
Paul Donnelly, _|_His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Foreword
From the time he was a child, Geshe Sopa knew he would be a Buddhist lama. He was not picked like other lamas to inherit the estate of a deceased master as a reincarnate tulku. Born the only child of older farmers, he was allowed to become a monk only through personal persistence. He diligently worked his way up through the ranks of his provincial monastery and eventually become one of the most accomplished scholars of the central monastery in the capital, Lhasa, where he even served as the debate partner of the present Dalai Lama. He witnessed firsthand the turbulent political changes in his homeland during the 1950s, and upon the takeover of Tibet by Chinese Communist forces in 1959, he fled over the Himalayas and went into exile in India. The Dalai Lama chose him in the early 1960s to be part of a delegation sent to the United States under a Rockefeller grant, living first in New Jersey and in 1967 going to Madison, Wisconsin, where he has since lived. There, he began as a lecturer and eventually became a full professor at the University of Wisconsin, training some of today’s most well-regarded scholars of Tibetan Buddhism in the U.S. He also founded Deer Park Buddhist Center in Oregon, Wisconsin, which has played host on numerous occasions to large events with the Dalai Lama, including the first Kalachakra initiation given in the West in 1981. Now retired and nearly ninety years old, Geshe Sopa continues to teach and to publish. This account of his years in Tibet preserves valuable insight and details about a now-vanished world.
“Like a Waking Dream is a fascinating memoir of a well-lived life, the story of a poor Tibetan boy who grew up to become one of the most eminent Buddhist scholars of his time, and in exile, a major influence on the study of Tibetan Buddhism in America.The bulk of the book is devoted to Geshe Sopa's experiences as a young scholar-monk in Tibet, and as such the everyday details of a way of life now vanished are an invaluable historical record. Geshe-la recounts his story, sensitively edited by Paul Donnelly with the simplicity, insight, and sympathy for human foibles that characterize this great teacher. Anyone with an interest in Tibetan culture and religion will relish this wonderful account.”—Michael Sweet and Leonard Zwilling, authors of Mission to Tibet
“Geshe Sopa is one of the greatest living Buddhist masters of his generation. A consummate scholar and respected university professor, his impact on the establishment of Buddhism (and Buddhist Studies) in the United States cannot be overestimated. This marvelous lifestory, rich in detail and told in his own words, will captivate the hearts and minds of anyone who reads it.”—José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor and Chair of the Religious Studies Department, UC Santa Barbara
“From the Tibetan Himalayas to the rolling hills of Wisconsin, Geshe Sopa’s autobiography will enchant and educate anyone interested in how Tibet and Buddhism have profoundly influenced present day America. Revered and respected world-wide, for his insightful scholarly commentaries, Geshe Sopa’s story is filled with warmth, compassion and joy. Little did I know when I first met him as a 19 year old college student in the 60’s, that I was in the presence of a Great Tibetan Buddhist Master. His magnificent charm and insightfulness have profoundly affected my life and will yours too. This book is a must read.”—Zorba Paster, host of NPR's On Your Health and author of The Longevity Code: Your Prescription for a Longer, Sweeter Life
“Geshe Sopa’s life story is central to the story of Tibetan Buddhism in the West. In giving birth to generations of leading American scholars of Tibet, he became renowned not just for teaching Buddhist ideas and ideals, but for making them real by personally embodying them.”—John Makransky, Associate Professor of Buddhism, Boston College and author of Awakening through Love
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Born in Tibet in 1923, Geshe Lhundub Sopa is both a spiritual master and a respected academic. He moved to the United States in 1967 to teach in the Buddhist Studies Program at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he is now professor emeritus. He founded the Deer Park Buddhist Center in Oregon, Wisconsin. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin.
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Like a Waking Dream
The Autobiography of Geshe Lhundub Sopa
Geshe Lhundub Sopa,
List Price:$ 24.95
Our Price: $19.96 (20%off)
Pages: 368
Size: 6x9 inches
Binding: Hardcover
ISBN: 0-86171-313-3
Status: Available
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