A Stranger in Tibet: The Adventures of a Wandering Zen Monk

by Scott Berry

A Stranger in Tibet To reach the "forbidden city" of Lhasa was the dream of generations of Western explorers. But until 1900 when Kawaguchi Ekai, a young Zen monk, donned a disguise and walked all the way there, few foreigners had ever done so. Clinging staunchly to his chastity; leaving a trail of broken hearts across the Himalayas; oppressed by the cultural impossibility of bathing, yet frequently almost drowned in river crossings; often lost and on the verge of starving or freezing to death; robbed by highwaymen, and taken for a spy; speaking fluently the language of a people he preferred not to understand. This brave, bigoted, and enterprising traveler was eventually to cross Tibet from west to east, study in one of the country's greatest monasteries, and keep his secret there for over a year. His first full length biography is based on memories and the information gathered by the author.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Biography, History, Spirituality

Hardcover

First published June 1, 1989

Reviews

[George Ilsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This biography of a Japanese seeker describes an "old-school" manner of travelling. You want to go to Tibet? First you go to India and spend a couple of years learning local languages. Then you go to Tibet.

Yes, that is how to travel. You learn the local languages, and then you walk there. You walk everywhere. You stay a long time and see so many things. You lead a fascinating life. You go back to Japan and write incredible books about your adventures. And then Scott Berry writes your biography.

[Yigal Zur · Rating 4 out of 5]

the amazing life of a japanese monk who went to tibet when it was still unknown country and close to foregainers. just amazing. part of the race to discover lhasa.

[Louis Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It follows the story of Kawaguchi, a zen buddhist monk, who spends many years trying to get to the forbidden city of Lhasa in Tibet in order to get hold of ancient Sanskrit buddhist texts. Steve Berry (the author) weaves in political and religious history of nepal and tibet as our protagonist makes his slow journey to tibet. Kawaguchi is himself a very strange and unconventional traveller being at once a strict buddhist who abides devout vows, a poet and often quite bigoted in his observations of other cultures.

I was captivated by the history of buddhism in tibet and the merging of more ancient tantric practices but often lost by Berry’s lack of explanation of buddhist vocabulary. One major thing I found to become overbearing was Berry’s fairy constant criticism of Kawaguchi’s character that only seemed necessary a third of the time.

Regardless this book was fascinating and very informative about Nepalese and primarily Tibetan culture and was a pleasure to read.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good travelogue: Zen monk Kawaguchi Okai leaves Japan in 1899 and returns six years later, having been in India, Nepal, and (illegally) Tibet. Actually, he was illegally in Nepal as well. He was searching for Buddhist scriptures in Sanskrit, but was thought by many Nepalis to be a British spy (go figure), and his trip was fraught with disaster and difficulty. Travel was not easy a hundred years ago, even for someone who lacked Kawaguchi's difficult judgmental personality and rigid refusal to bend his precepts even a little. The author takes his information from Kawaguchi's journals, which were published in Japanese newspapers of the time. Oh, and there are pictures, too.

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book tells the story of a Japanese Zen Buddhist monk, Kawaguchi Ekai, who traveled to India, Nepal, Lo (now Upper Mustang,) Sikkim, and Tibet in the early years of the twentieth century in search of Buddhist scriptures and teachings. His ultimate goal was Tibet, which he’d heard had the complete Buddhist canon in Tibetan. However, at that time, Tibet (like some of the other nations he traveled through) was xenophobic and strictly controlled / prohibited movements of foreigners, sometimes under penalty of death. This necessitated Kawaguchi first spending a year-and-a-half in Darjeeling to become fluent in Tibetan, and then using a range of disguises to facilitate travel. There was a book published after Kawaguchi’s trip entitled, “Three Years in Tibet,” but there are reasons why one might prefer Berry’s work, reasons that will be addressed below.

Kawaguchi was an interesting figure, a skilled polyglot, a fast thinker, and an iron-willed pursuer of truth. He was also bigoted and held uncompromising moral beliefs upto which few could live. The travelogue is sometimes comic, sometimes tragic, but always interesting. Sometimes Kawaguchi comes across as a Buddhist Don Quixote, but other times he’s a valiant scholar / adventurer.

As for why one might enjoy reading Berry’s account better: first, “Three Years in Tibet” is rather bloated and wasn’t written directly by Kawaguchi but rather by way of journalists. Second, Berry explores the truth behind some of the intolerant and sectarian views of Kawaguchi. Third, Berry offers broader context into the intrigues and geopolitics of the times that led to the shunning of foreigners in the first place.

This book delves into a fascinating time in a little-known part of the world, and it’s a compelling read throughout. I’d highly recommend it for those interested in learning more about the region and its past.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A unique entry into the travel to Tibet genre that follows a Japanese monk. The good includes some compelling narration, in particular in the beginning when our protagonist encounters physical danger near Mt. Kailash, as well as the author's ability to contextualize these travels. The bad is that Berry provides a bewildering amount of background information about late 19th century Japan, Nepal, and Tibet, perhaps contextualizing the events to a fault. As a reader I was lost by this information and skeptical of Berry's mastery of it. For instance, he insists on using a numbering system for reincarnations of the Panchen Lama that refuses to number post hoc designations. I have never encountered any contemporary scholar doing this but Berry insists on it, while not using the same logic for the numbering of the Dalai Lamas.

In the end, I was left wondering if it might have been more informative if Berry had just written an introduction to a reprint of the monk's original travel narrative.

[Idan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good book. Kawaguchi Ekai is an incredibly interesting character, and for the most part Scott Berry’s portrayal of the monk, his travels, companions, and antics are done very well. Berry frequently chides Kawaguchi for being so close-minded and judgemental, which is understandable but a tad repetitive. Same with his frequent comments about colonialism, which almost everyone now regards as being a bad thing anyways. These constant chidings, alongside the intense geographical aspects of the books, knocked it down by a star in my view, but aside from that I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating account of Zen Buddhist monk Kawaguchi Ekai's travels to Nepal and Tibet at the end of the 19th century, interspersed with backgrounding excerpts on Tibetan and Nepali history, religion and culture

[A Ter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely enjoyable story of an eccentric Japanese monk traveling through Tibet -- first in disguise then openly -- during the late 19th and early 20th century. Entertaining and amusing. Provides insight into a world since long disappeared.