The Magical Play of Illusion: The Autobiography of Trijang Rinpoche

by Trijang Rinpoche, Dalai Lama XIV (Foreword), Sharpa Tulku Tenzin Trinley (Translator)

The Dalai Lama’s teacher's autobiography offers glimpses into the young Dalai Lama's spiritual upbringing and his escape from Tibet.

As the mentor to the young Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Trijang Rinpoché became one of his most trusted confidants. Rinpoché’s status gave him a front-row seat to many of the momentous historical events that befell Tibet. He observes the workings of Tibetan high society and politics with an unvarnished frankness, including inside details of encounters with Mao Zedong, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Pope Paul VI.

Most widely known as a yogi with profound, lifelong religious training, Trijang Rinpoché was also a statesman, a preserver of culture, a poet, writer, and artist. His autobiography is a beautifully written account of Tibetan life in the twentieth century, including intimate details about the upbringing of the Dalai Lama.

504 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

The 3rd Trijang Rinpoche, Geshe Lharampa Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (1901–1981) was the junior tutor and "root guru" of the 14th Dalai Lama and a direct disciple of the sectarian Dorje Shugden devotee Pabongkhapa Déchen Nyingpo. He received his Geshe Lharampa degree at age 18 from the 13th Dalai Lama, who also conferred his monastic vows before his admittance to the Upper Tantric College, Gyuto, in 1919.

Reviews

[Peter North · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is only for people with a special interest. The names of people and places and other terms are in Tibetan as should be expected but makes a difficult read for those unaquainted. It is practically a list of places visited and teachings given by Trijang Rimpoche, often including names of other important people that took part in the events in some way. Every once in a while some interesting minor fact is given that allows a view on life in Tibet before its invasion by China or of tibetans in exile.

The translator's epilogue is also interesting.

Having seen a photo of Trijang Rimpoche with my Spirtual Guide in Ulverston Train Station I had an expectation that the visit be included in the book. The events in the book end in 1975. The visit to Manjushri/Ulverston must have occurred in 1977 or later.

Dorje Shugden (spelled Shukden) is mentioned abundantly in positive terms throughout the text. It is clear that Trijang Rimpoche was a follower of the protector. Trijang died in 1981, several years before the ban and controversy started. Still, it showers doubt on the ban and the Guru-disciple relationship of the Dalai Lama.

[Anne · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a book that many people would want to read. It is the autobiography of a highly realized Tibetan Buddhist Lama who was one of the tutors to the present Dalai Lama. He is (or was, because he is now deceased or moved on to his next incarnation) the Spiritual Guide to my Spiritual Guide, which is why I wanted to read this. The book describes Trijang Rinpoche’s life in Tibet before the Chinese invasion. He spent his time in multitudinous prayers, offerings to the Buddhas and teachings. After he escaped Tibet at the time of the invasion, fleeing to India with the Dalai Lama, his life was essentially unchanged, with some international travel to minister to the Tibetans of the diaspora. There are very few personal or political thoughts to enliven the narrative so I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who isn’t a die-hard Buddhist of the Tibetan tradition.