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From a Mountain In Tibet: A Monk’s Journey
The extraordinary story of how a wayward boy escaped his war-torn country, found himself, and became the leading Tibetan monk in the West. Lama Yeshe didn't see a car until he was 15-years-old. In his quiet village, he and other children ran in fields with yaks and mastiffs. The rhythm of life was anchored by the pastoral cycles. Food was carefully apportioned and eaten together, everyone was family. The arrival of Chinese army cars one day in 1959 changed everything. In the wake of the deadly Tibetan Uprising, he escaped to India through the Himalayas to start over as a refugee. One of only 13 survivors out of 300 travellers, he spent the next few years in America, experiencing the excesses of the Woodstock generation before reforming in Europe. Now in his seventies and a leading monk at the Samye Ling monastery in Scotland—the first Buddhist centre in the West—Lama Yeshe casts a hopeful look back at his momentous life. From his learnings on self-compassion and discipline to his trials and tribulations with loss and failure, his poignant story mirrors our own struggles. Written with erudition and humour, From a Mountain in Tibet shines a light on how the most desperate of situations can help us to uncover vital life lessons and attain lasting peace and contentment.
272 pages, Hardcover
Published April 1, 2021
70 people are currently reading
672 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
November 2, 2020
This book has special meaning to me as I took my Buddhist vows last year and lama Yeshe conducted the refuge ceremony. This book gives a fascinating insight into his life from living so remotely in the Himalayas to escaping Tibet and fleeing the occupation of his country. It also shows that in his early years he was just like so many of us and was almost 40 before he decided to become a monk. The book is filled with his easily explained terms and ways to help western people understand what buddhism is all about. My only advice would be to watch a video of Lama Yeshe before reading the book and then hopefully like me you will visualise as your reading his beaming smile and infectious laugh. Very good book and thank you for sharing your story Lama Yeshe.
December 9, 2020
A truly astonishing account of an inspirational monk. Calling this just a memoir is a disservice to a book that weaves historical documentation, theological theory, emotional support and an encouraging syory seamlessly.
A book I look forward to continuously jumping back in to the nuggets of wisdom for years to come.
A book I look forward to continuously jumping back in to the nuggets of wisdom for years to come.
September 4, 2021
An astounding work of truth, this has to be one of the best books I have read this year. Not in terms of the sheer brilliance of its prose, but that its message can be potentially life-changing.
Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is not your typical Buddhist monk. He spent 37 years indulging himself, much like we all do. Fast cars, alcohol, women, and indolence made up his life until then. This was before a harrowing flight from Tibet as a teenager along with other monks, including his brother.
I love teachers like Pema Chodron because they appear so fallible, so within reach. Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is cast from the same cloth. I fell in love with this story, with the honesty, with the love and compassion, and above all with the message that we are all workable.
Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is not your typical Buddhist monk. He spent 37 years indulging himself, much like we all do. Fast cars, alcohol, women, and indolence made up his life until then. This was before a harrowing flight from Tibet as a teenager along with other monks, including his brother.
I love teachers like Pema Chodron because they appear so fallible, so within reach. Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is cast from the same cloth. I fell in love with this story, with the honesty, with the love and compassion, and above all with the message that we are all workable.
April 25, 2025
" I believe I was born in September. I don't know exactly, because we had neither clocks nor calendars in our village. We didn't need them. The only time that mattered was the turning of the seasons, which governed when to plant, when to take the animals to the high pastures and when to harvest. The precise day on which a person was born mattered very little to us, because we did not count the days. For us, you were young until you were old."
This book was so beautiful it made me want to believe in God
This book was so beautiful it made me want to believe in God
July 7, 2023
"From a Mountain in Tibet" chronicles the life of Lama Yeshe, a boy who grew up in one of the remoter parts of his country and ended up being one of the most recognized Tibetan monks in the West.
As a young boy, Lama Yeshe was not the kind of boy you'd peg as a prime candidate for a monk; his unruly behavior led his family to send him off to the monastery to join his older brother, which only prompted a more rebellious streak in the boy. Things changed, however, when the China army's invasion of Tibet drove the monks to flee the country across the Himalayas in search of refuge, with devastating consequences: only 13 out of the 300 people (including Lama Yeshe and his older brother) fleeing their monastery survived the crossing to restart their life as refugees.
Lama Yeshe's account of his life covered the period of his childhood up to his current life as a monk in Scotland, and the experiences he gained on the path of his enlightenment. Having had to rebuild his life as a refugee, he has had to overcome the traumatic experience of persecution and use the opportunities he gained from his brother and acquaintances to find some sort of meaning in life.
What I love about this memoir is how candid and frank Lama Yeshe was about his shortcomings and the troubles he got up to. Moving from a relatively sheltered life in Tibet to countries such as the UK & US had given him his share of culture shock, which led to abuse of drugs, alcohol, and other 'recreational' substances at the time (not to mention an appreciation for fast cars & women). His meaningless life continued for 30+ years before he realized that something had to give and set out to change things to turn his life around.
It is the very fact that he had dabbled and strayed from the path he had been set on — just like almost every other teenager who has done so in the West — that made his transformation into a monk who gave up his worldly pursuits so interesting and fulfilling to read. His is a very relatable struggle, and this memoir comprises a lot of great insights into how anyone can turn their failures into life lessons that can be used for self-improvement.
Pick this one up if you're looking for relatable & inspirational memoirs that come with a rare glimpse of the life of a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
Thank you to Times Reads for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
As a young boy, Lama Yeshe was not the kind of boy you'd peg as a prime candidate for a monk; his unruly behavior led his family to send him off to the monastery to join his older brother, which only prompted a more rebellious streak in the boy. Things changed, however, when the China army's invasion of Tibet drove the monks to flee the country across the Himalayas in search of refuge, with devastating consequences: only 13 out of the 300 people (including Lama Yeshe and his older brother) fleeing their monastery survived the crossing to restart their life as refugees.
Lama Yeshe's account of his life covered the period of his childhood up to his current life as a monk in Scotland, and the experiences he gained on the path of his enlightenment. Having had to rebuild his life as a refugee, he has had to overcome the traumatic experience of persecution and use the opportunities he gained from his brother and acquaintances to find some sort of meaning in life.
What I love about this memoir is how candid and frank Lama Yeshe was about his shortcomings and the troubles he got up to. Moving from a relatively sheltered life in Tibet to countries such as the UK & US had given him his share of culture shock, which led to abuse of drugs, alcohol, and other 'recreational' substances at the time (not to mention an appreciation for fast cars & women). His meaningless life continued for 30+ years before he realized that something had to give and set out to change things to turn his life around.
It is the very fact that he had dabbled and strayed from the path he had been set on — just like almost every other teenager who has done so in the West — that made his transformation into a monk who gave up his worldly pursuits so interesting and fulfilling to read. His is a very relatable struggle, and this memoir comprises a lot of great insights into how anyone can turn their failures into life lessons that can be used for self-improvement.
Pick this one up if you're looking for relatable & inspirational memoirs that come with a rare glimpse of the life of a Tibetan Buddhist monk.
Thank you to Times Reads for the review copy. All opinions are my own.
November 26, 2025
Truly appreciate how this book challenged all my preconceived notions of what or how a monk should be. So candid. So honest. This book brought a sense of calm to my life. Reminded me of the important things that were forgotten as I adult. Immensely grateful to my friend who recommended this book.
There were some comments (relating to Trungpa and a sense of trivialization of his behaviors), I found unsettling. Nonetheless, as I finished reading, I was left with a sense of understanding (not justification) of why it perhaps was said. Or, what drove him to say those words. Perhaps that is the objective of this book - to leave the seedlings of compassion behind. Highly recommend!
There were some comments (relating to Trungpa and a sense of trivialization of his behaviors), I found unsettling. Nonetheless, as I finished reading, I was left with a sense of understanding (not justification) of why it perhaps was said. Or, what drove him to say those words. Perhaps that is the objective of this book - to leave the seedlings of compassion behind. Highly recommend!
December 28, 2020
Wonderful, simple bio of insignificant youngest son in a traditional Tibetan Buddhist family, who escaped from the Chinese invasion, was displaced, dysfunctional and spiritually lost for 20 years and then rejoined his heritage and became a pillar of his diaspora and a great teacher of Buddhism in the West. A very touching human story and a great introduction to Buddhism and its traditional, hierarchical social structure in the former mountain kingdom, almost as a by-product. As a by-by-product, it provides a great insight into the extraordinary effort and philanthropic support which went into preserving and promoting Tibetan Buddhism in the West after the Chinese takeover, which the world has a lot to be grateful for. In between the dramatic and mundane details of a biography are some simple gems of wisdom from the lama, reflecting both his heritage and his mucky personal experience.
June 27, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I have had the pleasure of meeting Lama Yeshe when I was very young and it is a memory that will always stick with me. This book and the insight it shows into his life has made me only more awed by him and his work. The book was touching and inspiring. It made me laugh and made me cry. Definitely recommend.
July 7, 2023
Refreshingly honest and vulnerable. A very relatable life story.
February 2, 2024
I read this book all under 20 hours during my flight home. Not that I am a fast reader, but I find this book deeply inspiring and moving, and I just couldn't stop turning the pages.
September 7, 2020
Fantastic book about an amazing lama.
May this book bring clarity to its readers and may they relate to and learn from his past mistakes. There is so much to be learned from this book if you simply relate it to your own mistakes.
Problem is often seeing and admitting them in yourself.
We all make mistakes ,I'm an expert in that sadly but have finally learned from mine.
Lama yeshe's 3 words say more than a million of mine.
"anything is possible".
Thanks Lama.
May this book bring clarity to its readers and may they relate to and learn from his past mistakes. There is so much to be learned from this book if you simply relate it to your own mistakes.
Problem is often seeing and admitting them in yourself.
We all make mistakes ,I'm an expert in that sadly but have finally learned from mine.
Lama yeshe's 3 words say more than a million of mine.
"anything is possible".
Thanks Lama.
April 29, 2022
this is a book about a man who lives in a small town in tibet.
he has not seen a car till the age of fifteen.
his life is ruined when the chinese army invade tibet in 1959 and there is chaos and destruction every where and then to save their lives he and his brother were forced to leave their home and go to india.
it was a long journey which took them ten months to complete.
out of the 300 travellers , only thirteen survived.
the journey was long and they had to suffer a lot.
he then reaches india and starts a new life.
their are details given about india and about how he lives over there.
it is about buddhism about reincarnation.
also details about the dalai lama.
he then goes to england and from there to america where he becomes a monk and follows the teachings of the buddha.
his brother dies in the end and the book comes to an end.
he has not seen a car till the age of fifteen.
his life is ruined when the chinese army invade tibet in 1959 and there is chaos and destruction every where and then to save their lives he and his brother were forced to leave their home and go to india.
it was a long journey which took them ten months to complete.
out of the 300 travellers , only thirteen survived.
the journey was long and they had to suffer a lot.
he then reaches india and starts a new life.
their are details given about india and about how he lives over there.
it is about buddhism about reincarnation.
also details about the dalai lama.
he then goes to england and from there to america where he becomes a monk and follows the teachings of the buddha.
his brother dies in the end and the book comes to an end.
May 1, 2022
An interesting life story of a rebellious monk
October 4, 2020
A fascinating account of the life of an amazing man. Lama Yeshe shares his life's journey with us recounting incidents, events and decisions made which led him to his current position as leading Monk at The Samye Ling Buddhist Centre in Scotland.
The account of Lama Yeshe's life is written with true candour as he tells of the paths he took and the mistakes he made along the way. There is also some humour, kindness and reconciliation with events and circumstances, which shaped the man he is today.
Lama Yeshe's message to all is that we all make mistakes and wrong decisions, but the main thing is to learn from these mistakes as we navigate our way through life.
A great book which I would recommend.
The account of Lama Yeshe's life is written with true candour as he tells of the paths he took and the mistakes he made along the way. There is also some humour, kindness and reconciliation with events and circumstances, which shaped the man he is today.
Lama Yeshe's message to all is that we all make mistakes and wrong decisions, but the main thing is to learn from these mistakes as we navigate our way through life.
A great book which I would recommend.
September 10, 2024
Surprised this doesn’t have more reviews! A friend gifted me this book and I finished it in a few days. It was an extraordinary story full of valuable lessons. If there’s one book that would convince to start meditation it’d be this. I look forward to learning more about Buddhism.
September 7, 2020
Fantastic book about an amazing lama.
May this book bring clarity to its readers and may they relate to and learn from his past mistakes. There is so much to be learned from this book if you simply relate it to your own mistakes.
Problem is often seeing and admitting them in yourself.
We all make mistakes ,I'm an expert in that sadly but have finally learned from mine.
Lama yeshe's 3 words say more than a million of mine.
"anything is possible".
Thanks Lama.
May this book bring clarity to its readers and may they relate to and learn from his past mistakes. There is so much to be learned from this book if you simply relate it to your own mistakes.
Problem is often seeing and admitting them in yourself.
We all make mistakes ,I'm an expert in that sadly but have finally learned from mine.
Lama yeshe's 3 words say more than a million of mine.
"anything is possible".
Thanks Lama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2020
It is wisely said that just because you are born in a religion doesn't mean u will grasp its true essence.
Lama Yeshi honest account of running away from Tibet, being a refugee in India, lastly, harbouring the conflicting idea under the influence of western culture.
Living life as an extreme often results in creating a balance I have heard, and at last, he obviously found the 'Middle Path' suggested by Buddha.
Lama Yeshi honest account of running away from Tibet, being a refugee in India, lastly, harbouring the conflicting idea under the influence of western culture.
Living life as an extreme often results in creating a balance I have heard, and at last, he obviously found the 'Middle Path' suggested by Buddha.
October 22, 2020
An astonishing account of a Buddhist monk who lived through some of the worst political agendas in East Asia which almost killed him in his teens, and tells his life as he transitions from a rebellious boy in Tibet to a spiritually transformed adult in the west, spreading the good news of Buddhist practices across the US and UK. He makes the concept of 5-year retreats and dark retreats sound very inviting and peaceful.
Very moving.
Very moving.
March 1, 2022
Heartfelt, touching and honest. The conversational tone makes the narrator feel like a close friend which is amazing for increasing our awareness in the West about the Tibetan situation and also an interesting insight into the overall culture. I’ve read many books on Buddhism but I still learned some new facts about Tibet that I otherwise hadn’t heard of. As with all things, hearing from someone’s personal experience is an effective way to deepen your understanding. Would recommend.
September 7, 2020
Loved reading this book
A really interesting read I couldn't put this book down. So sad in parts to see how the journey went so inspirational on how people change their lives. Always been very interested in the life of monks and this book reads openly and honestly about the challenges and opportunities that life has offered.
A really interesting read I couldn't put this book down. So sad in parts to see how the journey went so inspirational on how people change their lives. Always been very interested in the life of monks and this book reads openly and honestly about the challenges and opportunities that life has offered.
October 28, 2020
I haven’t enjoyed a read like this for some time.
It’s a very easy read and I had a hard time putting it down.
The storey is so interesting and very inspiring for meditation practitioners or beginners.
Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is a loving example of what you can achieve if you put the work in!
This book will make a great gift this Christmas.
It’s a very easy read and I had a hard time putting it down.
The storey is so interesting and very inspiring for meditation practitioners or beginners.
Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche is a loving example of what you can achieve if you put the work in!
This book will make a great gift this Christmas.
May 18, 2021
For all those who are seeking to understand the nature of your mind. This book is nothing short of a valuable treasure. Utterly inspring and deeply transformative, Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche's words come shining to us, like a beacon when we most need his compassion and guidance.
May 8, 2021
Stunning and deeply touching. With plenty of story and teachings. Many thanks for this beautiful book.
April 22, 2025
I ended up liking this more than anticipated. This is the memoir of Lama Yeshe Losal Rinpoche, the current abbot of Samye Ling in the Scottish Borders. His story starts in extraordinary fashion with his childhood on the Tibetan plateau and near death escape during the Chinese annexation of Tibet. We follow him through his time as a refugee in India, to the USA during the height of 1960s excess and eventually into his commitment to becoming a Buddhist monk. In his youth he sounds like a bit of an idiot and freely admits this, but the journey to where he is today does ring true, and is only lightly peppered with religious advice and guidance. An interesting insight into the Tibetan Buddhist faith and the establishment of the Samye Ling community.
November 28, 2025
This was not at all what I expected ... for me it lacked the depth of character emotional bonds that really enthrall me in a book. I did learn a lot about Buddhist culture and practises, and there was some really useful nuggets about how to live a more peaceful life.
I found it difficult because Lama Yeshe Rinposhe isnt very likeable for a big chunk of the book, and I guess that's the point, look even this annoying person can turn their life around and become a monk who changed other peoples life.
I loved the start in Tibet, and then being forced to escape into India. I could've read the whole book based on their Tibetan life. Just couldn't wrap my head around how they so easily transition from subsistence agriculture to wealthy enough to buy a British island.
I found it difficult because Lama Yeshe Rinposhe isnt very likeable for a big chunk of the book, and I guess that's the point, look even this annoying person can turn their life around and become a monk who changed other peoples life.
I loved the start in Tibet, and then being forced to escape into India. I could've read the whole book based on their Tibetan life. Just couldn't wrap my head around how they so easily transition from subsistence agriculture to wealthy enough to buy a British island.
March 29, 2024
I loved this book and couldn't put it down. What a life he has led! I loved the early chapters where very subtle nuggets of dharma wisdom are interspersed with amazing stories of his life journey: the idyllic childhood in Tibet, the harrowing journey through the mountains and rivers, the lost youth in India, and then all the resistance to his true calling in the west. The only reason it is not 5 stars is I felt like the ending dragged a bit, and was meandering.
But would still highly recommend to anyone, Buddhist or not.
But would still highly recommend to anyone, Buddhist or not.
June 13, 2024
What a book. It read like a novel, in one go, but then left me with many realizations. It opened my eyes to a side of Buddhism I had been blind to—the many faces of practitioners and gurus: blissful, wise, calm, but also troubled, destructive, and unhinged. I'm grateful to the author for not omitting some of those details that would easily qualify as heretical. This perspective is complete and therefore serves as a potent vehicle for the philosophical message intertwined with the fascinating autobiography.
March 3, 2025
Such a unique story, the author definitely succeeds making the teachings of Buddhism accessible to a western audience.
“Every relationship starts from an impulse to open ourselves to another being”
“Isolation is a delusion”
“There is always a part of us that is perfectly at peace. At the core of every human being is not sun or some sort of void but an innate goodness and intelligence.”
“Drink deeply from the cup when times are good and use those moments to foster habits of awareness and positivity.”
“Every relationship starts from an impulse to open ourselves to another being”
“Isolation is a delusion”
“There is always a part of us that is perfectly at peace. At the core of every human being is not sun or some sort of void but an innate goodness and intelligence.”
“Drink deeply from the cup when times are good and use those moments to foster habits of awareness and positivity.”
September 30, 2022
A very inspiring tale of struggle, loss and healing. I love how Lama Yeshe delivers this story about growth, patience and perseverance. It is a great starting read for someone struggling with their identity, happiness and purpose. I especially liked his point that a growing path is not often a smooth upward curve but contains a number of small circular paths going a few steps back while also moving forward.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2022
This book took me to deep places. Its author was the brother of a revered reincarnate lama in Tibet. They escaped from the Chinese thru the Himalayas with the remarkable Rinpoche Chogyam Trungpa. The escape took them eight months! The author was a worldly fellow whose life was transformed by these experiences, until he too became a lama. It’s an exciting story written in a very personal voice, all the way thru.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews