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Lord of the Dance: Autobiography of Chagdud Tulku Lama
Son of Dawa Drolma, one of Tibet's most renowned female lamas, Chagdud Rinpoche was recognized early in life as a "tulku", or incarnation of a realized master, and was rigorously trained by many great lamas. Forced into exile by the Chinese invasion, his was the last generation to inherit the highest teachings and methods of Buddhism in Tibet. This candid autobiography helps Westerners understand the astonishing culture that is bound up with Vajrayana teachings.
248 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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About the author
Chagdud Tulku
36 books11 followersH.E. Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche (Tib. ལྕགས་མདུད་སྤྲུལ་སྐུ་, Wyl. lcags mdud sprul sku), born Padma Gargyi Wangchuk, is held to be the 14th Chagdud incarnation in a line extending from Sherab Gyaltsen, who folded an iron sword into a knot with his bare hands, thus earning the name "Chagdud" or "iron knot." Born to a lama of the Gelug school and a mother from a Sakya family, the 14th Chagdud began his training in the Kagyu school before achieving renown as a master of Dzogchen and teacher of the Nyingma school lineages of Dudjom Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche. One of the first Nyingmapa lamas to settle in the United States, he relocated to Brazil in 1995 and built the first traditional Tibetan temple in South America with his wife Jane Tromge (Chagdud Khadro).
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 3, 2010
An incomparable transmission of living dharma. A great blessing to have such an inspirational autobiography told with such candor and beauty, one is swept up into a revelry; just like Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche recounts as a boy, listening to the epic stories of Gesar told by a blind Khampa bard, imagining that great Buddhist warrior trembling thunder into the rolling meadows as he rode over the high land. The awesomeness of radiant primordial awareness is weft and wove throughout retelling, as distracting emotions and tumultuous passions arise and liberate as life circumstances, Chagdud Tulku's glistening telling inspires and spurs one to take heed to the blessings and informal teaching of this amazing story.
A La La Ho! May the Chagdud Tulku take a swift rebirth to benefit all beings everywhere!
A La La Ho! May the Chagdud Tulku take a swift rebirth to benefit all beings everywhere!
April 22, 2022
Read this recently while on a Buddhist retreat in the mountains. Tulku had so many dreams! (I think this influenced my dreams during the retreat.)
Some of his dreams he was able to listen to, others he could not.
A fascinating, magical tale of the transformation of Tibet as it was taken over by the Chinese and the Tibetan lineage holders were forced into exile. Sometimes exile means working as a laborer in India. A tale of history, politics, personal life and spiritual life. A timeless tale, yet one that just happened. And will most likely happen again and again.
Some of his dreams he was able to listen to, others he could not.
A fascinating, magical tale of the transformation of Tibet as it was taken over by the Chinese and the Tibetan lineage holders were forced into exile. Sometimes exile means working as a laborer in India. A tale of history, politics, personal life and spiritual life. A timeless tale, yet one that just happened. And will most likely happen again and again.
June 23, 2022
I found this a delightful book. It gives an extraordinary glimpse of Tibet before the Chinese invasion from the perspective of a Buddhist practitioner. It mixes ordinary reality and visionary reality in a matter-of-fact way that is inspiring. It is also wonderful to read about a practitioner who was a monk for a period and then chose the path of the yogi, as a gö kar chang lo practitioner.
It is a useful book both from a historical perspective and a religious perspective.
It is a useful book both from a historical perspective and a religious perspective.
December 22, 2022
“Great Story But Incomplete”
This is a great story, on many levels - a personal adventure, a spiritual journey, a cultural history, - it is engaging and fun to read but it also has some major faults. Perhaps I notice these so much because I read this directly after finishing Tulku Urgyen's wonderful memoir [[ASIN:9627341568 Blazing Splendor: The Memoirs of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche]]. That spiritual/cultural memoir was so good I wanted to start reading it again as soon as I finished it (subtle, humorous, understated and deep), but that is a different book. I mention this for perspective. This tale (and Lama) is different, more dramatic and revealing (grandiose even, and not the "hidden yogi" as was Tulku Urgyen's ideal), but I also get the strong sense of the story being retold for a select audience. I had a harder time hearing Chagdud Tulku's voice in the telling, instead often thinking more of the interpreters and editors. This lack of authenticity is irritating, yet the story is so engaging that this can be ignored most of the time.
Another complaint of mine is that the story is rich in detail in the few years leading up to and following Rinpoche's escape, but seriously lacking once he comes to the West. Instead of covering the transmission of the teachings to Westerners (itself probably a fascinating aspect of any Tibetan Lama's life, and so far something I haven't read much detail about), and all the places he visited and activities he accomplished in the last third of his life, he only mentions returning to Tibet to visit briefly in 1987, and makes only passing reference to his Western students (other than his wife Jane). Eventhough it was probably a big deal for him personally - in terms of Chagdud Tulku's dharma activity, this return to Tibet (and a monastery he was only peripherally connected to in this life) was a minor event compared to the students and practice centers he established in North and South America! I was left feeling only half the story had been told. (Perhaps since the story was filtered through these very students they were reluctant to ask for or write about their own part of his story. This is a shame).
It would be nice if any new edition had an afterword included to summarize his impact and experience in the West as well as give a better, more objective, overview of his accomplishments. Chagdud Rinpoche was a true renaissance man - not only a tantric and dzogchen master, but also an energetic and tireless teacher, puja leader (and umze), builder (dharma center establisher), artist (sculptor, painter, singer and story teller), and traditional medical doctor. This range and depth of experience really doesn't come across in this memoir. As well, some maps of Tibet, Nepal and India showing his place of birth and route of escape, to help make his life and travels more understandable, would make any new edition much better.
Even more bothering is how this tale, although told with candor, also reinforces the stereotype of Tibet being a land of faith, magic and mystery and the West being a place of practical work, drives and emotions. It would have been interesting to hear the same kind of mystic/dream/synchronistic stories told about his life in the West.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this memoir is how this Tulku was born with such amazing spiritual abilities and realized even more through this life's practice, but still had major personal mundane issues. Some examples are how he tried to kill his step-father as a small child, or as a young teen cheated a bit on his preliminary practices or as an adult wanted to punch someone for reprimanding him for standing on a cushion, while straining for a view, during a major empowerment at Samye Monastery. He only just held himself back remembering where he was, who he was with, and how he should behave, then he felt bad for such a negative reaction. This is great in many ways; it shows us that we are all normal people with ordinary delusions, it shows how some monks and lamas in Tibet had become somehow spoiled and corrupt in their privileged stature (and shows Chagdud Tulku's humanity and honesty and unease in this regard), it also shows that mere practice and realization isn't enough..... There is always the need for mindfulness, always the danger of ego's temptation and fall from grace. It is sobering to think a high lama who can tie knots in his sword is in many ways just like the rest of us....
Ps. a note about the revised 2014 edition - which makes me change my rating from 3 to 4.5 stars.
As well as a bunch of more recent photos, it also includes a wonderfully detailed 26 page epilogue summary of Rinpoche's accomplishments after coming to America in 1979 (and before his passing in 2002). It's quite amazing what he accomplished in and around the three main places he resided (each for 7 years) in Oregon, California and Brazil! These include massive construction projects, all beautifully conceived and executed, as well as, the amount and caliber of teachings and empowerments and retreats he gave and conducted, and students he trained to carry on (and continue to expand) his legacy. It's clear he worked tirelessly non-stop the whole time he was in the West, and inspired that kind of energetic diligence (to dream big and do it right) in many students. It’s said Rinpoche wanted to be known as the “motivation lama”, but it seems ”activity accomplishing lama” is more fitting. Still no detailed map of his escape route from Tibet... but that just leaves something for the 3rd edition.
This is a great story, on many levels - a personal adventure, a spiritual journey, a cultural history, - it is engaging and fun to read but it also has some major faults. Perhaps I notice these so much because I read this directly after finishing Tulku Urgyen's wonderful memoir [[ASIN:9627341568 Blazing Splendor: The Memoirs of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche]]. That spiritual/cultural memoir was so good I wanted to start reading it again as soon as I finished it (subtle, humorous, understated and deep), but that is a different book. I mention this for perspective. This tale (and Lama) is different, more dramatic and revealing (grandiose even, and not the "hidden yogi" as was Tulku Urgyen's ideal), but I also get the strong sense of the story being retold for a select audience. I had a harder time hearing Chagdud Tulku's voice in the telling, instead often thinking more of the interpreters and editors. This lack of authenticity is irritating, yet the story is so engaging that this can be ignored most of the time.
Another complaint of mine is that the story is rich in detail in the few years leading up to and following Rinpoche's escape, but seriously lacking once he comes to the West. Instead of covering the transmission of the teachings to Westerners (itself probably a fascinating aspect of any Tibetan Lama's life, and so far something I haven't read much detail about), and all the places he visited and activities he accomplished in the last third of his life, he only mentions returning to Tibet to visit briefly in 1987, and makes only passing reference to his Western students (other than his wife Jane). Eventhough it was probably a big deal for him personally - in terms of Chagdud Tulku's dharma activity, this return to Tibet (and a monastery he was only peripherally connected to in this life) was a minor event compared to the students and practice centers he established in North and South America! I was left feeling only half the story had been told. (Perhaps since the story was filtered through these very students they were reluctant to ask for or write about their own part of his story. This is a shame).
It would be nice if any new edition had an afterword included to summarize his impact and experience in the West as well as give a better, more objective, overview of his accomplishments. Chagdud Rinpoche was a true renaissance man - not only a tantric and dzogchen master, but also an energetic and tireless teacher, puja leader (and umze), builder (dharma center establisher), artist (sculptor, painter, singer and story teller), and traditional medical doctor. This range and depth of experience really doesn't come across in this memoir. As well, some maps of Tibet, Nepal and India showing his place of birth and route of escape, to help make his life and travels more understandable, would make any new edition much better.
Even more bothering is how this tale, although told with candor, also reinforces the stereotype of Tibet being a land of faith, magic and mystery and the West being a place of practical work, drives and emotions. It would have been interesting to hear the same kind of mystic/dream/synchronistic stories told about his life in the West.
One of the most fascinating aspects of this memoir is how this Tulku was born with such amazing spiritual abilities and realized even more through this life's practice, but still had major personal mundane issues. Some examples are how he tried to kill his step-father as a small child, or as a young teen cheated a bit on his preliminary practices or as an adult wanted to punch someone for reprimanding him for standing on a cushion, while straining for a view, during a major empowerment at Samye Monastery. He only just held himself back remembering where he was, who he was with, and how he should behave, then he felt bad for such a negative reaction. This is great in many ways; it shows us that we are all normal people with ordinary delusions, it shows how some monks and lamas in Tibet had become somehow spoiled and corrupt in their privileged stature (and shows Chagdud Tulku's humanity and honesty and unease in this regard), it also shows that mere practice and realization isn't enough..... There is always the need for mindfulness, always the danger of ego's temptation and fall from grace. It is sobering to think a high lama who can tie knots in his sword is in many ways just like the rest of us....
Ps. a note about the revised 2014 edition - which makes me change my rating from 3 to 4.5 stars.
As well as a bunch of more recent photos, it also includes a wonderfully detailed 26 page epilogue summary of Rinpoche's accomplishments after coming to America in 1979 (and before his passing in 2002). It's quite amazing what he accomplished in and around the three main places he resided (each for 7 years) in Oregon, California and Brazil! These include massive construction projects, all beautifully conceived and executed, as well as, the amount and caliber of teachings and empowerments and retreats he gave and conducted, and students he trained to carry on (and continue to expand) his legacy. It's clear he worked tirelessly non-stop the whole time he was in the West, and inspired that kind of energetic diligence (to dream big and do it right) in many students. It’s said Rinpoche wanted to be known as the “motivation lama”, but it seems ”activity accomplishing lama” is more fitting. Still no detailed map of his escape route from Tibet... but that just leaves something for the 3rd edition.
January 1, 2026
'Lord of the Dance: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Lama' written by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche, with Ken Wilber (foreword) and Chagdud Khadro (aka, Jane Tromge, Rinpoche's wife) (epilogue)
A wonderful teacher who made a huge impact on the "new world" (the Americas: north, middle, and south), as well as traveling world-wide to reach as many potential students as he could, as well as long-time students. He worked diligently to bring the teachings of the Buddha to as many people as possible! He is especially known for his teachings of the Bodhicitta, Red Tara! In addition, Chagdud was a prolific artist, sculptor, and writer of poetry, songs and books!
(I've been really lucky in this lifetime to have been in the right place at the right time to be a student of several amazing teachers, including this one!)
Two thumbs up! 👍👍
A wonderful teacher who made a huge impact on the "new world" (the Americas: north, middle, and south), as well as traveling world-wide to reach as many potential students as he could, as well as long-time students. He worked diligently to bring the teachings of the Buddha to as many people as possible! He is especially known for his teachings of the Bodhicitta, Red Tara! In addition, Chagdud was a prolific artist, sculptor, and writer of poetry, songs and books!
(I've been really lucky in this lifetime to have been in the right place at the right time to be a student of several amazing teachers, including this one!)
Two thumbs up! 👍👍
July 2, 2021
A fascinating inside look into the life of a Rinpoche who were born in Tibet and later moved to America.
August 15, 2016
Some interesting descriptions of the realities of Tibetan life pre- and during invasion (as well as of refugee life in India), mixed with clearly fairytales. My wish is that book would focus more on elaboration of the essence experiences of dharma, but I guess the genre and a culture-specific understanding of "skillful means" required to insert magical and mythic motives. Books for Westerners need to be written with a different attitude than here. Still, a useful reading. Makes one wonder and ponder a lot.
May 13, 2011
It was interesting to read about growing up and training as a lama, and about the harsh conditions in Tibet. So foreign.
I learned a lot about the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and about how it's been since then (all terrible).
Often a little tough to follow, though, because Chagdud frequently digressed and then eventually meandered back to the point.
I learned a lot about the Chinese invasion of Tibet, and about how it's been since then (all terrible).
Often a little tough to follow, though, because Chagdud frequently digressed and then eventually meandered back to the point.
November 9, 2014
Excellent true story, takes you from a more traditional Buddhist Tibetan family with miraculous experiences, through the struggles as a young lama fleeing the country and creating a new life in India. Easily readable by non-Buddhists, but interesting to Buddhists as well.
January 29, 2015
Amazing read
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews