535 pp., 15 illus.
# SALERE - $ 34.95

THE FOURTEEN DALAI LAMAS: A Sacred Legacy of Reincarnation

by Glenn H. Mullin, foreword by H.H. the Dalai Lama, edited by Valerie Shepherd

"It is nearly thirty years since Glenn H. Mullin first arrived in Dharamsala and began to take an interest in the works of the Dalai Lamas. I admire the persistence with which he has pursued this interest and have sometimes wondered if he has not found out more about them than even I know. Many people have told me that he reveals an ability in his books to make things Tibetan accessible and easily understood to ordinary readers. Therefore, I welcome this volume that is the first to give some account of the lives of all the Dalai Lamas, along with examples of some of their works. I pray that readers will find here some inspiration in their own quest for inner peace."--from the Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama

For almost six centuries, the Dalai Lamas have stood as the principal spiritual leaders of Central Asia, and they have held secular power over Tibet for almost half that time. They have served as gurus to Mongolian khans and Chinese emperors alike, as well as to the masses of peoples inhabiting the numerous kingdoms of Central Asia.

Author Glenn Mullin vividly brings to life the sacred mythology associated with the Dalai Lama. He captures the spiritual and political history of this remarkable personage, with accounts not only of the fourteen Dalai Lamas and the legacy of reincarnation surrounding them, but also of the dozens of previous lives of the soul that became these fourteen extraordinary beings. In addition, he has supplemented the stories of the various Dalai Lamas with excerpts from their spiritual teachings, their philosophy and their mystical poetry.

The Fourteenth Dalai Lama, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, is now almost a household name around the world. However, the ancient tradition of reincarnation to which he is heir is less well known. The First Dalai Lama was born in a nomadic hut in 1391, and each subsequent Dalai Lama is regarded as his reincarnation, choosing to take up the burdens of a human life again and again in order to benefit the world.

This book blends history, spiritual teachings, and the personal experience and accomplishments of the Dalai Lamas of Tibet. Here are the life stories of all 14 Dalai Lamas including excerpts from their teachings, poetry, and other writings. For almost six centuries, the Dalai Lamas have served as the Tibetan people's spiritual leader and often secular leader, but each has been a unique individual with different abilities and temperament.

Glenn H. Mullin is one of the world's foremost Tibetologists. He has published approximately twenty books on Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, including a series on the lives and teachings of the early Dalai Lamas. He is an internationally renowned Buddhist scholar, an acclaimed translator of Tibetan classics, a well-known speaker on the international lecture circuit and a popular teacher of Tantric Buddhist meditation.