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The Dance of 17 Lives: The Incredible True Story of Tibet's 17th Karmapa

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In 1992, a six-year-old son of a nomadic yak herder was thrust into history. His family knew him to be special somehow, so he was not given an official name; he was known by them as Apo Gaga ("happy brother"). And then the highest of the Tibetan Buddhists realized that he was the reincarnation of Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, the 16th Karmapa, who had died in 1981. The resurrection line of Karmapas goes back centuries before that of even the Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual and temporal leader of Tibet. Apo Gaga then became "His Holiness the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje". The story of his selection and his headline-making flight from Tibet in 2000 is told in _The Dance of 17 Lives: The Incredible True Story of Tibet's 17th Karmapa_ (Bloomsbury) by Mick Brown. Brown, a journalist who has covered religious subjects before, is not a Buddhist, and indeed his own religious ideas are not part of this book, which is an astonishingly impartial view of the sometimes controversial and (to those of a different religious persuasion) often utterly weird process of making a new divine hereditary leader.

Brown's book gives a history of Buddhism as it relates to the Karmapa line. The first Karmapa was born in 1110 CE, at the age of fifty. He was omniscient and was able to pass through rocks and mountains. He predicted he would be reborn many times, and starting a tradition, he left a letter specifying how the next Karmapa could be found. When the beloved 16th Karmapa died in 1981, there was a puzzling interval when no such letter could be found. One of his monks eventually produced an amulet the 16th had given him, and it contained a prediction that was to lead to Apo Gaga, who was enthroned as 17th Karmapa in 1992 at age seven. This succession has been controversial; another monk has claimed the amulet document was a forgery and has put forward his own choice of successor, but the Dalai Lama has given all official approval to the current 17th. The Chinese communists, who dislike all religions, amazingly accepted the 17th as a "Living Buddha", in an attempt to get a Buddhist leader under their sway. The 17th Karmapa and a few close associates made plans for a perilous winter trek over the Himalayas and into India. By foot, jeep, and helicopter, he made a daring escape to an eventual exile along with the Dalai Lama.

Brown has interviewed the 17th Karmapa (as he has the Dalai Lama, and most of the individuals he profiles), and has been impressed. "He was, patently, a fifteen-year-old boy; yet like no fifteen-year-old I had met before." He had composure and authority to a disconcerting degree: "There is something dazzling about him." He has had a life of study rather than play, but devotees have donated to him plenty of toys through the years. Amusingly, when he made his prediction of where the reincarnated descendant from another line would be found, to show the house that should be targeted, the Karmapa made a model with his Lego set. It is this sort of clash between modern and ancient or religious and worldly that makes _The Dance of 17 Lives_ so fascinating. The Dalai Lama is now 69 years old, and when he dies, Tibetan exiles all over the world will be looking toward the 17th Karmapa as a unifying symbol and perhaps a successor. We are used to seeing the Dalai Lama as an elder statesman, but if this description of the 17th Karmapa is true, we can expect a young man to fit in just as well.

Brown is the first independent writer to look at the complex story of the Karmapa succession, and the dispute which has arisen out of it. This has led to the situation where there are two boys, with their respective sets of supporters both claiming that they are the Karmpa. One boy, Ogyen Trinley, is recognised by most of the Karma Kagyu school, the Dalai Lama and the vast majority of Tibetans. The other is recognised by a small breakaway faction, which, among other things, accuses the Dalai Lama of plotting to take over the Karma Kagyu. This is a story which makes the intrigues of the medieval popes look as innocent and straightforward as a school board meeting. But Brown - a veteran journalist - tells this complicated tale with remarkable clarity. The pace is brisk. And the reporting of what is a controversial subject is done in a even-handed way, with both sides of the dispute given equal airtime. A lively, fascinating read that's essential for anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhism, and particularly Tibetan Buddhist politics, but also rewarding for the layperson.

I have been a Tibetan Buddhist for 25 years and I have lived through all the upheaval described in this book that caused a parallel upheaval in our local Buddhist centre. I enjoyed this book a great deal because it confirmed everything I knew about the conflict. So I have no real reason to doubt the authenticity of the rest of the book.

Perhaps we assume that the great religious teachers have all passed away, or are decrepit old men isolated on mountain tops. Buddhism, particularly the Tibetan variety, tells us that there is a transmission of the teachings that is alive in men and women today. And it is even possible that, in some sense at least, the famous teachers of the past are litereally alive with us today.
If you find that possibility interesting, or if you just enjoy a good true life story, then I strongly recommend this book. It describes the history, teachings, and current life story of the Karmapa, head of one of 4 main schools of Tibetan Buddhism, and the possible successor of the Dalai Lama as the spiritual leader of Tibet. The legacy of the Kamapas, from their first appearance in the twelveth century, to the dramatic escape from Chinese control of the 17th Karmapa 5 years ago, is inspirational.
There are many juicey aspects to this story; political intrigue, battling supporters, intelligence agents. Also, the 17th Karmapa is notably handsome.
But the real story is this 20 year olds' astonishing maturity and composure. Is he literally the reincarnation of the Karmapa? Whatever. But he is certainly a gifted teacher and is the representative of one of the great spiritual traditions of all times. And he is accessible today.
I want to thank Mick Brown for telling the Karmapa's story with sensitivity and care.

I read this book in late spring or early summer 2004, and the impact that it had on me is still present as we move into 2005. The dispute over the actual Karmapa aside, the story is thrilling and shows how some people can rise to achieve holiness while standing side to side with others who fall into the depths of deceit. The journey of this young man is breath-taking, and his assent to Karmapa and escape into India is thrilling. This is a great book for anyone on any sort of spiritual journey, or for anyone interested in Buddhism. It seems clear, from this book, that Urgyen Trinley Dorje is the true 17th Karmapa. A great read!!

I'm willing, after reading the other reviews, to take this book with "a grain of salt". However, I suspect that in a number of ways, it accurately reflects many qualities of Tibetan Buddhist political, social and spiritual process, and as so has been an fascinating introduction for me into cultural realities which are not obvious when dipping one's toe into Western basic Buddhist trainings. I enjoyed and appreciated the book and was willing to grasp the complex cast of characters in order to get this rough education.

Mick Browns book seems on the first view well done and convincing. If you try to verify the sources, then you understand, that there is notmuch to be found.
The worse is, that he accuses in two cases followers of HH Karmapa Thaye Dorje of murder: One of it is the case of Topga Rinpoche, who s accused of having killed his predecessor as Karmapa'sGeneral Secretary Damchoe Yongdu. And this only on base of an accusation of the other, probably jealous co-candidate of this post, Tenzin Namgyal, who didn't get it.The brothers of the previous general secretary don't believe at all that he Yongdu would have died of an unnatural death. I don't have time to go in details, but look at: [...] (Sorry, previously I made a mistake with the link. It should be o.k. now)
there you find pages of refusals of Mick Browns book.
Enjoy it, and don't take the informations Brown gives for granted!!!
Best wishes
Gerd
or for more informations about the "karmapa issue": [...]
You in the states sometimes don't even know HH Karmapa Thaye Dorje - if you wish look at [...]

I am not a Buddhist but I have been interested in the controversy. The author is a journalist but he does not present a fair or balanced view of the controversy. He is steeped in favoring Ogyen Trinley Dorje in his write up whether he discusses the meetings he had with each of the two Karmapas or the rumours of their births etc. Try "Buddha's Not Smiling" instead although he has his own point of view I found him to be more credible in his presentation of the facts surrounding the controversy.

"The Dance of 17 Lives" is a very interesting phenomena: crafted in a fine "journalist-alike style" pretends to be a fair and balanced overview of the Karmapa Issue, but, reading well and being aware of the real facts, one can find an heavy amount of "hopefully naive" inaccuracies, strangely unnatural exclusion of all the main argumentations, legal victories and views from one of the sides of the controversy and a worrisome amount of facts that are proven to have never happened. It's very interesting the fact that the international - KARMAPA-ISSUE dot ORG - website is publishing a full point-by-point serie of detailed responses to Brown's book, I warmly suggest everyone to check them along with the book, it surely is a very interesting way to build up a fair point of view over the Issue :)

fellow kagyu brothers: please read rogues in robes, by tomek lehnert before buying. karmapachenno.