Blazing Splendor: The Memoirs of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (Paperback)

by Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche (Author), Daniel Goleman (Introduction), Sogyal Rinpoche (Foreword) "As my grandmother, Könchok Paldrön, supervised the loading of her yaks for the long, hard journey from Kham to Lhasa, she was in a hurry..." (more)
Key Phrases: Samten Gyatso, Chokgyur Lingpa, Dzongsar Khyentse (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Compassion, wisdom, devotion and the innermost nature of mind—you will read about all of these in this book. These stories and memories imply that spiritual realization is really possible. This is not simply ancient history, a phenomenon that happened in the past in India or in Tibet. Thanks to masters like Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche this living tradition of wisdom and spiritual awakening of the Buddha continues right now in the present and is readily available to people everywhere."
-Sogyal Rinpoche, author of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

"Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche was among Tibetan Buddhism's greatest teachers of the 20th century. His memoir, Blazing Splendor, invites us to join him as he looks back over a life that put him at the center of an unparalleled spiritual abundance. Through his unblinking eyes we meet remarkable contemplative adepts. And through the lens of his awakened awareness, we see the world from a fresh, eye-opening perspective. It is a sweeping account that shares with readers a world where miracles, mystery and deep insight are the order of the day-a world as reflected through the open, lucid quality of Tulku Urgyen's mind."
- Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence

Product Description
Blazing Splendor paints an intimate portrait of the lost culture of Old Tibet and of a remarkable man who inspired thousands. A memoir in the form of tales told by Rinpoche toward the end of his life, the book spans his lifetime — a lifetime rich in adventures of both spirit and body. His reminiscences weave a rich tapestry of family history and also describe the lives of some of the most realized and genuine practitioners of Tibetan Buddhism.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: North Atlantic Books (August 4, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9627341568
• ISBN-13: 978-9627341567
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #24,514 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

48 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Splendor Indeed, January 4, 2006

By	Susan Law (Hudson Valley, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In recent years, at least a small portion of the most important works in the vast Tibetan Buddhist literature has been translated and made available in English. The rate of publication is increasing as more people become able to translate Tibetan. Against this background, "Blazing Splendor" stands out - it is unique, a book that may mark a watershed in the understanding of Tibetan Buddhism by westerners.

"Blazing Splendor" is the memoirs of one of the greatest Tibetan Yogis of recent years - Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche. A collection of stories gathered over many years by his translators, its personal approach makes it different from either history or the formal biographies of great Lamas and masters of the past. Its intimate tone brings the reader right into the lives of Buddhist practitioners.

The book begins with Tulku Urgyen's grandmother, through whom Rinpoche heard many of the stories recorded in the book. It then dips back in time to the very beginnings of Buddhism in Tibet, providing important background information for those not already familiar with this history. It then moves forward again, giving a rich look into the lives of a an entire family of great Lamas and practitioners. The reader sees how a wide range of people, men and women, some highly revered, others nearly unnoticed, great Lamas and lay people, all led lives completely infused with Buddhist teachings.

While not structured as a Dharma text, the reader will find teachings embedded in the stories and these alone are worth the price of the book. Cumulatively, the effect of so many detailed stories and personal memories is to give the reader a rich awareness of life in a culture that was centered on the Dharma. Nothing else I've read over the years has had such a profound effect on me.

41 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing book., August 24, 2005

By	Magnus Tigerschiold - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is the most amazing book I read on Tibetan Buddhism in a very long time. It is a profound teaching but is very easy to read. It contains the splendid view and life of Tulku Urgyen. This Dzogchen master tells storys about masters and teachings that he met and heard about during his life in Tibet and in exile. If you know very little about Tibetan Buddhism then you should, as the translators say in the preface, "don't get lost in the details of time and place; just experience the spiritual ambiance". An what an ambiance it is! The story of the master in the hollow tree and Karmapas horse are two stories that you are not likely to forget. My girlfriend found it very moving and special book all tough she isn't a Buddhist. For people like me that are practicing in the Kagyu and Nyingma traditions of Tibetan Buddhism this book is a treasure. It makes your devotion to these masters grow and makes your resolve to practice these teaching stronger and deeper. I would even like to say that it would be a great loss not to read this book if you are a Tibetan Buddhist. Let yourself be amazed.

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A tangible link to another world, August 25, 2005

By	K. Smith (Blido, Sweden) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This must have been a very special person indeed. Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche plays down his abilities and his reputation in the style of the "hidden yogi", but through the lines of this book shines a person full of a compassion and a devotion we ordinary beings can only dream of.

These are his memoirs, but it is also the story of the fall of Tibet and the survival of Tibetan Buddhism. Through this master and a few others like him, the link is tangible to the lost land of caveyogis and concealed treasures. The memories he recounts are full of what to us westerners seems like mystery and magic but also of perseverance and dedication. And although mystery and magic may be lost on us, the latter two are for anyone who wishes. As is said in the book about a nun: "She had nothing more than the bare essentials and a darn fine practice!".

I do recommend this book. Buddhist or not: read it with an open mind and find a world that seems so much richer than our abundant times of SUV's and reality shows.