The Autobiography of Jamgon Kongtrul: A Gem of Many Colors by Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye


The Autobiography of Jamgon Kongtrul: A Gem of Many Colors
Title : The Autobiography of Jamgon Kongtrul: A Gem of Many Colors
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1559391847
ISBN-10 : 9781559391849
Language : English
Format Type : Hardcover
Number of Pages : 544
Publication : First published February 10, 2003

Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1899) was one of the most influential figures and prolific writers in the Tibetan Buddhist world. He was a founder and the single most important proponent of the nonsectarian movement that flourished in eastern Tibet and remains popular today. Two additional texts discuss his previous lives and recount Kongtrul's final days. The Autobiography of

The Autobiography of Jamgon Kongtrul: A Gem of Many Colors Reviews

  • Cone

    Another favorite, and an ongoing inspiration for Tibetan Buddhists.

  • David Scheuneman

    If you are a Tibetan Buddhism super-wonk like me, then you probably have to read this eventually -- or at least give it a power-skim.

    However, I got a lot more out of The Life of Jamgon Kongtrul the Great, by Alexander Gardner (forthcoming from Snow Lion in July 2019 -- I just finished reading a review copy). Gardener basically follows the Autobiography, adding helpful commentary, interpretation and historical context along the way. His contextualization made the biography much more interesting and accessible to me. Then I went back to this book, and found it made more sense.

    That said, I find Richard Barron's translations, including this one, to be some of the most lucid and readable out there.