H-Buddhism NEW BOOK> Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows by

Discussion published by Nikko Odiseos on Monday, November 11, 2019

Dear Friends,

I am very pleased to share with you an important release in the Lives of the Masters series:

Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows, by Thupten Jinpa. PAGES: 552 SIZE: 5.5 X 8.5 ISBN: 9781611806465 http://shmb.la/tsongkhapa-bio

Arriving just ahead of the 600th anniversary of Tsongkhapa’s death, this book brings fresh insights into one of Buddhism’s most influential thinkers as well as the dramatic historical, religious, and philosophical changes in Tibet during and stemming from his life.

Understanding Tibet, , the institution of the Dalai , the and China, and many other topics is impossible without a working knowledge of Tsongkhapa and his role in reshaping the religious, philosophical, and political spheres of Tibet. Surprisingly there has never been a thorough biography on him in English and the vast array of nearly 200 Tibetan, Indian, and English sources the author mined, along with his own experience and insights from within the living tradition, will make this the definitive work for a long time.

This book, like all those in the Lives of the Masters series, brings a sweeping vision of the time, place, and legacy of this creative and brilliant thinker and why he matters today. For scholars in particular, Jinpa offers unique insights into the arc of Tibetan philosophical debates, history, and politics.

This book joins Gendun Chopel and Dīpamkara in the essential Lives of the Masters series.

Here is some initial praise:

“I congratulate Thupten Jinpa, my translator of many years, for preparing this fresh biography of Jé Tsongkhapa. I am confident that it will enable a broader readership to appreciate the life, thought, and legacy of this exceptional Tibetan philosopher and teacher.” —from the foreword by His Holiness the

“ Dr. Thupten Jinpa deserves the highest praise for this wonderful, groundbreaking biography of one of the greatest polymath geniuses of Tibet, the spiritual science master and social innovator Tsong Khapa Losang Drakpa (1357–1419). Jinpa’s scholarship in original sources is thorough and critical, yet not begrudging; his insight into the character and genius of this remarkable individual is penetrating; and his appreciation of the complex surrounding web of historical factors, personal relationships, and enduring institutions is revelatory. He transports us imaginatively into the unique and globally relevant world of Renaissance Tibet and grants us a vivid vision of the roots of the

Citation: Nikko Odiseos. NEW BOOK> Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows by Thupten Jinpa. H-Buddhism. 11-11-2019. https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/5334085/new-book-tsongkhapa-buddha-land-snows-thupten-jinpa Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 1 H-Buddhism archetypically Buddhist civilization Tibet eventually attained. No one interested in understanding Buddhism, Tibet, and a previously little-known exemplary genius of the global renaissance of the fifteenth century should miss this pioneering work.” —Robert A. F. Thurman, Jey Tsong Khapa Professor Emeritus of Indo-Tibetan Buddhology, Columbia University

“In a most lively, yet highly informative and eye-opening manner, Thupten Jinpa offers us a definitive biography of one of the giants of Tibetan Buddhism. Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows will be cherished as a classic in the world of biographies of great Tibetan masters.” —, author of Enlightened Vagabond: The Life and Teachings of Patrul

“After the Buddha, no historical figure is more frequently represented in than Tsongkhapa. Yet, despite his fame, for centuries he has remained a two-dimensional figure on a Tibetan . Until now. Drawing on a wealth of previously unstudied materials, many dating from Tsongkhapa’s own lifetime, Thupten Jinpa transforms Tsongkhapa from a static icon into a complex and fascinating human being, his genius only heightened by his humanity.” —Donald Lopez, Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, University of Michigan

Nikko Odiseos President Shambhala Publications | Snow Lion Publications [email protected]

Citation: Nikko Odiseos. NEW BOOK> Tsongkhapa: A Buddha in the Land of Snows by Thupten Jinpa. H-Buddhism. 11-11-2019. https://networks.h-net.org/node/6060/discussions/5334085/new-book-tsongkhapa-buddha-land-snows-thupten-jinpa Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. 2