Circling the Sacred Mountain: A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas

This book was an exhilarating reading experience. With Tad Wise's descriptions of the scenery and Robert Thurman's vivid teachings, I felt as if I was there with them learning and experiencing everything. Their journey was long and storied and well presented. Seeing the experience from two sides, the teacher (Thurman) and the student (Wise) give a wide view of this country and its religion. Wise's antidotes add the human side to the experience. It shows how even you can achieve these great things. I highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates journeys, religion, or even just a good true story. Thurman and Wise's account make the trek memorable.

This book, I suppose, could be read by one of two groups of people. First: it could be read by the New Age Hippie traveller types looking for an intreguing story about a man travelling. I more approve of this kind of reading..... Tad Wise part of the story is told with humor and warm feeling.... The second, more Buddhafied group, looking to Prof. Thruman as a kind of guru, is not going to get enough here. Bad Dharma. Too little. Perhaps, if one was going to read his sermons with a couple of other books, one could get a good understanding of something. It when accompanied by Wise's prose is fairly... um, enlightening....I'm afraid that lots of people are going to miss that though.... If the two journeys are disconnected, the book goes to become mediocre..... keep that in mind!!!

This book is a miracle. It joins the opposites of the deepest teachings with human weaknesses, the highest revelations with guides to daily practices, all in a setting of great natural majesty. The bravery of the Tibetan people as they live under Chinese oppression shines through. I am reading the book for a second time now.

A terrific book! Thurman's lectures on Tantric Buddhism are fascinating, and they are counterpointed well by Wise's narration of the trek to Kalias, his own failings and fears, and his relationship to his teacher. Thurman is (as always) enlightening and impressive, and Wise's story is wonderful in that he is "only" human, too-- it makes the path toward enlightenment seem possible for the rest of us! Also, it's a great book about an exciting trek to the backcountry of Tibet. A wonderful book!!

Thurman and Wise took me on a journey to Mt. Kalish in Tibet which I will never forget. I was amazed at Thurman's crystal clear description of Tibetian Buddhist Dharma. I couldn't wait until I could get to my book each evening. This is a page turner par excellance!