Tenzin Gyatso: The Early Life of the Dalai Lama

In a reminder of the plight of Tibet , which is ignored by the world, Claude Levenson, gives us an outline of the first 24 years of the life of Dalai Lama, Tenzing Gyatso, whose name has become a symbol of true compassion, striving for freedom and affirmation of life. The work is made more interesting and relevant by a deep understanding of Tibetan Buddhism and Tibetan culture by the author, and describes the history of the region, which enjoyed an independent status in the world before it was invaded in 1950 by Red Chinese troops and it's people massacred and it's culture forcibly destroyed. Tibet has a rich and ancient history of self-determination and a culture and identity completely separate from the Han Chinese, despite the claim by pro-Communist Chinese apologists for the occupation of Tibet that Tibet ever 'belonged to China' in the same way that apologists for Hitler claimed that Poland originally belonged to Germany or apologists for Saddam Hussein that Kuwait is part of Iraq. The author traces how the Dalai Lama learned compassion and concern for the ordinary masses at an early age, and the man's deep spirituality, compassion and wisdom. It is a disgrace the Communist pressure has swept Tibetan human rights off the radar screen and the plight of the Tibetan people all but ignored due to 'realpolitik' and the fact that Tibet cannot be used a stick to beat Israel or Judeo-Christian civilization US President Barack Obama has disgracefully refused to give an audience to the Dalai Lama, despite the last five American Presidents all having met with him. But this is not a political work. It is a biography of a man's early life and his dedication and perseverance in the face of persecution. It is the story of a man and a people.

Claude B. Levenson's biography of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual and political leader, expertly details the events and circumstances surrounding Tenzin Gyatso's formative years. Chronicling the occurrences from Gyatso's birth until his exile at age twenty-four, Levenson simultaneously provides a comprehensive memoir of the Precious Victorious One's life and elucidates the traditions of Buddhism and the lineage of the mystical Dalai Lama. The author's extensive knowledge of Buddhism and Tibetan history, as evidenced by her numerous other works on the subject, is a major strength of this biography. Additionally, the personal conversations recounted in this biography between Levenson and the Dalai Lama provide insight into and humanize this almost god-like figure. Although strong in its factual components, Tenzin Gyatso: The Early Life of the Dalai Lama lacks analytical depth. Levenson briefly mentions the influences of Buddhism on the Dalai Lama's pacifist nature; however, as the biography concludes with Gyatso entering into exile, the reader is not afforded the opportunity to learn about the peaceful progressive movement led by the Dalai Lama, or the nonviolent methods used as part of this movement. Levenson's biography serves more to illuminate the enigmatic process by which Lhamo Thondup came to be Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso rather than to examine the Dalai Lama's work as one of the twentieth century's most renowned nonviolent leaders. Upon reading Tenzin Gyatso: The Early Life of the Dalai Lama I felt unsatisfied. This, however, is a credit to, not a detriment of, Levenson's biography of the fourteenth incarnation of the Dalai Lama. I was so captivated by the humility and intelligence of the Dalai Lama, as portrayed in Levenson's memoir of Tenzin Gyatso, that I was not content to learn simply about the first twenty-four years of his life. I instead felt compelled to further explore the life of Tenzin Gyatso and his efforts in the struggle for a free Tibet. Claude B. Levenson's Tenzin Gyatso: The Early Life of the Dalai Lama serves as an excellent starting point in a journey to understand the life of this great spiritual and political leader.