In this autobiographical narrative, Kyabje Thinley Norbu Rinpoche sets a magical scene as he describes his early years in “Snowland” (Tibet) as one of seven children of the renowned Nyingma master Kyabje Dudjom Rinpoche. After touching on his youthful training and experiences, Rinpoche describes how he traveled and taught in many different nations and cities in the East and West. Shifting between poetic observations and earthy humor, he shares stories of worldly and spiritual events accompanied by incisive commentary and sublime prayers.

Rinpoche’s stories give readers an appreciation of the qualities of faith, respect, and commitment that he so beautifully embodied and strove to transmit. Moreover, they impart some of his most direct and trenchant instructions on the view of Buddhism and on what practitioners generally—and Western ones in particular—need to do in order to accomplish the goal of the Buddhist path. His sometimes provocative teaching style is an expression of the deep kindness with which he regarded his students.


The narrative is brought to life visually with many rare personal color photos of Rinpoche, his teachers, his family, and the places he lived. Much more than a memoir, this book is an articulate expression of Thinley Norbu’s incisive wisdom and profound compassion.