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Book description

Voices from Larung Gar is the first collection of talks and writings by the leading voices of Larung Gar, the largest Buddhist institution on the Tibetan plateau. The book offers a compelling vision for Buddhism in the twenty-first century by some of the most erudite, creative, and influential Tibetan Buddhist luminaries today. In everyday language, these leaders delve into an array of contemporary issues, including science, ethics, gender equity, and animal welfare.

This collection features contributions from a range of prominent figures who are forging dynamic, modern paths forward for an ancient tradition. Included are the internationally renowned Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, founder of Larung Gar, his distinguished successors Khenpos Sodargye and Tsultrim Lodro, and erudite nuns holding the scholarly title Khenmo, who are becoming known for their impressive publishing projects. Larung Gar is thus one of Tibetan Buddhism’s most vital communities, actively balancing cultural preservation and innovation.

Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok

Khenpo Jigme Phuntsok, Contributor

Author Bio

H.H. Jigme Phuntsok (1933–2004) was a prominent teacher in the Nyingma tradition of Tibetan Buddhism who was recognized as a terton (treasure revealer) and renowned for his mastery of Dzogchen. Unlike many Tibetan masters who fled to India and the West, Jigme Phuntsok remained in China throughout the Cultural Revolution and played a major role in maintaining and reviving Buddhism in the region. He established a nonsectarian Buddhist community called Larung Gar near the town of Sertar in China’s Sichuan Province, where he taught thousands of students, many of Han Chinese ethnicity.

Khenpo Sodargye

Khenpo Sodargye, Contributor

Author Bio

Khenpo Sodargye was born in 1962 into a nomadic family in a small valley of the Tibetan region of Kham. He was ordained in 1985 and went on to become a lineage holder of the Great Perfection (Dzogchen) tradition, as well as a preeminent practitioner and scholar at Larung Gar Five Sciences Buddhist Academy in Sertar. Khenpo Sodargye was the great Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche’s chief Tibetan-Chinese translator. He has traveled extensively in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia to offer teachings at Dharma centers and universities.

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Praise for the book

Publishers Weekly

“Buddhist readers will be lifted by the unquestioned optimism for human achievement and potential in the future in Larung Gar teachings.”

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

author of The Guru Drinks Bourbon?

“I am deeply honoured and grateful for the opportunity to remark on the writings of the eminent teachers of Larung Gar, especially the heart sons of the great and formidable Kyabje Khenchen Jigme Phuntsok Rinpoche. My observations of both Khenpo Tsultrim Lodro and Khenpo Sodargye over the years have turned gradually to admiration and then to real veneration. Their “walk the talk” approach to the dharma they teach gives great hope to all followers of the Buddhadharma. And so, I want to express my joy that having their words now in printed form will provide at least a glimpse of the unfathomable and infinite activity of these great teachers from Larung Gar.”

David McMahan

author of The Making of Buddhist Modernism and editor of Meditation, Buddhism, and Science

“Voices from Larung Gar is a groundbreaking volume that brings much-needed focus to one of the most important Buddhist institutions in the world. It provides depth and detail about this monastic academy and contemporary Buddhism in Tibet more generally. This volume also adds nuance to the larger question of how Buddhists interlace tradition and innovation in areas like gender equality, animal welfare, philosophy, and ethics.”

David Germano

Executive Director of the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia

“This anthology gives voice to the amazing leaders of the most dynamic Tibetan Buddhist institution of the last century. It illustrates vividly the remarkable ways in which Larung Gar monks and nuns are engaging modern social issues while remaining deeply grounded in their beloved Buddhist traditions.”

Anam Thubten

founder and spiritual advisor to Dharmata Foundation and author of Choosing Compassion

“Khenpo Jigme Puntsok Rinpoche was a remarkable master, the Buddha of Tibet in our time. Some of his disciples are among the most highly revered spiritual leaders in the East. This is a blessed book that can be used for reading as well as a sacred object on one’s altar.”

Voices from Larung Gar: Shaping Tibetan Buddhism for the Twenty-First Century

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