Jen’s Reading List while in India
Books read on the India Trip
The following reading list was integral in my growth on this trip and will be added to my personal library in America (when I get a job) so that I may continue my path of study. All books will hopefully be read in their entirety by the time I touch down in Cleveland so that I have time to process them and work on integrating them into my American life. Without my rigorous, self-imposed, study schedule, India would have been just another “thing I did” (read too much Gandhi and got all disciplined and stuff). The 3.5 months I spent in India was truly a life education, complete with designated study, meditation and playtime. I wish I could have stayed till July but am kind of relieved to re-enter a first-world country. The selection of fiction was chosen for cultural educational benefit except Jack Kerouac, who although suffering from being a mind-blowing writer, the cultural lesson was not lost on me, guh. 85% of the books listed were selected from the Jamyang Choling Library shelves.
The Words of my Perfect Teacher: Patrul Rinpoche
I started this book in JUNE and got to India, realizing that I hadn’t really “gotten” the darned thing, started rereading it from the beginning on my 7th day in India. It’s a good beginner book that covers everything but is also good for going back and reviewing the basics. He wrote the entire book in a retreat cave in the Himalayas. I will keep this book as a guide for the rest of my life. Every nun and monk that has seen it in my hands has nodded in appreciation and admiration that I’m attempting to get through it, comprehend it and incorporate it’s teachings into my life in earnest. This is not a book you just “blow through” as I find myself going back and rereading parts here and there. I’m restarting it on the trip home.
The Four Noble Truths: His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama
A small Q&A-type interview/discussion book that took place on one of his trips to London. It covers Suffering, the Origins of Suffering, Cessation and The Path. It’s a nice little beginner book but you need to be present to fully comprehend it. It’ll take a while to get through if you’re actually paying attention and trying to incorporate the teachings into your daily living.
The Autobiography of Mahatma Gandhi: Mahatma K. Gandhi
The official autobiography of M.K. Gandhi. Need I say more? It’s a must-read. He’s on my hero list, somewhere at the top with His Holiness, Linda (my enlightened cousin), Patrick (famed Kittie sitter extraordinaire), Christopher (my web saint) and Dharma Dan.
Autobiography of a Yogi: Paramahansa Yogananada
GREAT read suggested by my cousin Linda who never fails to send a good book my way. The lesson it held for me was about how to truly feel and believe in something greater than you and how to just give yourself over to it. Attachment is something we all need to try to lessen in our lives.
The Wheel of Life, Autobiography of Namgyal Lhamo Taklha
The autobiography of His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama’s sister. A great book to read to get a good grasp on the time line of the takeover of China without all of the dry details. Sad but true. And who doesn’t want to know about His Holiness’s sister for Buddhasake?
Kasturba: A Life, Autobiography of Kastur Gandhi: Arun Gandhi
The autobiography of Kasturba Gandhi, Mahatma’s wife. It’s mostly a review of Mahatma’s bio with Kasturba’s anecdotal relief here and there. She was a hugely patient woman with a will of steel and understanding for days. Mahatma was lucky to have her as a wife. There are a lot of things that were never written down or even spoken of so a lot if it is hearsay. It’s written by Arun, grandson to Kasturba and Mahatma.
Buddhist Women Across Cultures: compiled and edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo
In short, this book is about the history of Buddhist Nuns on the Asian continent. Not much attention is given to the Westerners and some of it even sounds a bit angry at times. I ate it up but in hind site and after talking with Tenzin Yejung about the book, she confirmed my thoughts and I fully realized that it has some shortcomings.
The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying: Sogyal Rinpoche
Still reading. It’s mind-blowing. It makes me want to do hospice work. Will not finish before I return to America as it’s not the right time.
On Non-Violence and Compassion, Mahatma Gandhi and His Holiness the Dalai Lama: Dr. Satish Inamdar
It’s one of those “daily reader” books where you read a page a day and meditate on it or discuss with others. Each page really does have something powerful and profound. I managed to copy the CD onto my laptop so I won’t have to buy the book. It will take about 4 months to get through and I will use it as a guide for when I return to America. I have not even started into it in India.
A Hell on Earth, a Brief Biography of a Tibetan Political Prisoner: Venerable Bagdro
A book written by a Tibetan monk that was held in a Chinese prison as a political prisoner. I purchased the book FROM HIM. He’s a wonderful person and Isabel actually got the chance to interview him. The book is a little gruesome but the details are quite muted from the reality that he told Isabel about. If you want a first-hand account of what it’s like in a Chinese prison if you’re a political prisoner because of one’s dedication to Buddhism (quite common), read this book. It will make you thankful for every stupid little thing in your life. It also managed to make me feel about 14 other emotions at the same time…from sadness to compassion to utter horror…. all acts committed by mankind against mankind.
The Way to Shambhala, A search for the mythical kingdom beyond the Himalayas: Edwin Bernbaum, Ph.D.
A history of the myth of Shambhala. It’s a nice read and the author actually got his wife to trek the Himalayas with him to look for this place! Talk about a cool marriage!! It takes a truly loving wife to deal with such a self-indulgent husband and agree to go on such wild goose chases. They must be a real pair to have at a party!
Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart, A Buddhist perspective on wholeness: Mark Epstein, M.D.
I thought this was going to be a better book, honestly, but I made myself read it in it’s entirety incase I could find something useful (and I did). The author is a Jewish-American born psychiatrist that discovers meditation his first year in college in New York and carries it with him through medical school. It’s a little too “shrinkie” for my taste. It covers things that I’ve already been through but it was a nice refresher. Took me about 6 hours to plow through the book. He is a good story teller.
At Home in the Himalayas: Christina Noble
This is an autobiography of a Scottish woman that came to Manali in 1970, at the age of 20, for a trek and in turn started a Himalayan trekking company, got married, had kids and immersed herself in the Himalayan culture. She didn’t completely leave Scotland as she returned to her birthplace to see her mother every winter when trekking in the Himalayas is dangerous and just plain dumb. The book covers about 20 years of her doing this and it’s a really funny read since I’ve been here and get the culturally fuelled jokes.
The Awakened One, A Life of the Buddha: Sherab Chodzin Kohn
In a nutshell, this is the story of The Buddha. I realized I had never read it in it’s entirety so it had to be done. A well written story and to be honest, I felt like I’d read it before so maybe I had read it at some point and had just forgotten? There are some facts about the beginning of the Bhiksunis that are somewhat disturbing so I’m not sure if this is the true story or not. There is some speculation on when and where the treatment of women changed.
Women of Wisdom: Tsultrim Allione
Still reading but in short, a book containing 4 biographies of for women in Buddhism that have helped shape the past and future of Buddhism FOR women. The introduction chapter alone is incredible and stay up late reading this one. I am learning tons.
The Third Eye: T. Lobsang Rampa
Story of growing up monastic and being schooled for Tibetan Medicine in pre-1960 Lhasa. Nice, engrossing read with lots of monastic references. Helped me learn a lot of religious terminology.
Once Were Warriors: Alan Duff
I felt I needed to throw in another downtrodden and struggling culture for a little more perspective so I thought the Maori Tribe of New Zealand was a good pick. I’ve seen the movie a million times and it’s heart crushing. The book brought me out of my Himalayan drunkenness.
On The Road: Jack Kerouac
A must-read for anyone traveling anywhere, as Kerouac is a literary poet of his own kind. All it did was make me homesick for Denver but realized that all the people there are as American as apple pie and just as self-indulgent as they were in the 1940’s. The mad people! Literary inspiration if there ever was any.
The God of Small Things: Arundhati Roy
A book that takes place in India in the early 1900’s. It’s good for a cultural gauge. I am kind of isolated here in Gharoh and learned a lot about the traditional Indian culture by reading this book. Indian families are just as dysfunctional as any other culture and this book proves it. The major difference between America and India is that parents in India tend to genuinely LIKE their children but still tend to spoil them.
Midnight’s Children: Salman Rushdie
I needed to learn more about traditional Indian culture to get a grasp of why I felt the way I did when I walked through the village alone and this was THE BOOK to do it. I was advised by a Kashmiri man to read “Untouchable” but think I’m going to save that for the hella plane ride home. Midnight’s Children takes place in the early to mid 1900’s and was a nice culturally rounding resource with a quite thorough recount of the political history of India as well as being just a damn good read.
Soul Mountain: Gao Xingjian
The story of a man that is diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and leaves his career to find his heritage and family lineage in the Chinese countryside. He returns after some months and the cancer is remarkably disappeared. Good lesson on learning that life is short, live it before you die.
Healing Anger, The power of patience from a Buddhist Perspective: The Dalai Lama
Still reading
Buddhism Through American Women’s Eyes: edited by Karma Lekshe Tsomo
Very well put together book of writings by a collection of American women that are or have been ordained Buddhist nuns starting back in the 50’s. It really helped me to realize that the struggle to incorporate my new education into my worldly existence is going to be difficult only if I let be so. It was also a nice reminder that I need to practice patience most importantly with myself. It took years to get where I am. It’s going to take years to undo it all.
Spiritual Sisters: Thubten Chodron
An interview put together by Tubten Chodron with Sister Donald, Benedictine Catholic Nun. Interesting talk comparing and contrasting Catholicism and Buddhism. Made me want to attend the Theology On Tap seminars again.
Books I didn’t get around to reading but will purchase upon my return
Sisters in Solitude: Karma Lekshe Tsomo
The Great Path of Awakening: Jamgon Kongtrul
The Buddha’s Ancient Path: Thera Piyadassi
The Way to Freedom: The Dalai Lama
Mind Training Like The Rays Of The Sun: Nam-kha Pel
How Brilliant! The reading list Rinzin gave me while sitting in Palsang:
The Universe in a Single Atom: His Holines
Destructive Emotions: Daniel Coleman (sp) Goldman?
Transformed Mind: His Holiness
Life and Death in Shanghai: not sure of the author
Three daughters of China & Wild Swan: Jung Chang