Road to Freedom - A Journey from Occupied Tibet: The True Story of the Search, Discovery, and Escape of a Reincarnate Lama

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About Road To Freedom - A Journey From Occupied

Product Description "In this book Marya recounts the exciting tale of their journey, while at the same time revealing many aspects of Tibet's religion and culture. The story is also an example of how setting a goal and taking a realistic and determined approach to fulfilling it eventually leads to success." -His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama In accordance with the Tibetan tradition of finding the reincarnations of high lamas, the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama was sought to locate the rebirth of Nechung Rinpoche, who passed away in 1983. Rinpoche is the eminent lama of Nechung, the institution that houses the Chief State Oracle. His Holiness gave several clues: the year of the boy's birth, the names of his parents, and the locale of Lhasa, the capital city of Tibet. A search party of three people-a monk from Nechung Monastery in India, Marya and Miguel-made journeys to Tibet in 1987 and 1993. Their search led them to sacred visionary lakes and ancient monasteries. The expeditions were precarious and filled with challenges such as where to look, whom to trust, and how to accomplish a nearly impossible mission in a Chinese communist-occupied country where surveillance was prevalent. Ultimately, the escape with the eight-year-old lama entailed crossing multiple heavily guarded checkpoints, including two international airports. About the Author Marya Schwabe began studying Buddhism in 1974, together with her husband Miguel, at a temple in Wood Valley on the Island of Hawai'i. The temple was founded for Nechung Rinpoche, the reincarnate lama of Nechung Monastery, the institution that houses the Chief State Oracle of Tibet. From 1975 to 1983, Marya and Miguel lived and worked closely with Rinpoche. Under his tutelage, they immersed themselves in Buddhism and learned spoken and classical Tibetan at the remote sanctuary. Nechung Rinpoche encouraged them to learn Tibetan so they could comprehend the profundity of the Buddhist philosophy from the source. He foresaw that they would study with many lamas who were not fluent in English. True to Rinpoche's prescience, Marya organized visits and teaching programs for over fifty lamas, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1980 and 1994, from all the major lineages of Tibetan Buddhism, to the temple and other centers. She has had the rare opportunity to study with and translate for many of these extraordinary teachers. The subjects range from foundational practices, the highest yoga tantras, and Dzogchen. Since the 1970s, Marya has also served as the temple administrative director, managing the business, outreach, and public relations; while Miguel has utilized his skills to develop and maintain the infrastructure, buildings, and grounds. They have traveled extensively in Asia and currently reside and work at Nechung Dorje Drayang Ling in Hawai'i.