List of Illustrations 7

Foreword by Sogyal Rinpoche 11

Introduction by Daniel Goleman 15

Preface 19

Prologue 23

Part I: Spiritual Roots 25

Tibet, a Buddhist Land 27

Gampopa and the Early Barom Masters 30

The Treasures of the Lotus-Born 42

My Great-Grandfather, the Treasure Revealer 45

Two Sublime Masters 58

Khyentse 58

Kongtrul 65

Lord of Activity, the Fifteenth Karmapa 69

Spiritual Sons 77

Karmey Khenpo 77

Wangchok Dorje 80

Tsewang Norbu 84

My Precious Grandmother 92

My Guru, Samten Gyatso 98

My Father, the Performer of Miracles 113

Two Special Uncles and Their Teachers 130

Uncle Sang-Ngak 130

Tersey Tulku 132

Shakya Shri, the Lord of Siddhas 137

The Master-Scholar Katok Situ 142

Part II: Early Years 146

My Childhood 146

The Nunnery of Yoginis 159

Receiving my First Teachings 164

An Extraordinary Speech 166

My Previous Life 170

My Monastery and Enthronement 174

The Young Karmapa 183

Grandmother’s Death 189

The Colorful Chokling of Tsikey 198

Transmission at Surmang 207

The Master in the Hollow Tree 210

An Eccentric King 216

My Last Days with Samten Gyatso 220

My Guru’s Passing 223

Meetings with a Remarkable Teacher 235

Part III: Central Tibet 246

At Tsurphu with the Karmapa 246

Brilliant Moon 260

My Last Visit to Central Tibet 269

Amazing Masters in Lhasa 275

Dzongsar Khyentse 275

Dudjom Rinpoche 280

Shechen Kongtrul 284

Part IV: In Exile 292

Leaving Tibet 292

Sikkim 296

Nepal 305

The Chokling of Neten 308

The Hearing Lineage from Bomta Khenpo 313

Conclusion 319

Afterword 322

Acknowledgements 326

Art Credits 328

Appendix I: The Lineage of the New Treasures 329

Endnotes 332

Glossary 333

Activities and information connected to the lineage of Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche 356