The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat: The Life of Ra Lotsawa

by Ra Yeshe Senge, Bryan J. Cuevas (Translator), Bryan J. Cuevas (Introduction), Bryan J. Cuevas (Noted by)

Overview

The story of Tibet’s notorious master of Buddhist sorcery—translated for the first time into English

An essential sacred text of Tibetan Buddhism, The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat tells the wondrous story of Ra Lotsawa Dorjé Drak. Though he was can­onized as a saint and a fully enlightened buddha, the eleventh-century Ra Lotsawa’s life story presents a darker path than those taken by Siddhartha Gautama and Milarepa. Viewed by some as a mur­derous villain and by others as a liberator of human suffering, Ra Lotsawa used his formidable power and magical abilities to defeat his rivals, accumulate wealth, and amass a devoted following. His life offers a rare view into the often overlooked roles of magic and sorcery in the Buddhist tradition. Despite this sinister legacy, his fame also rests on an illustrious career as a translator of Buddhist scriptures, through which he helped spark a renaissance of Buddhism in Tibet. This spirited new translation gives readers in English their first opportunity to encounter one of the most colorful and memorable figures in Tibetan Buddhist history.

For more than sixty-five years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,500 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698192164
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/21/2015
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	416
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

RA YESHÉ SENGÉ was the eldest son of Ra Lotsawa’s nephew. He lived in Tibet’s western province of Tsang around the late twelfth or early thirteenth century and is traditionally renowned as the first patriarch of what came to be known as the “Western tradition” of Ra Lotsawa’s spiritual lineage.


BRYAN J. CUEVAS is the author of Travels in the Netherworld: Buddhist Popular Narratives of Death and the Afterlife in Tibet, among other works. He is John F. Priest Professor of Religion and Director of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at Florida State University.

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From the Trade Paperback edition.

Table of Contents

Map of Ra Lotsawa's Tibet vii

Introduction Bryan J. Cuevas ix

Note on the Translation xliii

Acknowledgments xlv

The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat

Prologue 1

Chapter 1 Ralo's Birth and Early Life 3

Chapter 2 First Journey to Nepal 11

Chapter 3 Return to Tibet 33

Chapter 4 Travels in Southern Latö 44

Chapter 5 Second Journey to Nepal 56

Chapter 6 Pilgrimage to India 64

Chapter 7 Return to Southern Latö 77

Chapter 8 Journey North to the High Plateau 94

Chapter 9 The Journey to Sakya 110

Chapter 10 Travels Through Lhatsé and Neighboring Regions 122

Chapter 11 The Valleys of Mü and Tanak 141

Chapter 12 The Valleys of Shang, Uyuk, and Nyang 155

Chapter 13 From Gyantsé Through the Valley of Rong 167

Chapter 14 TO India and Back 187

Chapter 15 Sojourn West and Return to Tsang 197

Chapter 16 Travels Through Southern and Central Tibet 212

Chapter 17 Lhasa 237

Chapter 18 Last Visit to Nepal 246

Chapter 19 The Journey to Samyé 252

Chapter 20 East to Dakpo and Kongpo 262

Chapter 21 The Yarlung Valley 267

Chapter 22 Return to Lhasa and Surrounding Valleys 279

Chapter 23 Final Years 295

Epilogue 310

Notes 313

Glossary of Buddhist Terminology 323

Appendix: Tibetan Terms 345