Freedom In Exile
Author:
Dalai Lama
Published
Year: 1991
Publisher:
HarperCollins
Genre:
Autobiography
Language:
English
‘Freedom In Exile’ is an autobiography of the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso or simply the Dalai Lama. The Dalai Lama is the apex religious figure of Buddhism and the former head of the state of Tibet until his exile in 1959 AD. Currently, he is living in Dharamshala India where he leads his government in exile and the peaceful campaigns for the freedom of Tibet from Chinese control.
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| 14th Dalai Lama Courtesy:tibetfund.org |
The book is a recollection of his memories and experience
from his childhood till the year 1990 AD. The reader experiences a
roller-coaster of events and thrills while going through the book. One would
get to know a child spending a perfectly normal childhood in a rural Tibetan
village and how he gets discovered as a reincarnation of the holiest spiritual
figure and the turn that his life takes afterward.
It's very amusing to know the process of selecting a new
Dalai Lama, and even more exhilarating is the training process of the chosen kid
from the age of four to be in the holy position. He goes to great lengths to
share the details about his training and all the significant events that
happened in due course. He is very vocal and critically self-aware while
describing all accounts and hasn’t felt shy to express his human aspects. He
has talked about his mischiefs and the hardships he had endured while in
training. The lifestyle of the child growing up in the ordinary household of
Tibet and the extravagant Potala palace is strikingly different.
The story of his youth is even more swashbuckling. The
reader gets caught by surprise when you read about his adventures with the air
rifle, and his enthusiasm for mechanical stuff and toys like watches,
machines, motors, and turbines. Equally exhilarating is his story of learning
to repair and drive a car. After all, no one wouldn’t expect a monk to be
engulfed in materialistic activities, would they?
It also debunks the myths and misconceptions about the
Dalai Lama that a layman would generally have. The initial fact that The Dalai
Lama is rather a post than a person itself is interesting. Similarly, the
rigorous training, nerve-wracking examination process, mentors and helpers of
the Dalai Lama in-making, the importance of the post in world politics and the
history of Tibet, Buddhism, and the office of Dalai Lama are the aspects that
ignite a great curiosity while reading it.
It is a window to have a glimpse of the unique and
culturally rich Tibetan Buddhism. While flipping the pages of this book, you
feel like you have been transferred to a different world or era, though the
events are not that vast in terms of timelapse. The concept of reincarnation,
oracles, Buddha’s teaching, and the devotion of common men towards the holy
Dalai Lama provoke a great interest in the reader’s mind, especially in the
heart of the digital generation.
The Dalai Lama shares the teachings of Buddha in the simplest possible form. He explains how an ordinary man can apply those lessons in his everyday life and achieve a state of happiness and make life easier for himself and the people around him. While going through the lines, you would feel that he is personally guiding you toward spiritual enlightenment. He doesn’t feel like the pinnacle of the spiritual body instead he feels like your personal guru who is sharing the secrets of a happy life and the tips to surf along with the low and high tides of life. Moreover, the story of his life itself is a big lesson in living life.
The vital content of the book is its political aspects. The
history of Tibet is full of turmoil. You would get to see the changing
political scenario through the eyes of a monk. The military invasion of Tibet
by China, the violence, genocide, exodus of Tibetans, and his attempts to
stabilize the situation are rather thought-provoking and goose-bumping bums.
You would feel that a great part of human history has been buried under the snow
of mountains. He also shares his impression of encounters with the prominent
political and religious figures of the world. He has shared his views on the
different schools of political thought too. It radiates the vibes of utmost
honesty and critical awareness of Dalai Lama in terms of judging people and
ideas.
‘Freedom In Exile’ is the testimony of Dalai Lama’s hard-to-believe life. From being treated as a royal in Tibet to living on a dollar day
allowance given by the Indian Government while in exile is a great lesson to
never lose one’s calm even in the toughest time. It’s an exceptionally
well-written book that shows both the humane and divine sides of the holiest
creature. Reading this book is important as it talks about history, culture,
oppression, world politics, love, Buddhism, and most significantly it talks
about life. This book is for every kind of reader and can get even beginners hooked from the beginning right to the end. I would recommend ‘Freedom
In Exile’ to every reader out there looking for something great to be engulfed
by this weekend.
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