The Lotus-Born: The Life Story of Padmasambhava

by Yeshe Tsogyal, Dilgo Khyentse (Foreword), Erik Pema Kunsang (Translator)

How often do you hear the story of a man who was immaculately born from within a lotus flower with a thousand petals, in the middle of a lake, having been sent as a meteor from the heart of the Boudha of Boundless light? Lotus-Born is the fabulous story of the mystic, master scholar, and outrageous yogi, Padmasambhava, the Lotus-Born, who grew up an adopted prince, was banished, burned at the stake in a neighboring kingdom, and continued miraculously unscathed, wandering through cemeteries, dancing on corpses, and proceeded to live more than five hundred years. He is regarded by the most sane Tibetans as a real, historical figure, the founder of Buddhism in Tibet where he subjugated demons and taught the Buddha’s teachings.

The complete story of how Buddhism was planted in Tibet is available in English for the first time with the publication of this book. Lotus-Born is a translation of a biography of the great master recorded in the ninth century by his foremost Tibetan disciple, the princess Yeshe Tsogyal. Many of these biographies were concealed as terma treasures to protect them against the changes of time.

Genres: Buddhism, Religion, Spirituality, Biography, Nonfiction, Philosophy

336 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 1993

Reviews

[Esteban Coppel · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Immaculate Life Story of the Lotus Born Guru, the man that tamed the land of snows; the northern savages with widespread shamanistic and heretic practices. Heck! Game of Thrones seems like a little kids story compared to Pamasambhava’s life story.

Written by his 3rd consort Yeshe Tsogyal, and hidden for a thousand years to be revealed a couple hundred years ago, its a must if you want to understand the second Buddha, and if you want to understand how tantric practices spread through India, Afghanistan (Oddiyana), Nepal, Bhutan and Tibet.

“If you don’t believe all my stories, what is the use in practicing Buddhism?”
- Mahasiddha Virupa

[Nil Eren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lotus-Born is the captivating tale of the mystic, master scholar, and extraordinary yogi, Padmasambhava, known as the Lotus-Born. A great story and lesson for those interested in Tibetan Buddhism. There are numerous symbolic and metaphorical sections that, to be honest, I haven’t fully understood, yet the narrative was enthralling and highly engaging. Hearing the audiobook enhanced my experience. Complete it quickly as well. It may also serve as a reference book for Tibetan Buddhism. The chapters clearly explain the content of each section. It is easier to revisit the chapter about the topic you want to explore later by reading or listening to it again. I find the book enjoyable and encourage everyone to read it to discover who Padmasambhava was.

[Marsha Altman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aside from the weird takedown of Threvada Buddhism and schools of Nyingma Buddhism in the translator's notes, this seems to be a straightforward translation of a pretty complex text.

[George Ilsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm never going to finish this book, not if I keep rereading it. I'm going to read this forever. Maybe longer. So much to discover.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing to say the least. I could not put it down once I started to read it.

[Adam Zuwerink · Rating 4 out of 5]

While this ancient biography contains lots of pearls of wisdom, I wish I better understood all of the cultural and linguistic references in order to better understand the context into which it was written. But still a great addition to anyone's readings of ancient spiritual texts.

[Charlie Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only read half.. not my favorite spiritual biography

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite mediocre. Was ok, and I often enjoy Dharma language - I find it inspiring. But if I ever get this out again I will not read cover to cover. Too many notes, glossary and index. Much of the miracle descriptions are absurd to the modern mind, a kind of magical religious thinking. But I get that it is a kind of boosting metaphors to capture a truly amazing character who did wonderful things for the mountain kingdom of Tibet that wouldn't be done justice by a merely mundane description.
Quite an ancient text also, 9th century, hidden in a temple for three hundred years. I love these intriguing academic historical "torma" treasures.

[Razumasu · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gives a mystical account of the life of Padmasabhava. However it contains a lot of "and then he made the lake boil" and "he flew on a cloud to the other side of Tibet". I'm not much for that and this should be taken as the story about Padmasambhava the myth, not so much the real person.

[Kitap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this first in summer 2005.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Decent book.

[Ananda Karunesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most amazing spiritual books written by the enlightened female Buddha Yeshe Tsogyal, an incarnation of Goddess Saraswati. She was the consort of Guru Padmasambhava, who is like the Krishna of Buddhism. They flew together to the famous cave known as the Tiger's Nest in Bhutan.