The Tibetan tradition is rich in saints. It can even be argued that the entirety of Tibetan society between the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet (9th century) and the middle of the 20th century worked to produce more saints of different kinds: exceptional monastics, exceptional lay practitioners, exceptional hermit yogis and yoginis.
Although many of the stories (especially those of female practitioners, sadly) have never been recorded, we still do have a profusion of inspiring texts detailing the spirituals pursuits of these exceptional individuals. Some of these texts are hagiographies, or namthar—literally “accounts of liberation”, written to highlight victories on the path; others, usually more recent ones, might contain memories and personal musings.
Here are some of my favourites—some of these I’ve read several dozen times.
Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche – Blazing Splendour
– A book that has become legendary in many ways, as it includes memories related to some of the greatest lamas of 20th century, mostly associated with the Kagyu and Nyingma lineages, and, more specifically, the Chokling Tersar tradition
Chagdud Tulku – Lord of the Dance: The Autobiography of a Tibetan Lama
– Chagdud Tulku, who has become of the godfathers of the Tibetan tradition in the West, recalls his years in Tibet and India, painting a captivating image of the Buddhist spiritual culture in the Himalayas
Jampa Kalden – Calling the Lama from Afar
– Instead of focusing on a person, this book is a biography of an exceptional nunnery and its yogic tradition, both throughout the ages and in the beginning of the 21st century.