Legendary Nepalese Princess Bhrikuti Devi who lived around mid-seventh century A.D. is perhaps best known for having married Tibetan King Srong Chen Gampo and promulgating Buddhism through the construction of the world famous Potala Palace (which still bears her images) and Jokhang Temple which is credited to her.

Although some Tibetologists regard the existence of the controversial Bhrikuti Devi as Mythological, author Min Bahadur Shakya has thoroughly researched lost Tibetan text that shed light on this fascinating and mysterious woman who played as monumental role in Tibetan history as did Helen of Troy the Greeks.

After a mystical experience, the victorious Tibetan king requested the hand of Bhrikuti Devi from Nepal. Unlike his counterpart in Beijing, the Nepalese king wisely acquiesced, and agreed to send his daughter to distant Tibet on the condition that she spread the Dharma from the land of Buddha's birthplace.

A tender teenager at the time, Princess Bhrikuti Devi was escorted over the Himalayas by a band of soldiers and loads of priceless jewels and Buddhist images borne by a caravan elephants. The rest is history and the fabulous stuff of legend. In any case, Bhrikuti Devi no doubt earned herself the name of "White Tara" for which she is still venerated.

The Author, Min Bahadur Shakya is a scholar of Newari and Tibetan Buddhism. Among his major publications are A Short History of Buddhism in Nepal, Introduction to Buddhist Monasteries of Kathmandu Valley and Iconography of Nepalese Buddhism.

He was elected Vice President of the world Fellowship of Buddhist youth (WFBY) from 1984-1988 and was nominated as Research Associate of the Fokuang Shan Chinese Buddhist Research Academy (Taiwam), 1989-`1990.

In 1990 he was granted a SAARC fellowship in Buddhist Studies by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bhutan where did extensive research of Tibetan texts on Princess Bhrikuti Devi for the present volume, his major work to date. Currently he is Editor-in-Chief of Buddhist Himalaya, a semiannual journal and also serves as Director of the Nagarjuna Institute of Exact Methods, Center for Buddhist Studies in Kathmandu. In addition to his renowned. Buddhist scholarship, Mr. Shakya also teaches at the Engineering Institute at the Pulchowk Campus in Lalitpur.

Contents
    Acknowledgements    v
    Introduction    1
    Background    
    Description of Source Materials    
    Methodological remarks    
    Historical Background    15
    Buddhism in Pre-Lichchavi Period    
    Buddhism in Lichchavi Period    
    Introduction of Buddhism to Tibet    31
    Life of Princess Bhrikuti Devi    35
    Birth and Lineage    
    The Name    
    Early Career    
    Marriage of Bhrikuti Devi to the Tibetan King    47
    Contribution of Bhrikuti Devi    62
    Contribution of Potala Palace    
    Construction of Thangdul, Yangdul and Runon Temples    
    Contribution of Jokhang temple    
    Last Days of Princess Bhrikuti Devi    84
    Conclusion    86
    Appendix    91
    Notes and References    98
    Select Bibliography    116