The spiritual history and terrestrial vicissitudes of the remarkable reincarnate lama and terton Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Wangchug (1909-1960) are explored in this book, which also provides a chronicle whose ample historical references give a detailed picture of Tibet on the verge of vast changes brought about by the invasion and occupation by Chinese forces in the decades leading up to 1959. Moreover, this biography holds particular interest for those familiar with the complex and often convoluted history of the lineages of reincarnate lamas in general, and, in particular, of the descendants of the great Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820-1892), among whom, importantly, is the protagonist of this book.
The author of this namthar, or traditional Tibetan biography, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, himself a high-ranking tulku, and thus privy to the world he describes, is the maternal nephew and disciple of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Wangchug. A privileged observer of his uncles life as well as of the events circumscribing it, the author reveals with marked candor the internecine maneuvering in the arcane world of the Tibetan Buddhist hierarchy. This is the inspiring story of one mans victory on the highest spiritual plane in an existence beset by difficulties, and whose death was as exceptional as his life. These knots, which did not succeed in interrupting the flow of Chokyi Wangchug's spiritual advancement, were caused not only by foreign invaders, the common fate of those of his nationality and calling, but also by people close to him, fellow countrymen, members of factions conditioned by bigotry and personal greed.
The very title of the book, The Lamp that Enlightens Narrow Minds, refers to the sectarianism which poisoned the atmosphere around this great spiritual figure, and to The Lamp, that is, the authors hope that this text with its straightforward account of these matters will shed light on and diminish the recurrence of a still-existent problem in some circles on the borders of Tibetan religiosity.
Maintaining his sense of equanimity and dedication to the Buddhist teachings while navigating the complexities of Tibetan religious heirarchy and the invasion of Tibet by Chinese forces, he was captured by the Chinese and died in prison in 1960. Upon his birth in 1970, the son of Chogyal Namkhai Norbu, Khyentse Yeshe, was recognized as the current reincarnation of Khyentse Chokyi Wangchug by H.,H. Sakya Tridzin, the head of the Sakya Order of Tibetan Buddhism.

Born in Eastern Tibet in 1938, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu is an internationally known Dzogchen teacher. A holder of the pure lineage of knowledge descending from the first Dzogchen master in history, he received during his childhood and youth many teachings from renowned lamas of various Tibetan Buddhist traditions. In the 1960's he was invited to Italy by an eminent scholar, becoming a professor at the Oriental Institute of the University of Naples, Italy, a position he held for more than twenty years. During his lifetime Chogyal Namkhai Norbu has written numerous books on Tibetan culture, Dzogchen, Buddhism, and the ancient Bon tradition. He is the founder of the International Dzogchen Community, created to encourage the divulgation and practice of the Dzogchen point of view and meditation methods; the Shang Shung Institute, dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture; and ASIA, commited to the alleviation of suffering, betterment of living conditions, and the development of educational facilities among Tibetans and other populations in need.

	Contents: Lamp That Enlightens Narrow Minds: The Life and Times of a Realized Tibetan Master, Khyentse Chokyi Wangchug
	LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS	vii
	TRANSLATOR'S INTRODUCTION	ix
	The Lamp Tat Enlightens Narrow Minds	1
	Homage	2
	1 The Reincarnations of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo	3
	2 Jamyang Chokyi Wangpo	7
	3 The Wangpo Family	13
	4 The Birth of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Wangchug	17
	5 First Studies and Spiritual Retreats	21
	6 The Ceding of Dzongsar Monastery	25
	7 Derge Gonchen	29
	8 Voyage in Amdo	33
	9 Pilgramage in Central Tibet	37
	10 Galingteng	43
	11 Discovery of the Vajrapani Terma	49
	12 Extraordinary Feats and Encounters	55
	13 The Yedzong Terma	61
	14 The Vulture's Phurba	71
	15 The Importance of Pure Vision	75
	16 An Exceptional Dream	81
	17 The Death of Togden Chamten	85
	18 The Invasion of Tibet and the Passing of Jamyang Kyentse Chokyi Wangchug	91
	19 The Death of Jamyang Khyentse Chokyi Lodro	101
	20 Khyentse Yeshe	107
	CHRONOLOGY	113
	TRANSLITERATION TABLE	117
	NOTES	135
	BIBLIOGRAPHY	181
	INDEX	191
	ABOUT THE AUTHOR	203