What Readers Have to Say...
"Erik Curren untangles a sordid tale of hypocrisy, bribery, intimidation, and violence--the darker side of Tibetan Buddhism. This book is richly researched, deeply informed, and written with clarity and honesty, an eye-opener for Buddhists and non-Buddhists alike."
--Michael Parenti, author of The Culture Struggle and The Assassination of Julius Caesar
"A fascinating expose tracing the power struggle between the illusion of power and the power of illusion that continues to plague Tibetan Buddhism's traditions and vested authority."
--Elaine Smitha, motivational speaker, author, and host of "Evolving Ideas" TV
"If the truth be told, the Buddha has not been smiling for a very long time. In the same way the Catholic Church transformed Jesus's simple message of peace and love into Crusades and Inquisitions, the Buddha's clear message of yoga and asceticism was largely ignored while rival schools developed throughout East
Asia, centralizing their power through forgeries, interpolations, and false masters. Curren does an exemplary job of chronicling the historical development and present-day consequences of the dogma of the reincarnating master in Tibet, perhaps the most superstitious of all the lands Buddhism penetrated. Buddha's Not Smiling is a stark reminder that when false teachings are introduced for political gain, as when the Catholic Church made the doctrine of rebirth heretical in the sixth century, only more ignorance, and ultimately violence, will result. This insightful book is a clarion call to Tibetan Buddhists to choose their leaders by applying the only standard the Buddha himself would have used: self-mastery."
--Sankara Saranam
Author of God Without Religion
Founder, The Pranayama Institute
"Curren, who has been a practicing Buddhist for ten years, tenders a rather depressing account of
fractious scheming in Tibetan Buddhism’s major school.
" All is not well in the house of Karma Kagyu, the most widespread of Tibetan Buddhism’s four
schools. There’s a dispute over the identity of the 17th Karmapa, the highest lama in the branch, but
it’s a dispute that reeks of religious politics and sectarian rivalries. Up front, the author notes that he is
a student of one of the controversy’s main characters, the lama Shamar Rinpoche. Yet Curren’s examination
of the dispute is unsullied by bias, and his concern—the health of Tibetan Buddhism—feels
genuine. To provide sufficient background, he first offers a history of Karma Kagyu, with special
emphasis on the role of tulku—reincarnated lamas who postpone the bliss of enlightenment to continue
their teaching—and in particular, the Karmapa, whose lineage traces back farther than that of the
Dalai Lama. With the advent of the Karmapa, power shifted to the lamas, no longer vested in aristocrats vying for control and disrupting the religious
work of the monks. The current imbroglio came to pass when two important figures in the school backed different candidates: one the product of an
engaged Buddhism, which strives to address universal political and social issues, the other a more conservative figure, principally concerned with teaching
and keeping religion free of politics. While these grand visions are certainly at play, writes Curren, there is also much seedy business occurring in
the background. Exiled communities are prone to intrigue—without the traditional strictures of life in Tibet, the Karmapa saga has become a showcase
of greed, revenge and naïve credulity. Spiritual leaders have tarred themselves with episodes of violence, deceit and—surprise, surprise—litigation.
"A sad story smartly told. (twenty illustrations, not seen)"
--Kirkus Reviews
"Buddha's Not Smiling is a fascinating story of
the still continuing struggle over the selection of
the Kamarpa, the leader of the oldest of the four
Tibetan schools of Buddhism. It involves deception,
corruption and thuggery in the political and religious
world of Tibet and the Tibetan exile community, a
world which is far removed from the idealised Shangri
La picture of Tibet on which many of us in the West
have been brought up. Mr. Curren tells the tale well
and holds the readers attention throughout. He also
gives us enough historical and other background on
Tibetan religious and political life for it to make
sense to the previously uninformed reader. An
important element in the drama, which perhaps might
have been brought out more clearly, is the role of the
Chinese government in all the skullduggery. As an
observer of the workings of the Chinese government
during over twenty years of living and working as an
official in Hong Kong, it seems pretty clear to me
that having failed to subdue Tibet totally in the
earlier years of their occupation of that country,
part of their long term policy, along with the
resettlement of thousands of Han Chinese to Tibet and
the construction of modern transport links to the rest
of China, is now to control the selection and
appointment of the reincarnations of the most
important senior lamas. They started with the Panchen
Lama, now the Karmapa and, I guess, when the Dalai
Lama passes away they will try to do the same with his successor. So, although I sympathise with the Shamarpa and his followers, in the long run I suspect that the odds are stacked against them. I hope that I am wrong."
--Peter Johnson
Senior official in the Hong Kong Government for 25 years
"Curren’s work adds another important piece to the Karmapa puzzle. When religion becomes political the results are always ugly, but given the fact that Tibetan Buddhism has been political for nearly its entire history, the best course of action for practitioners and enthusiasts to follow is to get as informed as possible. Honest, straight-forward and calmly written, Buddha’s Not Smiling is a valuable contribution both to knowledge about the Karmapa controversy and to the intricate workings of Tibetan religious politics."
--Lara Braitstein, PhD
Assistant Professor, Indo-Tibetan Buddhism
McGill University
"Buddha’s Not Smiling is a controversial book that grabs you on every page. It is a provocative, suggestive, revealing read that shows you an unexpected side of Tibetan Buddhism with surprising character. And you will see a side of the Dalai Lama most people never imagined."
--Dina Sip, mortgage banker, Washington, DC
“Erik Curren explores realms of Tibetan Buddhism that shatter the stereotypes of the utopian Tibetan culture we have come to believe in. His insights and carefully collected facts illustrate to us that wherever there is power there lies the seed of corruption. Buddha’s Not Smiling cuts right through the Shangri-la facade and shows you the real story behind the most important figures in both modern and historical Tibetan Buddhism.”
--Derek Hanger, instructor, Karma Shri Diwakar Institute of Higher Buddhist Studies, Kalimpong, India
“I just read the introduction to Buddha’s Not Smiling . I'm completely intrigued. I did not know anything of the political situation Curren discussed and am eager to read the rest of the book and find out more.”
--Tracey DeMartini, attorney, Santa Cruz, CA
“Erik Curren's intelligence, intellectual honesty, and clear prose make for a fine read."
--Mike Shelton, US government, Washington, DC
“Curren is an ideal guide to the dark and confusing spaces of the Tibetan Buddhist world today. His clear prose and strong use of evidence make the unbelievable developments in Buddha’s Not Smilingseem believable.”
--Gerry Stowers, owner, body-mind studio, Staunton, VA
"Buddha’s Not Smiling is an intriguing, intelligent and surprising examination of the political machinations of Tibetan lamas and the history that has led up to a most unexpected point today. If you want a view of Tibetan history cast in a harsh bright light that includes its dark side told as a galloping good story, this is the book."
--Brett Hood, owner, Rockbridge Premier Construction, Lexington, VA |
