Truth to Power in 20th Century Tibet

Renowned philosopher, poet, painter, and author of erotica Gendun Chopel (1903″“1951) was arguably the most important, and certainly the most controversial, Tibetan Buddhist thinker of the 20th century. He was a patriot who spoke truth to power—whether Tibetan aristocrats or Indian Brahmins who abused the lower classes—only to be imprisoned and destroyed by that power.

Distinguished Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies Donald Lopez will give a talk on the life of Gendun Chopel and his struggles to question power and its dissemination. A Q&A session and book signing of Gendun Chopel by Donald Lopez will follow the program.

About the Speaker

Donald Lopez is the Arthur E. Link Distinguished University Professor of Buddhist and Tibetan Studies at the University of Michigan. His recent books include Hyecho’s Journey, Dispelling the Darkness (with Thupten Jinpa) and Assembly of the Exalted (with Rebecca Bloom). His 1998 work, Prisoners of Shangri-La, was published in a 20th anniversary edition last year. The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism (with Robert Buswell) won the Dartmouth Medal for best reference work of 2014. Seeing the Sacred in Samsara: An Illustrated Guide to the Eighty-four Mahasiddhas will appear in June of 2019.