Prisoners of Shangri-La: Tibetan Buddhism and the West [Paperback]

Lopez, Donald S. Prisoners of Shangri-la: Tibetan Buddhism and the West (University of Chicago, 1998) is a meticulous analysis of the misinformation, disinformation and fantasies promulgated by various people, well-intended and otherwise. They include charlatans like T. Lobsang Rampa, famous for having written a series in the 1950's about his "life" as a lama in Drepung monastery. Trungpa Rinpoche's psychologization of Tibetan Buddhism as exemplified by his version of the Bardo Thodol, and Leary and Alpert's psychedelic-isation of that Nyingma text, as well as Lama Sogyal's well-received edition of the same, are examined. Lopez offers an amusing look (and a fascinating one, to someone who has partaken of all these notions in her own journey of discovery) at a wide variety of topics including the notion of Tibet, itself; of that invention of the West known as Lamaism, of Tibetan art (the implication being whether there is such a thing or not), and the history of the dispute over misconceptions concerning the meaning of the six-syllable Chenresi mantra, among other subjects.

Of particular interest to me was the revelation of Jeffrey Hopkins's methods of teaching traditional philosophical debate at the University of Virginia. This book is an excellent complement to Stephen Batchelor's The Awakening of the West. It will be remembered that Batchelor's final chapters, in which he expressed the idea that the West could never accept Buddhism into the mainstream until concepts and language became more Westernized, created a bit of a stir.

In an era dominated by studies of "constructed" ideas, concepts, and nations, religion is perhaps the most "constructed" entity of all. Lopez shows how Tibet and more specifically Tibetan Buddhism have been interpreted, re-interpreted, and mis-interpreted in Europe and America. Unlike Christianity or, to a lesser extant, Judaism, Buddhism has not been subject to greta deal of rational, scholastic analysis. Too many writers and academics on the subject appear to be missionaries or popularizers. Contrast this to some current Christian theological writers who one might suspect have completely lost their faith. Lopez recognizes, but does not follow as a major theme, is how Buddhism has become "psychologized," a form of therapy for middle-class Americans seeking something different, but not too exotic. Some more background on the historical and social realities of Tibet would have made the author's points even sharper. A course in Buddhism is necessary to get the most out of the book; if you know what a boddhisatva is, this book is rated 4 stars.

"Prisoners of Shangri-La" is a book exposing both pro-Tibetan and anti-Tibetan myths common in the West. The author, Donald Lopez, is a professor of Buddhist and Tibetan studies and a supporter of Tibet's right to independence. However, he seems to be frustrated about the misrepresentations Tibet common in the United States and Europe, including well-meaning ones. "Prisoners of Shangri-La" wants to set the record straight.

One chapter deals with the curious fate of a Tibetan mortuary text, known in the West as "The Tibetan Book of the Dead". The book has been interpreted and used by Theosophists, psychedelic freaks, the New Age and even a Western supporter of the Dalai Lama. The latter is particularly ironic, since "The Tibetan Book of the Dead" belongs to a competing tradition within Tibetan Buddhism. Quite a strange journey for a sectarian mortuary text from Tibet. Another chapter deals with "The Third Eye", a bestselling novel published in 1956. It's purportedly an autobiography of a Tibetan lama, Tuesday Lobsang Rampa. Actually, the book is a hoax. The real author was a very confused Englishman strangely obsessed with cats. His real identity was exposed by a group of angry scholars, who had hired a private eye to find the elusive author!

Lopez also reveals that Tibetan Buddhist studies in the United States are dominated by believers in Tibetan Buddhist religion. The "education" at times looks more like recruitment. Buyer beware.

There is also a section on the conflict between the Dalai Lama and the devotees of Shugden, a demon traditionally worshipped by the Dalai Lama's followers. The present Dalai Lama, however, wants the worship of Shugden to be suppressed, much to the consternation of true believers. Lopez also analyzes Dalai Lama's threefold role as political leader of the Tibetan nation, religious head of the Geluk sect within Tibetan Buddhism (which also has followers in Mongolia and Russia), and prominent representative of Buddhist modernism and ecumenic dialogue, something not traditionally associated with Tibetan Buddhism.

Finally, there are chapters on anti-Tibetan myths, such as the weird claims often made about Tibetan art (apparently, it's ugly - and this we are forced to hear from an artworld that gave us Duchamps, Pollock and Warhol).

"Prisoners of Shangri-La" is written in a boring, scholarly style and can be hard to read for the general public. It is, however, very interesting. It's also interesting to note that Lopez, despite his disclosures, nevertheless says very little about the more bizarre Tibetan traditions, including secret ritual sex, the use of corpses in nightly demon worship, etc.

Perhaps that would break the spell once and for all...