Nobel Peace Prize winner, the Dalai Lama embodies the martyrdom of a Tibet subjected to Chinese rule. A symbol of wisdom, it is adored and even sacred in the West. Therefore, who would question this living god who claims to carry with him the hope of freedom of an entire people? Maxime Vivas dares to tackle the myth: what if the Dalai Lama was a theocrat who filled the coffers of his palaces with gold while the Tibetans were only serfs who were denied any education? What if he played into the hands of the Americans and the CIA more than that of the Tibetans he claims to defend? What if he had been aware for many years of the sexual assaults, rapes and acts of pedophilia, which were recently revealed in his religious movement? Based on the words of the Dalai Lama, on the testimonies of proselytes as well as on confidential documents, the author paints a vitriolic portrait of "His Holiness" and shows us that everything is not so zen in the kingdom of Buddha. Maxime Vivas, former literary referent for ATTAC, is a novelist (Roger Vailland Prize 1997) and essayist. It is translated into thirteen languages

Winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Dalai Lama embodies the martyrdom of a Tibet subjected to the Chinese yoke. A symbol of wisdom, he is adulated and even sacralized in the West. Who then would question this living god who claims to carry with him the hope of freedom for an entire people? Maxime Vivas dares to tackle the myth: what if the Dalai Lama is a theocrat who fills his palace coffers with gold, while the Tibetans are merely serfs denied an education? What if he was playing into the hands of the Americans and the CIA rather than the Tibetans he claims to defend? What if he has known for many years about the sexual assaults, rapes and acts of paedophilia that have recently come to light in his religious movement? Drawing on the Dalai Lama's own words, the testimonies of proselytizers and confidential documents, the author paints a vitriolic portrait of "His Holiness" and shows us that all is not so Zen in Buddha's kingdom.

This book is the story of how a penniless Tibetan refugee with fierce ambition managed to establish himself in the West as a renowned Buddhist lama and hoodwink thousands of people, including show business luminaries, tycoons and politicians, for more than 30 years. Sogyal Lakar left his birthplace in eastern Tibet aged eight when his family fled the Chinese invasion to seek refuge in India. Arriving in England in the early 1970s, he brought with him traditional ideas and attitudes rooted in a culture whose spiritual sophisticated was coupled with near-feudal social norms. His transition was spectacularly successful. Sogyal Rinpoche, as he became known, was a charismatic multi-millionaire, credited as the author of a best-selling book. He starred in a Hollywood movie and his Rigpa Fellowship attracted followers across the globe. At the peak of his fame he was the most powerful and best-known Tibetan holy man after the Dalai Lama. But, as revealed here, it turns out that Sogyal was a charlatan who was never trained as a lama. He stands accused of financial and sexual misconduct, physical violence and fabricated credentials. Now seriously ill, he is a fugitive rumoured to be in Thailand beyond the reach of police and civil investigations. This book does not sensationalise the perverse behaviour that caused profound suffering to scores of devotees. Based on interviews with victims and eyewitnesses, together with detailed research and first-hand experience, it echoes the feminist perspective highlighted by the Me Too and Times Up movements. It is also a story about the culture clash that occurs when the misogyny of old Tibet is greeted with naïve acceptance and adulation by spiritual seekers in the West.

In March of 1959, a 23-year-old Tibetan youth named Tenzin Gyatso burst onto the world stage. Fleeing his native country to govern in exile from India, the Dalai Lama would go on to become one of the great leaders of our time. Then, in March 2008, the diplomat, icon, and winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize was blamed for inciting violence in Tibet’s traditional capital of Lhasa. As 2009 marks the 50th anniversary of the Dalai Lama’s rule in exile, the situation in Tibet has become more volatile than ever. Now, China must decide if it will give Tibet the right to govern itself and what the consequences will be for its economy and its place on the world stage. Freeing Tibet is the incredible, heroic story of Tibet’s arduous struggle to keep freedom alive. From the national uprising in 1959, which cost more than 85,000 Tibetans their lives, to the rise of the Tibetan freedom fighters; the aftereffects of Nixon’s historic visit to China, and preparations for the Dalai Lama’s successor, this seminal history offers an insider’s view of the 50-year struggle for autonomy. As a former Reagan White House political strategist, author John B. Roberts has had unprecedented access to the Dalai Lama’s inner circle. Based on interviews with CIA and political insiders, this epic story gives readers a new understanding of a conflict that continues to fascinate the world. Timely, impeccably researched, and hopeful, this is the book that will change the way we understand Tibet.