The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat: The Life of Ra Lotsawa Paperback – July 21, 2015

The All-Pervading Melodious Drumbeat: The Life of Ra Lotsawa is an autobiography by his successor of the lineage and nephew. This book has the feeling of a Sutra. This story is similar by way of message like The Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra. With this biography written before Je Tsongkhapa, the over all message is with in the current Gelupa school of today.The Great Lama Ra Lotsawa partnered with five consorts and had children. This behavior was in debate in his life time. He would have fit in with Nigma tradition of modern times (example: Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche). After the reforms of Je Tsongkhapa (1357–1419), the Gelupa School has a policy of celibacy. The songs of Great Lama Ra Lotsawa give advice for non monastic followers of Buddhism. I reserve hard conclusions due to the absents of the consorts life stories. The wisdom of these consorts need to be published if available.The magical transfer of conscious to a pure land in self defense. My judgment is he is not an evil man where as he is a cold blooded killer. He was judged by his society and deemed an enlighten being. Marpa has a similar history in the Kagyu school.One point, I am uncomfortable with is his position of Vajrabhairava is superior to all dharma practices. The Buddha taught 84000 different baskets of teachings to enlighten the 84000 different minds that arise in suffering. Great Lama Ra Lotsawa killed other Lamas who was imposing (causing a skirmish with in the Dharma community) a point of view of Vajrabhairava as a false Dharma. My point of view is not a single dharma practice is better than any other but the end result is for the individual enlightenment. The guide of a qualified Guru to lead the student is very important on which practices to work and study. Je Tsongkhapa's finger print on the currently set of Vajrabhairava practice focuses on transforming anger into the path of enlightenment with Guhyasamaja as the base. I feel the Great Lama Ra Lotsawa made these statements to increase the students faith in the path to enlightenment using Vajrabhairava as the focal point.

This is an amazing read, it's long but loads of fun, full of magic and mayhem! The main character is the most unusual Buddhist saint I've ever read about. I really don't know how best to describe it, but I did find a review of this book online that cracked me up, because it's spot on -- "It is bewildering, but it’s also unforgettably energetic, unlike anything you’re likely to read this year. Imagine a Gospel of St. John that’s five times longer, full of beautiful young women, and that features a Jesus who sometimes, as Ralo does in a particularly unforgettable moment, siphons up milk through his godly pecker and spews it out of his mouth while the crowd cheers. Or at least try to imagine such a thing." Five stars all the way!

Thoroughly enjoying the book. Very well written and the translation of the meaningful songs is very satisfying.

excellent, thank you

I also read some of the Thangtong Gyalpo's biography. If you compare the amount of gold change hand between the two books. I have to conclude the benefactors of Ra Yeshe Senge on average gave him some order of magnitude more gold than Thangtong Gyalpo's benefactors... that made me think the book might be partially served as propaganda. Were there that much more gold in the hand of people between the two era? This is my samsaric mind... but it was a good read overall.

I really enjoyed reading this. It’s a “fanciful” account of his life..perhaps the best way for a westerner to read this is as a sort of “Gullivers adventures in the land of the snows”In particular I loved the poetry which interspersed the prose narrative. I wonder if these poems were the original account, which wS then “padded out” with a fantasy prose narrative.. in any case, if you can’t stand the prose narrative then the poetry is worth reading on its own...I didnt quite get the descriptions of Ra Lotsawa as “murderous” which were given on the dust jacket..Perhaps these come from alternative Tibetan sources or from a literal reading of RaLo’s “liberation” of opposing gurus. Hmmm I suppose we could describe the Spanish Inquisition as “liberating” heretics...Viewed from outside, with competing accounts who can say what the reality of the actual history was?We think we know the truth of our western history, yet history is always written from the side of the victors...How will future generations read our current world?

Excellent for those doing retreat to inspire what's possible when training the mind and how to benefit many others according their mental capacity. His special "Songs" excellent when wanting to summaries spiritual topics, starting from how to make "next life investments"(merchant story), as well as many other essentials summaries in beautiful poems.Amazing Amazing wow wow wow as a famous Lama says.And if one looks at his life to life biography till to his actual reincarnation even more wow wow....

Excellent biography of one of tibet's famous siddha. I personally loved reading the book, it was enlightening to me:the story.

Fantastic

good