Synopses & Reviews
A rare, intimate account of a world-renowned Buddhist monk’s near-death experience and the life-changing wisdom he gained from it.
At thirty-six years old, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche was a rising star within his generation of Tibetan masters and the respected abbot of three monasteries. Then one night, telling no one, he slipped out of his monastery in India with the intention of spending the next four years on a wandering retreat, following the ancient practice of holy mendicants. His goal was to throw off his titles and roles, in order to explore the deepest aspects of his being. Yet he immediately discovered that his training had not prepared him to deal with his dirty fellow travelers, or the screeching of the train. He had trouble shedding his monk’s robes and paid for a cheap hostel rather than sleep on the station floor. Soon he became deathly ill from food poisoning — and his journey took a startling turn. His lifelong meditation practice had prepared him to face death, and he now had the opportunity to test the strength of his training.
In this powerful and unusually candid account of the inner workings of a Buddhist master, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shares with us the invaluable lessons he learned from his near-death experience. Sharing with the reader meditation practices along the way, he shows us how we can transform our fear of dying into joyful living. Though his story has the feel of a spiritual classic, it is an urgent and timely message for today’s challenging world.
Review
“In Love with the World is a magnificent story — moving and inspiring, profound and utterly human. It will certainly be a dharma classic.” Jack Kornfield, author of A Path with Heart
Review
“This slim book moved me and left me with a better appreciation of Tibetan Buddhism than so many weightier tomes I’ve struggled to understand.” Barbara Demick, author of Nothing to Envy
Review
“Vivid, compelling…This book is a rarity in spiritual literature: Reading the intimate story of this wise and devoted Buddhist monk directly infuses our own transformational journey with fresh meaning, luminosity, and life.” Tara Brach, author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
Review
“One of the most generous, beautiful, and essential books I’ve ever read — thoroughly engaging, so clear, so honest, so courageous and full of wisdom. In it, deep Buddhist teachings are presented with frankness and great clarity — like a friend talking to a friend. It is also a great adventure story, really, about the most important adventure any of us can ever embark upon: the story of one noble soul attempting to come to an understanding of the workings of his own mind and thereby live in a truly sane and loving way.” George Saunders, author of Lincoln in the Bardo
Review
“With this book, we enter into the interior life of a remarkable young Buddhist teacher. After setting off by himself on a wandering retreat, he immediately encounters fear, aversion, sickness, and near death. Yet the same emotional and physical difficulties that would throw the average person for a loop become opportunities for Mingyur Rinpoche to work with his mind, and to deepen his commitment to transforming adversity into awakening. His willingness to describe this process in such intimate detail has been an immense help to my own path, and makes this one of the most inspiring books I have ever read.” Pema Chödrön, author of When Things Fall Apart
About the Author
Born in 1975 in Nubri, Nepal, Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche is a rising star among the new generation of Tibetan Buddhist masters trained outside of Tibet. Mingyur Rinpoche teaches throughout the world, with centers on five continents. He is the author of The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness, which has been translated into more than twenty languages, as well as Turning Confusion into Clarity: A Guide to the Foundation Practices of Tibetan Buddhism and Joyful Wisdom: Embracing Change and Finding Freedom.