Ancient Teachings in Modern Times: Buddhism in the 21st Century

Venerable Losang Samten is a renowned Tibetan scholar, spiritual teacher, and artist. Losang fled his homeland with his family in 1959 following the occupation of Tibet by Communist China. In 1969, they moved to Dharamsala, where he joined the Namgyal Monastery, the monastery of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Losang earned the highest degree attainable at the monastery, a Master’s Degree in Sutra and Tantra and became a Master of Ritual Dance and Sand Mandalas. He was the personal attendant to His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama prior to moving to the United States in 1988, as one of the Masters who created the first public sand mandala in the West and going on to create many more in museums, universities, and galleries throughout the world.

In recognition of the interest and curiosity of all the people he has met, Losang has written this book as a gentle introduction to Buddhism in response to common questions his friends and students have asked. This book includes many stories from his formal studies, as well as from his personal experiences, and seeks to present the beauty and relevance of these ancient teachings in our everyday life through storytelling. Losang weaves together the story of how the teachings of the Buddha can help anyone of any culture or faith achieve greater peace and joy by practicing loving-kindness and compassion in modern times.