Milarepa – Chogyam Trungpa

This is a wonderful account of Milarepa, the fifth Dharma holder in the Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.  Trungpa does an excellent job explaining a lot of the context of 11th and 12th century Buddhism, and weaving together a compelling story about the many instances of wisdom pouring from this man.   It is interesting to note that Milarepa started as the worst of the worst, and through hard work with his self and reflection, developed himself into a true leader of the teachings.  There are many poignant and wry stories presented in this book that make it an enriching read – even though it is steeped in Buddhist understanding, Trungpa and the editor, Judith Lief, do an excellent job translating contexts and situations for a contemporary audience.