Buddhist Himalayas

Book excerpt: This spectacular book invites the reader on a journey to a faraway exotic land and into an inner realm of spirituality. Photographers Olivier and Danielle Föllmi and Matthieu Ricard have dedicated more than twenty-five years to capturing the essence of Buddhism and the Himalayan spirit, focusing on the beauty of the majestic Tibetan countryside, the Tibetan people—spiritual masters and humble shepherds alike—and their sacred places. This harmonious visual mosaic of the unrivaled richness of this mountaintop civilization is enhanced by texts by eminent specialists on Tibetan culture as well as reflections from political and spiritual leaders of the Himalayan world. Offering a perspective from both within and outside Tibetan society, each of the twenty-one authors—from the noted photographer Galen Rowell to the Dalai Lama himself—provides a window onto the Buddhist Himalayas and the people who inhabit this magical land.