The Fall issue of Buddhadharma magazine has a feature-length profile I wrote of Tendzin Choegyal. He is the Dalai Lama’s youngest brother and was once an influential member of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala. Choegyal is a highly intelligent, worldly guy who isn’t afraid to say “bullshit” and “reincarnation” in the same sentence, all the while showing great reverence for his famous brother and Tibetan Buddhism. One of the highlights of reporting this story was that I got to ask the Dalai Lama about his family life.
“My brother…,” the Dalai Lama says, an amused look on his face. He then does something he rarely
does in public: he rewinds his memory back to the day he was born, and talks about each of his siblings.
You can read an excerpt here or
to read the full story. Also, here’s a link to a shorter Q&A I did with him for Giant Robot.