Santa Fe Living Treasures – Elder Stories

In 1989, he and his wife, Gisela Minke, relocated to Santa Fe where he writes, translates and teaches.  He still works on his dictionary, now up to 3,000 terms, which he calls his gift to young Tibetans.  He was the ceremonial advisor on Martin Scorsese’s film Kundun, an account of the 14th Dalai Lama’s early life through his exile in 1959.  He has meditated with and counseled sick and terminally ill men and women in the community. “Many people are suffering terribly in the world.  In a free country like this, there is so much to appreciate.  For us in the Tibetan culture, mutual concern and mutual help is important.  It doesn’t mean doing things only for your family circle but for your larger family in the community.”