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Materials of Buddhist Culture: Aesthetics and Cosmopolitanism at Mindroling Monastery
Materials of Buddhist Culture: Aesthetics and Cosmopolitanism at Mindroling Monastery Dominique Townsend Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2012 © 2012 Dominique Townsend All rights reserved ABSTRACT Materials of Buddhist Culture: Aesthetics and Cosmopolitanism at Mindroling Monastery Dominique Townsend This dissertation investigates the relationships between Buddhism and culture as exemplified at Mindroling Monastery. Focusing on the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, I argue that Mindroling was a seminal religio-cultural institution that played a key role in cultivating the ruling elite class during a critical moment of Tibet’s history. This analysis demonstrates that the connections between Buddhism and high culture have been salient throughout the history of Buddhism, rendering the project relevant to a broad range of fields within Asian Studies and the Study of Religion. As the first extensive Western-language study of Mindroling, this project employs an interdisciplinary methodology combining historical, sociological, cultural and religious studies, and makes use of diverse Tibetan sources. Mindroling was founded in 1676 with ties to Tibet’s nobility and the Fifth Dalai Lama’s newly centralized government. It was a center for elite education until the twentieth century, and in this regard it was comparable to a Western university where young members of the nobility spent two to four years training in the arts and sciences and being shaped for positions of authority. This comparison serves to highlight commonalities between distant and familiar educational models and undercuts the tendency to diminish Tibetan culture to an exoticized imagining of Buddhism as a purely ascetic, world renouncing tradition. -
Notes and Topics: Synopsis of Taranatha's History
SYNOPSIS OF TARANATHA'S HISTORY Synopsis of chapters I - XIII was published in Vol. V, NO.3. Diacritical marks are not used; a standard transcription is followed. MRT CHAPTER XIV Events of the time of Brahmana Rahula King Chandrapala was the ruler of Aparantaka. He gave offerings to the Chaityas and the Sangha. A friend of the king, Indradhruva wrote the Aindra-vyakarana. During the reign of Chandrapala, Acharya Brahmana Rahulabhadra came to Nalanda. He took ordination from Venerable Krishna and stu died the Sravakapitaka. Some state that he was ordained by Rahula prabha and that Krishna was his teacher. He learnt the Sutras and the Tantras of Mahayana and preached the Madhyamika doctrines. There were at that time eight Madhyamika teachers, viz., Bhadantas Rahula garbha, Ghanasa and others. The Tantras were divided into three sections, Kriya (rites and rituals), Charya (practices) and Yoga (medi tation). The Tantric texts were Guhyasamaja, Buddhasamayayoga and Mayajala. Bhadanta Srilabha of Kashmir was a Hinayaist and propagated the Sautrantika doctrines. At this time appeared in Saketa Bhikshu Maha virya and in Varanasi Vaibhashika Mahabhadanta Buddhadeva. There were four other Bhandanta Dharmatrata, Ghoshaka, Vasumitra and Bu dhadeva. This Dharmatrata should not be confused with the author of Udanavarga, Dharmatrata; similarly this Vasumitra with two other Vasumitras, one being thr author of the Sastra-prakarana and the other of the Samayabhedoparachanachakra. [Translated into English by J. Masuda in Asia Major 1] In the eastern countries Odivisa and Bengal appeared Mantrayana along with many Vidyadharas. One of them was Sri Saraha or Mahabrahmana Rahula Brahmachari. At that time were composed the Mahayana Sutras except the Satasahasrika Prajnaparamita. -
Christie's Presents the Doris Wiener Collection on March 20
For Immediate Release March 1, 2012 Contact: Sung-Hee Park [email protected] tel +1 212 636 2680 CHRISTIE’S PRESENTS THE DORIS WIENER COLLECTION ON MARCH 20 New York – On March 20, Christie’s is proud to present The Doris Wiener Collection, a sale of nearly 400 lots of sculpture and paintings from Gandhara, the Himalayas, India and Southeast Asia, assembled by the renowned gallerist and collector. As a leading figure in the field, she placed important works in top collections and institutions throughout the world. This outstanding group of exceptionally rare and beautiful works is a testament to Ms. Wiener’s discerning eye. The sale will present connoisseurs with the opportunity to acquire masterpieces handpicked by one of the most distinguished tastemakers in this collecting category. Over the five decades since her first show in 1961, Doris Wiener became a well-known and passionate collector and dealer of Indian and Southeast Asian art in New York. She visited the region early on and fell in love with its arts, developing her eye and expertise well before others became aware of their existence. From her gallery across from the Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue, she introduced both students and connoisseurs to the vast wealth of paintings, sculpture and textiles from this part of the world. Leading the sale is an important bronze group of Somaskanda from South India of the Chola period, circa 11th century (pictured on page 1, estimate: $800,000–1,200,000). Somaskanda means “Shiva with Uma and Skanda,” Skanda being their son who in the present example, stands between them; often he is lost from surviving sculptures. -
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Its History and Controversial Aspects of Its Contents
The Tibetan Book of the Dead: Its History and Controversial Aspects of its Contents Michael Nahm, Ph.D. Freiburg, Germany ABSTRACT: In recent decades, the Tibetan Book of the Dead (TBD) has attracted much attention from Westerners interested in Eastern spirituality and has been discussed in the literature on dying and near-death experiences. However, the history of the TBD has practically been ignored in that literature up to now. This history has been elaborated in detail by Tibetologist Bryan Cuevas (2003). To bring this history to the attention of scholars in the field of near-death studies, I present in this paper a summary of the TBD’s development based primarily on the work of Cuevas (2003). The summary shows that the TBD was gradually elaborated within a specific Tibetan Buddhist context, the Dzokchen tradition. In comparing features of first-hand reports of the death and dying process as reported in the TBD with those reported in four other categories—Tibetan délok, near-death experiencers, mediums, and children who remember previous lives— I find that some features are consistent but that other key features are not. Be- cause it seems likely that inconsistent features of the TBD reflect idiosyncratic dying and afterlife concepts of the Dzokchen tradition, scholars in the field of near-death studies and others should be careful about adopting the contents of the TBD without question. KEY WORDS: Tibetan Book of the Dead, Clear Light, bardo, délok, near-death experience Michael Nahm, Ph.D., is a biologist. After conducting research for several years in the field of tree physiology, he is presently concerned with developing improved strate- gies for harvesting woody plants for energetic use. -
The Kayas / Bodies of a Buddha
The Kayas / Bodies of a Buddha The original meaning of the Sanskrit word Kaya (Tibetan: sku/ku) is 'that which is accumulated'. In English Kaya is translated as 'body'. However, the Kayas of Buddhas do not literally refer only to the form aggregates of Buddhas but also to Buddhas themselves, to their various attributes, and so forth. There are different ways to categorize Kayas: 1. The category into five Kayas 2. The category into four Kayas 3. The category into three Kayas 4. The category into two Kayas 1. The category into five Kayas The category into five Kayas refers to: I. The Dharmakaya / Truth Body (chos sku / choe ku) II. The Svabhavakaya / Nature Body (ngo bo nyid sku / ngo wo nyi ku) III. The Jnanakaya / Wisdom Truth Body (ye shes chos sku / ye she choe ku) IV. The Sambhogakaya / Enjoyment Body (longs sku / long ku) V. The Nimanakaya / Emanation Body (sprul sku / truel ku) Here the basis of the category is Kaya, which means that Kaya is categorized or classified into the five Kayas. I. The Dharmakaya / Truth Body Kaya and Dharmakaya are synonymous. Whatever is a Kaya is necessarily a Dharmakaya and vice versa. The definition of a Dharmakaya is: a final Kaya that is attained in dependence on meditating on its attaining agents, the three exalted knowers. The three exalted knowers are: a) Knower of basis (the Arya paths in the continua of Hearers and Solitary Realizers) b) Knower of paths (the Arya paths in the continua of Buddhas and of Bodhisattvas who have reached the Mahayana path of seeing or the Mahayana path of meditation) c) Exalted knower of aspects (the Arya paths, that is, omniscient mental consciousnesses, in the continua of Buddhas) II. -
The Gandavyuha-Sutra : a Study of Wealth, Gender and Power in an Indian Buddhist Narrative
The Gandavyuha-sutra : a Study of Wealth, Gender and Power in an Indian Buddhist Narrative Douglas Edward Osto Thesis for a Doctor of Philosophy Degree School of Oriental and African Studies University of London 2004 1 ProQuest Number: 10673053 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10673053 Published by ProQuest LLC(2017). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 Abstract The Gandavyuha-sutra: a Study of Wealth, Gender and Power in an Indian Buddhist Narrative In this thesis, I examine the roles of wealth, gender and power in the Mahay ana Buddhist scripture known as the Gandavyuha-sutra, using contemporary textual theory, narratology and worldview analysis. I argue that the wealth, gender and power of the spiritual guides (kalyanamitras , literally ‘good friends’) in this narrative reflect the social and political hierarchies and patterns of Buddhist patronage in ancient Indian during the time of its compilation. In order to do this, I divide the study into three parts. In part I, ‘Text and Context’, I first investigate what is currently known about the origins and development of the Gandavyuha, its extant manuscripts, translations and modern scholarship. -
'The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa' by Sarah Harding
HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies Volume 25 Number 1 Himalaya No. 1 & 2 Article 20 2005 Book review of 'The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa' by Sarah Harding Anne Z. Parker Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya Recommended Citation Parker, Anne Z.. 2005. Book review of 'The Life and Revelations of Pema Lingpa' by Sarah Harding. HIMALAYA 25(1). Available at: https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/himalaya/vol25/iss1/20 This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the DigitalCommons@Macalester College at DigitalCommons@Macalester College. It has been accepted for inclusion in HIMALAYA, the Journal of the Association for Nepal and Himalayan Studies by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Macalester College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE LIFE AND REVELATIONS OF PEMA LINGPA SARAH HARDING REVIEWED BY ANNE z. PARKER, P H D. Sarah Harding's The Life and Revelations of Pema human form of dialogues. The characters bring the Lingpa is a significant contribution to Himalayan life and times of Padmasambhava into vivid focus history and Buddhist literature. It adds substantially in the conversations and the details of their lives to the limited English language literature available as members of the royal court. The teachings come on Bhutan. It brings to life two key historical alive through the personalities of these characters figures, one from Bhutan and one from Tibet: Pema as they encounter the great teacher and request Lingpa, a teacher, mystic, and treasure revealer; teachings from him. -
Learn Tibetan & Study Buddhism
fpmt Mandala BLISSFUL RAYS OF THE MANDALA IN THE SERVICE OF OTHERS JULY - SEPTEMBER 2012 TEACHING A GOOD HEART: FPMT REGISTERED TEACHERS THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FOUNDATION FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE MAHAYANA TRADITION Wisdom Publications Delve into the heart of emptiness. INSIGHT INTO EMPTINESS Khensur Jampa Tegchok Edited by Thubten Chodron A former abbot of Sera Monastic University, Khensur Jampa Tegchok here unpacks with great erudi- tion Buddhism’s animating philosophical principle—the emptiness of all appearances. “Khensur Rinpoche Jampa Tegchok is renowned for his keen understanding of philosophy, and of Madhyamaka in particular. Here you will find vital points and reasoning for a clear understanding of emptiness.”—Lama Zopa Rinpoche, author of How to Be Happy 9781614290131 “This is one of the best introductions to the philosophy of emptiness 336 pages | $18.95 I have ever read.”—José Ignacio Cabezón, Dalai Lama Professor and eBook 9781614290223 Chair, Religious Studies Department, UC Santa Barbara Wisdom Essentials JOURNEY TO CERTAINTY The Quintessence of the Dzogchen View: An Exploration of Mipham’s Beacon of Certainty Anyen Rinpoche Translated and edited by Allison Choying Zangmo Approachable yet sophisticated, this book takes the reader on a gently guided tour of one of the most important texts Tibetan Buddhism has to offer. “Anyen Rinpoche flawlessly presents the reader with the unique perspective that belongs to a true scholar-yogi. A must-read for philosophers and practitioners.” —Erik Pema Kunsang, author of Wellsprings of the Great Perfection and 9781614290094 248 pages | $17.95 compiler of Blazing Splendor eBook 9781614290179 ESSENTIAL MIND TRAINING Thupten Jinpa “The clarity and raw power of these thousand-year-old teachings of the great Kadampa masters are astonishingly fresh.”—Buddhadharma “This volume can break new ground in bridging the ancient wisdom of Buddhism with the cutting-edge positive psychology of happiness.” —B. -
The 5Th Karmapa's Prophecies
The 5 th Karmapa’s Prophecies The 5 th Karmapa Dezhin Shegpa (1384-1415) prophesied events that happened hundreds of years after his time; a powerful example being the current Dalai Lama’s fall from power and the subsequent bloodshed that swept through Tibet. When the Chinese communist invasion of Tibet happened in 1959, the Dalai Lama escaped to India. He was forced to leave his people, many of whom died tragically. These are now facts of history. In addition, Karmapa Dezhin Shegpa’s foresight into today’s problems in the Karma Kagyu is particularly relevant in our time. The 5 th Karmapa’s prophecies are recorded in The Biography of the Fifth Karmapa Dezhin Shegpa – a Karma Kagyu classic. The author of the biography is unknown. The original has been missing ever since the communist takeover of Tibet. Only the chapter containing the prophecies is still available today. Owing to its popularity, many copies of the chapter were made. Those copies can be found outside Tibet, in the Himalayas, and elsewhere in the world. The current Gyaltsap Rinpoche commissioned a modern-day printing of this chapter in the traditional Tibetan woodblock format. The new woodblock copy is stored in the woodblock house at Rumtek Monastery. The current Situ Rinpoche and his supporters have seized upon one particular Sanskrit word in the prophecy, “natha”, which they claim means “nephew.” Because the current Shamarpa is the nephew of the 16 th Karmapa, Situ Rinpoche’s supporters have used this word to suggest that Shamarpa is the villain who poses a danger to the Karma Kagyu, as prophesied by the 5 th Karmapa. -
Issues in Indian Philosophy and Its History
4 ISSUESININDIAN PHILOSOPHY AND ITS HISTORY 4.1 DOXOGRAPHY AND CATEGORIZATION Gerdi Gerschheimer Les Six doctrines de spéculation (ṣaṭtarkī) Sur la catégorisation variable des systèmes philosophiques dans lInde classique* ayam eva tarkasyālaņkāro yad apratişţhitatvaņ nāma (Śaģkaraad Brahmasūtra II.1.11, cité par W. Halbfass, India and Europe, p. 280) Les sixaines de darśana During the last centuries, the six-fold group of Vaiśeşika, Nyāya, Sāņkhya, Yoga, Mīmāņ- sā, and Vedānta ( ) hasgained increasing recognition in presentations of Indian philosophy, and this scheme of the systems is generally accepted today.1 Cest en effet cette liste de sys- tèmes philosophiques (darśana) quévoque le plus souvent, pour lindianiste, le terme şađ- darśana. Il est cependant bien connu, également, que le regroupement sous cette étiquette de ces six systèmes brahmaniques orthodoxes est relativement récent, sans doute postérieur au XIIe siècle;2 un survol de la littérature doxographique sanskrite fait apparaître quil nest du reste pas le plus fréquent parmi les configurations censées comprendre lensemble des sys- tèmes.3 La plupart des doxographies incluent en effet des descriptions des trois grands sys- tèmes non brahmaniques, cest-à-dire le matérialisme,4 le bouddhisme et le jaïnisme. Le Yoga en tant que tel et le Vedānta,par contre, sont souvent absents de la liste des systèmes, en particulier avant les XIIIe-XIVe siècles. Il nen reste pas moins que les darśana sont souvent considérés comme étant au nombre de six, quelle quen soit la liste. La prégnance de cette association, qui apparaît dès la première doxographie, le fameux Şađdarśanasamuccaya (Compendium des six systèmes) du jaina Haribhadra (VIIIe s. -
The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts
The Tulku System in Tibetan Buddhism: Its Reliability, Orthodoxy and Social Impacts By Ramin Etesami A thesis submitted to the graduate school in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts at the International Buddhist College, Thailand March, 20 Abstract The Tulku institution is a unique characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism with a central role in this tradition, to the extent that it is present in almost every aspect of Tibet’s culture and tradition. However, despite this central role and the scope and diversity of the socio-religious aspects of the institution, only a few studies have so far been conducted to shed light on it. On the other hand, an aura of sacredness; distorted pictures projected by the media and film industries;political propaganda and misinformation; and tendencies to follow a pattern of cult behavior; have made the Tulku institution a highly controversial topic for research; and consequently, an objective study of the institution based on a critical approach is difficult. The current research is an attempt to comprehensively examine different dimensions of the Tulku tradition with an emphasis on the issue of its orthodoxy with respect to the core doctrines of Buddhism and the social implications of the practice. In this research, extreme caution has been practiced to firstly, avoid any kind of bias rooted in faith and belief; and secondly, to follow a scientific methodology in reviewing evidence and scriptures related to the research topic. Through a comprehensive study of historical accounts, core Buddhist texts and hagiographic literature, this study has found that while the basic Buddhist doctrines allow the possibility for a Buddhist teacher or an advanced practitioner to “return back to accomplish his tasks, the lack of any historical precedence which can be viewed as a typical example of the practice in early Buddhism makes the issue of its orthodoxy equivocal and relative. -
A Guide to Shamatha Meditation
A Guide to Shamatha Meditation by Thrangu Rinpoche Geshe Lharampa Copyright © 1999 by Namo Buddha Publications. This teaching is taken from the much longer The Four Foundations of Buddhist Practice by Thrangu Rinpoche. The teachings are based on Pema Karpo’s Mahamudra Meditation Instructions. This teaching was given in Samye Ling in Scotland in 1980. These inexpensive booklets may be purchased in bulk from Namo Buddha Publications. If it is translated into any other language, we would appreciate it if a copy of the translation. The technical terms have been italicized the first time to alert the reader that they may be found in the Glossary. Dorje Chang Lineage Prayer Great Vajradhara, Tilopa, Naropa Marpa, Milarepa, and lord of the dharma Gampopa The knower of the three times, the omniscient Karmapa The holders of the lineage of the four great and eight lesser schools. The lamas Trikung, Tsalung, Tsalpa, and glorious Drungpa and others To all those who have thoroughly mastered the profound path of mahamudra The Dagpo Kagyu who are unrivalled as protectors of beings I pray to you, the Kagyu gurus, to grant your blessing So that I may follow your tradition and example. The teaching is that detachment is the foot of meditation; Not being possessed by food or wealth. To the meditator who gives up the ties to this life, Grant your blessing so that he ceases to be attached to honor or ownership. The teaching is that devotion is the head of meditation. The lama opens the gate to the treasury of the profound oral teachings, To the meditator who always turns to him, Grant your blessing so that genuine devotion is born in him.