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Tibetan Buddhism HREL 35200 / SALC 39001: Tibetan Buddhism Spring Quarter 2004 Christian K. Wedemeyer T/Th 15:00-16:20 Swift 303A Swift Hall Rm 204 Office Hours: M/T 11–12 [email protected] Course description: This course is designed to serve as an introductory survey of the history, doctrines, institutions, and practices of Buddhism in Tibet from its origins in the mid-first-millennium through the end of the 20th century. Readings will be drawn both from primary sources (in translation) and secondary and tertiary scholarly research. There will be an in-class mid-term exam, and the option of either a take-home final exam or a short (7–9 pp.) paper. PQ: Preferably HREL 35100 or equivalent background in Buddhism. Schedule of Meetings 30 March 2004: Introduction/ Orientation 1 April 2004: Tibetan pre-history and Bon Topics: Earliest records of Tibet Bon and the “pre-Buddhist religion of Tibet” How “Tibetan” is Tibetan Buddhism? Readings: Stein, Tibetan Civilization, pp. 19–44. Karmay, “A General Introduction to the History and Doctrines of Bon” 6 April 2004: the Imperial Period Topics: The Tibetan Imperium The Mythos of the Three Religious Kings Readings: Snellgrove and Richardson, Cultural History of Tibet, pp. 19-32, 49-65 Kapstein, Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism, pp. 51-65 Richardson, A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions, pp. 7-15, 26-31, 72-81 8 April 2004: Old Tibetan Buddhism: “Scholastic” Topics: Śāntarakṣita and the foundation of bSam-yas Imperial support for translation projects Kamalaśīla and the “Great Debate” of bSam-yas Readings: Snellgrove & Richardson, Cultural History of Tibet, pp. 66-80, 89-94 Ruegg, “Tibetan Historiography and Doxography of the ‘Great Debate of bSam yas” History of Buddhism by Bu-ston, pp. 181-201 13 April 2004: Old Tibetan Buddhism: “Shamanic” Topics: The Figure of Padmasambhava: early and late The Old Tantras and the 9 Vehicles Readings: dBa’-bzhed, pp. 1-21 Powers, Tibetan Buddhism, pp. 319-345 15 April 2004: The “Later Diffusion” (phyi-dar) of Tibetan Buddhism Topics: Recovery of the vinaya lineages Atiśa and his impact on Tibetan Buddhism Readings: Hubert Decleer, “Atiśa’s Journey to Tibet” (in RoTiP) History of Buddhism by Bu-ston, pp. 201-224 20 April 2004: Doctrinal Issues in the Later Diffusion Topics: Authenticity of the Old Tantras Consolidation of the “Ancient School” (rNying-ma) Treasure Teachings (gTer-ma) Readings: Karmay, “The Ordinance of Lha bLa-ma Ye-shes-’od” Gyatso, “Drawn from the Tibetan Treasury” Davidson, “gSar ma Apocrypha” 22 April 2004: the Sakya (Sa-skya) School (and the Mongols) Topics: The Khon clan and the founding of Sa-skya Sa-skya Paṇḍita and his critiques Phags-pa and the founding of a Buddhist State Readings: Powers, Intro to Tibetan Buddhism, pp. 377-401. Ruegg, “The Preceptor/Donor (yon mchod) Relation” 27 April 2004: the Kagyü (bKa’-brgyud) Schools (and their Mongols) Topics: Marpa Chos-kyi bLo-gros and Nāropā Gam-po-pa and Milarepa Phag-mo-gru-pa and a New Tibetan Buddhist State Readings: Powers, Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, pp. 346-375 Shakabpa, A Political History of Tibet, pp. 73-90 29 April 2004: Bu-ston and the bKa’-’gyur/bsTan-’gyur Topics: Fixing of a Canon Comprehensive Surveys of Indian Buddhism Readings: Ruegg, Life of Bu-ston Rinpoche (pp. 1–40) 4 May 2004: Dol-po-pa, Tsong-kha-pa, and Tibetan Hermeneutics Topics: Dol-po-pa Shes-rab rGyal-mtshan rJe Rin-po-che bLo-bzang Grags-pa Exoteric and Esoteric Buddhism and interpretation Readings: Stearns, The Buddha from Dolpo, pp. 11-77 Thurman, Life and Teachings of Tsong Khapa, pp. 4-34. 6 May 2004: The Incarnate Lama (sprul-sku) System and the “Crazies” (smyon-pa) Topics: The theory and process of recognizing incarnate lamas Its political, economic, and religious impact Some reactions. Readings: Wylie, Reincarnation: A Political Innovation in Tibetan Buddhism” Lhalungpa, The Life of Milarepa, pp. 153-197. 11 May 2004: In-class mid-term exam 13 May 2004: Dalai Lama III and the “Virtuous Tradition” (dge-lugs) (and yet more Mongols) Topics: Political fortunes of the Dalai Lamas Consolidation of the Geluk Tradition Readings: Shakabpa, Political History of Tibet, pp. 91-99. Powers, Tibetan Buddhism, (Geluk: pp. 402–430) 18 May 2004: Sixteenth/Seventeenth Centuries Topics: Rise of Mass Monasticism Tāranātha/Buddhaguptanātha Readings: Dreyfus, Sound of Two Hands Clapping, pp. 32-53 Goldstein and Tsarong, “Tibetan Buddhist Monasticism” Goldstein, “A Study of the lDab lDob” 20 May 2004: Later 17th Century: The “Great Fifth” Dalai Lama Topics: Maṇi bKa’-’bum and the creation of a national mythos sDe-srid Sangs-rgyas rGya-mtsho and the completion of the Potala Mass monasticism and the Tibetan Buddhist State Readings: Kapstein, The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism, pp. 141-162 Gyatso, “Down with the Demoness” Goldstein, “The Circulation of Estates in Tibet” 25 May 2004: 18th Century Developments Topics: Dalai Lama-s VI–VIII Cang-skya Rol-pa’i rDo-rje and Emperor Ch’ien lung Jigme Lingpa Si-tu Paṇ-chen and xylographic canons Readings: Gyatso, Apparitions of the Self, pp. 124-144 Kapstein, The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism, pp. 121-137 27 May 2004: 19th Century Developments Topics: Dalai Lama-s IX–XII The “Non-aligned” Movement (Ris-med) in Tibetan Buddhism Readings: Smith, “’Jam mgon Kong sprul and the Nonsectarian movement” M. Aris, “India and the British According to a Tibetan Text” 1 June 2004: Early 20th Century developments Topics: Dalai Lama XIII, dGe-’dun Chos-’phel and modernism Pha-bong-kha and the rise of “neo-dGe-lugs” Readings: Huber, “Colonial Archaeology, Intl. Missionary Bism., and 1st Mod. Tib. Lit.” Dreyfus, “The Shugden Affair” 3 June 2004: Contemporary Developments in Tibet and Exile Topics: Dalai Lama XIV, Chinese conquest, the Cultural Revolution, and its aftermath Readings: Goldstein & Kapstein, Buddhism in Contemporary Tibet (Intro and Conclusion) Goldstein, “Revival of Monastic Life in Drepung Monastery” 4 June 2004: Take-home final exam due by 3:00PM in Swift 201 ** OR ** 8 June 2004: Final Paper due by 3:00PM in Swift 201 Bibliography Stein, R. A. Tibetan Civilization. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1972. pp. 19-44. Karmay, Samten. “A General Introduction to the History and Doctrines of Bon,” in Memoirs of the Research Department of the Toyo Bunko, no. 33. Tokyo: The Toyo Bunko, 1975. pp. 172-218. Snellgrove, David, and Hugh Richardson. A Cultural History of Tibet. Boston and London: Shambhala, 1995. pp. 19-32, 49-65; 66-80, 89-94. Richardson, Hugh E. A Corpus of Early Tibetan Inscriptions. n.p.: Royal Asiatic Society, 1985. pp. 7-15, 26-31, 72-81. Kapstein, Matthew T. The Tibetan Assimilation of Buddhism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. pp. 51-65, 141-162, 121-137. Ruegg, David Seyfort. “On the Tibetan Historiography and Doxography of the ‘Great Debate of bSam yas,’” in IHARA Shōren and YAMAGUCHI Zuihō, eds., Tibetan Studies: Proceedings of the 5th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, NARITA, 1989, Volume I, Narita: Naritasan Shinshoji, 1992. pp. 237-244. Obermiller, E, transl., History of Buddhism (chos ḥbyung) by Bu-ston. Heidelberg: O Harassowitz, 1932. pp. 181-201; 201-224. Wangdu, Pasang, and Hildegard Diemberger. dBa’ bzhed: The Royal Narrative Concerning the Bringing of the Buddha’s Doctrine to Tibet. Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 2000. Powers, John. Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism. Ithaca: Snow Lion Publications, 1995. pp. 319-345, 377-401, 346-376, 402-430. Hubert Decleer, “Atiśa’s Journey to Tibet,” in Donald S. Lopez, ed., Religions of Tibet in Practice. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1997. pp. 157-177. Karmay, Samten. “The Ordinance of Lha bLa-ma Ye-shes-’od,” in Samten Karmay, The Arrow and the Spindle: Studies in History, Myths, Rituals and Beliefs in Tibet. Kathmandu: Mandala Book Point, 1998. pp. 3-16. Gyatso, Janet. “Drawn from the Tibetan Treasury: the gTer ma literature,” in José Cabezón and Roger Jackson, eds., Tibetan Literature: Studies in Genre. Ithaca: Snow Lion, 1996. pp. 147-169. Davidson, Ronald. “gSar ma Apocrypha: The Creation of Orthodoxy, Gray Texts, and the New Revelation,” in Helmut Eimer and David Germano, eds., The Many Canons of Tibetan Buddhism (PIATS 2000). Leiden: Brill, 2002. pp. 203-224. Ruegg, “The Preceptor/Donor (yon mchod) Relation in Thirteenth Century Tibetan Society and Polity, its Inner Asian Precursors and Indian Models,” in Krasser, Much, Steinkellner, and Tauscher, eds., Tibetan Studies, vol. II, Wien: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften, 1997. pp. 857-872. Shakabpa, Tsepon W. D. Tibet: A Political History. 1967. New York: Potala Publications, 1984. pp. 73-90, 91-99. Ruegg, David S. The Life of Bu-ston Rinpoche. Roma: Instituto Italiano per il Medio ed Estremo Oriente, 1966. pp. 1-40. Stearns, Cyrus. The Buddha from Dolpo: A Study of the Life and Thought of the Tibetan Master Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen. Albany: SUNY Press, 1999. pp. 11-77. Thurman, Robert A. F., ed. The Life and Teachings of Tsong Khapa. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1982. pp. 4-34. Wylie, Turrell. “Reincarnation: A Political Innovation in Tibetan Buddhism,” in Louis Ligeti, ed., Proceedings of the Csoma de Kőrös Memorial Symposium. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1978. pp. 579-586. Lhalungpa, Lobsang P. The Life of Milarepa. 1977. Boulder & London: Shambhala Publications, 1979. pp. 153-197. Dreyfus, Georges. The Sound of Two Hands Clapping: The Education of a Tibetan Buddhist Monk. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2003. pp. 32-53. Goldstein, Melvyn, and Paljor Tsarong. “Tibetan Buddhist Monasticism: social, psychological, and cultural implications. The Tibet Journal, X.1 (1985), pp. 14-31. Goldstein, Melvyn. “A Study of the ldab ldob,” Central Asiatic Journal, vol. IX (1964), pp. 123-141. Gyatso, Janet. “Down with the Demoness: Reflections on a Feminine Ground in Tibet,” Tibet Journal, vol.
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