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· H LEKHA 史 · 丹 心 佛 NEWSLETTER • ISSUE 5 • 2016 何 中 氏佛學研究

The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Center for at Stanford University

IN THIS ISSUE:

3 CO-DIRECTOR MESSAGE

4 HIGHLIGHTS

SPECIAL EVENT: , Spirit Rock Center

BUDDHISM IN THE MODERN WORLD LECTURES: His Holiness Chamgon Kenting ,

TT & WF CHAO DISTINGUISHED BUDDHIST PRACTITIONER LECTURES: Venerable Viradhammo, Tisarana Buddhist , Canada

THE EVANS-WENTZ LECTURE: Bernard Faure, Columbia University

TT & WF CHAO SERIES: Wei-Cheng Lin, University of Chicago Jinah Kim, Harvard University

SHINNYO-EN VISITING PROFESSOR SEMINAR AND LECTURE: Paul Groner, Professor Emeritus at University of Virginia

HWEI TAI SEMINAR: Richard Salomon, University of Washington

Lekha is a word for letter LECTURES: or writing Erica C.D. Hunter, SOAS, United Kingdom

Editor and Writer: JAPANESE LECTURES: Irene Lin Max Moerman, Barnard College

Designer: TIBETAN STUDIES INITIATIVE: Tatiana Deogirikar Donald Lopez Jr., University of Michigan

Contributors: GRADUATE STUDENTS WORKSHOP: Yi Ding Ronald Davidson, Fairfield University John Kieschnick Paul Copp, University of Chicago Sangyop Lee Jason Neelis, Wilfrid Laurier University, Canada Adeana McNicholl Jason Protass Grace Ramswick 16 STUDENT REFLECTIONS Dan Tuzzeo Adeana McNicholl Sangyop Lee Cover image: photographer: Jason Neelis HCBSS NEWS Encounter between the previous Buddha 18 Dīpaṅkara and Sumati// Michaela Mross Megha, who is predicted to be reborn Alex Kaloyanides as Śākyamuni, as depicted on the Sikri Dr. C. Julia Huang stūpa. Lahore Museum, 13” x 13 ¾” CO-DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

The big news for the Center is that Michaela Mross will join our faculty in September, marking the return of Japanese Buddhism as a major concentration of our program. Michaela comes to us having just completed a postdoc at Berkeley (she received her PhD at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University in Munich and also studied in the doctoral program at Komazawa for five years). Most of her work, combining a mixture of classical textual studies with fieldwork, has been on Japanese Buddhist ritual, with a focus on music. In particular, she has worked on the genre of Buddhist (shōmyō 声明) known as kōshiki 講式, particularly as performed by Sōtō monks. In the next academic year she will revive Carl Bielefeldt’s popular introduction to course as well as a new course on religion in anime and manga. Michaela comes in the nick of time since, from September, Paul will take a John Kieschnick well-deserved sabbatical year. Studies at Stanford to be held more than a year from now during In other news, Alexandra Kaloyanides, now in the second year of the fall term of 2017–18. her two-year postdoc at the Center, will offer a much-anticipated graduate seminar on anthropology and Buddhism, and attempt This year’s recipient of the “Best Undergraduate Paper on to complete work on her book on the American missionary Buddhism” award went to Jackson Roach for a project he encounter with Burmese Buddhism before leaving for her job in completed as a student in Jason Protass’ course “Buddhism and the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Death.” In addition to providing a survey of Buddhist board Carolina about this time next year. We will be joined this year by games, Jackson designed a working copy in wood of a Buddhist Jens-Uwe Hartmann from the University of Munich who, as this game of his own, with one player taking the role of and year’s Shinnyo-en Visiting Professor, will offer a graduate seminar another the role of a , incorporating principles of and participate in Center activities in the winter quarter. Buddhist doctrine, described with scholarly citations in the paper.

Last year, in addition to a full program of speakers and seminars Finally, congratulations are due to two of our PhD students, Jason in our regular event series, we hosted the California Buddhist Protass and Brenda Falk, who received their PhD degrees this Studies Graduate Students Conference, a two-day biannual year, successfully defending their dissertations, Jason’s entitled conference involving faculty and graduate students from UC “Buddhist Monks and Chinese Poems: Song Dynasty Monastic Berkeley, UC Santa Barbara, UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, UC Literary Culture,” and Brenda’s “The Road to Osorezan: A Case Riverside, USC, and Santa Clara University. In September of Study of a Pilgrimage Site in Contemporary Japan.” this year – again in addition to our regular programs – we will host a symposium for the 2015–16 recipients of the dissertation fellowships offered by the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Program in Buddhist Studies in conjunction with the American Council of Learned Societies. As we make final arrangements for our regular program of events for the coming academic John Kieschnick year, preparations are already underway for a celebration of the The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Professor, twentieth anniversary of the founding of the center for Buddhist Religious Studies

3 SPECIAL EVENT Inner Strength & Kindness: Practices for a Wise Life Jack Kornfield HIGHLIGHTS On November 10, Jack Kornfield intellectual curriculum with that gave a talk in the campus-wide of the wisdom of the heart and lecture series “Contemplation inner intelligence in order to by Design.” Kornfield said wise change ourselves and the world education includes the heart for the better. as well as the mind. What does it mean to apply Dr. Kornfield said that and compassion in your work neuroscientific studies confirm and daily life? Greet every that the power of training in aspect of life, including hatred mindfulness and compassion and death, with graciousness can foster health and wellbeing. and compassion. Training in We can all learn to do this. The mindfulness and compassion human capacity for flexibility and entails embodying flexibility, resiliency can be trained through Jack Kornfield (right), integrity, mutual respect and contemplative arts and skills. This Jane Shaw (left) mutual understanding. capacity is innate in people, but we need training or practice to No amount of modern bring it out. He spoke of different technology can stop warfare, ways of training in and practicing racism, environmental mindfulness and compassion destruction and tribalism. throughout the evening and What is required is the inner illustrated them with captivating development of the heart. and amusing stories. We all should supplement our

by Jason Protass

I always felt a sense of belonging with Stanford Buddhist Studies’ large family of alumni. Yet somehow I had not expected that I too would one day become an alumnus. This spring I graduated from Stanford, and this autumn I will take up a position as Assistant Professor of Religious Studies at Brown University.

At the end of my graduate studies here at Stanford, I want to thank the many people and institutions that supported my work. With the assistance of the Ho Center for Buddhist Studies, I was able to present research at conferences, travel to archives, and collaborate with visiting scholars. During my years at Stanford, I have been humbled and thrilled to study together with our professors, and was lucky to live and work alongside a wonderful cohort of young scholars.

I look forward to new challenges and opportunities for developing Buddhist Studies at Brown, and will continue to nurture the karmic connections with Buddhist Studies at Stanford. John Kieschnick (left), Jason Protass (right)

4 BUDDHISM IN THE MODERN WORLD LECTURE Truth in a Multi-Religious World His Holiness Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa

Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa (left), Tai Situpa and Jane Shaw (center), Audience at the event, Stanford’s Memorial Church

On May 9, His Holiness the 12th By being mindful and aware of jealousy, Next His Holiness turned to the topic of Chamgon Kenting Tai Situpa gave a it will dissolve. Jealousy can then become knowledge. He asked, “What is the source lecture on the topic of “Truth in a Multi- appreciation. For example, if someone is of the problems facing us?” It is our mind. Religious World” at Stanford’s Memorial successful, we should realize how petty He said that we are full of knowledge Church. About 1,300 people, young and and appalling feelings of jealousy are. which is good, but if we don’t transform old, packed the church in order to hear him. What happens after this realization is our knowledge, it cannot become wisdom. the thought, “Of course, why not? We It is analogous to eating a lot of food. If we Speaking from the pulpit, the Tai Situpa want to be happy. So does everyone else. can digest food, we become healthy, but if began his address by emphasizing that That person is happy because he or she is we cannot, then we become obese. In the truth is relevant to every living creature successful. We are happy for that person.” current century, we know too much. If we and the common interest of all is “Nobody If we can practice this, we will come to the are not able to transform this knowledge likes to suffer; everyone wants to be happy.” realization that no one wants to suffer and into wisdom, we become knowledge-obese. That is the truth in a nutshell, according we will see what suffering is. We will have Knowledge then is just information, which to him. Having said that, His Holiness a taste of suffering in ourselves and in this will become a burden, i.e. information elaborated on the distinction between way it will give rise to sympathy and respect overload, rather than a benefit. If we do relative truth and ultimate truth. Relative for other living beings’ sufferings. Thus we not turn knowledge into wisdom, we may truth varies from individual to individual will sincerely wish no one to suffer. become proud of our knowledge and use but the ultimate truth is the same for all. it against those who do not possess such Whereas goodness is ultimate, evil is not. When someone else suffers, we should say knowledge. If our knowledge is turned into It is the good that transforms evil into or ask, “Why not me?” His Holiness asked wisdom, then everyone will benefit. good. the audience to repeat after him and to practice saying, “Why not me?” Then he The Tai Situpa concluded by saying that His Holiness continued by asking “What is continued to say that when someone else he had attempted give a simple talk on most evil?” According to him, it is jealousy, does well, instead of being jealous and a very complicated topic. His message not anger as one might guess. Much thinking “Why not me?”, we should ask, may appear simple at first glance, but if suffering comes from jealousy in its many “Why not them?” The Tai Situpa asked the we take his words to heart and begin to different forms. The desires that make one audience to repeat after him and practice practice as he says, that is, to truly rejoice suffer come from jealousy. When we suffer saying, “Why not them?” Once we can say at the happiness and well-being of others, we tend to think “Why me?” When we see this phrase and get accustomed to doing to suffer so others won’t have to, and to people we know happy and doing well, we so, then the next step is to actually mean it turn knowledge into wisdom for everyone’s usually ask, “Why not me?” He elaborated when we say it. This way, we will rejoice in benefit, his teachings run very deep on how to deal with that feeling of the wellbeing of others. indeed. His address was accessible, witty, jealousy. If we notice that we feel jealous, inspirational, and much appreciated by all we should relax and examine our feeling. who attended.

5 TT & WF CHAO DISTINGUISHED BUDDHIST PRACTITIONER LECTURE Reflections on a Monastic Life Venerable Ajahn Viradhammo

In November, Venerable Ajahn Ven. Ajahn Viradhammo asked himself Viradhammo, the abbot of the Tisarana why he suffered. It was because he Buddhist Monastery in Canada, gave a was attached to comfort. He wanted fascinating talk on his journey to become things to be other than they were, so a Buddhist monk and his subsequent he suffered. This constant reflection monastic life. Motivated by trying to became a practice for him. He started to understand what his childhood experiences develop the spiritual character to be with of deep silence were about and his longing the way things were, to be content with for such experiences on a regular basis, the way things were as he found them. Ven. Ajahn Viradhammo embarked on his He realized that the solution, or what search. called “the escape hatch,” was awareness or consciousness of the After traveling to India, his mind came craving, i.e. the desire to have something into the same state of deep silence he beside what he had. Such a consciousness experienced as a child and he came to became a purification or “emotional Venerable Ajahn Viradhammo understand what the experience was enema.” It provided the freedom to watch about and what his longing was for. He suffering and the end of suffering. He discovered that Buddhism, and began to appreciate the methodology of It is no surprise then that just as Ven. in particular, Buddhist , in monasticism and the teaching of the four Viradhammo had got used to the London his case that of the , noble truths. lifestyle, he was sent to New Zealand to was what would provide the path to the work with an immigrant community from awareness and the awakening of the Just when he was getting used to Thailand, Asia. Again he experienced new challenges, mind that he sought. The strength of his Ven. Ajahn Chah sent him to London. but with the right consciousness, he was conviction and faith led him to enter the Now in a new environment, he experienced able to overcome them. When news that his in Thailand under the tutelage of new sufferings due to his attachment to elderly mother needed his help, he didn’t Venerable Ajahn Chah. However, he faced Thailand and his way of life there. He hesitate to move back to Ottawa, where many challenges in Thailand during his encountered the new challenges of traffic he looked after his mother for nine years stay there, starting with the cultural and noise and the urban environment. Now before she passed away. He was able to language barriers, the new and austere under the guidance of , he use the experience of caring for his elderly environment of the forest tradition, and saw the nature of his suffering in London mother and her subsequent death as a the physical discomfort resulting from the and his cravings for a peaceful and quiet life means of transcending attachment and hot weather, sleeping arrangements and back in the forest hermitages of Thailand. craving. food. Facing these challenges he came to He experienced the new suffering and saw understand the mind – what suffering is, the cause of the new suffering. Even with Those present were not only moved by the cause of suffering and the path to the his insight into the cause of his suffering, Ajahn Viradhammo’s deeply personal cessation of suffering. due to power of habit and karma, Ven. account but also clearly captivated by Ajahn Viradhammo said he needed his narrative style and skill. With a great He realized that he was attached to the constant reminders of the mind and its sense of humor and ability to engage, he sense realm, and that his mind needed attachment to cravings. He learned that the has definitely overcome the fear of public certain conditions to be happy and lifestyle of the Sangha provided a means of speaking and anxiety about teaching that peaceful. Since he still had cravings for transcendence by developing compassion, he described himself as once having had. comfort, there was nowhere to go except patience, and service. He discovered that His talk tonight was warmly received by an to his own mind. Being with Venerable the monastic lifestyle was not the goal in appreciative audience. Ajahn Chah helped him achieve a sense of itself but a means to the ultimate goal of emptiness and to experience the four noble transcendence. truths in his daily life.

6 THE EVANS-WENTZ LECTURE Giving the gods their due: Looking back at Japanese religion Bernard Faure

Faure began his talk by pointing out that the study of Asian religion have thus far neglected one of its key themes, namely the role of gods and even more so the demons in Buddhism. The reasons for this trend are manifold: the lingering Durkheimian notion that religion is not primarily about gods, the belief that Buddhism is a religion without gods in spite of evidence to the contrary, and in Japan, the after the

Meiji Restoration that Buddhism and Professor Bernard Faure (left), Shinto are the two main religions, with Hōshi-wajō standing wooden statue, 11th buddhas and in the realm century, Japan (right) of Buddhism and gods or kami in the ignorance. Originally kojin is a demon of He appears as a peaceful Buddha to the province of Shinto became widespread. obstacles, following people all the time like virtuous and as a wrathful deity to the evil. Faure said that these concepts are at best a shadow following the body. When kojin Over time, the placenta deity became a simplistic and at worst misleading. Rather, turned into a Buddhist protector, the deity duplicate of the child and became a double he emphasizes the fact that Buddhism is came to signify the non-duality or identity himself. His ambivalence was displayed replete with gods and demons and the of ignorance and ultimate reality, becoming iconographically as it came to be linked spectrum of Japanese religion includes the emblem of awakening. He not only with twin spirits or kushojin born at the much more than the monolithic teachings controls the destiny of all beings but is the same time. These invisible spirits function of Buddhism and Shinto. primordial Buddha, anterior to all time, as silent witnesses of our acts and are closer and is the fundamentally existing Tathagata to ourselves than we ourselves are. They He made his point by examining a or Buddha, and as such the Tathagata kojin are not always benevolent but can harm range of deities that do not fall into the or nyorai kojin. us through their eagerness to report our neat categories of Buddhist or Shinto. misdeeds, and can also incite us to perform He argued that far from being moot Kojin is represented in Japanese religion in evil deeds. They become identified with deities, these deities have always been at three forms: as Sanbo kojin in its demonic the storehouse consciousness that keeps the the living heart of Japanese religion. In form, as Tathagata kojin or nyorai kojin as imprint of all of our past acts. Japanese religion, the official pantheon a primordial Buddha, and as Kojima kojin, is made up of buddhas and bodhisattvas a variant form of the placenta kojin. The Faure concluded that the twin figure of whereas the latent pantheon is made up placenta kojin or Kojima kojin mediates kojin and kushojin allow us to re-evaluate of kojin or raging, wild deities, similar between the two other forms. He is the polytheistic nature of Japanese to the wrathful deities of . Their located in the cross world between esoteric deities before they became polarized character ambivalence and resistance Buddhism and local religion in the form of into Buddhism and Shinto. As medieval to characterization make them Janus- the cult of placenta. gods found their way into Edo society, faced gods or demons whose nature often they fell into their place of Buddha encompasses both good and evil. The term In pre-modern Japan, the placenta is and kami and they both lose their kojin kojin designates a specific god and a host perceived as spiritual and divine and is characteristics, and became reformed with of elemental spirits or deities. These two seen as a double of the child. Furthermore benign characteristics. He argues that designations, one a Buddhist kojin and it is also seen as a deity and is believed to modern Japanese forget that the popular second an ethnographic kojin, represent protect the child in the womb, after birth, Bodhisattva Jizo is a mask of the placenta both sides of the same coin. and even after death, from one to deity once called kojin. The makeover of the next until final deliverance. The initial the wild, ambivalent deity into a friendly, The Buddhist kojin initially symbolized ambivalence toward the placenta became benign deity in the modern era seems the of greed, hatred and the moral ambivalence of the god kojin. complete and his past forgotten. 7 TT & WF CHAO BUDDHIST ART SERIES The Death of Buddhist Icons and Their Changing Ontology in 10th and 12th Century Wei-Cheng Lin

do not die completely, but enter into an It is the incompleteness or the ontological shift when they are buried and imperfectness of these objects that defines become relics thereafter. relics. The bodily icons are commensurate to the canonical category of bodily and Lin referred to relics as remnants that relics. The incompleteness or remain after the body decays in early brokenness is the way that the promised Buddhism. They are not signs of death but transformation will be completed. As bodily represent transformation of sacrality. When relics could be perceived as the true body the Buddha dies, he has to be cremated and partial scriptures stand for the totality in order for followers to obtain relics. The of teachings, these broken bodies could housing of bodily relics in celebrates suggest the greater material presence of the the breaking of the body as a sign of divine in its bodily form. The incomplete . Both cremation and enshrinement form promises that sacred transformation Professor Wei-Cheng Lin are required for attaining relics. Lin could be achieved. argued that the deliberate breaking or the Wei-Cheng Lin gave a thought-provoking brokenness of icons enacts the moment of Putting the broken bodies into the crypt talk on the practice of burying broken the Buddha’s death. It recalls the breaking enhances the sacred center or the power of statues in China during the 10th through of the Buddha’s body to obtain relics. the . Concealing the broken icons 12 centuries. He asked why these statues Thus broken icons are tied to the notion inside empowers the icons. The breaking were broken only to be carefully arranged of broken body relics to be enshrined of the icon does not signify death, but and then buried inside pagoda crypts. He in pagoda crypts. The process is similar rather only prompts an ontological shift of said that the place of their internment may to tomb burial, illustrating the shifting the icon. The pagoda crypt is a necessary provide us with clues. ontology of breaking icons to resurrect or disembodied space where broken bodily to make them come alive again. The crypt relics enter a process of changing ontology, An icon stands for presence of the divine in the pagoda provides the framework for from living icon into sacred objects or relics it refers to and is considered to be “alive.” the transformation to take place as the after death. Thus when icons are broken, they become broken icons are buried with other relics, dead. But Lin argues that incomplete icons e.g. bodily relics, dharma relics such as scriptures, and ritual objects.

Mind pictures and manuscript paintings: Examples from twelfth century Jinah Kim Kim showed how the pictorial and this is a deliberate placement of the images manuscriptological strategies we find in because when we flip the page as we would painted palm-leaf manuscripts relate read them, the two images will come to tantric vision practices and how together as they are meant to be in union, they opened up a unique way to share uniting the prajnā and upāya (or karuṇā) of visual knowledge. She emphasized the the couple. uniqueness of palm-leaf manuscripts as a medium for paintings. These painted Kim argued that manuscripts provide manuscripts are distinct from paintings the perfect canvas for containing and and murals for pictorial representations. circulating diverse visions and experiences. She sees the painted manuscript as the They contribute to shaping and sharing kinetic experience of a three-dimensional vast visual knowledge accumulated by . For example, in flipping through the esoteric masters. Thus painted palm- these manuscripts, we can see an image leaf manuscripts represent a kinetic Professor Jinah Kim right-side up and then on the opposite compilations of visions in portable versions, page, an image placed upside down to the making multiple parts of objects circulable running direction of the text. She said that among a limited small group. 8 SHINNYO-EN VISITING PROFESSOR SEMINAR AND LECTURE What Did It Mean to Be Ordained as a Monk in Medieval Japan? by Yi Ding

Paul Groner, Professor Emeritus at Ordained as a Tendai Monk in Medieval University of Virginia, became the Japan?” he first flashed forward and 2015–2016 Shinnyo-en Visiting Professor at walked the audience through some of the Stanford and in his stay taught a graduate contemporary Tendai rituals, from where seminar during the Spring Quarter. In this the question about the historical formation seminar focused on precept-related topics, of Tendai monastic discipline emerged. Groner masterfully steered the graduate Groner then introduced Saichō’s polemic students through a vast array of texts position on the and the way his composed originally in India, China and proposals stayed open to different ways Japan. The in-depth reading of doctrinal of interpretation in medieval Japan. He discussions about vinaya, precepts, and then demonstrated the importance of the temple rules generated warm discussions Brahma-Net for Tendai ordination in class and contributed to a much deeper and how the Tendai ordination ritual understanding of Japanese monasticism on worked in medieval Japan. He explained the students’ part. the many exegetic devices that Annen, Ninkū, and other Tendai writers managed Professor Paul Groner At the end of his academic sojourn, Groner to come up with. As Tendai masters delivered the Shinnyo-en Visiting Professor grappled with the discrepancy between with this body. He concluded the lecture Lecture on Tendai medieval monasticism, vinaya and , various by pointing out the several remaining attended by Shinnyo-en Foundation Board, temple rules also came into existence. He difficulties in the study of medieval Shinnyo-en Temple members and staff then explained the Tendai-esoteric syncretic monastic exegesis and practice. along with the rest of the audience. In this view of ordination that involves the idea lecture titled “What Did It Mean to Be that one can realize the

HWEI TAI SEMINAR Exploring new discoveries of Buddhist literature in Gāndhārī Richard Salomon During the weekend of October 10-11, Richard Salomon from the University of Washington led the annual Hwei Tai Seminar. He focused on the study of two recently discovered Gāndhārī manuscripts: (1) the unpublished *Bahubuddhaka-sūtra scroll in the collection of the Library of Congress and (2) the fragment of the Prajñāpāramitā recently published by H. Falk and S. Karashima. He looked at the relationships of these texts with their various parallels in Sanskrit, Chinese, and Tibetan within the broader context of the significance of the rediscovery of Gandhāran Buddhist literature.

Professor Richard Salomon leading the Hwei Tai Seminar 9 SILK ROAD LECTURES Syriac and Sogdian at Turfan: Questions of Audience and Transmission by Yi Ding

Professor Erica C.D. Hunter (left), Syriac script (right)

Dr. Erica C.D. Hunter, Head of and the other on Syriac fragments, have of the East. The Ḥudra documents, such Department and Senior Lecturer in been produced, which give a general idea as MIK III 45, shed critical light on the Eastern Christianity in the Department for about the content. A catalogue of the evolution of the East Syrian . Some the Study of Religions at SOAS, presented Uighur materials compiled by Peter Zieme of the materials excavated from Turfan a captivating lecture on the manuscripts is also scheduled to be published. were probably brought from Samarkand or found at the monastery site of Bulayïq on even Mesopotamia to . There the outskirts of Turfan, which comprise There is no colophon that has survived is a paucity of hagiographies in comparison about 500 fragments in Syriac or Sogdian. in the collection. Still, the fragments with the , nonetheless, they narrate can be placed between the 9th and 13th stories about saints and martyrdom that The German Expedition conducted four centuries and collectively disclose to us the show traces of a local cult of the saints. campaigns at Turfan between 1902 and liturgy and life of the Christian followers Some personal amulets in Syriac have been 1914 and brought back to Europe almost in Turfan. Syriac was akin to Latin in the found, which were probably written by the 40,000 fragments in 22 languages. Most medieval period as a church language. monks and used by the . There are also of them are concerned with Buddhism, The monks at the monastery probably several interesting pharmaceutical recipes with a relatively small amount of Christian were not Syriac speakers, instead, they extant. The fragment sir HT 99 verso materials. There are about a thousand used Sogdian as a vernacular language. contains an image of a decorated cross, fragments written in Syriac script, covering Around the 9th century, Uighur began which perhaps points to the influence of a three major languages, Syriac, Sogdian, to eclipse Sogdian as the primary spoken particular Christian tradition. and old Uighur. Bulayïq was only one of language, with various genres written in various sites visited by the expedition, but this language, such as prayer books, stories, After the talk, Dr. Hunter also answered it was the site of the major discoveries and hagiography and economic documents. several questions about the production and is still waiting to be excavated. There are There is even a unique psalter written in transmission of the manuscripts and the also 97 fragments held at the Institute of Pahlavi with interesting paleographical reading of several specific documents. Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy features. The majority of the liturgical of Sciences in St. Petersburg. Now two material comes from the Ḥudra (“cycle”), a catalogues, one on the Sogdian fragments principal liturgical text used in the Church

10 JAPANESE BUDDHISM LECTURES Cartography, Cosmology, and the Epistemology of Vision by Daniel Tuzzeo

Professor Max Moerman (right), Six-panel screen of “Arrival of Southern Barbarians”, Tōshōdai-ji Nara (left)

The 2015–2016 Ho Center for Buddhist Professor Moerman argued that the a Sumeru-centered universe blended Studies lecture series began with an centrality of Indian cosmological systems conventional cartographic methods with an exciting and well attended talk by Stanford in Japan was not a secondary or marginal ancient yet thriving religious imagination. Department of Religious Studies alum, concern with which Buddhists could easily Stating, “that which cannot be seen Professor D. Max Moerman. Coinciding dispense. Rather, traditional Buddhist must be shown,” Professor Moerman with his keynote address at the annual cosmologies formed the “bedrock” of addressed the crisis of representation Stanford Graduate Student Conference, . To this end, Buddhist facing Japanese Buddhists, to which some Professor Moerman returned to Stanford to seminaries in Japan developed departments were eager to respond. Monks such as discuss contesting cosmological paradigms devoted to the study of Buddhist Hōtan and Zontō produced commercial in eighteenth- and nineteenth- century cosmology, and Japanese Buddhists not maps promoting a blended empirical and Japan. only defended the superiority of the imagined cartography which were popular Buddhist understanding of the cosmos, enough to be reprinted and even pirated. With the encroachment of Western powers but also denounced and criticized what Among these images was included Hōtan’s and accompanying technologies, Japanese they perceived as the falsehood of Western map dated to 1710 – the first Japanese Buddhists were suddenly faced with a astronomy. world map – which comes from the David challenge to the very foundation of their Rumsey Collection that was incorporated religious ontological framework and, quite Perhaps most intriguing were images into Stanford’s map collection this year. literally, their worldview. This confrontation Professor Moerman used to demonstrate resulted in Buddhists defending the the significance of longstanding foundation of a Sumeru- in Japan and the desire to materialize structured universe in the face of Western the unseen. Two-dimensional maps and science and technology. three-dimensional globes representing

11 TIBETAN STUDIES INITIATIVE The Case Against : Ippolito Desideri’s Refutation of Reincarnation Donald Lopez

Drawing on his current collaboration with and not hesitating to draw on Buddhist eminent Tibetan translator Thubten Jinpa sources to bolster his arguments against to produce a new English rendition of a Buddhism, Desideri took particular aim at treatise left behind by Jesuit missionary the institution of the (sprul sku), and Ippolito Desideri (1684–1733), Don the beliefs and practices which clustered Lopez introduced Desideri’s attempt to around the identification of incarnate disprove Buddhism and establish the . While not denying the charisma of truth of Christianity. Arriving in tulkus, or the veracity of their supposed in 1716, Desideri set about acquiring a memories of objects which they had owned detailed knowledge of , or used in their previous life, Desideri studying for several years at the great ascribed these to demonic intervention Gelugpa monastery of Sera. When he was (deeming them the work of the Devil), eventually forced to leave Tibet, displaced and calling attention to the problem by Capuchin missionaries at the behest of posed by tulkus’ remembering their the Pope, Desideri took with him a lengthy former possessions (tea-cups and such) but work, written in Tibetan, in which he set forgetting entirely the religious education out to attack the doctrines of rebirth and they had received. If rebirth was a fact, emptiness, which he regarded as the twin he also argued, why was it not known to foundations upon which the whole edifice occur anywhere in the world outside Tibet? Professor Donald Lopez Jr. of Tibetan Buddhism rested. This treatise In this last argument Desideri’s claim remained unfinished, lacking the planned was, as we now know, factually incorrect. themselves, nor on emerging Western refutation of emptiness, but the section Nevertheless, his unfinished treatise, after understandings of Buddhism at that time. on rebirth offers a fascinating window sitting forgotten and neglected in an archive on Desideri’s training in Tibet and his in Rome for centuries, is at last giving us encounter with Buddhism in that country. a fascinating and poignant view of one European’s encounter with Buddhism Using a style of argumentation heavily in the 18th century, an encounter which indebted to Tibetan monastic models, seems to have had no effect on the Tibetans

WINNER OF THE PRIZE FOR THE BEST UNDERGRADUATE PAPER ON BUDDHISM FOR THE 2015—16 ACADEMIC YEAR

Emergent Dharma: Buddhist Board Games, Past and Present Jackson Roach, Senior, class of 2017, Comparative Literature

Board games have a rich history within various Buddhist traditions, as pedagogical tools and as means of religious practice. Jackson Roach’s paper provides a brief survey of Buddhist board games and their designers. In addition, it describes a new game designed by the author, which attempts to illuminate Buddhist principles via interaction design and emergent gameplay.

12 CALIFORNIA BUDDHIST STUDIES GRADUATE STUDENTS CONFERENCE (CBSGSC)

APRIL 23–24, 2016 Stanford University

Group photo of CBSGSC ’16 attendees from University of California, Berkeley, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Riverside, the University of Southern California, Santa Clara University and Stanford University. #CBSGSC16

GRADUATE STUDENTS WORKSHOP Why are there in Buddhism? by Yi Ding

Ronald Davidson, Professor of Religious use of mantras except those of protection Studies at Fairfield University, gave or healing. It seems that Buddhists at a a stimulating talk on the origin and certain point saw mantras as problematic development of mantras in Buddhism, titled and potentially at variance with Buddhist “Why are there Mantras in Buddhism?” He monasticism. Thus it is not surprising that first pointed out the prevalence of mantras the earliest surviving Buddhist , in both and Tantric traditions a Kharoṣṭhī fragment in the Bajaur throughout history and across Buddhist collection, focuses on protection against Asia, and contrasted it with the lack of poison. However, in the Gupta period, commensurate scholarly treatment for this the ritual use of mantra-dhāraṇī rose to important aspect of Buddhism. He then prominence. As mantras were deemed the explained how mantras were constructed currency of rituals, only the low castes and modified in the Vedic tradition, and performed rituals without mantras in India. surveyed the practice of mantra-chanting As Brahmanic domestic rites evolved, lay in the ritual life of a Brahman. For dharma-preachers started to enlarge the example, if there is no mantra for a deity repertoire of Buddhist rituals, more often for a specific occasion, there are prescribed than not laced with the use of various kinds ways to construct a proper mantra. These of mantras. In this way, mantras gradually Professor Ronald Davidson patterns of construction later became became associated with the cultivation of a absorbed into Buddhism. He then moved lay clientele and Mahayana mantras were on to the Sarvāstivāda vinaya translated into produced in a ritual-centered context in Chinese, where the Buddha forbids the India. 13 Manuscript Culture and the Ritualist’s Craft at Dunhuang by Daniel Tuzzeo

Professor Paul Copp (left), Ritual Manual from Dunhuang, China (right)

Professor Paul Copp introduced the elsewhere, Professor Copp instead focused Finally, Professor Copp argued that the audience to a ritual manual from on the manual in question itself, inquiring Dunhuang materials shed light on an Dunhuang in the form of three about the manuscripts’ and booklet’s role otherwise lost Buddhist culture, suggesting handwritten scrolls and one printed booklet in a wider matrix of liturgical practices that these Chinese liturgies were not from the ninth to tenth centuries. This and the conventions of ritual practice and followed strictly and transmitted. While manual focused on the construction of “liturgical composition” at Dunhuang, these liturgies follow a conventional talismanic seals and was intended for use Central Asia, and China. structure, Professor Copp argued that they in chanting primarily Buddhist scriptures were likely not associated with eminent and spells. Although these materials Professor Copp demonstrated that these priests and lineages. These new ritual were discovered at the Mogao Grottoes materials allow us to see how rites for the frames and programs were likely created in Dunhuang, like many other materials chanting texts were composed, providing a at Dunhuang, which allowed new forms of from Dunhuang they are held today at the window into the ritualist’s craft. Whereas “worship, healing, protection, and spiritual Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris. the xylograph is essentially a finished transformation,” and were compiled in In these materials one finds various ritual product, the manuscripts shed light on order to make popular spells and scriptures programs, including an anthology of ritual the workings of the ritualist and his more widely available. As we know, sets, while still others appear to represent composition, including how he remade and and as many materials from Dunhuang unfinished ritual texts with only titles and repackaged liturgical forms and language. and Central Asia continue to reinforce, headings present. The ritual programs in This apparent process of repackaging Buddhist and indeed ritual cultures are not these materials appear to be improvised was significant, as Professor Copp argued monolithic. With further investigation of in and allow for further improvisation. Thus that these materials demonstrate the situ materials from sites such as Dunhuang, Professor Copp argued that ritual forms ritualist engaging in a creative process, we can not only better understand specific in these Dunhuang materials, and by borrowing, appropriating, adapting, and forms of Buddhism – whether it be the extension in other ritual contexts in China refashioning existing ritual and liturgical recitation of esoteric spells or the chanting and Central Asia, were utilized through modes and language into new ritual frames of popular scriptures – but we also continue “modular improvisation.” and forms. Again, this was likely not to develop a wider awareness of the many unique to Dunhuang ritual practices, and variant local forms of Buddhism and lived In his HCBSS talk, rather than discussing here Professor Copp recalled Zongmi’s religious practice. the nature and symbolism of seals in reworking of ’s ritual compositions. , which he addresses

14 Moving Narratives – Transmission of Avadānas and Jātakas in Gandharan Texts and Images by Grace Ramswick

Professor Jason Neelis (right), Image: From Wladimir Zwalf, A Catalogue of Gandhāra Sculpture in the British Museum (London: British Museum Press, 1996): cat. no. 136, p. 141–142 (left)

In April, Professor Neelis visited us to narratives were – as far as we can tell – stories is similar to that documented by present his latest research on Buddhist especially prominent in, if not unique and , insofar as specific narratives in Gandhāra. The specific types to, Gandhāran visual culture. He also Gandhāran cities, Gandhāra as a whole, or of narratives around which this project supplemented this survey of sculpture nearby Kashmir are named as the settings centers are known - depending on the by referencing the travel records of for several of the tales. It differs, however, content, medium, or geographic source – Chinese pilgrims such as Faxian (5th in another important respect: these are as jātakas, pūrvayogas or avadānas, and c.) and Xuanzang (7th c.), in which not existing narratives of Śākyamuni’s most often give accounts of past lives of several of the fifteen different stories past deeds that have been transferred to Śākyamuni Buddha or other prominent represented on reliefs from this region are different locales. Instead, they are tales disciples. In his talk, he guided us through mentioned. In these records, the pilgrims featuring seemingly (and sometimes two main bodies of material dating from note traditions they encountered that verifiably) historical figures with Iranian roughly the 1st to the 3rd centuries CE: linked particular Gandhāran locales with or Indo-Iranian proper names, titles such stone reliefs dispersed in various collections these different deeds of extreme giving as “satrap,” or ethnicons such as “Śaka,” around the world, and summary versions performed by Śākyamuni in previous all of which reflect the contemporary of stories recorded in the Gāndhārī lives as a bodhisattva. Together, then, the social milieu. Extending the agricultural language on manuscripts now housed at the sculptural evidence and the testimony of analogy, Professor Neelis characterized British Library. Chinese pilgrims point toward an ongoing these stories as “homegrown” as opposed to “transplantation” or “domestication” “transplanted.” Professor Neelis’s ongoing research of existing Buddhist narratives about focuses on processes of “localization” Śākyamuni’s past lives. Moving forward, he will explore several or “emplacement” of such narratives in questions raised by this range of materials: this region. In the first part of his lecture, At the end of the lecture, Professor Neelis Are the stories in the manuscripts in he provided an overview of the specific introduced a small handful of the dozens fact entirely “homegrown”? How can jātaka-type stories represented in stone of summary stories found in the British we better understand the differences reliefs at some of the most well-known Library Gāndhārī manuscripts. These between these “homegrown” stories and Buddhist sites outside of Gandhāra, narratives, unlike the more well-known “transplantations” of well-known jātakas? such as Bhārhut, Sāñcī, , jātakas found ubiquitously in sculpture, And, more generally – why do local scribes Mathurā, and Ajaṇṭā. Comparing the only sometimes detail Śākyamuni’s (or the storytelling traditions reflected in stories found at these sites with the fifteen actions in past lives, and are labeled their writings) seem to have “localized” or so distinct stories represented in reliefs either avadānas or pūrvayogas. The type narratives differently than the local from Gandhāra, he showed that certain of localization found in some of these producers and viewers of sculpture?

15 Adeana McNicholl CTIONS REFLE

STUDENT

Adeana McNicholl, Bedse Caves, Pune (left), Ajanta’s Cave 9 (right)

In the Summer of 2015, I was offered the translation assignments, we visited local I remark that a significant part of the opportunity to attend the intensive Sanskrit religious sites. We were fortunate that our experience that we had involved learning language program in Pune, India, through visit coincided with Pandharpur Wari, a how to be a woman doing research in a the American Institute of Indian Studies’ pilgrimage involving a 450 kilometer trek society whose gender norms may differ Summer Language Program. About fifteen over fifteen to twenty days from Alandi from our own. While, as a female scholar, I students from around the world gathered at (near Pune) to Pandarpur to pay respect was fortunate to gain access to spaces that Deccan College in Pune to study Sanskrit to the god Vithal. The entire city shut men are generally excluded from, I also with eight excellent instructors. Our down in preparation for the procession experienced additional sets of difficulties intensive schedule consisted of about four through Pune. The main attraction in the while conducting research in gendered hours of class a day, Monday to Friday. procession were two palanquins carrying public spaces. It can be difficult to strike We were divided into small groups for the relics of two Marathi saints. a balance between being honest to one’s grammar, translation, reading, listening, own understandings of gender and one’s speaking, and vocabulary classes. In In addition to Pandharpur Wari, we also concern about safety as well as the desire addition to these classes, we also received visited a number of local religious sites. to be respectful to the host country. These two hours of personal tutoring every We often relied on tips from the locals to difficulties continue to be present when week. After classes ended, we ate lunch as direct us to the best temples. My favourite visiting archaeological sites and temple a group, and left campus to find various temple was one that we stumbled upon spaces. Regardless of these difficulties, I cafes to work at until dinner. This typically almost accidentally. One day a rickshaw am grateful that I had the opportunity involved about half an hour of attempts driver convinced us to allow him to drive to visit a number of cave temples in to use our broken Marathi and Hindi to us to “the best Jain temple in Pune.” We Maharashtra. As someone who is interested haggle with the local rickshaw drivers. were skeptical at first, since the outside in South Asian material culture and the Our local coffee shop clerks knew all of us and the foyer of this temple were under interaction of various religious traditions by name and favourite drink, and would construction. However, our skepticism at archaeological sites, these visits were sometimes sneak away from the counter evaporated upon entering the main hall of particularly inspiring. During my ten week to talk to us about Sanskrit. We learned as the temple, which was elaborately carved stay in India, I visited the caves at Ajanta, much from each other as we did from our out of marble. We received a private tour Ellora, Bhaja, and Bedse. I was grateful to instructors. from the temple caretakers and met the be able to view first-hand sites that I had marble engraver. previously only read about and to observe On the weekends, when we weren’t sitting the various ways that these sites continue to in coffee shops surrounded by stacks of I think that I can safely speak for many of be used in the modern day. Sanskrit dictionaries, grammar books, and my fellow female scholar-travellers when

16 My Journey to Lushan Sangyop Lee Lushan, the temple would have functioned in pre-modern times as a gateway to the many numinous sites on this vast mountain, to the sites excursions to which Huiyuan describes in his more casual writings. The temple still attracts many Buddhists and continues to prosper. Their construction projects never seem to run out: between my previous visit five years ago and last Sangyop Lee, Tiger Hill, Suzhou (right), View of West Lake, Guling, Lushan (left) summer, they had built a new main gate, a new stone pagoda surrounded by a lotus pond, and had begun building a giant Lushan a few years before and urged Lushan bears different meanings to lotus-shaped structure. At the south-west Huiyuan to do the same. They first stayed different people. For some, this is the foot of Lushan, they had also constructed together at Xilin si – a temple the local mountain that captured Bai Juyi and Su a giant Amithāba image, Donglin dafo. magistrate had donated to Huiyong – at the Shi’s poetic imagination with its ever- Meanwhile, summer retreat for lay north-west foot of Lushan. Huiyuan soon changing scenery. For others, Lushan is practitioners was taking place in the gained his own followers in the region, and the place in the serenity of which Zhu Xi temple. I particularly remember coming the succeeding local magistrate had a new developed the ideas that were to change across a group of a Buddhist monk and temple built for him to the east of Xilin forever our reading of Confucian classics. lay practitioners sitting in a pavilion next si, which then naturally became known as A modernist would perhaps know the to a mossy stone path in the bamboo Donglin si. The Eminent Monks describes mountain better as the place where Pearl grove behind the temple grounds. The lay Donglin si’s architecture and landscape Buck allegedly penned her novel The practitioners were listening to the monk’s with details such as its stone foundation and Good Earth, or as the frequent political lecture ardently, taking notes and recording pine-tree pillars, a meditation grove that conference venue where a significant part it with their cellphones. of today’s China was shaped. For me, was often steeped in mist, and the grove’s stone paths that were covered with moss. Lushan is above anything else Huiyuan’s Beginning with the visits to Donglin si, And it concludes that anyone who visited mountain. It was here that the scholar- Xilin si, and Zhu Xi’s academy, I spent six the temple thereupon experienced “their monk decided to seclude himself from the days on Lushan. I stayed at the south foot minds being purified and their dispositions temporal world, and it was here that he of the mountain for three days, visiting becoming reverent.” Donglin si quickly wrote down most of his scholarly treatises Xianglu feng, now known as Xiu feng, became a major center of Buddhism in whose arguments have fascinated me ever whose beauty was a popular subject for China where Chinese and foreign monks since I first read them in a class nine years classical poets, and three more days in and lay practitioners gathered to study and ago. Last summer, I visited Lushan once Guling, the vacation town Westerners translate , to meditate, and to again. developed on the plateau of Lushan in experiment with new expressions of ascetic the early twentieth century. Guling is now and devotional practices. Huiyuan spent his last thirty or so years a bustling tourist town with restaurants, on Lushan in seclusion before passing tea-houses, night markets, and a bookstore There is nothing much that survives from away at the age of eighty-three in 414. with an excellent collection of regional Huiyuan’s time in present-day Donglin si. His biography in the Eminent Monks reports academic publications. Su Shi once wrote Nevertheless, I was still able to appreciate that he was on his way to Luofo shan in in a poem that it is impossible to know the its landscape and location: Facing the misty the present-day Guangdong region when true form of Lushan (Lushan zhen mianmu) towering peaks of Lushan, surrounded he first encountered Lushan, whereupon because it appears completely differently in all directions by gentle forested hills, he noticed that the mountain was “pure when seen from a different perspective. I the temple has a pleasant atmosphere of and serene, suitable for resting the mind.” think this holds true for Lushan as a human seclusion from the mundane world. Also, Huiyong, an old colleague of Huiyuan, – religious, historical, literary, political – placed in-between the riverine city of with whom he had earlier made a pact space, and I always look forward to my next Jiujiang – the regional capital in Huiyuan’s to practice the Buddhist path together visit to the mountain for this very reason. on Luofo shan, had already settled on time – and the proper mountain range of

17 Michaela Mross

Journal of Religious Studies on kōshiki (2016). She Before joining the faculty at Stanford University, has also just finished an article on prayer beads Michaela Mross was Shinjo Ito Postdoctoral in Zen Buddhism, which showcases the esoteric Fellow for Japanese Buddhism at the University and multivocal nature of Japanese Sōtō Zen. of California, Berkeley, and from 2013 to HCBSS NEWS HCBSS Currently, she is working on a book manuscript 2014, she worked as a research associate on the development of kōshiki and shōmyō 声 (wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin) at the Georg- 明 () in the Sōtō Zen school. August-University Göttingen.

Michaela Mross received an MA in Japanese Michaela Mross received a Bachelor of Music Studies, Chinese Studies, and Musicology from from the Berklee College of Music in Boston, the University of Hamburg in 2007. She then where she studied Jazz saxophone and Jazz moved to Japan to study for nearly six years composition. After graduating, she worked as a at Komazawa University and the Research professional musician, first in Boston and later Institute for Japanese Music Historiography of in Hamburg. In her research, she combines her the Ueno Gakuen University in Tokyo. While musical background with Buddhist studies. As Michaela Mross is assistant professor of studying in Japan, she also conducted archival a result of her fieldwork, she also performed in Religious Studies. Her research interests are studies, as well as in depth-field work at Sōtō Zen rituals that she created together with the Zen Zen Buddhism, Buddhist rituals, sacred music, temples. At the same time, she was enrolled in clerics in Japan. During these rituals, monks sang as well as manuscript and print culture in the doctoral program in Japanese Studies at the traditional Buddhist taken from kōshiki, premodern Japan. She has written numerous Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, from while she improvised on the saxophone. articles on kōshiki 講式 (Buddhist ceremonials) where she received a PhD in 2014. and co-edited a special issue of the Japanese Alex Kaloyanides

sage advice to help me think through my book taught to an excellent group of students from manuscript and prepare for teaching here. Stanford’s undergraduate programs and its And the graduate students have inspired me School of Business. The seminar explored the with their burgeoning research and creative ways Buddhists, Buddhist-sympathizers, and engagement with current debates about theories Buddhist detractors have presented the Asian and methods in the study of religion. tradition in the modern period. Our class studied material including Victorian poetry, Zen essays, This first year at Stanford has also been Thai hagiographies, Beat literature, Buddhist- exceptional for the time it has afforded me to science dialogues, and mindfulness debates. revise my dissertation, “Baptizing Buddhists: The most rewarding part of the seminar was The Nineteenth-Century American Missionary facilitating the research projects the students What a wonderful first year as a Ho Center Encounter with Burmese Buddhism.” While completed over the course of the quarter on postdoc! I cannot imagine a more ideal way working on reframing that project for a book topics such as S.N. Goenka and the Modern to transition out of graduate school. The Ho manuscript, I have published two articles on , the Buddhist ideas behind Center has not only supported my writing and related research: an essay on Buddhist voices Bhutan’s environmental policy, the celebration research this year, but it has also produced a in the antebellum American Protestant press of Southeast Asian water festivals in American stimulating series of events that has led me entitled “America’s God and the World: diaspora communities, and mindfulness in to think about new directions in the study of Questioning the Protestant Consensus,” corporate America. Buddhism. published last fall in Church History; and “‘Show Us Your God’: Marilla Baker Ingalls and I am very much looking forward to my second The most enjoyable part of my time here so far the Power of Religious Objects in Nineteenth- and final year as a postdoctoral scholar here has been getting to know the faculty, students, Century Burma,” an article published in Religions at the Ho Center. It is sure to provide more and staff dedicated to the study of Buddhism in June that investigates a famous dog statue and opportunities for connecting with flourishing at Stanford. Irene Lin, Tatiana Deogirikar, and an adorned spirit tree to understand a uniquely communities of scholars dedicated to the study Stephanie Lee at the Ho Center have amazed popular Baptist mission in southern Burma. of Buddhism as well as time for concentrating on me with their expertly organized (and deliciously my own contributions to the discipline. catered) line-up of lectures, workshops, and This spring, I had the opportunity to bring some conferences. Professors Paul Harrison and of my research questions into the classroom John Kieschnick have generously offered their in “Buddhism and Modernity,” a seminar I 18 Dr. C. Julia Huang

essential help on the concept of in vibes. I thank everyone at Building 70 Buddhism. for making my stay rewarding and fun. John Kieschnick has been an amazingly I have also made substantial progress supportive sponsor and a great guidance for on my research project, “Dying to Give: Buddhist studies. Paul Harrison provides Buddhism and Cadaver Donations for a great model of teaching and Buddhist Medical Purposes in Modern Taiwan.” scholarship. Irene Lin is a godsend, Based on ethnographic and literature the most efficient and professional staff research, my research focuses on the member, and a specialist in Japanese making of a phenomenon called “a surge Buddhism. She makes everything happen, I have been a Visiting Scholar at the Ho of cadavers” in the donation for medical timely and efficiently, in addition to being Center for Buddhist Studies at Stanford school in (Ciji) of contemporary pleasant and warm, with a great sense since September 2014 for two years. Taiwan. My goal is to trace the modern of humor. Tatiana Deogirikar makes The affiliation has been one of the best practice of cadaver donation to the sure every thing is delivered – from a experiences among the six visiting positions Buddhist tradition of the “gift of the new website to lecture organizations, and I have had in the last fourteen years around body” in ancient Buddhism and bodily to catering – artistically and superbly, the world. My two years at the Ho Center immolation in Chinese Buddhism, on the garnished with a soft touch from her is a fest of knowledge and friendship. I one hand, and, on the other hand, to bring smile. I feel very lucky to have met and now have a colossal collection of inspiring in Buddhist perspectives to the discussion conversed with the graduate students at the lectures and conversations, and a lot of of contemporary bioethics, and the Ho Center. I could see how they will put warm and fun memories to take away with anthropology of death and dying. Buddhist studies in the United States and me as I embark on the next stage of my the world in perspective. career. My stay at the Ho Center began with sitting in John Kieschnick’s seminar The Visiting Scholarship at the Center During my stay at the Ho Center, I on “Recent Contributions to Buddhist allows me to connect with faculty and staff was able to finish a collaborating book Studies.” As an anthropologist, John’s in the greater Stanford community. I am manuscript, The Social Life of Goodness: seminar opened the door for me to the grateful for the opportunity and want to Religious Philanthropy in Chinese Societies amazing world of Buddhist studies. I take this chance to thank the Department (co-authored with Robert P. Weller and benefitted tremendously from the questions of Anthropology and the Center for the Keping Wu). This book focuses on the and comments raised by the stellar East Asian Studies for their support for unique ways that religious groups have audience at my lecture sponsored by the my course, and the Center for Democracy, helped solve these problems of social well- Ho Center. I thank Paul Harrison, Daniel Development, and the Rule of Law for being in Chinese societies through case Tuzzeo and Ding Yi for their stimulating their support for my presentation at the studies based on ethnographic fieldwork questions, and Irene Lin for her eloquent Taiwan Study Project. In particular, I in China, Malaysia, and Taiwan. Each site summary of my lecture, which appeared am indebted to Tanya Luhrmann, Ellen involves research across several religious in the last issue of LEKHA. I benefitted Christensen, Kaila Jimenez, and Emily traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, and tremendously from participating in the Bishop at Anthropology, Gordon Chang, the less institutionalized worship at local Hwei-Tai Seminar at the Ho Center led by John Groschwitz and Kristin Boyd at the shrines. The book develops new analytical Stephen Teiser on the liturgies for healing Center for East Asian Studies, and Larry frameworks that contribute to the general (患文) discovered at Dunhuang for my Diamond and Kharis Templeman at the understanding of religion and charity. understanding of Buddhism and illness. My Taiwan Project. Jidong Yang, the head of Important findings include the new analytical framework further came in shape the East Asia Library, generously facilitates scale of “industrialized philanthropy,” from teaching the course on “The Buddhist my research with a great environment and the changing concept of social good Body in East Asia: Charisma, Gender, and competent staff support. and goodness, women’s leadership in the Gift of the Body” at the Department of philanthropy. The library collection at Anthropology at Stanford in Autumn 2015. Thank you, the Ho Center for Buddhist Stanford, especially that of the East Asia Studies at Stanford. I’ll hope to see Library, is indispensable for my writing. It’s the people that make the Ho Center everyone very soon! John Kieschnick’s work provides crucial and a house of brilliant minds and delightful

19 HCBSS STAFF:

John Kieschnick Co-Director

Paul Harrison Co-Director

Irene Lin Executive Director

Tatiana Deogirikar Program Specialist

Stephanie Lee Finance Associate

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