Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} The Jewel Tree of Tibet The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism by Robert A.F. Thurman Robert Thurman. Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman (born August 3, 1941) is an American Buddhist writer and academic who has written, edited or translated several books on Tibetan Buddhism. He is the Je Tsongkhapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, holding the first endowed chair in this field of study in the United States. He also is the co-founder and president of the Tibet House New York and is active against the People's Republic of China's control of Tibet. Life and career. Thurman was born in New York City, the son of Elizabeth Dean Farrar (1907–1973), a stage actress, and Beverly Reid Thurman, Jr. (1909– 1962), an Associated Press editor and U.N. translator (French and English). He is of English, German, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. His brother, John Thurman, is a professional concert cellist who performs with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra., He attended Philips Exeter Academy from 1954 to 1958, followed by Harvard University, where he obtained his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. He married Marie-Christophe de Menil daughter of Dominique de Menil and John de Menil and heiress to the Schlumberger Limited oil- equipment fortune, in 1960; they had one daughter, Taya; their grandson was the late artist Dash Snow. In 1961 Thurman lost his left eye in an accident while he was using a jack to lift an automobile, and the eye was replaced with an ocular prosthetic. After the accident he decided to refocus his life, divorcing his wife and traveling from 1961 to 1966 in Turkey, Iran and India. He became a Buddhist and was ordained in 1964, the first American Buddhist monk of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. He studied with Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, who became a close friend. In 1967, back in the United States, Thurman resigned his monk's vows of celibacy and married his second wife, German-Swedish model and psychiatrist Nena von Schlebrügge, who was previously married briefly to Timothy Leary. Thurman and Schlebrügge have four children, including actress Uma Thurman and Ganden Thurman, who as of 2012 is Executive Director of Tibet House. Thurman obtained an M.A in 1969 and a Ph.D. in Sanskrit Indian Studies in 1972 from Harvard. He was professor of religion at Amherst College from 1973 to 1988, when he accepted a position at Columbia University as professor of religion and Sanskrit. At Amherst College Thurman met his lifelong friend Prof. Lal Mani Joshi, a distinguished Indian Buddhist scholar. In 1987, Thurman created Tibet House U.S. with Richard Gere and Philip Glass at the request of the Dalai Lama. Tibet House is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help preserve Tibetan Culture in exile. In 2001, the Pathwork Center, a 320-acre (1.3 km2) retreat center on Panther Mountain in Phoenicia, NY, was donated to Tibet House. Thurman and Schlebrügge renamed the center Menla Mountain Retreat and Conference Center. Menla (the Tibetan name for the Medicine Buddha) is being developed into a state-of-the-art healing arts center grounded in the Tibetan Medical tradition in conjunction with other holistic paradigms. Ideas. Dr. Thurman is known for translations and explanations of Buddhist religious and philosophical material, particularly that pertaining to the Gelugpa (dge-lugs-pa) school of Tibetan Buddhism and its founder, Je Tsongkhapa. Public reception. Time chose Robert Thurman as one of the 25 most influential Americans of 1997. Thurman is considered a pioneering, creative and talented translator of Buddhist literature by many of his peers. Speaking of Thurman's translation of Tsongkhapa's Essence of Eloquence (Legs bshad snying po), Matthew Kapstein (professor at the University of Chicago and Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris) has written that, "The Essence of Eloquence is famed in learned Tibetan circles as a text of unparalleled difficulty. . To have translated it into English at all must be reckoned an intellectual accomplishment of a very high order. To have translated it to all intents and purposes correctly is a staggering achievement." Similarly, prominent Buddhologist Jan Nattier has praised the style of Thurman's translation of the Vimalakīrti Sūtra, praising it as among the very best of translations of that important Indian Buddhist scripture. Thurman's work has attracted some critics, however. In 2000, Toru Tomabechi, then a graduate student at the University of Lausanne, wrote that Thurman's popular, unannotated translation of the Pañcakrama contains "disastrous" mistakes and errors that betray "little trace of [the] minimal effort . . which we would naturally expect in any serious work of scholarship." Donald S. Lopez, Jr., Professor at the University of Michigan, has claimed that Thurman's work, "like so much of the work produced by American students of Tibetan Buddhism," shows "a bias that is both scholastic and Geluk." In a 1996 interview for the Utne Reader, Thurman answers those critics who accuse him of idealizing pre-1959 Tibet: But to answer my critics who accuse me of trying to pretend that every Tibetan was an enlightened yogi, and they never even wiped their butts, and they didn’t have robbers and bandits and ignorant people, and they weren’t cruel ever — like it’s all just some sort of fantasy of mine, well, that isn’t at all the case. My thesis is a sociological one that has to do with mainstream social trends. The fact that a great majority of a country’s single males are monks rather than soldiers is a major social difference. Now, many of those monks might be nasty, they might punch people, some of them might pick your pockets, some of them might be ignorant. They might eat yak meat; they’re not out there petting the yaks. So I am in no way Shangri-La-izing Tibet when I try to develop a non-Orientalist way of appraising and appreciating certain social achievements of Tibet, which really tried to create a fully Buddhist society. But my opponents, who want to adopt the old British attitude that Tibet was dirty, grubby, and backward; or the modernist attitude that it’s a “premodern” undeveloped society; or the attitude of many other Buddhist countries that think Tibet was somehow degenerate because it was very Tantric, and Tantric Buddhism grows out of the degenerate period in India, well… I think these attitudes are mired in the idea that we modern Americans are the most advanced civilization the world has ever seen. I don’t think that’s the case. I consider us pretty barbaric. Works. The Central Philosophy of Tibet: A Study and Translation of Jey Tsong Khapa's 'Essence of True Eloquence' (Princeton Library of Asian Translations, Princeton University Press, 1991) The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1994) Essential Tibetan Buddhism , (Castle Books, 1995 ISBN 0-7858-0872-8) Wisdom and Compassion: The Sacred Art of Tibet (Abrams, 1996) Mandala: The Architecture of Enlightenment (Shambhala Publications, 1997) Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion (Harry N. Abrams, 1999) Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness (Penguin, 1999) The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti: A Mahayana Scripture (translated by Robert Thurman, Pennsylvania State University Press, 2000, ISBN 0-271-01209-9) Circling the Sacred Mountain: A Spiritual Adventure Through the Himalayas co-authored with Tad Wise (Bantam Doubleday Dell, 1999) Infinite Life: Seven Virtues for Living Well (Riverhead Books, 2004, ISBN 1-57322-267-4) The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism (Free Press/Simon & Schuster, 2005) Anger (Oxford University Press, 2005, ISBN 0-19-516975-1) Why the Dalai Lama Matters: His Act of Truth as the Solution for China, Tibet and the World (Atria Books/Beyond Words, 2008, ISBN 1-58270-220-9) Multimedia. External links. Source. Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman (born August 4, 1941 in New York City) is the Je Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University. He also is the co-founder and president of Tibet House New York and currently holds the first endowed chair in this field of study in the United States. He is the father of five children including the actress Uma Thurman. Professor Thurman is highly-regarded for his lucid, dynamic translations and explanations of Buddhist religious and philosophical material, particularly that pertaining to the Gelugpa school of Tibetan Buddhism and its founder, Je Tsongkhapa including Tsongkhapa's Speech of Gold: Reason and Enlightenment in the Central Philosophy of Tibet , The Tibetan Book of the Dead , Essential Tibetan Buddhism , and Inner Revolution: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Real Happiness . At the age of 24, he became the first Western monk of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. A close friend of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, he has served as his occasional translator and has lectured all over the world. The Jewel Tree of Tibet. Few teachers in the West possess both the spiritual training and the scholarship to lead us along the path to enlightenment. Robert Thurman is one such teacher. Now, in his first experiential course on the essentials of Tibetan Buddhism, adapted and expanded from a popular retreat he led, Thurman -- the first Westerner ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself -- shares the centuries-old wisdom of a highly valued method of insight used by the great Tibetan masters. Tibetans think of their cherished tradition of Buddhism as a "wish-fulfilling jewel tree" for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. Happiness, in fact, is the true goal of Tibetan spirituality, and the wish-fulfilling jewel tree will enable you to reach that goal. Using a revered, once-secret text of a seventeenth-century Tibetan master, with thorough explanations for contemporary Westerners, The Jewel Tree of Tibet immerses you fully in the mysteries of Tibetan spiritual wisdom. A retreat in book form as well as a spiritual and philosophical teaching, The Jewel Tree of Tibet offers a practical system of understanding yourself and the world, of developing your learning and thought processes, and of gaining deep, transforming insight. One of the most explicit teachings of the steps on the path of enlightenment available, explained by a skilled Western teacher, The Jewel Tree of Tibet will enable you to honor the full subtlety and hidden depths of the Tibetan Buddhist path and realize at last its deeper rewards -- for yourself and others. About The Author. Robert Thurman is the author of the critically acclaimed, popular original books Inner Revolution and Infinite Life and a translator of sacred Tibetan texts, including The Essence of True Eloquence and The Tibetan Book of the Dead. He teaches at Columbia University and holds the first endowed chair in Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies in America. Cofounder of Tibet House US and Menla Mountain Retreat Center, he lives in New York City and Woodstock, New York. Product Details. Publisher: Atria Books (January 17, 2006) Length: 288 pages ISBN13: 9780743257633. Browse Related Books. Raves and Reviews. "I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in the path of peace, loving spirit, and enlightenment." -- Lama Surya Das, author of Awakening the Buddha Within. "The Jewel Tree of Tibet is an extraordinary spiritual text that takes the finest wisdom of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition and offers it to readers in a way that is not only very accessible, but deeply enthralling and inspiring." -- Caroline Myss, author of Invisible Acts of Power, Sacred Contracts , and Anatomy of the Spirit. The Jewel Tree of Tibet. Few teachers in the West possess both the spiritual training and the scholarship to lead us along the path to enlightenment. Robert Thurman is one such teacher. Now, in his first experiential course on the essentials of Tibetan Buddhism, adapted and expanded from a popular retreat he led, Thurman -- the first Westerner ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself -- shares the centuries-old wisdom of a highly valued method of insight used by the great Tibetan masters. Tibetans think of their cherished tradition of Buddhism as a "wish-fulfilling jewel tree" for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. Happiness, in fact, is the true goal of Tibetan spirituality, and the wish-fulfilling jewel tree will enable you to reach that goal. Using a revered, once-secret text of a seventeenth-century Tibetan master, with thorough explanations for contemporary Westerners, The Jewel Tree of Tibet immerses you fully in the mysteries of Tibetan spiritual wisdom. A retreat in book form as well as a spiritual and philosophical teaching, The Jewel Tree of Tibet offers a practical system of understanding yourself and the world, of developing your learning and thought processes, and of gaining deep, transforming insight. One of the most explicit teachings of the steps on the path of enlightenment available, explained by a skilled Western teacher, The Jewel Tree of Tibet will enable you to honor the full subtlety and hidden depths of the Tibetan Buddhist path and realize at last its deeper rewards -- for yourself and others. ISBN 13: 9780743257626. The Jewel Tree of Tibet: The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism. Thurman, Robert. This specific ISBN edition is currently not available. Few teachers in the West possess both the spiritual training and the scholarship to lead us along the path to enlightenment. Robert Thurman is one such teacher. Now, in his first experiential course on the essentials of Tibetan Buddhism, adapted and expanded from a popular retreat he led, Thurman -- the first Westerner ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama himself -- shares the centuries-old wisdom of a highly valued method used by the great Tibetan masters. Using a revered, once-secret text of a seventeenth-century Tibetan master, along with a thorough explanation for contemporary Westerners, The Jewel Tree of Tibet immerses you fully in the mysteries of Tibetan spiritual wisdom. A retreat in book form as well as a spiritual and philosophical teaching, it offers a practical system of understanding yourself and the world, of developing your learning and thought processes, and of gaining deep, transforming insight. Tibetans think of their cherished tradition of Buddhism as a "wish-fulfilling jewel tree" for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. Happiness, in fact, is the true goal of Tibetan spirituality, and the wish-fulfilling jewel tree will put you on the road to that reachable goal. This beautiful jewel-tree imagery, which acts like a mandala or a yoga pose to focus your attention on truths larger than yourself, will help you break through worn-out ideas and habits, strengthen positive abilities, develop more energy and creativity, and change your life -- and future -- for the better. As Thurman writes, "Readers learn to cultivate the sensitivity and appreciation to love more fully, feel compassion more intensely, and become a fountain of cheerfulness for all they meet and know." Because the path to enlightenment requires more than sitting in meditation, The Jewel Tree of Tibet offers a rich, intellectually riveting course with many specific spiritual practices, including: eleven steps to create the spirit of enlightenment, here and now; the truths and stories of the ancient Indian and Tibetan sages; and guided meditations to experience the blessings of the wish-fulfilling jewel tree. You can do these practices with others or on your own, while living your daily life. And as you travel this road to deeper self-realization, self-understanding, and infectious happiness, you will also learn how the principles of Tibetan Tantra can open the doors to "infinite compassion and continuity," and how to discover states of consciousness that transcend even death. One of the most explicit teachings of the steps to the path of enlightenment available, explained by a skilled Western teacher, The Jewel Tree of Tibet will enable you to honor the full subtlety and hidden depths of the Tibetan Buddhist path and realize at last its deeper mysteries and rewards -- for yourself and others. "synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title. Robert Thurman is probably best know for his translation of the sacred text The Tibetan Book of the Dead , although he has published many works of both translation and exploration of Tibetan Buddhism. The Jewel Tree of Tibet is a significant addition to Thurman’s contribution to this field of spiritual scholarship. His deep knowledge and devotion are in evidence on every page. His style is straightforward and inviting. He also provides a short introduction to the history of Buddhism which is as clear and straightforward as possible for what can be an exceptionally complex and entangled topic. In short, Thurman writes for real people with an interest in (perhaps longing for) a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. In addition to a clear and inviting style and providing the reader with an accessible understanding of important spiritual matters, this book is exceptionally openhanded and openhearted. While Thurman wants us to share the dharma of the Jewel Tree he also wants the reader to know that they are already on their path- no matter what their faith or non-faith, political beliefs, no matter what manner of thinking may appear to divide, separate, or individualize us: Thurman presents a view of the self in which we can see that it is possible to overcome these limitations and alienations and to see ourselves as inhabiting common ground with the suffering, the joy, and the seeking of others. His bias is ecumenical in the best and most generous sense of the word. This is an excellent book for the person just awakening to their spiritual path and for the seeker of many years.-- Julian Riepe. Book Description : One of the leading Western scholars on Tibet and Tibetan religion, Thurman introduces listeners to the basic teachings of Tibetan Buddhism in the form of a six-part, guided retreat. An inspiring program for people of all religions. The Jewel Tree of Tibet, Robert Thurman. The Enlightenment Engine of Tibetan Buddhism by Robert Thurman, scholar, spiritual teacher and dynamic teacher. Tibetans call their cherished tradition of Buddhism awish-fulfilling jewel tree for its power to generate bliss and enlightenment within all who absorb its teachings. This path to enlightenment, it is taught, requires more than a sitting meditation practice alone. With The Jewel Tree of Tibet, honored scholar and teacher Robert Thurman brings these insights to you as they were meant to be transmitted through the spoken word. As a young seeker almost 40 years ago, Thurman first journeyed to Dharamsala, where he became the first Westerner ordained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Now, Thurman guides you lucidly through the unifying principles of Tibetan Buddhism's many branches. You will discover Tibetan Buddhism's detailed map of the bliss state of enlightenment; the principles of tantra for opening the doors toinfinite compassion and continuity; and how to overcome the dangers of the spiritual quest to discover states of consciousness that transcend even death. Finally, here is Robert Thurman on audio, offering a rich and intellectually riveting retreat program complete with many specific meditations and spiritual practices to fully immerse you in the mysteries of The Jewel Tree of Tibet. Learn More About: Eleven steps to create the spirit of enlightenment for yourself in this lifetime, here and now. The deep inner truths of Guru Rinpoche, aka, Padmasambhava, Naropa, Tsong Khapa, and other great and inspirational legendary sages of the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Guided meditations which allow you to experience the blessings of the wish-fulfilling gem tree. More than nine hours of compelling study with one of Tibetan Buddhism's greatest teachers. This is the first full-length audio course with legendary Western spiritual teacher, scholar and spokes person for the Tibetan religion and culture by famed Dr. Thurman. The Jewel Tree of Tibet is an excellent series for anyone who wishes to go deeper into the path of joy, wisdom and compassion. It is one of the best series of it's type available for any spiritual student.