The Singer of Tibet: Shabkar (1781-1851), the “Inescapable Nation,” and Buddhist Universalism

This paper examines the concept of ‘Tibet (Tib. bod)’ in the spiritual autobiography of the celebrated Tibetan Buddhist author, Shabkar Tsokdruk Rangdröl (1781–1851). I use both literal and literary modes of analysis in conjunction with Steven Grosby’s and Lama Jabb’s definitions of ‘nation’ to demonstrate how Shabkar initially builds a vivid persona— the ‘Singer of Tibet’—that is rooted in the Tibetan landscape, but then shifts to a different persona— ‘Shabkar’—that transcends Tibet altogether and embraces a sense of Buddhist universalism. Throughout the process, Shabkar evokes deities and historical figures that are fundamental to Tibetan historical, cultural, and religious memory and alludes to customs and tropes central to Tibetan culture, such as orality, song, and the bardic tradition. In addition to demonstrating the efficacy and potency of literary tropes in creating the sense of an imagined nation, this essay makes a contribution to the ‘Where is Tibet?’ debate by exploring how Tibetan identity is articulated in one of the great masterpieces of classical Tibetan Buddhist literature

mChims Nam-mkha\u27-grags and the sNar-thang-pa Tradition

The bKa\u27-gdams-pa tradition stemming from the teachings of Ati\u27sa (982?-1054) is known for its significant influence on later Tibetan Buddhism, including the bKa\u27-brgyud-pa, Sa-skya-pa, and dGe-lugs-pa traditions. In particular, the scholastic tradition of the sNar-thang monastery, which succeeded to the teachings of Po-to-ba (1027/1031-1105), can be greatly considered from various viewpoints.For example, the seventh abbot of the sNar-thang monastery, mChims Nam-mkha\u27-grags (1210-1285), was known as a savant and authority on the lam rim (stages of the path) and the Abhidharmako\u27sa. He had a deep tie with the Sa-skya-pas due to his connection with \u27Phags-pa (1235-1280). mChims Nam-mkha\u27-grags\u27s disciples included sMon-lam-tshul-khrims (1219-1299), the eighth abbot of the sNar-thang monastery, and bCom-ldan Rig-ral (1227-1305), who attended the editorial project of the Tibetan Buddhist canon. This shows that he is one of the key persons in the history of Tibetan Buddhism.As part of my research on Sa-skya Pandita (1182-1251), I analyzed the relations between the thought of Thub pa\u27i dgongs gsal, which teaches the theory and practice of bodhisattava path, and the lam rim and bstan rim (stages of the doctrine) literature of the bKa\u27-gdams-pa tradition. In this paper, while developing my existing research, I considered the significance of mChims Nam-mkha\u27-grags in Tibetan Buddhism from the viewpoints listed below by using historical documents on mChims Nam-mkha\u27-grags and the recent publication bKa\u27gdams phyogs bsgrigs, edited by dPal brtsegs bod yig dpe rnying zhib \u27jug khang.1. Hearing from the teaching of masters such as mChims Blo-gros-bstan-pa, dPal -ldan-gro-mo-che, Zhang-ston Chos-kyi-bla-ma, and Sangs-rgyas-sgom-pa2. Commentarial works on the Abhidharmako\u27sa and the study of the Abhidharmako\u27sa tramsmitted by the mChims clan3. Literature on the Lam rim4. Literature on the Chos \u27byung5. Ritual of Sixteen Great Arhat

Framing the path to awakening: Tibetan adaptations of the Jātaka genre

Jātaka and avadāna stories belong to the staples of Buddhist narrative literature. While most jātakas follow a relatively stable narrative template, they also allow for some variation depending on their time and place of composition and the audiences they are meant to address. Jātaka stories have been told and preserved in a variety of languages and literary forms, from simple prose narratives to complex poems or visual representations. This article focuses on Tibetan adaptations of the jātaka genre. It begins with a brief survey of jātaka stories translated from Sanskrit or Chinese and contained in the Tibetan Buddhist canon, and then moves on to investigate one specific jātaka cycle composed in Tibet within the Bka’ gdams pa school of Tibetan Buddhism. The frame story is of particular interest, as this is where the Tibetan narrators are perhaps at their most innovative. In these Bka’ gdams pa jātakas, the narrative frame is shifted from India to Tibet, and the main characters of the frame story are newly converted Tibetan Buddhists and their Indian teacher. This highly original appropriation of the jātaka genre demonstrates the important role of narrative literature in the Tibetan adoption and adaptation of Buddhism

Observations on an 11th century Tibetan inscription on a statue of Avalokitesvara

Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines Number 14, October 200

Культура часу в тибетському буддизмі: вступ до історіографії вчення Калачакри

Статтю присвячено питанню культури часу в тибетському буддизмі. Як об’єкт дослідження обрано вчення про час – Калачакру та його традицію текстів. Проведено спробу культурологічного аналізу впливу доктрини Колеса Часу на всі сфери життя традиційної буддійської спільноти тибетського походження, зокрема прояви цього впливу у науковій думці, релігійній практиці, мистецтві. Акцентовано увагу на спільному ядрі буддійської та бонської версії походження вчення; складено хронологічну послідовність виникнення базових текстів і коментарів, виділено основні етапи поширення вчення; проведено огляд структури концепту часу та її кореляцію з календарною культурою, що уособлює мала буддійська наука «чорних» і «білих» розрахунків. Як ілюстрацію практичного застосування Калачакри презентовано основні тексти із розрахунків традиційної тибетської астрології

Transfer of Buddhism Across Central Asian Networks (7th to 13th Centuries)

Transfer of Buddhism across Central Asian Networks (7th to 13th Centuries), ed. Carmen Meinert, offers a transregional and transcultural vision for religious transfer processes in Central Asian history. It explores Buddhist localisations in the Tarim basin, the Transhimalaya and Tibet.; Readership: All interested in an interdisciplinary approach towards understanding religious transfer processes across a Central Asian Buddhist network, best known as the Silk Road(s)