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The sound of two hands clapping : the education of a Tibetan Buddhist monk / Georges B.J. Dreyfus.
De Gruyter University of California Press Backlist eBook-Package 2000-2013 Available online
View online- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Dreyfus, Georges B. J.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- Buddhist monks--Education--China--Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Buddhist monks.
- Buddhist education--China--Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Buddhist education.
- Monastic and religious life (Buddhism)--China--Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Monastic and religious life (Buddhism).
- Buddhist monks--Training of.
- China--Tibet Autonomous Region.
- Physical Description:
- 1 online resource : illustrations
- Place of Publication:
- Berkeley, Calif : University of California Press, [2003]
- Summary:
- A unique insider's account of day-to-day life inside a Tibetan monastery, The Sound of Two Hands Clapping reveals to Western audiences the fascinating details of monastic education. Georges B. J. Dreyfus, the first Westerner to complete the famous Ge-luk curriculum and achieve the distinguished title of geshe, weaves together eloquent and moving autobiographical reflections with a historical overview of Tibetan Buddhism and insights into its teachings.
- A unique insider's account of day-to-day life inside a Tibetan monastery, 'The Sound of Two Hands Clapping' reveals to Western audiences the fascinating details of monastic education.
- Contents:
- Illustrations; Note on Translation and Transliteration; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1. Tibetan Buddhism: A Brief Historical Overview; 2. Tibetan Monasticism; 3. Becoming a Monk Teacher and Discipline; 4. Literacy and Memorization; 5. The General Structure of the Tibetan Curriculum; 6. Two Curricular Models; 7. Scholasticism and Orality: Myth and Reality; 8. Commentary and Meditation; 9. The Supplement: Hermeneutical or Deconstructive?; 10. Debate as Practice; 11. Debate in the Curriculum; 12. Is Debate a Mode of Inquiry?; 13. Rationality and Spirit Cult; 14. The Limits of the Inquiry
- Conclusion: Past and Future UncertaintiesNotes; Select Bibliography; Index
- PART I. THE CONTEXT
- Tibetan Buddhism: a brief historical overview
- Tibetan monasticism
- Becoming a monk: teacher and discipline
- PART II. TIBETAN SCHOLASTIC PRACTICES
- Literacy and memorization
- General structure of the Tibetan curriculum
- Two curricular models
- Scholasticism and orality: myth and reality
- Commentary and meditation
- Supplement: hermeneutical or deconstructive?
- Debate as practice
- Debate in the curriculum
- Is debate a mode of inquiry?
- PART III. REFLECTIONS
- Rationality and spirit cult
- Limits of the inquiry
- Conclusion: past and future uncertainties.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references and index.
- Online resource; title from PDF title page (De Gruyter Brill, viewed June 11, 2026).
- Other Format:
- Print version: Dreyfus, Georges B.J. Sound of two hands clapping.
- ISBN:
- 9780520928244
- 0520928245
- 0585468818
- 9780585468815
- 0520232593
- 9780520232594
- 0520232607
- 9780520232600
- 1597349070
- 9781597349079
- OCLC:
- 53000058
- Access Restriction:
- Restricted for use by site license
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