Envisioning a Tibetan luminary : the life of a modern Bönpo saint / William M. Gorvine.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gorvine, William M., 1968- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bkra-shis-rgyal-mtshan, Shar-rdza, 1859-1933.

Bkra-shis-rgyal-mtshan.

Bkra-śis-rgyal-mtshan, Śar-rdza, 1859-1933.

Bon lamas--Tibet Region--Biography.

Bon lamas.

Religious biography--History and criticism.

Religious biography.

Biography.

Tibet Region.

Genre:

Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Physical Description:

xvi, 309 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, 2019.

Summary:

Envisioning a Tibetan Luminary examines the religious biography of Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen (1859-1934), the most significant modern figure representing the Tibetan Boen religion-a vital minority tradition that is underrepresented in Tibetan studies. The work is based on fieldwork conducted in eastern Tibet and in the Boen exile community in India, where traditional Tibetan scholars collaborated closely on the project. Utilizing close readings of two versions of Shardza's life-story, along with oral history collected in Boen communities, this book presents and interprets the biographical image of this major figure, culminating with an English translation of his life story.0William M. Gorvine argues that the disciple-biographer's literary portrait not only enacts and shapes religious ideals to foster faith among its readership, but also attempts to quell tensions that had developed among his original audience. Among the Boen community today, Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen has come to be unequivocally revered for an impressive textual legacy and a saintly death. During his lifetime, however, he faced prominent critics within his own lineage who went so far as to issue0polemical attacks against him. As Gorvine shows, the biographical texts that inform us about Shardza's life are best understood when read on multiple registers, with attention given to the ways in which the religious ideals on display reflect the broader literary, cultural, and historical contexts within which they were envisioned and articulated.

Contents:

Part I Approaching the Life

1 Situating Bon and the Life of Shardza p. 19

"Indigenous Religion" and Imperial-Era Beginnings p. 20

Internal Divisions: Old Bön and New Bön p. 27

Bönpo Developments in the Climate of Rimé p. 29

The Dynamics of Patronage and Prestige p. 32

The Shérap Drakpa Affair p. 34

2 Birth, Discipleship, and Precepts p. 37

Early Circumstances: Birth, Family, and Childhood p. 38

Entering the Path p. 43

Discipleship p. 45

Precepts p. 55

3 Teachers, Practice, and Travel p. 67

Influential Teachers p. 68

Contemplative Training p. 77

Travel and Pilgrimage p. 84

4 Teaching, Writing, Travel, and Dialogue p. 95

Writing, Teaching, and Retreat p. 96

Mid-Career Travel and Spheres of Activity p. 106

Noteworthy and Influential Patrons p. 109

Ecumenical Relations p. 115

5 Measures, Miracles, and Representations p. 126

Commemorative Contributions p. 127

Key Disciples p. 130

Miraculous Passing p. 138

Addressing the Critics: Conceptual Categories and Authorial Commentary p. 145

Part II Reading the Life

6 Translation of The Pleasure Garden p. 163

A Brief History of the Author p. 163

The Pleasure Garden of Wish- Fulfilling Trees: The Life of Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen p. 165.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780199362349

0199362343

9780199362356

0199362351

OCLC:

1031426771