Teaching Tibet: Appendices A-E

Index

 * APPENDIX A – BLOOM’S TAXONOMY (REVISED)	129
 * APPENDIX B – LESSON PLANS (FINAL)	130
 * APPENDIX C: NOTES & REACTIONS	157
 * APPENDIX D: STUDENT RESPONSES & COURSE FEEDBACK	184

Appendix A: Bloom's Taxonomy (Revised)
Remember	Understand	Apply	Analyze	Evaluate	Create Factual Conceptual Procedural Meta-Cognitive

Appendix B: Lesson Plans (final)
Introduction to Tibet – History Religion Culture and Politics Class #1 – Introduction – Lecture/Socratic

1. Greetings, introductions, etc. 2. Review Syllabus 3. Questions: a. What do you know about Tibet? b. When did you first hear about Tibet? c. What do you think about China’s relationship with Tibet? d. What do you know about Buddhism? e. How have you seen ‘Eastern’ things (like Buddhism and Tibet) portrayed? 4. Talk about bias a. I do not believe that there can be no such thing as bias, that one can be completely objective and keep ideology out of the things they teach. Whether done consciously or not, ideas and opinion get pulled into the equation when teaching, so it is important to explain my position: i. I am teaching this course primarily because I hope to help educate and preserve knowledge about Tibetan culture – I believe that it is something worth preserving. Not that this knowledge remains static or that it can be guaranteed in every instance, but that there is a commitment to continually learn about Tibet, as it continues to unfold. ii. I am teaching this course out of utmost respect to Tibetans and their plight, and I will try my best to present our investigation in a respectful way. iii. You do not have to take my presentation of Tibet as truth – in fact, you should not. The perspective on Tibet you will find in this course is but one of many. iv. Some of the texts and films we will be reading and watching are written with a strong political purpose and intent, and we must always be aware of the perspectives of the writers we will consult. v. More than anything, I advocate being critical of your learning experience. Question the writers, question the approach, not in an accusatory way, but rather investigate the who, what, where, when, how and why of what you are reading. 5. Talk about my goals & student goals for the course a. My Goals i. Provide participants with a firm, basic level of understanding of Tibetan histories, religions, cultures and politics. ii. Provide participants with this understanding in auditory, visual, conceptual and other ways. iii. To teach that an exploration of Tibet is necessarily an exploration of perspectives about Tibet. iv. To express respect for Tibet, and also to drive home the point that we cannot generalize or fit all of Tibet in a neat little package – it is far too complex for such simplification. b. Student Goals? 6. Talk about authenticity & respect a. It is absolutely essential to talk about other cultures with respect, as I mentioned before. When I was designing this course, I often had issues with trying to teach about what Tibet is “really like,” because I find that is not so simple. i. It is hard to pin down exactly what Tibet “is” or “was,” because this suggests that it can be summarized and generalized, and that these generalizations will hold true in every instance. Instead, I plan to offer some trends which have been prominent, but certainly do not stick in every situation. ii. Equally important, I am going to try my best to teach questions upon questions, rather than answers upon answers. A lot of my questions about Tibet still don’t have answers, and most of them never will. 7. Reading Excerpts Out Loud a. “Khabachen: The Land of Snow” (p. 33-45) from Thubten Jigme Norbu’s Tibet (General wider view of Tibetans & beliefs). b. Portions of “Introduction” (p. 5-6) from Melvyn C. Goldstein & Matthew T. Kapstein’s Buddhism in Contemporary Tibet: Religious Revival and Cultural Identity (Tibet in general & importance of Buddhism in Tibetan society). c. Portion of “Chapter 1” (p. 3-5) from Tashi Tsering’s The Struggle for Modern Tibet (View of remorse over Tibet’s old traditional society). d. “Honored Among Thieves” by Nagpa Karma Lhundup (p. 49) from Brian Harris’ Tibetan Voices (Views of life among brigands in western Tibet, specifically Changtang). e. “To the Nomad Camps” by Jamyang Sakya from Harris’ Tibetan Voices (views of life among nomads). f. “The Sleeper Awakes” by Lobsang Gyaltso from Harris’ Tibetan Voices (views of nomad life, and Tibetan humor). g. “Muslim Neighbors” by Tsering Dolkar Yuthok from Harris’ Tibetan Voices (views of Buddhist-Muslim relations in Lhasa).

Introduction to Tibet: History Religion Culture and Politics Class #2: A First Glimpse of Tibet – Lecture/Storytelling

1. Introduction: Today, I would like to give you an opening look of Tibet. Some of you maybe already have seen films and images that show Tibet. Some of you may be Tibetan and don’t need pictures to get a sense of what this place is like. Regardless, I have chosen some images and I’ve also selected some specific readings from Tibetans and westerners alike that will hopefully give you a broad spectrum, a very wide brushstroke, of perspectives on Tibet. First, I am going to start with a few basic facts about Tibet…anything you’d find in a National Geographic or Almanac. 2. Questions to keep in mind today: a. How do these perspectives on Tibet differ? How are they the same? b. What common themes do you hear repeated? c. Who is the author, and what perspective are they coming from? 3. Tibet: Basics a. Location: Central Asia, northeast of India, Nepal and the Himalayan mountain range, southwest of Mongolia, neighbor of China. b. The Tibetan plateau rises avg. 12,000 feet above sea level. It is nearly the size of Western Europe, and only contained about 6 million people in 1950. c. The staple crop is barley, though it usually only grows in valleys. Most of the rivers in South Asia originate in Tibet, and the plateau is known for its rich mineral deposits, enormous forests and staggering mountain passes. d. The main religion is Buddhism, although a similar pre-Buddhist tradition known as Bön exists in Tibet, as well as Islam. e. Tibet has had many border conflicts with China, and has found itself controlled by (and controlling) China throughout history. We’ll get to more of this later. f. Tibet has a long history of agrarian settlements as well as nomadic peoples. Cities such as Tsang City, Lhasa, Tashilhunpo are examples of urban living. Until 1950, the lifestyle was very much devoid of technology; the wheel was outlawed (except for prayer wheels) until the Chinese invaded. g. Tibet takes much of its religion, culture and foods from its neighbors, especially India, Mongolia and China. 4. Students reading excerpts aloud a. Portion of “Khabachen: The Land of Snow” (p. 40-45) from Thubten Jigme Norbu’s Tibet (General wider view of Tibetans & beliefs). b. Portion of “Introduction” (p. 9) by Colin M. Turnbull from Thubten Jigme Norbu’s Tibet (General wider view of Tibetans & beliefs). c. Portion of “Leopard Cubs” (p. 12-17) from Mikel Dunham’s Buddha’s Warriors (Views of life in eastern Tibet, specifically SE region, Kham). d. Portion of “Tibet As it Used to Be” (p. 15-17) from A. Tom Grunfeld’s The Making of Modern Tibet (denouncing the old regime). e. “The Begging Classes” (p. 71) from Harris’ Tibetan Voices (describing the existence of beggars and the lower classes). f. Portion of “In Communist China” (p. 101) from Tenzin Gyatso (His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama)’s Freedom in Exile (positive views of the old order of Tibet). g. “Tibet” (p. 6-7) from Chris Mullin and Phuntsog Wangyal’s The Tibetans (denouncing Tibetan Buddhism, monasticism, etc.). h. “Disguised in the Market” from Harris’ Tibetan Voices (contrary views of Mullin/Wangyal re. the seclusion of HHDL. 5. Questions a. What do you make of each passage? b. What do you see as being important? What strikes you, or appeals to you? c. What picture does this paint of Tibet? d. Compare someone like Grunfeld and Mullin/Wangyal to what HHDL says about Tibet and the ‘old order’. e. How does one reconcile such divergent views of Tibet and Tibetans? Does one? f. Did you find any racist/orientalist comments in any of these passages? 6. Final Comments a. The sources I am using are many, and each perspective is powerfully distinct and differs vastly from its other accompanying examples. As often as people like (or try) to stereotype Tibet, the point here is that no two perspectives on anything are exactly the same. Tibet did have less contact with other nations, which leads many to believe that Tibetan culture was very concrete and seemingly of a singular nature. b. But there are remarkable differences between the beliefs and feelings of different Tibetans (although not all these authors are, in fact, Tibetan). Some of these authors make more judgments than others. Some are critical and some are nostalgic over the traditional Tibet that existed before China. These differences in opinion are important, and this is really what I hope to teach above all: that nothing is as simple or straight-forward as we might try to make it be. I hope to teach questions rather than answers. 7. Final Questions: a. What are the main points you drew from today’s class? b. What went over well, what didn’t you grasp? c. What would you like to see more of in this class?

Introduction To Tibet – History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #3: Buddhism – Socratic/Group Interaction/Mixed Lecture

--Finish talking about the 3 excerpts (15m) --Pass around attendance sheet --Introduce any new people

Today, we will begin our exploration of Tibet with an exploration of Buddhism. I chose to take this approach, because it has been my experience that much of Tibet has been bound by the fabric of Buddhism, so to begin to understand the first thing about Tibet, one has to understand Buddhism – or at least some of it.

1. Assessment – Questions before/writing @ end. o What is the goal of Buddhism? Is the path the goal? Is the goal at the end of the path? o Is Buddhism a philosophy or a religion? 2. Socratic (5m) questioning: prior to this reading, o What did you know about Buddhism? o How has Buddhism been presented to you in the past? When did you first learn about it? 3. Group Activity: The first 3 noble truths. (10m/20m) o Depending on how many students are present, it would be great to have them break up into groups and discuss the first three of the Four Noble Truths. E.g., if there are six students, break them up into groups of two, and have each group discuss and write down what they see as being the most important aspects of the first three Noble Truths. 4. Essential aspects of the Four Noble Truths o The Truth of Dukkha: What is “dukkha”? What kinds of notions does this word encompass? How many different kinds of dukkha are there, and how do they differ? ß Dukkha is a word that is often translated as “suffering,” but such translations are misleading, and create much of the inaccurate notions that Buddhism is a pessimistic tradition. A better translation is to leave the word untranslated, and to keep in mind that it connotes wider philosophical meanings like dissatisfaction, insubstantiality, impermanence, etc., as we read about for today. ß This truth exposes the reality of everyday life. It suggests that we run around in this life trying vainly to attach our hopes for some kind of ultimate peace, happiness or refuge on ephemeral things like objects, people, sense pleasures and the like. o The Truth of the source of Dukkha: What causes dukkha? ß The source of this Dukkha is due to our delusions and ignorances about two things. ∑ Ourselves – We are very strange creatures. We see what we want to see, we hear what we want to hear. We are subjective and look at the world through our own lenses, giving ourselves the false idea that there is some dichotomy between subject and object. We see ourselves as being fundamentally separate from those surrounding us, and are prone to acts of selfishness and greed. This greed comes in the form of a very powerful thirst that we have to accumulate, acquire and possess more pleasurable experiences. ∑ The world around us – We think that objects around us are permanent, and will provide endless amounts of comfort and joy. We see pleasurable sensual experiences as being the primary goal and, thinking that these pleasures are happiness, we grasp onto them. We develop attachment for certain experiences, and aversion towards others. o The Truth of the cessation of Dukkha (Nirvana): what is the end to dukkha? ß Nirvana refers to the blowing out of the flame of suffering. When one has conquered and eliminated all the sources of Dukkha, one has understood Nirvana. This is an important point. Nirvana is not attained or grasped, but rather it is understood. It is the mountain path; the mountain does not change dependent on whether or not you walk towards it, but rather, it is always there. ß The way to understanding the truth of Nirvana is to realize that the self does not exist in its own right, and that, in fact, nothing in this world exists of its own right. When analyzed to its core, one finds that the person has no core—no soul, no partless particle that serves as a bearer of parts. Fully understanding this in a non-linguistic, non-symbolic way is the key to understanding the truth of Nirvana. ∑ But one cannot reach this point without first going through the path. ß To be Enlightened means to be completely free of suffering and its causes, to have blown out the candle of cyclic existence, to be free from karma, and to be completely free from delusion and ignorance, brimming with compassion for all beings. And, of course, to have understood the ineffable. ß Today we’ll be discussing only three of the four truths, because the fourth has some more philosophically significant themes, and we’ll be exploring those tomorrow. o This is the Buddhist path, in its most basic form, the way to become a Buddha. 5. TRANSITION: All of this begs the question: who was the Buddha? o Work out the history & life of the Buddha with students (5m) o The Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, approximately 2551 years ago, in current-day Nepal. Important aspects: ß Kept in the palaces by the King ß Four life-altering sights ∑ Sickly being, old person, a corpse and a renunciate ß Great renunciation ß Great asceticism ß The middle path ß Enlightenment ß Teachings ß Sangha ß Death o I chose to speak about the Dharma first, because even the Buddha said that after his passing, his holy teaching would be the primary source on how to reach Buddhahood. While the Buddha is an essential as the teacher of these revelations, even he viewed his Dharma to be more important than himself. o TRANSITION: He taught that, for the followers of his word, the Dharma should be the guide. Who are his followers? 6. Among Buddhists, there are two different kinds: monks and laypersons. o Laypersons take the most basic of vows – not to kill, steal, practice sexual misconduct, speak in a way that is divisive, harsh, unnecessary or untruthful, and in many cases, to avoid intoxicants of any kind. o Monks follow much stricter guidelines, avoiding tall, soft beds, perfumes, jewelry, foods after noon, and other parts of life that are deemed to be luxurious. The goal here is to eschew sense pleasures and the trappings and fetters of life that encourage the creation of attachment and aversion in our minds, and also to commit one’s life to altruistic deeds. o The biggest distinction here is that of the different kinds of vows and oaths that monks and laypersons take. 7. When one is to become a Buddhist, one must take refuge in three essential elements of Buddhism: o The Buddha (the historical Buddha as well as the prospect of one’s own Buddhahood) – the doctor o The Dharma (the teachings of the Buddha) – the medicine o The Sangha (the community of monks and nuns) – the team of nurses o These elements are referred to as the triple-gem of Buddhism. Only with these three working together, and only by taking refuge in these three can one really engage on the Buddhist path. Taking refuge is committing oneself to the path, as well as requesting protection from these three sources. o What does it mean to take refuge? Taking refuge is having faith in the guidance of the Buddha, his teachings, and the monastic community which diligently helps to uphold and remind us of these teachings. Buddhism does not really require that you take a leap of faith, or that you suspend your disbelief until you get used to it. Buddhism’s faith is one built on a strong foundation of experiential knowledge. One must not take the words of the Buddha at face value, but rather investigate deeply as to the degree of their truth. If you understand and agree with the Dharma, the Buddha says, practice it. o TRANSITION: There are three categories of the Dharma 8. The Buddha’s teaching can be grouped into mainly three categories: Sutra, Shastra and Tantra. o Sutra refers to the actual words of the Buddha. All Sutras begin with the phrase, “Thus did I hear.” They outline the Dharma and the full corpus of the Buddha’s actually spoken teachings. o Shastra refers to teachings or commentaries based off of the Sutras. Works drawing from the Dharma, but that are not of the Buddha’s own composition are Shastras. o Tantra refers to texts and teachings found in the Vajrayana branch of Buddhism, which outline a much faster path towards Enlightenment. 9. Buddhism consists of three branches: Sravakyana, Mahayana and Vajrayana. o Sravakyana – This is the oldest vehicle of Buddhism, and has existed since the Buddha’s time. ß It follows that the disciple (the Sravakyana) is seeking out Enlightenment for their own uses to free themselves from the endless rounds of death and rebirth. o The Mahayana came about right around 0 C.E., suggesting that the true goal of any Buddhist disciple is to attain Enlightenment in order to liberate other beings from their own sufferings. ß There is a uniquely compassionate nature of this second kind of Buddhism. The Mahayana has what is called the bodhisattva ideal – that a being can become Enlightened and then not pass away, but choose to be reborn in order to help others. Everything is done for the benefit of all sentient beings. A typical figure of this compassionate intent is that of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, who has 1,000 arms to help everyone from their pain. o The Vajrayana came about circa 500 C.E., and can be seen as a subset of the Mahayana branch, given that the underlying altruistic motivation is still present, however there is a different approach towards realizing Nirvana. ß In the Vajrayana branch, there are various internal and external rituals that one undergoes in order to utilize the negative and positive energies and mental states as method for spiritual attainment. 10. ASSESSMENT: Do some writing o I want students to spend 5-10 minutes writing down some ideas. ß What went over well this class? What information came across most clearly? ß What didn’t come across so clearly? ß Were there any specific parts that students liked/disliked? ß What could I do better in the future to make the class more effective?

Next class, we’ll be discussing some of the more complex and intricate elements of Buddhist philosophy and practice. HAND OUT READINGS!

Introduction to Tibet – History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #4: Buddhism II – Mixed Lecture/Group discussion/Socratic method

At the end of the last class, we talked about the first three Noble Truths, the Dharma and the Sangha, and the life of the Buddha specifically. Today, I’d like to talk about a few more important basic aspects of Buddhism like the difference between monks and laypeople, the three jewels and what it means to ‘go for refuge.’ After this, we’re going to delve a little deeper into some of the more complicated aspects of Buddhist philosophy. We will be investigating these elements through three different lenses: impermanence, interdependence and selflessness. ALSO, I’d like to thank you for your comments, they’re helping me out a lot, and I’d like to see your continued feedback. Also, I’d just like to take a moment to thank you all for taking part in this…sometimes I feel a little selfish, because I really am trying to become a better teacher, and you are all helping me so much.

BRIEF lecture – I want to explain 3 things…the 3 kinds of Dharma, the 3 jewels, and going for refuge. (5-10m) - The Buddha said his Dharma was the most important aspect to keep in mind after his death, but what exactly is the Dharma? o Sutra, Shastra Tantra (explain) - But the Dharma is not the only element of Buddhism. Generally understood to be the most essential aspects are the three precious jewels, o Buddha o Dharma o Sangha (we talked about this already a bit) - When one becomes a Buddhist (whether a monk or a layperson), one must go for refuge to the triple jewel, not only as a sign of respect and dedication, but there is very much an attitude of protection. You are going for refuge, as you would from a storm. - ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE WE MOVE ON?

Discussion Questions: - GENERAL: o What caught your attention? o What did you find interesting? o What didn’t you understand? - SPECIFIC o What comprises the human form? What are we made of? o What reincarnates if the soul is asserted to be nonexistent? o What, exactly, is emptiness? What are we empty of? o Is emptiness nihilistic? o Why is emptiness important? o Emptiness is form, form is emptiness. Emptiness is not other than form, form is not other than emptiness.

o The Truth of the path to the cessation of Dukkha (Magga) ß The path towards the cessation of Dukkha is often described in terms of the Noble Eightfold Path: ∑ Right Understanding ∑ Right Thought ∑ Right Speech ∑ Right Action ∑ Right Livelihood ∑ Right Effort ∑ Right Mindfulness ∑ Right Concentration ß These can be generally grouped into three major disciplines that must be followed in order to understand the Truth of Nirvana: ∑ Conduct – how we behave…the grossest level ∑ Meditation – the development of positive and concentrated states of mind ∑ Wisdom – having the correct view and perception of oneself and the world. This point is especially important. Wisdom also involves the understanding of a central Buddhist concept of no-self. o No Self (Anatman or annatta – check spelling –) is a complicated philosophy that suggests that there is no everlasting soul or permanent inherently existent bearer of parts that controls all the aspects of the sentient being. No self is the affirmation of the five aggregates – psycho-physical components – that make up this ephemeral existence.

Selflessness. This refers to an integral part of Buddhist belief, that there is no everlasting soul that is the bearer of parts, that we do not exist inherently. -No Self: Last time we talked about how Buddhism rejects the idea that there is a single soul or some self that exists independently of this body. -Through Enlightenment, the Buddha saw that by imposing a false sense of “me” “I” or “self,” humans designed their own demise. For whatever psychological or emotional reasons, we have invented some illusory “self” that we believe to be permanent and unchanging. -This begs two questions: -what are we made of, and -if, according to Buddhism, we are reborn and die constantly, what exactly, if not a soul, is reborn?

Interdependence: According to Buddhism, nothing happens without multiple conditions bringing about its result. I should stress here that it is really conditions, and not causes. Cause implies that there is a direct and singular reason for some being or phenomenon’s occurrence, but this can never be found. If I am reading and I want a light so that I can read more effectively, there are several conditions: 1. My wish for the light to be on 2. My flipping of the light switch itself 3. The cables and wiring being in good status 4. The actual atomic action happening within the bulb It should be noted that in none of these elements can one find a singular cause of the light turning on. If I simply had the will for the light to be activated, but the light switch was nowhere to be found, the wires had been cut, or the filament broken (preventing the atomic reaction within the bulb that yields the light), my efforts would be in vain.

Getting back to this burning question: what are we made of?

-Five Aggregates: We are composed of five psycho-physical elements called the aggregates. They are… o Form, which is the entirety of the realm of matter, internal and external, understood by the six sense faculties (eye, ear, nose, tongue, body and mind) o Sensations, in the forms of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant, also registered through the sense faculties o Perception, which is the recognition of physical and mental objects through the six sense faculties o Mental formations, the willful and volitional acts, both positive and negative. This comprises Karma, which are not (as we are often led to believe) the results of the actions we commit, but rather the actions themselves. The result is called “karmic fruit.” o Consciousness, the reaction or response that has an internal faculty as its basis and an external object as its object…so, the visual consciousness has the basis of the eye, and object of visual form. The consciousnesses arise dependent on these conditions of faculty & object, and vanishes when the specific stimulus does. o These elements are not to be understood as eternal parts of the body, or “partless particles,” but rather come together and disintegrate at every moment of life. ß This nature of human existence is often compared to a stream, or a candle flame, which flows continually and is never the same for two moments, and yet, is not different. There are many other analogies used to describe this unique relationship. A boy grows up to be a man of 60. The man is not the same as the boy, but still he is not another. A sprout grows out of a seed placed in the earth. The sprout is not the same as the seed, and yet did not come from anywhere other than the seed.

We read about the 12 links of codependent arising as explained by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and we see further into the nature of existence in this world. The 12 links assert that nothing exists in its own right independent of other factors, which is precisely the point of the two truths of a philosophy called sunyata or emptiness.

Selflessness. Emptiness (snkrt. Sunyata) takes the concept of Anatman and applies it to a much wider spectrum. It suggests that there is no inherently existent phenomena or being. -That we not only consist of the five aggregates, but that our existence is conditional upon all those who helped us along the way, down to the growers and harvesters of the foods we eat. But it does not stop there. -The pickers and the growers also depend on others, and their dependencies in turn depend on others, and so it goes; we are interconnected in every direction infinitely. Great scholars such as Nagarjuna have written extensively as to the full impact of ideas like emptiness. -The Two Truths of Sunyata says that there is a conventional and ultimate truth to life. -The conventional truth follows along everyday needs; I am “Will” This is a “table,” and so on. These are all dependent designations, and reflect the rules and conditions we rely on for our everyday existence. -The ultimate truth seeks to determine the ontological status of phenomena and beings, and finds that ultimately, there is none. I do not exist as a separate and independent being. I am not inherently existing because my existence is conditional on other elements, because I condition others, and so on. -This aspect of sunyata is very difficult to understand. It suggests that the ultimate truth about existence is not some hidden mystery lying behind each object, but rather that both the conventional and the ultimate are dependent on each other, like two sides of the same coin; there is a non-duality between these two truths. -It is best explained through the Heart Sutra, an essential Mahayana text that we read for today. It reads, “Form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not other than emptiness, emptiness is not other than form.” In order for something to not exist ultimately, it must first exist conventionally, and vice versa. -We can see many manifestations of the two truths in other aspects of Buddhism. For example, in death and rebirth, we will see how the conventional and the ultimate come into play.

Impermanence. You will recall from last class that Dukkha is most closely connected with this idea of impermanence and the ephemeral nature of this worldly life. o Death and Rebirth ß Given the repudiation of a soul, what, precisely is reborn? Beyond this physical, gross body, are the aggregates that come together and disintegrate with each moment of existence. These subtle energies, and the consciousness are what continue on. It is a flow that is unbroken (in the sense that it continues on from one life to the next), and yet it is constantly interrupted by the arising and disintegration of the five aggregates. ß The whole of this philosophy on death and rebirth is based on this idea of the continually flowing, and continually broken stream. ∑ All of life is predicated on the moments that come before the current moment; all that comes before conditions the present. ∑ So why would it not follow that even when this form dies away that our consciousness will continue on (broken and unbroken) into a new form? If the aggregates are constantly coming together and constantly disintegrating, what does it matter if they come together in a new form when the old one wears out? Continuity is the fabric of this worldly existence. ∑ The idea of consciousness being continually broken, and yet continually unbroken presents us with yet another conventional-ultimate paradigm. Conventionally, we are the same entity from start to stop, and yet ultimately, there is nothing that is consistent about us even from one moment to the next. ∑ What keeps us going throughout cyclic existence? We are driven by ignorance (about the nature of the self, the nature of the world), by our karmic actions, and by our unquenchable thirst to constantly be, become, to acquire and so forth. This drive and the delusions we have about the world keep us trapped within it, perpetually.

o Writing at the end of class…write a reaction to something that piqued your interest, and also give me some notes about how I can improve, how you feel the course is progressing, etc.

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion Culture and Politics Class #5: The History of Tibetan Buddhism – Lecture

Today, we’re return to the topic of Tibet, after our brief exploration of Buddhism on the whole. Today, we will specifically be looking at how exactly Tibet came to be a home and a stronghold of Buddhist practice. I will give a lecture on the dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet, and afterwards, I have something interesting planned.

1. Introduction a. Intro: For a long time, even until as late as 1992, Tibetan Buddhism has been referred to as “Lamaism,” suggesting that it is somehow different from Buddhism due to the emphasis on the role of the teacher, the Lama. In this way, it has been compared to Roman Catholicism in terms of hierarchy and structure, and is fairly pejorative. i. So, as we begin to talk about the introduction of Buddhism in Tibet, we should know from the start that it is so different from other traditions that some people have even suggested that it is another religion altogether, especially when examining the tantras, which we will talk more about later. 1. (A teacher of my sister’s even was heard speaking on multiple occasions that Tibetan Buddhism is some aberration of traditional pure Buddhism). b. Goals: I am trying to give you a sense of: i. how Buddhism came to Tibet. c. Questions: What do you know about Tibetan Buddhism? 2. The first dissemination a. Our text says that Buddhism began arriving in Tibet during the ninth and tenth centuries…but really, it was first introduced much, much earlier. b. Tibetans first came into contact with Buddhism by being so militarily powerful, ransacking Buddhist institutions in Central Asia. c. The first introduction of Buddhism to Tibet occurred in 233 C.E. when, according to legends, a Buddhist text and relics fell from the sky to the roof of king Totori Nyentsen, but no one understood them, as they were written in Sanskrit, nor was Tibetan an actual language at that point. d. To see the first real transmission Fast-forward about 400 years to about 640, with King Songtsen Gampo. Gampo was the great unifying king…he brought most of Tibet together, and wanted to extend his ties, get some allies and so he took two wives, one from Nepal (Bhrkuti) and one from China (Wengcheng). Please just keep in mind that that’s how they did things back in the day – not egalitarian by today’s standards. Each of them brought statues of Buddhist deities (pass out Askhobya and Sakyamuni), each of them is enshrined, bringing the first real transmission. e. He also helps create a formal Tibetan language. f. After Gampo dies, there are a series of Tibetan Buddhist leaders. The next one is named Trisong Detsen. He invites this amazing abbot Shantaraksita who is hassled by pre-Buddhist Bon deities and natural disasters. He is forced to leave, but suggests inviting Padmasambhava to Tibet to subdue the demons. g. Which Padmasambhava does as Dorje Drolo. This all takes place in the 8th century. i. Shantaraksita comes back, and he and Padmasambhava set up the first monastery at Samye (779). h. During this time, there is a great deal of translations going on, and many texts are being transmitted to Tibet. i. A couple kings later, Lang Darma, a Bon king, represses Buddhism. This ends the first dissemination period. i. During a theatrical performance, a Buddhist monk kills Lang Darma because the general idea among Buddhists was that he had been possessed by a demon, and needed to be freed from it. 3. Disunity a. This period is marked with political instability and the decline of the Tibetan empire. Nations get their land back, and the Tibetans retreat. This period lasts for about 200 years. 4. Stop and check a. Any questions? Should I slow down at all? 5. Second Dissemination a. Buddhism remained strong in western Tibet, and a king from the west, Tsenpo Khore decides he doesn’t want to be a king anymore…he wants to be a Buddhist monk. So he sends some great Tibetan disciples to India and Kashmir to study, and the two that survive are responsible for translating really important texts. End of tenth century b. The most important event is the arrival of a great master named Atisa (1042). He is invited by this king, who takes on the name Yeshe Ö and after a vision, decides to go to Tibet to help spread the Dharma. Atisa is a great master of the Tantras, and brings teachings of the Tantra to Tibet, writes many works for the benefit of Tibetans, and trains many disciples. He also begins the Kadampa order, so we see different sects are starting to form. 6. Development of Buddhism in Tibet a. Buddhism flourishes and different schools begin. The first is known as the Nyingmapa, which literally means “old.” Their lineage is traced back to Padmasambhava. A principal teaching of theirs is the Great Perfection, which suggests that the nature of the mind is clear and luminous…think back to Tathagatharba. They were not particularly engaged with politics, nor were they as hierarchical as some of the other sects. b. The Sakyapa sect i. traces its lineage back to one of the translators who studied under tantric master Virupa (hand out image of Virupa). TENTH CENTURY The Sakyapas have been always closely associated with the tantras; it is often said, “where there is the Sakyapa, there is tantra.” Virupa developed the Lam Dre (path and fruit) tantric practice which is a mainstay of the Sakyapa. It is the first Tantric path to full Enlightenment 1. Virupa was a great master and teacher at Nalanda university, the largest Buddhist institution that has ever existed. He began to study the tantras, and broke his monastic codes by drinking and cavorting with women. He was kicked out of Nalanda, and took to wandering and begging, following the tantras. He developed strong powers, so much so that in one instance, he bet someone that he could stop the sun, and did. ii. The Sakyapa were heavily involved with the Mongols when Genghis Khan and his descendents held some control over Tibet. The highest of the Sakyapa order, the Sakya Pandita was sent to Mongolia 1249 to teach the ruler and their descendants. c. The Kaguypa i. This school is connected with a Tibetan named Marpa the Translator 1012-1099. whose main disciple was the great Tibetan tantric yogi Milarepa (hand around image). This school also has the Karmapa, who is the third highest incarnation in Tibetan Buddhism, preceded by the Panchen Lama and the Dalai Lama. d. The Gelukpa i. This has no specific lineage, but is founded by Je Tsongkhapa 1357-1419 as a way to reify the vinaya. Tsongkhapa felt that the monks of the other schools had broken their monastic vows by having women and drinking and the like, so he set up a more intensive and strict monastic code, and founded this new sect. ii. This sect had political connections to Mongolia starting 1578, and one of the successors of Tsongkhapa, Sonam Gyatso was invited by Altan Khan to Mongolia. Altan was so amazed by Sonam that he gave him the title Ta le Lama – Ocean of wisdom. The Mongols of this particular tribe became Geluk Buddhists, and two generations later, helped the Gelukpas and the fifth Dalai Lama fight against the Karmapa’s forces, gaining power over U Tsang (political Tibet) 1642. e. How did Buddhism change as a result of being in Tibet? i. Context. A lot can be said for location. Tibet was removed from the world for a large part until 1950. Of course it wasn’t airtight, and had the most central influences from and cultural connections with India, China, Mongolia, & all of the trans-Himalayan countries and ethnicities. This group of influences has definitely changed the flavor of Tibet. 1. Because Buddhism evolved and grew alongside and in tandem with (there was NO separation of church and state – the two were one) society at large, it has been influenced by Tibet. ii. Due to the isolation, Tibetan Buddhism developed in a very secretive, closed way, but was heavily influenced by the masters who came from India. iii. The translators who turned a wealth of Sanskrit texts into a massive library of Tibetan Buddhist literature. No other culture has been so prolific with Buddhism as Tibetans have. Their attention to scriptural accuracy is unparalleled.

So, this concludes the history of the dissemination of Buddhism in Tibet. But what about all these unique schools and sub-traditions? I’d like you to pick research topics. The topics are: Nyingmapa sect	Lam Dre Tantra	Hevajra Tantra Kagyupa sect		Vairocana		Nine Vehicles of the Nyingmapa Sakyapa sect		Vimalamitra Gelukpa sect		Padmasambhava Kadampa sect	Shantaraksita Tantra (generally)	Atisa

I want each group to discover as much as they can and present as much as they can about their groups by next class. Prepare a small 5-10 minute presentation about what you have discovered and present it to the class. While you are doing this, I’d like you to have a few questions in mind. You don’t have to answer them as if it were some kind of study guide, but keep these in the back of your mind as you’re going through this:

What are the practices you’ve encountered? Why is your topic unique or important? What are some of the stereotypes you encounter surrounding Tibetan Buddhism in general, and also your own topic? What kinds of figures do you encounter? What kinds of stories do you encounter? What does this tell you about the ways in which religion and government, and also daily life were intertwined?

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #6: Tsampa and Verner Herzog’s Wheel of Time.

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #7: Presentations on Tibetan Buddhism I

See Appendix D for student work.

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #8: Presentations on Tibetan Buddhism II

See Appendix D for student work.

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #9: Tibetan Politics and Governance I: 600-1913.

Today, we’re going to be moving into our discussion of Tibetan politics, starting with the ways in which Tibet’s governmental systems (or occasional lack thereof) have changed throughout history. For homework, I asked you to read a chapter out of one of my favorite books. This chapter briefly outlines Tibetan history from the imperial period up until Tibet had de facto independent status. I thought at first that I wanted to teach a class on Tibetan politics at home versus its international politics, but I realized that making such a divide was somewhat absurd…because it’s never that easy. So, I decided to divide it up between the imperial era versus the 40- (or so) year stretch where Tibet was functioning as an independent nation (although it had not been recognized by the international community as such). Then, next week, we’ll be covering the Chinese invasion and occupation of Tibet. I want to start off the class with some questions. ∑ What kinds of larger political systems have you seen when examining Tibetan history? ∑ How have these changes been seen in light of the Chinese claims over Tibet versus the Tibetans in Tibet, and in exile?

Some key bits: SIX kinds of governing -

∑ Three Dharma Kings & Lang Darma [Temporal and Spiritual leaders] o Songtsen Gampo – Unified and introduced Buddhism via two wives. o Trisong Detsen – Invited Padmasambhava and Shantaraksita. o Senalek o Relpachen – Invited many masters, was subordinate to the Sangha, helped to codify the translation techniques & improve accuracy. o Lang Darma – Persecuted the Buddhist tradition, assassinated by a Buddhist Monk. ∑ Disunity [??] o general political chaos; areas ruled by chieftains, o Buddhism retreats to western Tibet, Bon flourishes in the central region. ∑ Genghis Khan, Godan Khan and the Sakyapa rise to power. [Mongols Temporal leaders; Sakyas Spiritual leaders.] (1207-1372) o Godan Khan “invites” Sakya Pandita (Kunga Gyaltsen) to the Mongolian court. o Appoints the Sakyapa school as a sort of Regent for the Mongolian rule over Tibet. This continues through Kublai Khan, who conquers China and begins the Yuan dynasty (ca. 1279). The Ming dynasty replaces the Yuan. ∑ Geluks vs. Karma Kagyu. [Rimpung and Tsangpa Temporal; Karma Kagyu & Geluks Spiritual] (1372-1644) o Central Tibet is ruled politically by the Princes of Rimpung, and later the Kings of Tsangpa. These figures back the Karma Kagyu sect of the Kaguypas. o Their opposition is the Gelukpa force in Central Tibet, founded by Je Tsongkhapa, backed by Altan Khan, and later Gushri Khan of the Qoshot tribe. o The Fifth Dalai Lama and Gushri take Lhasa from Tsangpa forces, and solidify their control. o The Manchu Qing Dynasty replaces the Ming (1644), ∑ Geluks and the Qing. [Qing via Qoshot Mongols Temporal; Dalai Lamas Spiritual] – 7 Phases. (1644-1911) o 1. The Great Fifth dies and this news is hidden from public view for 14 years. His regent, Sangye Gyatso intrigues with the Dzungar Mongols, to offset the Qoshot Mongols. Dzungars are the largest threat to Qing, & lose their unifying campaign. Lobsang Khan, Qoshot son of Gushri executes the 6th Dalai Lama’s Regent, exercises more control over Tibet, assuming the title of “King of Tibet.” 6th Dalai Lama sent to exile, dies en route. o 2. Geluk monks invite Dzungar Mongols to oust the Qoshot. Dzungars win, but then ransack Lhasa and kill several monks. o 3. Qing army sent to Lhasa, with the aid of Polhanas and Khangchennas (western governors) kick out Dzungars, and set up a council of four ministers (kalon), of which Khangchennas is the leader. Other three ministers kill Khangchennas, attempt to kill Polhanas, but he flees, returns, and captures Lhasa. o 4. Qing send force that rules jointly with Polhanas via the ambans, Manchu “advisors.” 7th Dalai Lama sent into exile for conspiring with the Dzungars. Eventually is brought back only as a figurehead. Polhanas is a stable and effective ruler. o 5. Polhanas’ son Gyurme Namgye ascends to power after father’s death, Reduces Qing influence, restarts machinations with the Dzungars. Ambans find out, kill Namgye, but his followers kill the Ambans. 7th Dalai Lama takes control during political void. o 6. The 7th Dalai Lama is appointed as ruler, and councils are established with members of the Sangha to offset the influence of the aristocratic laypeople. During this time, Tibet was relatively weak and disunited. Ambans exercised great power, although Tibet was not incorporated into China Proper, did not pay any kind of tribute, and even est’d. its own standing army (its first) via Qing reforms. o 7. Tibet becomes more self-sustaining until England (via colonial India) wants to open up trade. When they are denied an audience with the Dalai Lama, Younghusband invades to Lhasa, the gov’t signs an agreement, which is almost immediately replaced by a treaty with the Qing. This brings us up to… ∑ Geluks and de facto independence. (1913-1950)

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #10: Tibetan Politics and Governance II: De Facto Independence (1913 – 1950) Socratic/Mixed Lecture

Today, we’ll be resuming where we left off last time. Under specific examination is the time period from 1913 (the fall of the Qing dynasty) to 1950, when Tibet was invaded by Maoist China. Why can we cover 1,313 years of history in one class and then spend another class examining 37 years? Well, for one thing, this time period has a great richness of information due to some of the visitors to Tibet like Sir Charles Bell and Heinrich Harrer. For another thing, this time period is very special because it is the highest level of autonomy that Tibet maintained since the time of the great Dharma Kings and the period of imperial expansion. Few Chinese were present in Lhasa, and the ones that were there held no political sway. Tibet was left to its own devices, and many, many scholars, activists, etc. have tried to reconstruct, recreate and reimagine this time period as the truest vision of what a truly independent Tibet would look like. Readings? Socratic Questions - How did the Tibetan Government function? How did the government enact its decrees? - How did the secular and monastic forms of government interact? - To what extent did these two branches of the central government make decisions and influence policy? - How is ethnographic Tibet different from political Tibet? - Who were some of the different Lhasans, and what did they do? Essential aspects of “independent” Tibet: ∑ Political system in Lhasa/governmental structure o Ruler-Lönchen-Kashag/Chigyab Khembo/National Assemblies-Tsigang-Other Bureaucrats; Chigyab Khembo-Yigtsang ß Ruler was either HHDL or Regent, Lönchen ruled when ruler was in exile. ß Kashag was in charge of all secular affairs of interest to the government, and served as the gatekeeper of secular requests etc. that reached HHDL. ß National Assemblies made up of three separate assemblies comprised of lay, monk aristocrats, mid-level bureaucrats and the seats of the three great Geluk monasteries ß The Yigtsang was the office in charge of all monk officials, the highest ranking being the Chigyab Khembo. ß The Tsigang was the Revenue Office, in charge of taxes and accounts, also had large hand in choosing new Bureaucrats. ß Mid-level bureaucrats occupied offices of little power, but better pay, like the Mint and Foreign Office. ∑ Governance (police, courts, extending control to western Tibet) o Lay ß Army comprised roughly 1,000-1,500 stationed in Lhasa at any given moment. ß All pleas and claims sent by individuals involved with the laity went through the chains of Bureaucracy, up to the Kashag and HHDL. ß No real control over Kham/Amdo…political Tibet (the Tibet that was controlled by HHDL/Lhasa gov’t) is quite different from ethnic Tibet, which extends east, west, and south into the trans-Himalayan belt. In Kham, they sometimes paid taxes to the Tibetan government, and especially when defending the borders against Chinese aggression, the central gov’t made a strong presence on the eastern frontiers. ∑ Lhasa did control most of western Tibet through an interconnected system of small government offices, operated by mid-level bureaucrats. o Monastic ß A group of specialized police monks, the dhob dhobs, numbered in the thousands, and dwarfed the Army. ß Most major issues settled within the monastery by various disciplinary heads (gegö), and by the heads of the Tratsang and Khamtsen. ß Parent monasteries were the locations of the main seats (e.g., Sera, Drepung, Ganden), and smaller subsidiary monasteries would keep in contact, send monks to the parent monasteries, etc. ∑ Hence, when a monastery like Ganden said it was or was not supportive of some act or decree made by the government, it was a wide network of monasteries that backed up their decision. ∑ Serfdom o Lay – Lay aristocrats high in the central government (the Shapes of the Kashag, the Tsigang Office, some of the National Assembly, etc.) held massive land holdings, replete with fields and serfs, who often owned their own fields, and depending on the level of affluence, may have even had their own serfs. The aristocratic families ruled through heirs, and their estates continued on in this way. Some families were required to give a child (always male) to the bureaucratic system. o Monastic – Monastic bureaucrats had to rule through adoption of heirs, being either family members/relatives or (rarely) unrelated heirs. For incarnate monks, their land holdings and serfs, etc. were part of the labrang, the whole of their worth from the past incarnations, and all their future possessions. ∑ Role of the monastery & mass monasticism o Monasteries (especially the Three Seats of Ganden, Drepung and Sera) were self-contained cities, replete with their own governing systems, granaries, land holdings, serfs, etc. They were funded by manorial estates, endowment funds, central gov’t funds, donations from the faithful. Monks were paid a trifle amount, having to find their own jobs, although the monasteries did go to great lengths in order to ensure that all monks got some tsampa and tea during prayer festivals, etc. Monks also received some of the donation money. Profits rendered by the monasteries were used to fund and support monks. o Organization: ß Monastery ß Tratsang (college) ß Khamtsen (sub-unit organized around origin of the students) ß Mitsen (dormitories) ß Monks or Monk Households (Shagtsang) o Authority and bureaucratic structure: ß Monastery ß Tratsang ruled by Abbot ß Abbot served by 3 “religious heads” (uchö) – umdze (prayer leader); gegö (disciplinary head); lama shuglenba (monk in charge of religious studies). ß Religious heads served by managers (chabu) who keep track of Tratsang resources, and other college resources like the labrang. ß On the monastery-wide level, two disciplinarians (tshogcen shenggo) served one-year rotating terms, chosen from the Tratsang. ∑ Chiso took care of economic affairs. ∑ Photrang Depa held accountable for all gov’t property within the monastery and served as liaison to the central gov’t. ß Lachi was the main assembly of the monastery, consisted of ∑ Present abbots, ex abbots, Photrang Depa, the Tshogcen Shenggo, both Chiso, the Umdze (prayer leader) ∑ Richi was another committee made of six abbots of the tratsangs teaching logic. o Monasteries were held as the backbone of the society, in that the profits they gained went to help monks, feed monks, etc. Up to 26% of all males were monks, about 13% of the society at any given moment were involved in the Sangha.

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics Class #11: China and Tibet I – Socratic/group interaction

Outline: Today, we’re going to be looking at China’s involvement with Tibet since 1950, most importantly the invasion and occupation of Tibet.

Questions: Start the class with giving students 5 mins. to jot down some questions about the readings.

Framing: 5 minute lecture on the six moments in Sino-Tibetan history where China looks for precedent to annex Tibet in 1950.

∑ 	Examples in Tibetan history o Chinese princess Wengcheng marries Tibetan king Songtsen Gampo (7th century) ∑ China: Gampo accepted wife as being included in the greater Chinese family ∑ Tibet: Gampo accepted wife after sacking Chinese capitol, and as a part of a treaty o Qing Get Involved1720) ∑ Lhabsang Khan of Qoshot Mongolian tribe kills 6th Dalai Lama’s regent, assumes the title of King ∑ Tibetan and Dzungar Mongols enter Tibet, kill Lhabsang Khan, Dzungars loot Lhasa and anger Tibetans ∑ Qing army enters Tibet and assumes control. ∑ Possible readings: o China: We took care of our protectorate, our own Tibet. o Tibet: The Qing and Tibet were working together, as neighboring nations. Tibet asked for help, and like another independent nation, the Qing helped. o Nepalese invasion of Tibet (1792) ∑ Tibetan Army incapable of fending off Nepalese invaders & asks Qing dynasty for help. It is the fifth time Tibet gets help from the Qing dynasty in the 18th century. ∑ Possible Readings: o China: We had to look out for our piece of the motherland o Tibet: The Qing helped, but did not deserve to hold power over the whole country. o British Invasion! (1903-1906) ∑ British invade Tibet in 1903 in the hopes of getting trade agreements between England (via India) and Tibet, however 13th Dalai Lama is uninterested. Younghusband enters Tibet with his army. D. L. goes into exile in Mongolia. England and Tibet sign the Anglo-Tibetan convention to settle the peace. ∑ Possible Readings: o China: England realizing that Tibet did not have independent control over its own affairs, the British then signed the Anglo-Chinese convention of 1906, reducing England’s influence over Chinese soil. o Tibet: England cut Tibet out of the loop after the Anglo-Tibetan convention and ignored the nation, preferring to deal with China instead. o Chinese Invasion, and the 17-Point Agreement ∑ China enters Tibet in 1950, encountering some Tibetan resistance until the Lhasa government surrenders, via the 17-Point Agreement, which was able to “legitimize unambiguously Tibet’s status as a part of China.” (p.48) ∑ Possible Readings: o China: Tibet was successfully freed from feudal reign and backwards, medieval times. o Tibet: China invaded a nation which was on the way to independence, and set up the 17-Point Agreement, but didn’t stick by it for long.

Questions: ∑ Why did His Holiness the Dalai Lama return to Lhasa after China invaded? ∑ How did Tibet relate to China initially? ∑ What led to the 1959 uprising in Lhasa? ∑ What was the purpose of the Cultural Revolution? o What were the effects of the Cultural Revolution? ∑ What were some of the points of the 17-Point agreement? o Points not included in the reading: ∑ Point 2: The local government of Tibet shall actively assist the People’s Liberation Army to enter Tibet and consolidate the national defense ∑ Point 5: The established status, functions and powers of the Panchen Rinpoche shall be maintained ∑ Point 6: By the established status, functions and powers of the Dalai Lama and of the Panchen Rinpoche are meant the status, functions and powers of the 13th Dalai Lama and of the Ninth Panchen Rinpoche when they were in friendly and amicable relations with each other. ∑ Point 8: Tibetan troops shall be reorganized by stages into the People’s Liberation Army, and become a part of the national defense forces of the People’s Republic of China. ∑ Point 9: The spoken and written language and school education of the Tibetan nationality shall be developed step by step in accordance with the actual conditions in Tibet. ∑ Point 10: Tibetan agriculture, livestock raising, industry, and commerce shall be developed step by step and the people’s livelihood shall be improved step by step in accordance with the actual conditions of Tibet. ∑ Point 12: In so far as former pro-imperialist and pro-Kuomintang officials resolutely sever relations with imperialism and the Kuomintang and do not engage in sabotage or resistance, they may continue to hold office irrespective of their past. ∑ Point13: The People’s Liberation Army entering Tibet shall abide by all the above-mentioned policies and shall also be fair in buying and selling and shall not arbitrarily take a single needle or thread from the people. ∑ Point 14: The Central People’s Government shall conduct the centralized handling of all external affairs of the area of Tibet; and there will be peaceful coexistence with neighbouring [sic] countries and establishment and development of fair commercial and trading relations with them on the basis of equality, mutual benefit, and mutual respect for territory and sovereignty. ∑ Point 15: In order to ensure the implementation of this agreement, the Central People’s Government shall set up a military and administrative committee and a military area headquarters in Tibet, and apart from the personnel sent there by the Central People’s Government, shall absorb as many local Tibetan personnel as possible to take part in the work. Local Tibetan personnel taking part in the military and administrative committee may include patriotic elements from the local government of Tibet, various districts, and leading monasteries; the name list shall be drawn up after consultation between the representatives designated by the Central People’s Government and the various quarters concerned, and shall be submitted to the central People’s Government for appointment. ∑ Point 16: Funds needed by the military and administrative committee, the military area headquarters, and the People’s Liberation Army entering Tibet shall be provided by the Central People’s Government. The local government of Tibet will assist the People’s Liberation Army in the purchase and transport of food, fodder, and other daily necessities. ∑ Point 17: This agreement shall come into force immediately after signatures and seals are affixed to it. ∑ How did Chinese/Tibetan relations progress after the end of the Cultural Revolution? ∑ How does His Holiness characterize Tibet after Chinese “reforms”? ∑ How do you think the Chinese government feels about the post-1976 era?

1950-1954: Cordial relations progress, although some concessions are made. Mao’s period of “gradualism.” 1955-1959: Conditions worsen; revolt in the east, unrest with the PRC culminates in the 1959 Lhasa uprising 1959-1966: As HHDL flees to India, PRC dismantles the traditional government completely. 1966-1976: This period is marked with the worst atrocities. Religious practice (both private and monastic) is banned, along with traditional songs, dress and customs. 96% of all monasteries are destroyed, razed, bulldozed, ransacked or burned. 1977-1980?: A period of relative reconciliation, though rife with hollow gestures 1982-2008: The situation in Tibet intensifies. The PRC begins displacing the Tibetan population, Chinese replaces Tibetan in schools, Bomb blasts and limited rebellions/uprisings prompt cruel and relentless crackdowns from the PRC.

Assignment for next class: Have students look up and report on an article or two in the news about the current situation in Tibet.

Introduction to Tibet: History Religion, Culture and Politics Class #12: China and Tibet II: Conflicted Histories, and the News Today

Last class, we looked at some of the history that Tibet shares with China, and how China uses this history to justify their invasion of Tibet in 1950. Today, we’ll be focusing on what happened after 1950, finishing our course up today with a look into the current situation in Tibet that has escalated since March 10th.

Brief discussion on the post-1950 time period:

∑ How did Tibet relate to China initially? ∑ What led to the 1959 uprising in Lhasa? ∑ What was the purpose of the Cultural Revolution? ∑ What were the effects of the Cultural Revolution? ∑ How did Chinese/Tibetan relations progress after the end of the Cultural Revolution? ∑ How does His Holiness characterize Tibet after Chinese “reforms”? ∑ How do you think the Chinese government feels about the post-1976 era?

1950-1954: Cordial relations progress, although some concessions are made. Mao’s period of “gradualism.” 1955-1959: Conditions worsen; revolt in the east, unrest with the PRC culminates in the 1959 Lhasa uprising 1959-1966: As HHDL flees to India, PRC dismantles the traditional government completely. 1966-1976: This period is marked with the worst atrocities. Religious practice (both private and monastic) is banned, along with traditional songs, dress and customs. 96% of all monasteries are destroyed, razed, bulldozed, ransacked or burned. 1977-1980?: A period of relative reconciliation, though rife with hollow gestures 1982-2008: The situation in Tibet intensifies. The PRC begins displacing the Tibetan population, Chinese replaces Tibetan in schools, Bomb blasts and limited rebellions/uprisings prompt cruel and relentless crackdowns from the PRC.

Reading: ∑ What did you make of the reading we had for today? ∑ How does it reflect the contested nature of Tibetan/Chinese history?

It seems to me that the Chinese are eager to emphasize the British and American involvement in Tibet, because after all, their primary impetus for invasion was the “imperialist threat” in Tibet.

On page 4, it suggests that the Lhasa uprising in 1959 was obviously organized by the American government. The Lhasa uprising came about from a few different events: ∑ Botched land/agricultural reforms in the eastern regions of Tibet spurned revolts and the formation of the Chushi Gandruk. ∑ These battles against the Chinese led to a large number of refugees fleeing to Lhasa, so that by March 10th, the population had doubled, and 30,000 people crowded around the Potala preventing HHDL from leaving and communicating with the Chinese government. ∑ The citizens of Lhasa were worried about the invitation sent to HHDL to attend a dance without the protection of any bodyguards. o On March 10, Tibetans repudiated the 17-Point Agreement, o Declared Tibetan independence o “The Chinese in Lhasa were furious at what they saw as a CIA-aided revolt. In fact, the rage, which the Dalai Lama had tried to contain for nine years, had boiled over. o This is remarkable…why did China think the CIA was responsible for everything? They hardly provided them with any ammo or support.

Also on page 4, it suggests that America has been backing the Tibetan independence movement, and cites Seven Years in Tibet as evidence…as if the US government is the same thing as Hollywood.

On page 6, it suggests that the reforms enacted by the Qing Dynasty government arranged for the direct rule over Tibet. What they fail to note is that most of these reforms were met with a lot of hostility, and usually came on the heels of massive turmoil created by the Chinese presence (although not always).

On page 8, it suggests that “‘Invasion has no meaning to a country exercising its sovereignty [sic] right on its own land.’” To the extent that Tibet has been a part of China – this (obviously) is up to much debate. What can be said for the Chinese action in Tibet in 1950 is that they did, in fact, invade with a substantial military force (40,000 troops – four times the Tibetan contingent nationwide), engaging Tibetan soldiers first at Chamdo.

The essay starting on page 8 makes a few good points – one cannot watch 7 Years in Tibet and consider themselves experts. It is inappropriate to compare Tibetans to Native Americans, because their experiences are completely different. Hollywood does take a great deal of liberty with historical statements. HOWEVER, this writer’s perception of the situation in Tibet is so hideously erroneous, it is almost painful for me to read. ∑ It is an invasion if you enter with an army. Just because the Civil War happened within America doesn’t mean it wasn’t a war. ∑ The policy towards Tibet during the cultural revolution certainly resembles genocide. ∑ Tibet was not the only instance of cultural genocide, but it was one of the harshest, given that not only did they have religion, but also a simple way of life that was deemed primitive and barbaric by monsters like Chairman Mao. ∑ If the author’s argument is that there should be no comparisons between the West and Tibet, and further that Hollywood movies skew this perspective, why, then on page 14, does he talk about the parallels between William of Normandy, which he remembered from a Hollywood movie??

On page 9, the article states that improvements in Tibet are undeniable. Think about these improvements in contrast to what HHDL said about the “modernizations” in Tibet, and how they are good, but don’t impact the lives of Tibetans. Also, suggests that 95% of the population was illiterate. If well over 25% of the population was trained to read in the monastery, how could 95% be illiterate? Still 75% is a high number…but such unabashed misinformation!

∑ What articles did you bring in? ∑ How do you think they relate to Tibetan history?

Appendix C - Notes & Reactions
These entries explore each individual class session, kept for posterity. They are concerned with the class itself, how it went, what happened, the major ideas expressed, and my reaction to the session, my own teaching and the content. Please note that these personal notes and reactions do not feature actual student names. Names that appear have either been replaced or completely removed to protect the confidentiality of the participants. The replacement names were chosen arbitrarily.

Notes and Reactions – 2/19/08 (IT#1)

The first day of class went pretty much as I expected. There were six students attending. First, we went around the room and introduced ourselves, giving our name, interests/studies, and what we want from this class. By in large, these students were curious about Tibet in general, its histories, and films about it. I entered the class today with some specific questions I wanted to ask in order to get students thinking about Tibet. I asked when was the first time they had ever encountered Tibet, and the answers I received were quite divergent. Danielle first heard of it during the short-lived show “Muppet Babies,” when Ms. Piggy went off to find the “Jewels of Tibet.” Jon first heard about Tibet by reading Tin tin books. I asked how the students had experienced “Eastern” things like Buddhism and Tibet, and how they had been portrayed. Generally, I was met with the notion that they were presented as being something distinctively from outside one’s own culture, and that they had been portrayed (as Jon noted with his example of Tin tin) as something uniquely other. These questions were valid and useful, and I feel this way of investigation can be highly beneficial, and I should endeavor to use it more often in class. I find that it gives people more room to answer the question, that they feel more obliged to elaborate at their own volition. It took up nearly half of the first class to ask these simple questions! I went on to talk quickly about a few things that I had outlined as important to get into the open on the first day. I spoke about the importance of making one’s biases known to the students, given that bias does not easily go away, even if it is your intention to keep them out of the content you teach. I explained my position regarding bias, specifically that I feel preserving a dynamically changing understanding of Tibetan cultures is a vital and important task. I went on to speak about my own respect towards Tibetans, and that I want to lead any and every investigation in a respectful way. I then spoke about how important it is to keep in mind that we will be regarding multiple perspectives on the topic, and that often within texts, there are very specific political and ideological undercurrents that are driving the work in one way or another – particularly when we investigate how Tibetan histories have been re-examined and re-presented with political ideologies in mind, this will be vital to keep in the forefront of the discussion. I then told the students that for them to be aware of the ways in which they, as individuals, learn will be incredibly important. Next, I spoke about the goals that I have for the class. I want to provide participants with a firm basic understanding. I want to provide multiple methods for this understanding – audio, visual, etc. – and that to teach any understanding or exploration about Tibet is necessarily an exploration of perspectives about Tibet. This rings true particularly concerning what Alan Hodder mentioned about being ‘responsible for the material’ – presenting these author’s ideas, as opposed to trying to be held up as the all-knowing “sage on the stage.” I asked the students about their goals, and they generally added more clarity to what they spoke of in regards to what they hoped to get from this class. I finished the last 20 minutes of the class with a slideshow of images that I have scanned onto my computer, accompanied by a selection of readings about Tibet that I read aloud. I asked them to keep in mind the kind of image that both the visual and the textual representations of Tibet conjured. I read an excerpt of “Khabachen: The Land of Snow” from Thubten Jigme Norbu’s Tibet, to provide a more general view of what he feels are important aspects about Tibet and Tibetans. Following this, I read a portion of “Introduction” from Melvyn C. Goldstein and Matthew T. Kapstein’s Buddhism in Contemporary Tibet: Religious Revival and Cultural Identity. This reading explained some of the ways in which religion and the state government functioned as a singular, cohesive unit. I followed this up with three short stories. The first was “Honored Among Thieves” by Nagpa Karma Lhundup from Brian Harris’ Tibetan Voices, giving a view of the brigands and thieves that roamed the Changtang region of Tibet in the west. Following this, I read “To the Nomad Camps,” by Jamyang Sakya from Harris’ Tibetan Voices to give a view of life as a nomad, and to illustrate the devout faith that so many Tibetans hold for Lamas and members of the Buddhist spiritual community (or Sangha). The final story was entitled, “The Sleeper Awakes” by Lobsang Gyaltso from Harris’ Tibetan Voices. This reading provided a view of life as a nomad, as well as some of the flavor of Tibetan humor and practical jokes. In the story, a young nomad plays a trick on another nomad who has a penchant for falling asleep when he should be tending to the grazing animals.

This class went well. I felt anxious at times, but I feel that my limited prior experience as a teacher for Abraham Zablocki, Vivek Bhandari and Ryan Joo served me quite well. I was able to keep my cool, keep calm, I did not, to the best of my ability, get flustered or exasperated. Which are concerns of mine. It seems to me often that teachers have a certain kind of finesse – an artistic ability – to teach well and to keep audiences rapt. This is no simple task, and I may be imagining it, but I have heard teachers speak of it before, and I work very hard to develop it. I really enjoyed asking the participants questions. Something Kristen said to me right before the class really struck a familiar chord with me – that my primary job is to create an excellent learning environment, a place that is open to student exploration and student involvement. So, if the students have no idea what they are up to, or how they feel about each other, then it will be very difficult indeed to teach effectively. I think this method of Socratic questioning is particularly useful in this context of building an appropriate learning environment. It gives students the chance to speak about their own personal experiences, especially as I ask them to delve deeper into their questions and to pull up more pertinent information. It gives the student answering the questions more of a sense of their own understanding, while also giving others in the classroom a better view into their peers. I am not Tibetan, and nothing is going to change that fact. I feel strange speaking about another’s culture (even if they were not my words) while I myself am not a part of it, especially when I’m speaking about another’s culture to someone who is a part of it. Furthermore, while I myself am a part of an entirely different set of cultures (French-Canadian, German, Irish), I know next to nothing about my own hereditary cultural past and present. The question comes up for me again and again: what right do I have to teach about someone else’s ways of life? I have no definitive answer. Perhaps it is because I believe that I can teach someone else something about it in a way that is effective and considerate of cultural concerns and sensitivities. The last thing I want is to make any statements that others will take offense to. Am I too worried about this point? Sometimes I think Hampshire’s unique focus on introspection and analysis of one’s own position in relation to the world, one’s own privileges, one’s own biases, ignorances, insensitivities and naiveties (emphasized by the curricular and especially the student body spheres) is useful to an extent. They are all important aspects to confront and consider with openness, with sincerity, with a concern and a pledge to do something about it, take it into account on a conscious and very active level. But after a point, specifically when taken to the extreme at the cost of all else, I worry that they just serve to hinder one’s earnest efforts and imbue one’s enthusiasm with self-effacing guilt and paranoia, self-doubt, self-hate and a sense that one has just stepped off of the boat from (in my case) ‘Caucasia.’ I am particularly alarmed and disturbed by the term ‘ally’ as in an ‘ally’ of a race (e.g., ‘white ally’), an ‘ally’ of a sexual identity (e.g. ‘transsexual ally’), or any other similar distinction. To me, it implies that there is a war going on, that you can be either with ‘us’ or against ‘us,’ whoever ‘us’ may be. It implies that these dependent distinctions are actually inherently real, and that we are somehow totally different species, different creatures, because of the way we identify ourselves sexually, the color of our skin, our religious identity, etc. This is not to say that there are no real systems that we have created that mean to divide us, or that the real divisions that we have created within society that acutely and chronically effect the ways and quality of life of others do not actually exist, or that they are a fictitious creation. Nor is this to say that these distinctions have no past, that they are arbitrary, or that they could somehow be divorced from hegemony, power dynamics and oppressive structures. None of it is innocent or free of such dynamics. However, if we begin to speak in frustrating dualistic terms like ‘ally’ and its counterpart, ‘enemy,’ surely nothing positive or cohesive can come from it. Difference is important, but only insofar as it makes us conventionally unique and individual. It makes us “who we are,” and this is a truly beautiful thing, until we begin to see these differences as being fundamentally present and inherently existent; I am distinctively ‘me’ and you are distinctively ‘not me.’ This is what I fear. Ultimately, there is absolutely nothing that separates two human beings, other than the institutions, notions and systems that we have imposed upon ourselves that differentiate between classes, genders, races, creeds, histories, etc. Eqbal Ahmad said, “There is no end to the logic of difference,” and these words ring truer to me every day I live. But I digress. What can I do more effectively in my class? Rethink my questions before I ask them. Take into account the people I am working with, and focus on how I can incorporate their interests into the class to create a spectacular working and learning environment. Get the students actively participating with the content. I fear that my curriculum design has been far too centered on lecture and not enough attention has been paid on the group interaction and Socratic methods of classroom instruction. Particularly this idea of putting much of the responsibility for learning on the students themselves needs to be reinforced and enacted in future class sessions.

Notes/Reaction – 2/21/08 (IT#2) The second day of class went well, although I had three issues with it. I felt that my lecture was weak, my transition from lecture to Socratic teaching methods needed to be smoother, and that I am not being actively conscious of what students new to this subject need to understand. Six students attended the second class, although not the same six from the first class. Because I moved my slideshow and storytelling section to the first class as per Alan Hodder’s suggestion, I had to come up with some new curriculum for Thursday. At the advice of both Alan and a fellow student studying Buddhism and Education at Hampshire, I decided to use other excerpts, and have the students read them aloud. The pedagogical implications of this practice made great sense to me. Following in the footsteps of the Socratic method, having students read short blurbs about Tibet out loud, and then commenting on them as a group would put the responsibility of learning on the students (particularly to get the conversation started), while also allowing me to work with them to answer their questions, and build their understanding. I used this Socratic style of questioning to understand how they were interpreting this information. I will describe this exercise shortly. First, I gave a brief lecture on Tibet, providing very basic information. I asked the students to keep a few questions in mind as we explored this content. I asked them, “How do these perspectives on Tibet differ? How are they the same? What common themes do you hear repeated? Who is the author, and what perspective are they coming from? My lecture included information about geography, neighbors and their cultural influences, the size, population, altitudes of the plateau, as well as information on the crops, minerals, rivers and mountains of the region. I went on to give basic information on the religious traditions of Tibet, such as Buddhism, Bon and Islam. I spent some time explaining the border conflicts with China, especially those of the Simla Convention of 1914 where Tibet and China attempted to reach a compromise on settling the border between their two countries. I made a brief mention of some of the different kinds of people of Tibet, specifically the nomads of the east and west, and the city-dwelling populations of areas like Lhasa and Tashilhunpo. Finally, I made a note of the relative lack of technology, specifically in the case of wheels. In Tibet, prior to 1950, the only wheels that really existed in any use in Tibet were prayer wheels. Transportation tended to be of the two- or four-legged variety. My lecture was halting and fairly droning, replete with “ah,” “um” and the like. As I spoke about these elements in the lecture, I also screened images behind me through my computer. I included maps of Tibet, its relation to its neighbors, images of barley, Buddhist images and Bon deities, as well as a very interesting picture I had never seen before planning out this class session, which features His Holiness the Dalai Lama wearing a rainbow-colored Bon hat, holding a Bon ritual item bearing auspicious swastikas. I provided images also of the Simla maps, as well as a distinct view (and some explication of ) the difference between ethnographic and political Tibet. I then moved into the second part of the class, where I handed out some excerpts from various authors: Thubten Jigme Norbu (His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s oldest brother), Mikel Dunham (who wrote a book born of interviews with Khampas from the Tibetan Guerilla group that fought the Chinese when they invaded), A. Tom Grunfeld (a western scholar), narratives from Tibetans found in Brian Harris’ Tibetan Voices, and finally writing from His Holiness the Dalai Lama. These each depicted different views on Tibet. The first excerpt by Norbu was read by Elizabeth, and the discussion we had afterward was very interesting. I asked the students about their initial thoughts. Julia suggested that Norbu was trying to refute or speak to western fantasies. She got this notion from the fairly straight-forward tone of the work. Danielle noted that the west tends to fantasize things about the “East,” and be attracted to myths like that of the ‘Yeti.’ At the mention of this, I noted the eyewitness account of a Yeti as featured in Brian Harris’ Tibetan voices. So yes, the west tends to exaggerate these ‘mystical’ elements, but perhaps they have a shred of truth? I asked the students to describe a couple of very important things they took from it. Kelley noted that although he speaks about different regions, there is still a strong emphasis on national unity. I asked further questions about the kinds of images that the passage painted, and Lucy noted that the descriptions reminded her of Lord of the Rings, in the dramatic contrast between the cold mountains and the fertile valleys. Students reacted, responded and the discussion continued. The next passage was written by Mikel Dunham, and described life in Derge; architecture, social structure, geography and social norms. I received several questions about the author, the geographic distinctions between somewhere like Kham and the Lhasa valley, leading me to think that I need to spend more time adequately couching and contextualizing where these writings are coming from. Lucy suggested that it smacked of an outsider’s perspective, and that Dunham spent more time comparing and explaining from a ‘modern 20th century perspective.’ Others suggested that it was written almost as a fairy tale, and indeed, Dunham has a very specific and dreamy way of writing. Janice pointed out that much of Dunham’s comments pointed to a socioeconomic homogeneity, insofar as the artisans, peasants, nobility and merchants often lived together and in close proximity in Derge. I went on to note that insofar as this was the case, it was largely brought about by the egalitarian ideals of Buddhadharma, fervently practiced by all Tibetans, Khampas especially. Julia mentioned that the image of people standing on rooftops was a familiar one that she remembered when she visited Dharamsala during her Junior year of high school. Julia read the next passage, which (deliberately) went in a completely different direction. A. Tom Grunfeld’s words from The Making of Modern Tibet are often harsh and uncompromisingly critical of the Tibet that existed prior to the Chinese invasion. He is quick to point out the disparities between rich and poor, eager to exclusively use western or western-educated writers to prove his point. The students were quick to pick up on this, Lucy noting that it directly contradicted the prior readings by Norbu and Dunham. Julia mentioned her surprise about the social stratification of Lhasa. Julia and Lucy were very critical of his sources; Lucy noting that Grunfeld failed to represent the voice of any members of the lower class, or how they felt about the stratification. I related another story from Harris’ Tibetan Voices, about a child who is adopted by a rich Lhasa family, becomes a monk, breaks his vows, runs away from the monastery and away from his stepparents, choosing a life of wandering and begging instead. After some time he returns home, marries a woman, settles down and has children, but shortly after this he joins the Chushi Gandruk, the Tibetan resistance force that fights the Chinese when they invade in the 1950s. He has to flee into exile and never sees his family again. In hindsight, he says, the most satisfying time in his life was when he was a beggar going from holy site to holy site, because he never had to worry about anything. He never had anything tying him down or fettering his life, and this positive depiction of the life of a beggar puts some amount of question in the seemingly iron-clad conclusions of Grunfeld. Lucy remarked that Tibet would probably be a better place to be a beggar than in the United States, where such people are treated with great disrespect. We did not get to the final three excerpts which are much shorter, but this will be first on the agenda for the next session.

I have some mixed feelings about the way this class went. It’s hard to get everything set up and starting on time when I have to hook up my laptop to the projector in the room, set up a camera on a tripod, get my lesson plan and materials out, and so on. It’s especially difficult when the class that meets before mine in FPH 103 runs over, which it has, both times I’ve taught my class. This aside, Thursday’s class had two portions to it: a short lecture, and a group discussion, where students read some excerpts on Tibet by various authors. The second part, the group discussion, I felt went really well, and that students walked away having taken a lot from this exercise. I plan to finish it at the beginning of next class, given that we didn’t get to the last three readings. The lecture part of this class session, however, I felt went very poorly. When listening to the lecture afterwards, I felt that I had done a horrible job. My lecture style conveyed no enthusiasm, no interest or passion. It was halting, monotonous, lacking transitions, droning and fairly boring to listen to. I feel that this is why lecturing often gets a bad name in educational circles – because people often enter into this practice without thinking through how to make it interesting or worthwhile for the students to listen. Good lecturers are few and far between, and becoming one is no simple task. My feelings of failure in this sense led me to revisit some of the literature I consulted when composing the first chapter of my Division III. I came away with some important ideas that I feel will be able to help my lectures in the future:

∑ As in papers, state your purpose main ideas and provide transitions between sections and ideas. This point is especially important, not only for clarity, but also for fluidity. ∑ Arrange the flow of information from easier to complex ∑ Explain important concepts with examples, illustrations, etc. Explain basic fundamental terms, names, places, ideas, etc. This point has also been a particular problem with my lecturing. Just because you know a lot about something doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be good at explaining it to others. Often times, people who have more knowledge in one specific subject area will overlook these important stepping stones, leaving students bewildered. Especially in a subject area as specialized as Tibetology, I feel that explaining the basic fundamentals is really crucial. ∑ Be enthusiastic! Show sincere interest in the subject and also “dynamic vigor” .. expressing joy in one’s voice, actions and relating content back to previous experiences. This is another element of good lecturing I feel I lack. There was no passion, no anima in the way I conveyed any of this content. ∑ When students ask questions, check for inaccurate phrasing, and correct it by rephrasing their questions. Encourage student questions ∑ Tailor your lecture/demonstration to your learner’s needs.

A common concept I see is that we should try and always connect new information back to what students already know, in order to help them make some sense of what may be completely foreign material. At the same time, I feel slightly anxious about this practice, essential as it is. There is a way in which westerners have related things Tibetan back to their own frame of reference in ways that are detrimental, dishonest, or inappropriate. For example, the ways in which the hierarchical and bureaucratic style of Tibetan monasticism was related back to the familiar image of the Roman Catholic church led many Protestants (especially during Victorian times in England) and other Christians to denounce Tibetan traditions or to claim that they found their root in Christian practice. Both such positions are incredibly erroneous. In one sense, I don’t want students to relate this back to anything that they know at all, because this material is totally new, and should be approached as such. Tibetology is a field of study that deserves to be approached as a completely unique phenomenon. But at the same time, how are students going to become interested in this content if it doesn’t relate back to them in some way shape or form? This is one of the conflicts I am encountering in the teaching of this content. I am often frustrated when I find Buddhist texts translated with words that I normally associate with the Christian Bible – words like ‘thou,’ ‘thine’ ‘shalt’ and the like. Similarly, I detest seeing Milarepa described as a ‘Saint,’ hearing Malas described as ‘rosaries,’ or hearing the Gelukpa sect described as the ‘reformist church.’ The vows of a Buddhist monk are not ‘commandments,’ and a monastery is not a ‘cathedral.’ Why use Christian terminology to describe something non-Christian, like the Buddhadharma? In the same way, I want students to devise and employ new ways of thinking about Tibet and about Buddhism – new vocabulary, new connections, new comparisons. But this takes time, and I don’t know if I can impress this in six week’s time. Specifically, I need to work on these factors of transitions, enthusiasm, and explaining basic and advanced concepts. This whole experience with lecture, and the ways in which students seemed to enjoy reading the excerpts aloud led me to some new conclusions about my own teaching: that my lecturing should be minimal. When students are being told about something, it means that they have less potential to get actively involved with it. Moments, when, as a teacher, you can expose students to material and also get them participating, are rare and special. But they don’t have to be rare. Lectures should be, when necessary, short and to the point, passionate, ripe with examples, stories and anecdotes. I have to hold people’s attention. Rehearsing the presentation might help. I have to also be more aware of the time I have to work with these students. An hour is not much time, especially given all the content that I have set out for us to cover. For example, at the beginning of IT #3, we need to finish talking about the excerpts from IT# 2, as well as the first three noble truths, the life of the Buddha, the 3 kinds of Buddhist teachings, the 3 vehicles of Buddhism and the difference between the Sangha and the Laity. This amount of content seems like too much to cover in one hour. I think I should organize my information not only in terms of complexity, but also in terms of what I feel is most important to cover.

Notes – 2/26 (IT #3) Today, six students were present for class. For this class, I wanted to begin the first part of our discussion on Buddhism as a faith in general. we began the class by finishing the exercise started in the previous class, reading the final three excerpts that we did not cover. We started this class by reading a portion of The Tibetans by Chris Mullin and Phuntsog Wangyal that describes Tibet before the Chinese arrived. This explains very basic elements, like the method of recognizing new incarnations, and elementary demographic information. This portion is also important for its depictions of Tibetan Buddhism, which it describes as “lamaism – rule by lamas.” Their articulation of Tibetan Buddhism is so negative, one has to wonder if they actually spoke to any Tibetans. Indeed, the only sources that are cited in this part of the document are western Orientalist scholars denouncing Tibet and the Tibetan’s way of life. It goes on to tear apart traditional pre-Chinese Tibetan society, describing all Tibetans who were not aristocrats as hopeless peasants crushed by tyrannical oppression. The authors include one final passage to be the most indicative of Tibetan life: “Captain O’Connor perhaps best summarized life under the old order when he wrote of Tibetans as ‘simply agricultural people, superstitious indeed to the last degree, but devoid of any deep-rooted religious convictions or heart-searchings, oppressed by the most monstrous growth of monasticism and priest-craft which the world has ever seen.” Julia noted that this passage was a defensive criticism of positive outlooks on Tibet, suggesting that the Shangri-la that so many in the West had imagined was actually a false image. Students also took note of the use of the word ‘lamaism’ as opposed to Buddhism or even Tibetan Buddhism. The second excerpt comes from the introduction to Tibet by Thubten Jigme Norbu. It describes briefly the kind of intensity that Tibetans feel about their faith, suggesting that it “smacks of impatience” at times. I chose this passage because it provides a glimpse into precisely how central and constant a role Buddhism plays in the lives of so many Tibetans. Danielle noted that this passage told her “not to bitch about life.” She also noted that such statements lead to generalizations about Tibetans, about Buddhism, suggesting that everyone is looking forward to a future rebirth. The third selection is a story called The Begging Classes and comes from Brian Harris’ Tibetan Voices. It describes the life of a beggar, and explored the structured system of begging among Tibetan peasants. Students remarked at how incredibly structured and systematized it was, particularly at how there were two different groups of beggars in Lhasa, how each had responsibilities and provided services (such as clearing away dead animals, cleaning the streets, etc.). Exploring these three readings took the first half hour of the class. After this practice, we switched gears and began focusing on the readings I assigned on the first three of the Four Noble Truths. I answered some of Lucy’s questions about Karma and the difference between ‘natural order’ and ‘justice,’ noting that in the Buddhadharma, Karma refers specifically to the volitional actions that we commit, rather than their consequences. When someone says that something is ‘bad karma,’ they are usually referring to the latter of these two, rather than the former. Also touching on this notion of justice, I made it clear that Karma is more associated with the natural order of things than it is with notions of right and wrong. There is no force tending the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, but rather Buddhist notions of Karma suggest that every action has some kind of reaction. At this point, I asked students to group up in pairs and write out what they felt were the most important parts of the first three Noble Truths. Lucy and Janice covered the first Noble Truth. They saw a few important aspects: accepting that impermanence and imperfection are parts of life and the natural course of the world, that everything is impermanent, even the things that we think bring us happiness, and that if one can accept it, one can learn to deal with it more effectively. She also noted that in the west, we often try to avoid this fact of life. Buddhism’s reputation for being a pessimistic faith comes (partially) from this notion that “Sabbam Dukkham” – everything we find in this worldly existence is ultimately impermanent, suffering, ephemeral, insubstantial and unfulfilling. Lucy suggested that not everyone wants to confront this. Janice noted the importance of renunciation, that it can bring as much pleasure as sensual pleasures. She also noted the importance of the subjective nature of existence. I prompted students to understand the three different kinds of dukkha; dukkha caused by suffering, dukkha caused by change in one’s life (e.g., one’s significant other decides to leave them or something they expected would remain the same has not) and dukkha due to conditioned existence, or dukkha of a pervasive nature. The first two are easy to grasp, but the third one is quite subtle. It suggests that even when we are pleased with ourselves, happy and content with our lives, that until we attain Enlightenment, there will always be some all-pervasive form of pain that we must endure. Danielle and Kelley covered the second Noble Truth, and cited thirst, desire or hunger for sensual pleasures as the force that keeps us moving through cyclic existence. Danielle noted the importance of Karma within this Truth, that this is what perpetually forces one to circle in this endless chain of death and rebirth. I asked the students what creates such desire, such thirst, and they suggested that it is merely by being a human, by existing in this worldly realm that we become desirous and hungry for sensual experiences. I pointed out the importance of the fundamental ignorances that we carry around with us – that we have certain notions of ourselves and of the world around us that are fundamentally skewed and flawed. We create dualities and dichotomies, leaning on the crutch of a subject-object perspective on life. This leads humans to think of ourselves as inherently existent, and this being the case, creates mental dispositions towards being selfish and egocentric. The third Noble Truth was investigated by Elizabeth and Julia, and they did an excellent job covering the most important points of the idea Nirvana – which is saying quite a bit, given that Nirvana is an ineffable idea within Buddhism. It is only defined in negative terms (such as the cessation of suffering, the cessation of existence) rather than positive terms. Julia noted that Nirvana is understood by renunciation of everything, including the false notion of self as a non-dependent designation. I asked students what we could say about the nature of Nirvana, in the hopes of getting students to speak about the ineffable quality of Nirvana, and they did just that. I related a wonderful story about the frog and the fish, which was in the reading. The frog is hopping around on land and leaps into the water and begins speaking with his friend, the fish. The fish asks him what he was doing, and the frog explains that he was hopping around on land. The fish is thoroughly confused by this idea of ‘land’ and demands an explanation. But, given that the fish can only exist in water, he has no ability to conceptualize what the frog is talking about. This is the relationship between ordinary beings and Nirvana; we cannot explain it, nor can we have it explained to us, because it is tacit knowledge. One must experience it to understand it. Elizabeth asked why Buddhism is considered pessimistic by so many in the West, and I cited two central ideas within Buddhism that prompted many to call it pessimistic. First, the first Noble Truth suggests that everything is dukkha, and given the limited English translation of that word, many have understood its meaning to be only that of ‘suffering,’ and not of the other philosophical connotations it holds. Another reason, I feel, is the Buddhist philosophy on the emptiness of existence, a complicated philosophy that draws and builds on the notion of Anatman, or no-soul, no self. Pope John Paul II suggested that Buddhism was, in fact, pessimistic, because it does not hold that there is some inherently existent, permanent unchanging substance, like a soul. Following this, we worked together as a group to explain and retell the life story of the Buddha. We spoke about his life in the palace, the four sights (an old person, a sick person, a dead person and a renunciate) that convinced him to leave the palace, his renunciation of the worldly life, his enlightenment, his time as a teacher and his death. To illustrate these points, I passed around a few statues. One such statue was perfectly suited for this discussion; it is a rounded wooden box that depicts his birth and death on the outside, and on the inside depicts his life as a gaunt ascetic on the left, and on the right, shows him sitting in the Dhyana posture, one of meditative equipoise, as a fully enlightened Buddha. I asked the students to spend a short amount of time writing out some ideas and feedback regarding my teaching style. Specifically, I inquired what went over well, what needed more explanation, what I could be doing well, and any other comments they could think of.

I felt this class was useful, but improperly organized. I especially regret the fact that we took up 30 minutes – half the class – to keep reading the excerpts. I thoroughly underestimated the amount of time it would take to complete that exercise. Indeed, I have had to change my lesson plans to make up for lost time on almost every occasion since the course began. It all began on the second day of class. The class meeting before us went twenty minutes over, which meant we couldn’t get started until much later than I had hoped for. It was also hindered by the fact that I had to set up a tripod, a camera, microphone and other equipment as well as get my computer set up, the projector running and get all cables and power sources plugged in. At the end of the course, we had only gotten through a few excerpts, and so I estimated it would take up about 15 minutes of next class’ time to finish, but instead they took up twice as much. This, in turn, meant that content from today’s class wasn’t covered either. For example, I had hoped to cover the three kinds of teaching (Sutra, Shastra and Tantra ), the three Precious Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha) and what exactly it means to go for refuge. I will have to move these subjects to the beginning of class on 2/28, IT #4: Buddhist Philosophy. I was pleased that we had the opportunity to do work in small groups, as this is one classroom instruction method I have not employed until now. I felt this was a good exercise to help cement the ideas of a specific truth (of the Four Noble Truths) in their minds, and then when we came back together as a group, we could make sense of the others together. Also, although it was a rushed activity, I also really enjoyed being able to retell the life story of the Buddha by drawing from what each student knew about it. This exercise, I felt, brought some cohesion to the group. Also, I received feedback from students at the end of the day. THIS PORTION DELETED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY.

Notes/Reaction – 2/28 (IT #4) Today’s class was focused on Buddhist philosophy, although I had to spend some time covering material we did not touch on last class. Specifically, I explained the importance of the three kinds of the Dharma, the three Precious Jewels (Buddha, Dharma and Sangha), and the role of going for refuge not only as an act of dedication and commitment to the Buddhadharma, but also as a request from the Buddha, Dharma and Sangha to protect oneself from harm. This word ‘refuge’ especially is an important one to focus on, since it carries these connotations of protection, as in taking refuge from a storm. I also explained some of the differences between the laity and the monastic community in terms of the different kinds of vows one undertakes. Julia asked for some clarification on why one goes for refuge to the Buddha, or rather, how one does this. I explained that one does not only go for refuge to the actual historical Buddha, but also that one is putting faith in one’s own potential to become a Buddha. This led to a brief explanation of Tathagatharba, or Buddha-seed/Buddha-embryo, the idea that every single person has the capacity to become an Enlightened being. This first ten minutes or so of class finished covering the material I had hoped to address on 2/26. Following this, we moved on to discuss the readings for the day’s class. The readings included the Heart Sutra to provide an explanation of the Two Truths of Sunyata, a section by Walpola Rahula on the Five Aggregates, and another by Rahula on the concept of No-Soul, and a reading by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on the 12 Chains of Codependent Arising, or what he calls “Conditioned Genesis.” I asked what students found interesting, what posed problems, what struck them as confusing or particularly important. Julia said that the Heart Sutra went right over her head, and although I can understand how this would be, I also told the class that I consider it to be one of the most succinct and clear explanations of the Buddhist path. She said her first challenge was with the line, “the noble Avalokitesvara beheld the practice of the profound perfection of wisdom and saw that those five aggregates are also empty of intrinsic existence.” I went on to explain the prajnaparamitas, the six perfections, which explain the path of the Bodhisattva, and how the perfection of wisdom is closely associated with this notion of no-self, no-soul, or Anatman in Sanskrit. I went on to explain the three lenses with which I view much of Buddhist philosophy – through impermanence, interdependence and selflessness. I wrote these three headings on the whiteboard, and left them for the time being. In the meantime, I went on to explain the fourth Noble Truth – the path leading to the cessation of suffering. I began this explanation by listing the Noble Eightfold Path, which is the actual path of discipline (Magga in Pali) to Nirvana. These include right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and concentration. I gave a brief run through of these ideas, and then boiled them down into the three major trainings that they fall under – right conduct, meditation and wisdom. Conduct is the most basic and gross level, that we have positive actions body speech and mind. Meditation is mental training, and through this, one understands wisdom, that oneself is a dependent designation, that one does not exist ultimately or inherently, but rather as a confluence of psycho-physical aggregates (skhanda). I emphasized the importance of the fourth Noble Truth as a philosophically heavy notion. At this point, I asked if everything was making sense, or if I should slow down at all. Julia noted that she was confused by how the Eightfold Path gets one to the cessation of dukkha (Nirvana), and I explained as best I could. I suggested that the Eightfold Path is a guide – one starts with conduct as the grossest level of action, whether by not killing something, being kinder, cultivating compassion, etc. Once this is mastered, one moves on to meditation, cultivating positive and accurate mental qualities, a practice which leads one to wisdom, a correct perception and understanding of the world as it truly is. The Noble Eightfold Path, and the Fourth Noble Truth at large comprise the practical application of the Buddhist path. Next, I went back to the three headings I made on the whiteboard earlier: impermanence, interdependence and selflessness. Working with impermanence, I asked the students “What are we made of? What does the Buddha suggest?” Julia responded with “the Five Aggregates.” I then asked the students what they were, and Kelley responded with “matter,” or “form,” Julia provided the second one, “sensation,” and here I asked if the Five Aggregates made sense to the students. I filled in the remaining three, perception, mental formations and consciousness. Janice expressed that she was most confused by how they interact. I told them that the Five Aggregates are fairly confusing, insofar as it takes a lot of work and requires that one revisit them over and over in order to make sense of them. This is true of the material we covered this day in general, and I expressed that as well. Buddhist philosophy is not something you can cover one time and then understand it very well. It requires familiarity, a closeness and immersion before one can have any idea of what it means. I asked the students which ones they had a hard time understanding, and Janice mentioned mental formations as a challenging concept. I explained mental formations as Karma, as willful volitional acts that we undertake, being both positive and negative. I went on to explain consciousness as well, which is not consciousness as we might understand it (that we are conscious of our own existence), but rather as a reaction to a stimulus. Consciousness in Buddhist philosophy suggests that there is a stimulus as an object (say, a flame or a bird), an internal faculty (eye, ear, nose, etc.) as its basis, and that an appropriate consciousness arises in accordance with the object. So, there is a bird, we see it with our eye, and our visual consciousness arises in order to acknowledge the bird. As soon as the stimulus subsides, our consciousness subsides. This is not a slow process, it is happening constantly, with every sensory stimulus we are subjected to. I suggested that there are two major points about the Five Aggregates – first, that one should understand them as psycho-physical aspects that comprise the body, and second that they interact so closely, that they are so closely related and interconnected, that we begin to think that some entity beyond them, some sense of self actually exists. I compared it to writing one’s name or drawing a circle with a sparkler at the 4th of July; we spin the sparkler so fast that it actually looks like there is a circle in midair. I asked the students “what else falls under the category of selflessness?” and Julia responded “the doctrine of no-soul.” I emphasized this as an important and central idea within Buddhism, particularly in the sense that the Buddhadharma grew out of and in reaction against the idea of an immutable, partless particle, some self or soul that is the bearer of parts. I noted that this philosophy deals only with the conception of self. Julia remarked that she was really very interested by this notion of self, in the sense that she had never thought of it in quite that way before. I noted that the philosophy that builds on this concept of no-self is that of emptiness (sunyata). I asked “what does this mean? What is the difference between emptiness and no self? What are we empty of?” Kelley suggested “empty of attachment?” and this is certainly one aspect, and I recorded it under the appropriate heading. I then suggested, “empty of essence.” I then noted that this idea applies not only to ourselves, but also to the whole world. There is nothing that is not empty. As the Heart Sutra says, form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not other than emptiness, emptiness is not other than form. I used a chair sitting in front of me as an example. “What do we call this?” I asked. “A chair,” they responded. “But where is the chair?” I inquired. The chair is only a chair because we decide it should be called that. A book is only a book because it is made of paper with glue and ink, it is bound together and we put a cover and a backing on it, and we call it a book. I also used as an example, myself, and asked “where is Will?” It is not my heart, it is not my brain, because all of these things are dependent on other organs for their existence. I am a collection of parts, a conventional object. In everyday life, yes, I am Will, and people know me as such. But at the same time, in an ultimate sense, I don’t exist at all. This led us into an exploration of the Two Truths of Sunyata – the conventional truth and the ultimate. In the conventional sense, all these objects exist. In the ultimate sense, none of these objects exist, because they are all dependent designations. But in order for an object to exist conventionally, it has to not exist ultimately, and in order for an object to exist ultimately, it has to not exist conventionally. Hence, form is emptiness, emptiness is form. Form is not other than emptiness, emptiness is not other than form. Julia asked, “Is there anything that doesn’t have a form, and then would that mean that it does actually exist?” I answered, “No. Nothing exists inherently of itself. In order for something to exist inherently of itself, it would have to be created out of its own capacity, self-arisen, it would have to be functioning in one way constantly…so if something was creating, it would have to be creating constantly, it could not pause, it would have to exist forever, unceasing…and these things cannot happen.” Julia then asked, “Doesn’t that sound like an explanation of the idea of God and the divine?” To this I responded with the Buddhist notions of non-creationism, that time and the universe has no beginning and no end. We moved on to impermanence, and I pointed to death and rebirth as an excellent place to start. This led us to a discussion on what happens when we die, and how Karma keeps one moving through the cycles of existence. I asked, “what happens when we die?” In the Buddhadharma, when we die, we come back. The only way to get out of it is by following the Fourth Noble Truth. I asked, “If there is no soul, no self, what gets reborn?” Reverberations of your mental formations and Karma, as suggested by Julia, is a major reason. Doing things, performing volitional actions, this is what keeps one going in this endless cycle. I pointed to the reading I assigned by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, which is part of the introductory commentary for the Great Liberation Through Hearing in the Intermediate States, or as we say in America, the Tibetan Book of the Dead. He speaks of the idea of “conditioned genesis” or the “12 links of codependent arising,” which elucidates the fundamental ignorances that we have about how we function, and how the world functions. Since beginningless time, humans have been under this ignorance, and this keeps getting passed on – our actions, our mental sates, everything we do carries some touch of ignorance and delusion. There is an idea of continuity that connects to everything in our lives. I cited an example from one of the readings by Walpola Rahula. A boy grows up to be a man of sixty. The man is not the same as the boy, and yet he is not another. A sprout grows out of the seed, and although the seed and the sprout are totally different, the latter resulted from the former, and not from another. This is the idea that I was trying to drive home, that the continuity, the fluid and non-static nature of our existence means that an idea like rebirth does make logical sense. Julia asked if, even in the intermediate states between death and rebirth, we still have the five aggregates? Insofar as my understanding of Buddhist philosophy, the five aggregates deals primarily with our existence as a conventional being. We then moved on to interdependence. The Five Aggregates fall under this heading, as does emptiness. The human form is dependent on the interdependence of the Five Aggregates. Similarly, the Two Truths are interdependent on each other for existence. I then pointed out the importance of multiple conditions. For our existence, we are dependent on food, on clothing, etc. But the things that we need to survive come from somewhere – they come from something or someone, and these people likewise have needs and require things for existence. It isn’t even that we are only dependent of the Five Aggregates, but really that we are dependent on everything in every direction, infinitely. Our mere existence is predicated on the existence of everything else in this universe; everything that has ever happened is responsible for our existence in this world right now. I also emphasized the importance of the word ‘conditions’ as opposed to ‘causes.’ Cause implies one thing that is creating something else. Conditions implies that there are multiple events. I used an example I first heard from Jay L. Garfield, of someone reading a book in a dark room. Say you are in a dark room trying to read a book, and you want to turn on the light in order to read. First, you have the will to read. Then, you get up and flip the switch. Given that all the wires and cabling are all in good condition, given that there is nothing wrong with the light fixture itself, and given that all the appropriate sub-atomic reactions happen within the bulb, the light will turn on. But if you have only the will for the light to turn on, and nothing else, you will remain in darkness. If the cabling and wires are broken, you can flip the switch all day long, and nothing will happen. Likewise, if the fixture or the bulb are broken, then there will be no light. So there is no one cause for the light turning on, but rather only conditions. I reinforced that these ideas, this philosophy is very difficult to understand, and that we can find examples of it in everyday life. In the most minute ways, we can see how all of this philosophy connects; we must only look for it. I asked for any outstanding questions, and receiving none, I asked the students to turn in some writing on the things from this week that piqued their interest and for further feedback.

After the end of today’s class, I felt totally exuberant and excited. I finally covered everything that I had hoped to, and on time. There are no leftovers to eat during class #5. More importantly, I could see much more interaction, much more interest and attention from the students. They responded, they seemed enthused by the material, and I really felt like we were all working from the same page. My mixed lecture went over a lot better than previous ones, and my tone was not monotonous, halting, slow or devoid of passion and interest. The students asked important questions, and I felt that I did a fairly good job of explaining everything that needed explanation, and clarifying confusing points. Of course, this material is very confusing and will require more time to sink in fully, but given that this was a basic and introductory look into the subtle world of Buddhist philosophy, I would say it went very well. I feel that for more complicated topics like this, discussion as a group and recapping and elucidating points is not a waste of time as it may have been when we discussed the first three Noble Truths as a group on Tuesday 2/26. More than anything, I felt like there was a flow, a certain give and take between myself and the students. I have really been astonished by how much a lesson plan changes from the time I write it to the time I deliver it, even if I spend a great deal of time rewriting and editing it right before I teach it. When you actually get up in front of the students, the goals and the plans you have laid out change and evolve. It is true of so many things in life – you can prepare all you want, but when you actually get up there and start doing it, it will change right before your eyes. Nothing can fully prepare you, and to some extent, you have to always be willing to work from the cuff and think on your feet. To do this effectively, it requires, I think, a great and deep familiarity with the subject matter. If you know the content inside and out, you can respond to student questions and the direction that the class takes. If you as the instructor are the only one in the room, you can take it in any direction you wish, but as soon as you add even one student, the direction will change drastically. And I think some element of flexibility, some balance between your own goals and those of your students is absolutely essential. I felt that even though I spent much of today’s class lecturing, it was still very involved, and that students took away a lot from it, but I think I will see whether or not this is the case when I receive more student feedback. I assigned readings that I thought would present some challenges to students, and I think this created a need to know about certain ideas that helped propel the class discussion in a direction more suited to the needs and curiosities of the students. It is one thing to sit from an outside perspective as I did when I was writing the curriculum, and another thing entirely to be in the classroom. I hope to have many more classes like today’s; it is the first one I have really felt positively about.

Notes/Reactions – 3/4/08 (IT #5)

Today’s class was our first introduction to Tibetan Buddhism, and specifically, we focused on the historical development of the disseminations of Buddhism, as well as an overview of the four Tibetan schools. I assigned some basic readings on early Tibetan religious history, which detailed the imperial expansion as a way to lay the foundation for the lecture I gave. During this lecture, I went through the history of the two disseminations of Buddhism in Tibet. The first dissemination occurred during the 7th century C.E., and lasted for two hundred years, the ending marked by the assassination of the anti-Buddhist king Lang Darma. The first dissemination includes other important historical and religious figures responsible for the initial spread of Buddhism like kings Songtsen Gampo and Trisong Detsen and great masters Padmasambhava and Shantaraksita. The period between the end of the first dissemination and the second is marked by 200 years of political chaos and religious instability. The Dharma all but vanished from central and eastern Tibet, but was preserved in the west. King Tsenpo Khore (Yeshe O), began the process of rekindling the Dharma’s presence in Tibet by inviting the great Tantric master Atisa. In my explanation of the disseminations of Buddhism in Tibet, I also explored many social and political contexts, like Tibetan ties with Mongolia and India, and the development of Tantras and the translation tradition as a part of the monastic system. Following this, we investigated the schools, Nyingmapa, Sakyapa, Kagyupa and Gelukpa, as well as the major distinctions between them. Although all four of these schools share common canons (the Kangyur and Tengyur) and similar Tantric practices (Dzogchen and Mahamudra, for example, follow similar principles of philosophy and practice), they each have unique rituals, founders, political and hierarchical distinctiveness. The Kagyupa school, for example, was never heavily involved in Tibetan politics, nor was it as hierarchical as some of the other sects. The Gelukpa, by contrast, is heavily based in bureaucracy, hierarchy and has been heavily entrenched (as has the Sakyapa sect) in the political landscape of Tibet, particularly since the 18th century. The Sakyapa had heavy influence in both the Tantras and politics, whereas the Nyingmapa was more closely associated with the translation of texts from Sanskrit into Tibetan. I related stories about specific religious figures to help illustrate these points. For example, I told stories about the life of Tibetan yogi Milarepa, his master Marpa, and also that of the great Tantric master Virupa. At the end of today’s class, I assigned a research project: students are to examine one area of Tibetan Buddhism specifically, and report on it to the class. Hopefully students will make good use of the opportunity to delve into the subject area in an in-depth way, rather than just skimming the surface. I included a list of potential topics like the four sects, the Kadampa tradition, specific figures (like Padmasambhava and the aforementioned masters), specific deities (like Vairocana and Avalokitesvara), the Tantras (generally and specifically), or other religious and cultural aspects like medicine, astrology or cosmology.

Today’s class went well, although I did not feel like students were participating as actively as they were last Thursday. I worry that the students are becoming weary of lecture. For this reason, I am very pleased that they will be presenting on their research topics next Tuesday, and I think this will provide them with the opportunity to explore specific topics of interest and study. I felt very exhausted during this class, and this, I felt, effected my lecture style. My speaking was less halting and more fluid than normal, but I was certainly less sure of my familiarity with the content, as opposed to Thursday’s lesson. This is very strange, though, given that I spent more time preparing and rehearsing the lesson for the 4th. I suppose this speaks to the conversation during my last committee meeting, where Alan said that at times you can prepare your brains out and do poorly, or you can conversely find instances where you wing it totally, and the class turns out to be spectacular. There is always an element of surprise, some unexpected element in every class. I do, however, feel that lecture was appropriate for today. I was synthesizing and conjoining multiple sources, and laying a basic groundwork of information on which they can build when they do their independent research projects. Much of the lecture focused on specific terms and facts, and basic knowledge. Although I had great misgivings as to the interest and attention the students had during the course of today’s class, I checked with the students to see if they were following everything and taking something away from it, both during the lecture itself, and at the end. They seemed to be on board, and understanding everything clearly, even though I was throwing a large amount of information at them. I continually encouraged students to ask questions and inquire when things were not clear, but they remained largely silent. When I asked at the end what students thought of it all, and if everything fit into place, Janice remarked how complex and intricate the landscapes of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, practice and distinctions are, which was relieving. Her comment gave me the feeling that she was following the lecture, that things made sense, but simply that there is a large amount of information to take in, which happens to be very true. I hope that students will gain a clearer sense of how to organize some of this information when they do their independent research projects for next week.

Notes & Reactions – 3/6 (IT #6) For today’s class, I decided to have a little fun. Originally, I had planned for students to present information on their independent research into one element of Tibetan Buddhism, but as I thought about this beforehand, I realized that giving students one day to put together a 5-10 minute presentation was completely absurd, and unreasonable. So, instead, I invited my good friend to come and make a Tibetan food made from tsampa, butter, sugar and black tea. While he made this, I screened Wheel of Time, a Werner Herzog film about the Kalacakra Tantric initiation in Bodh Gaya, India. When thinking about the ways in which students have been conceptualizing Tibet, I tried to take stock of all the different ways in which they have understood the information they have been presented with. They have been presented with text, which renders mental images of sorts, they have seen stills and images from Tibet itself, and also from Tibetans in exile, and they have also seen Buddhist statues, images and figures. Today’s class allowed me to introduce them to information and images through two completely different ways: through moving images, and through taste. Herzog’s film is over the top in some moments; his commentary can be come highly ethereal and even slightly romantic. Regardless, he provides the viewer with the opportunity to take a look into a practice that has been largely secretive until late. The Kalacakra practice is one of the myriad esoteric Tantric practices of Vajrayana Buddhism (a subset of the Mahayana). Normally, Tantric practitioners need to meet specific requirements – they must have keen intellect, a great urge to free other beings from their pain and from that of cyclic existence, they must be brimming with compassion for all sentient beings, and must have strong senses and unflinching devotion to their Lama. But, I would argue, partially due to the Diaspora of Tibetans, exiled to the various countries they now inhabit, this practice has taken on a heavily inclusive element. We did not get a chance to finish the film, but I hope that there will be time for the rest of it at the end of this coming Tuesday’s class. I think it was good to give students a different kind of view into Tibetan Buddhism, while also having a little fun, and eating really good tsampa…it was the best I’ve had. I gave a quick preface as to the inclusive/exclusive natures of the Kalacakra, but I wish I had suggested that students examine the film as they would a text, and be as critical and curious as to the authorship, intent, content, etc. Other than this, I feel that today’s class was a very useful expenditure of time, and I feel that the students took a fair amount away from it, although I do want to spend some time talking with the students to see what they thought of the film; we do need a little bit of time devoted to digesting this information.

Notes & Reactions – 3/11 (IT# 7) I was not expecting today’s class to unfold as it did. Only two students were there. I was late getting to class, collecting items from my room that would be useful in the presentations for today. Presentations are to include medicine; Tantra; the Sakyapa sect; reincarnate Lamas, death and rebirth; and astrology. One student gave a fantastic presentation on the Tulku reincarnation method for rediscovering Lamas. She gave a brief history of where the method comes from (the Karma Kagyu school), its religious and political importance in the discovery of Lamas, as well as important political figures, like the Dalai Lama. She then went on and explored the recognition process for reincarnates, including the recognition of items, a test of knowledge, and a confirmation ceremony from the Buddhas. Because this process had great potential for “ennobling” new families into the Tibetan aristocracy, there was a large amount of corruption and dispute that frequently arose over contest between candidates’ families. She also made mention of a couple unusual reincarnates: first, His Holiness the Sixth Dalai Lama, who turned in his robes, returned his vows and renounced the traditional monastic life, also took to drinking, cavorting with women and writing scores of love poems. What is interesting about the Sixth Dalai Lama, I noted, was that he was particularly fond of traditional ritual dance, called Cham, and used it exclusively for religious practice. The second reincarnate she mentioned was Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche, who was a central force in bringing Tibetan Buddhism to America, very similarly to the way D.T. Suzuki brought Zen to America. Chögyam Rinpoche became a heavy drinker, and eventually ended up dying from complications due to alcoholism. I recall having a conversation with Lobsang Norbu Shastri-la (Genla) about him, and he responded with a shrug of the shoulders that spoke to confusion and also, to some extent, disappointment and dismay over the way that Chögyam Rinpoche just fell apart towards the end of his life. I mentioned a Tibetan doctor who gave us a lecture in Sarnath on Tibetan medicine, and how, when reading Buddha’s Warriors on the plane ride back from India, I found his picture and interview in the final pages of the last chapter. I was amazed to read that, as a small child growing up in the times of the Chinese Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), he was recognized as an incarnate Lama. This turned out to be as much curse as blessing, given that the People’s Liberation Army took him to the center of town repeatedly for Thamzig, or “struggle sessions.” During these sessions, community members were held at gunpoint and forced to scream slanders, curses and insults to other Tibetans, often high Lamas or members of the monastery. The victims of Thamzig were both those members ridiculed (and frequently beaten), and those who were forced to, against their will and moral compulsions, denigrate valued, trusted friends in their own village. Due to the intense trauma of these experiences, doctor Tenzin decided not to enter the Sangha, but rather to stay as a member of the laity and practice medicine instead. I also made a mention of a few other things before we went into a general discussion. Our discussion ranged from issues concerning the political importance of the Tulku method, the Catholic reaction to Tibetan monasticism, as well as the Protestant Victorian reaction to the both of them. We engaged in a very free-flowing conversation that I have not, as of yet, had in this class. For this reason, today was incredibly fulfilling and enjoyable to experience. I made sure to show the students some of the objects I took from my room, even though the presentations that they were geared towards did not take place. I presented a small Thangka (painting) of Avalokitesvara, the bodhisattva of compassion, a poster of Black Samvara, a Tantric meditation deity, a bell and Dorje I own (representing method and wisdom, the union of Tantric practice), as well as small statues of various bodhisattvas and medicine that was personally blessed by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. Looking back in retrospect, I am also horribly disappointed about today’s class. Some students had a movie screening in Amherst to attend, others had to meet with professors, Even though I gave students a week of time, one student only got the sources I suggested an hour before class, so she could not present. I wonder if part of their absence was due to the fact that I assigned a project where they had to present on their findings. The student who presented did a spectacular job; her presentation was well-organized, well-thought out. I did feel that it would have been better if she spoke slightly slower, but this is a problem that is frequent in any kind of public display, whether it is a presentation, or if you are playing a recital or open mic night…it’s all the same. My biggest frustration is that we have so little time to get through all this material that for students to just not show up is slightly…insulting.

Notes/Reactions – 3/13 (IT #8)

We started off with one student’s exploration of Tibetan astrology. She identified various elements about the astrological system, like its history as a conglomerate of Indian, Chinese, Tibetan and Bon elements, its history as an oral tradition, its role as one of the Five Secondary Sciences, and is used in divination, time cycles, naming of newborns and the Tibetan astrological calendar. She went on to describe its close relation to Tibetan medicine, and how it is used to predict a person’s general lifespan, although one has a great deal of influence on how their lifespan will progress, through their karmic actions. She went into two categories of Tibetan astrology: Jungtse (elemental calculations), and Kartsi (star calculations). Jungtse comes from Bon elements as well as China, and contains no mathematical calculations. In her presentation, this student went into the twelve animals of astrology – mouse, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, duck and pig, as well as the five elements, wood, fire, earth, iron and water. An animal and an element will be matched together to denote the year, hence the “year of the fire-pig.” Kartsi, she explained, finds its cultural beginnings in India, and is closely associated with the Kalacakra tantra, which was translated to Tibetan in the 11th century C.E. This practice involves mathematical calculations and planetary positions to create horoscopes, calendars and almanacs. Much of the Tibetan calendar is based off of the lunar calendar, which places new years’ (Losar) in February. The Kalacakra calendar puts new years’ around April, and the elemental calendar places new years’ in December. As a part of Kartsi, She also noted the importance of the Tantric practice Yangchar as being essential for naming newborns. She sent around a chart of the Tibetan sun signs to compare with the zodiac – my sign (Leo) is Snow Lion. After This first’s presentation, another student spoke briefly about the Sakyapa tradition. Her sense was that a central focus of the Sakyapa tradition is to use everything we experience in day to day life for the sole purpose of spiritual progress. “Even neutral acts like eating and sleeping,” she commented, should be used toward this endeavor. Maintenance like this is done to keep oneself functioning in order to help other people in their own lives. This is the core underlying philosophy behind all Tantric practice – using all energies, even (and especially) powerful feelings like desire toward some useful end. When we were studying at Sarnath, I remember one monk said that “Where you find Sakya, you will find Tantra.” So, I am pleased that Lucy picked up on this core aspect. THIS SECTION DELETED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY This prompted a question from one student about the Buddhist view of evolution, in light of the Buddhist notion of reincarnation. Julia went into an example of proto-humans, which had 30% more brain mass in 2400 B.C.E., meaning they were (ostensibly) smarter than we are presently. Janice clarified her point stating that it has been scientifically proven that beings have evolved into more complex beings over time, and how does this fit into Buddhist notions? I suggested that it fits nicely; as we go through our existence, we are in a constant stream that is being broken and yet constantly flows. Our bodies are perpetually changing (cells are dying and being replaced, and the mind changes even faster), constantly evolving and transforming – for no two seconds are we the same person, and yet we are not another. I then brought up His Holiness the Dalai Lama, specifically how he feels about science and religion. He suggests that if Buddhist doctrines go in the face of “scientific proof,” that the doctrines should be abandoned in favor of the scientific approach. Another student then gave a presentation as well, on Tantra, generally. She started with looking at Tantra by exploring its historical complexity. Tantrists argue that the Tantric texts were words spoken by the Buddha, even though they appeared quite some time after his death. They suggest that he “hid” them in a way, by telling them to specific disciples so that they could be transmitted in secret, or by entrusting them to different caretakers – like the Nagas, or serpent beings. The great Indian Buddhist philosopher Nagarjuna got his name because he was given a critical Mahayana text that the Nagas hid at the request of the Buddha. What really interested this student was the fact that Tantra is thought of as the fast path in Buddhism, that it will result in Awakening in this very lifetime. Tibetan scholars feel it is the superior path, being faster and more effective in one’s efforts to reach Buddhahood. She went on to note that some feel that it is the only way to Buddhahood, that compassion is viewed as the underlying core principal, and that it is an esoteric practice, meaning it is secretive and not meant for everyone. She also touched on an essential concept – that because you are motivated by great compassion, the objective is to be liberated in order to liberate others. She noted that the problems in our daily lives are not created by looking for happiness, but rather they are a result of looking for happiness in external phenomena, which is a very astute point. She began to explore the four classifications of Tantra, but her presentation did not seem very well-prepared in this arena. She began outlining the first level, Action Tantra, which focuses on the external ritual aspects of Tantric practice. Performance Tantra, however, was where Janice ran into trouble, and where I helped out. I suggested that she look at the four levels of Tantra as a hierarchy going from gross to most subtle. In Action and Performance Tantras, the practitioner is mostly focused on ritual and practice. As one progresses up to Yoga Tantra and Highest Yoga Tantra, the focus shifts to examine the inner workings of the body, and through these practices, a Tantrist begins to actually physically transform their body from the inside to become that of a Buddha. This student returned to her presentation, noting that Tantra is a focus on the present, and that the potential for Enlightenment exists within us at all times, and that we must only turn around and realize it. One student thought the notion that exists within Buddhism that the Buddha was enlightened before his birth, and that his life on earth was only an example to drive the point home to common folk, was funny. I asked her why this was, and she said that she felt it was a stretch. I then turned us to a discussion of the celestial Buddhas, and the three bodies of the Buddha, the three kayas. The Dharmakaya is the body of the teaching, the body of the Dharma; the Nirmanakaya is the form body of the Buddha; and the Sambhogakaya is the emanation body of the Buddha, a vision only seen by those who are highly spiritually practiced. The Buddha, some argue, is a projected emanation from the celestial Buddhas (one of the Siddhi, or mystical powers that comes with Awakening), meant to be living proof of the Dharma. We then went on to talk about the Buddha’s life story, and how some parts (like how the Buddha came out of his mother’s side, that he could walk and talk from birth) can be understood as “mythical history,” which, in my opinion, is far more important to societies than “factual” history has been. Finally, we spoke about the difference between Sutra and Tantra, the former being exoteric, and the latter being esoteric. The Sutra path takes countless eons of rebirth, whereas Tantra allows one to attain Awakening in one lifetime. The term ‘Tantra’ means many different things: texts, guidebooks, practices, philosophies…all of these fall under this category.

I enjoyed today’s discussion and presentations. I realize that it is hard to pronounce many Tibetan words (especially if they are transliterated only and include no phonetic cues), and I think the students did fairly well with this in mind. I thought The presentation on Astrology presentation was well though out, carefully organized and, while she could have used a couple extra sources (some not found online would have been nice, as well), she still did an excellent job summing up the major points. SECTION DELETED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY. I felt the presentation on Tantra covered the essential bare-bones aspects, but I was also hoping that she would have gone a little further into the content. I must say that I am surprised that students had such an ambivalent attitude toward these in-depth presentations, given that so many of them stated that they wanted to do in-depth work. I am disappointed that it took this long to get through only some of the presentations, but I feel that this assignment was important enough to spend an extra day hearing from students. In hindsight, I’m very glad that we did continue hearing these presentations instead of moving on to something else. This is one incident that I feel is a general challenge when teaching a class that most students are not getting credit for. Getting them to do work, and actually hand it in (as opposed to email), is akin to herding cats, or pulling teeth.

Notes/Reactions – 3/25 (IT #9)

IT #9 was dedicated to looking at Tibetan history and governance from 600-1913. I asked the students to complete a reading from one chapter from Melvyn C. Goldstein’s The Snow Lion and the Dragon, on “The Imperial Era.” Because so few students were present during IT #7 to give presentations, I used IT #8 to get through as many of these presentations as possible. This meant that the content I originally planned for these two classes had to be pushed forward. When we began this discussion, however, I became abundantly aware that the students had hardly read anything at all. Students met most of my questions with dead silence and blank stares, and when I began to talk about aspects that were the central focal points of the readings, students scrambled to record it all. I began by asking students a few questions how they had seen changes in governance. Julia noted that there has always been some amount of tension with China since the beginning of recorded Tibetan history. This led us into a brief discussion of the historical claims that China puts on Tibet, suggesting that Tibet has always been a part of China. Danielle noted that she didn’t like the language in Thubten Jigme Norbu’s “Waters of Pleasure” from Tibet. Julia said that she found each section interesting, but that she didn’t really see the connections between the different parts of the chapter. Much of the discontent over this reading had to do with the fact that the author suggested that Buddhists die happily, which led into a brief dialogue on attitudes towards death. We discussed other elements of this reading, like the ways in which we treat our dead, comparing sky burial or cremation with traditional burial found in the West. We then moved on to discuss the history of Tibet, looking at six different phases in Tibetan governance: the time of the Dharma Kings, the disunity of Tibet, the interactions between the Sakyapa sect and the Mongols, the conflicts between the Gelukpa sect and the Kagyu sect, and finally the Gelukpa sect and the Qing dynasty (which also involved the Qoshot and Dzungar Mongols). One central aspect of this discussion was the distinction (and the frequent overlap) between the spiritual and temporal leaders of Tibet. For example, during the time of the Sakya rule of Tibet, the Mongolians were in charge of Tibet’s temporal well-being; they provided defense, handled political affairs, and the like. The Sakya Pandita, a prominent figure in the sect, served as a Regent of sorts, although he stayed in the Mongol court. Hence, the Mongols were the temporal leaders of Tibet, and the Sakyas were the spiritual leaders. Beyond this, we spent a good deal of time looking at the British invasion of Tibet in 1904, and seeing how this relates to the Qing dynasty, and China’s claims over Tibet. During British colonial conquests, they turned their eyes toward Tibet, looking to open up trade stations. Colonel Younghusband was sent by the British to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama, but when he was denied an audience with him, he was authorized to invade into Lhasa, and did so, killing thousands of Tibetans along the way. A treaty was signed in the absence of the 13th Dalai Lama (he had fled into exile), which left Tibet in debt to England. Realizing they had committed a major faux pas by circumventing the Qing government, the British nullified the earlier Anglo-Tibetan convention, and resigned a new treaty with the Chinese. This is one instance where China suggests that they received an official nod indicating that Tibet belongs to China proper.

I felt fairly scattered today. I am reminded of Alan’s sage advice, that a good night’s rest goes a long way toward teaching a class. I felt that I stumbled over my words, my thinking was disorganized and confused…I was not a particularly good teacher today. I am not sure if I was asking the wrong questions, and when listening to the audio recording of today’s class session, I realized that students did speak somewhat, and that they did do some of the reading, but I feel that they either missed out on, or glossed over very important aspects of Tibetan political history. At the same time, I can understand how this topic can be incredibly confusing. Tibet has a rich and complicated history, full of twists and turns, and alliances easily give way to bitter fighting. For example, when the Great Fifth Dalai Lama and the Gelukpa sect became the spiritual and temporal leaders of Tibet, they did so with the help of the Qoshot Mongols. In the hopes of offsetting the Qoshot power in Tibet, the Regent began scheming with the rival Mongol tribe of this era, the Dzungars. The Dzungars oust the Qoshot, only to loot the city of Lhasa and publicly execute many monks of the Geluk sect. This prompts an intervention from the Qing army, and establishes much of the political suzerainty that China looks to as justification for its annexation of Tibet in1950. I always strive to figure out a way to encompass all of the complexities of Tibetan history without completely confusing students, or boring them to tears. Finding this balance is quite difficult, I find, and without a great deal of time to slowly pour over these documents and commit names, dates, tribes and treaties to memory, it can become a massive soup of information that becomes blurry and muddled. In one sense, I am discouraged by the fact that students had such a hard time following this history, and yet at the same time, I can completely understand how this can be the case. I need to think back to when I was first learning this content, and what specifically helped me to understand this information.

Notes and Reactions – 3/27 (IT #10)

Today’s class focused on Tibetan governance from 1913-1950, generally understood as the “de facto” independent era. Right off, I asked students to break up into groups and talk about which aspects stood out to them about the reading, specifically, which elements of Tibetan governance and infrastructure seemed most crucial. When we came back together as a group, I asked students to begin talking about these ideas. Janice talked about serfdom as a critical element of Tibetan infrastructure. Much of the economy, and especially the lives of the rich aristocrats of Tibet were based on a fairly exploitative system of serfdom, although it should be understood that this form is quite different from that of medieval Europe’s feudal serfdom. She was surprised by the fact that much of the economy was based on this system, and indeed, associated Tibetan serfdom with the European kind. She noted that it seemed that Tibetan serfs had more privileges and rights than those of the Europeans. She asked how feudalism fit with Buddhist philosophy, and to the best of my knowledge, the Buddha would not look kindly upon it. I juxtaposed her question with another similar concept: the Buddha forbade monks to participate with the government and worldly political affairs, and yet monks in Tibet and Sri Lanka have had a long history of involvement with governance. We moved on to talk about the monastic institution, and when I asked, “what role do you see the monastery as serving?” one student replied, “Buddha factories,” meaning that the monasteries focused more on quantity of monks as opposed to the quality of their training. I tried to draw further answers from students as to what the monasteries actually provided for the people in Tibet. Julia noted that part of the government (literally half) was run by monks; for every lay position in the government, there was a corresponding monastic position. We went on to talk about the ways in which the monastery provided for families, in very real ways. Many families would send their children off to the monasteries, not only as a means for social advancement, and as a matter of pride and devotion to the faith, but also as a way to alleviate economic strain at home. The monasteries provided (albeit little) food to all monks during prayer festivals and chanting sessions, and laypeople often gave money to these monks as a way to accrue merit. To this extent, we also launched into a brief discussion on polyandry, and its role as an economic aid in the home. With multiple husbands and one wife, it was easier for families to consolidate their resources and provide for themselves, especially in the rural and mountainous areas of Tibet, where resources are scarce, and the conditions are harsh. We also discussed some of the inner workings of the Tibetan government, including how the Regency worked, the role of the Kashag, which served as a the central body dealing with all requests for funds or disputes that were sent to the Dalai Lama. Students caught on to the highly systematized and bureaucratic system that was employed during this time, and we spent a great deal of time analyzing and investigating this aspect of the government. There were specific offices that dealt with issues pertaining to the monastic and lay sides of the government, and students were amazed that the most important qualification for such bureaucratic jobs was the level of one’s handwriting. Given that literacy was scarce in Tibet before 1950 (the monasteries provided some of the only real avenues to become literate), penmanship was highly valued. Students also noted with great surprise that different bureaucratic jobs did not require specialized training. For example, there was no special list of qualifications that one had to meet in order to become the general of the armed forces of Tibet (when they existed). One other aspect the students took note of was the kinds of aristocrats and the kinds of jobs they took. Positions of high power often did not pay very highly, so that one would have to be independently wealthy in order to have a position of power. Conversely, higher paid positions often wielded less power. In some ways, this proved to break up the corruption and graft that so often plagued the Tibetan government, because those who wanted to have great power often did not get much money. At the same time, this often meant that power was consolidated and kept in the same hands for long periods of time.

Today’s class was very interesting and compelling. I felt far more capable than Tuesday, able to speak to students’ questions and ideas. Students, likewise, seemed far more interested and compelled to speak and their comments were valuable and interesting. The class discussion progressed nicely, and I got the feeling that students were very comfortable with the readings. This was also particularly enjoyable for me to teach, because several students expressed their interest in learning about the structure of the Tibetan government. I was really impressed by what the students took away from the reading, and I think giving the students some time at the beginning of class to gather their thoughts about the governmental system was really remarkably useful. In some instances, students have felt that group activities have been redundant and useless, but I think this one was really quite valuable. It gave them a chance to think through these ideas and concretize their reactions to the reading before discussing them as a class. This coverage of Tibetan political history was incredibly useful, and has set us up for our next class on Chinese-Tibetan relations.

Notes/Reactions – 4/1 (IT #11)

Today’s class was focused on exploring Chinese-Tibetan relations. First, I asked the students to write down some questions that came up for them in the reading. One student asked several questions: first, she asked why Tibet was not considered an independent country when it was invaded forcefully in 1950. I explained that much of this has to do with the fact that the international community only respects those nations that have been recognized as such by other nations, and Tibet was never recognized as such by the international community. In fact, when Tibet was invaded, only one nation stood up for it – El Salvador. She continued on to ask why and how the C.I.A. became involved in Tibet. I went into a brief explanation of how the C.I.A. funded Tibetan guerillas (especially in the East) in order to simply disrupt – but not push out – the Chinese Communist force, given that the C.I.A. was more so focused on simply harassing Communists. This was one example of how the world (in this case, America) has offered support in theory, but in practice (as when Nixon sought rapprochement with China) has not done very much to help Tibetans in the long run. Another asked why international feeling toward the Dalai Lama has changed, and I did my best to provide the answers that I felt explained this best: at first, the Dalai Lama was a fairly unknown person, but as the world began to hear about the atrocities coming out of Tibet during the Cultural Revolution, and as the world began to learn more about Tibet and Tibetan Buddhism, sympathy grew remarkably. A particularly important event was the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness in 1982, which spurned great celebration – followed by swift crackdowns not unlike those we are seeing today – in Lhasa and all over Tibet. This resulted in a great deal of interest in His Holiness, and Tibet in general. As such, Tibet has become more and more a cause that people can stand behind, with a person like the Dalai Lama as its figurehead. But even in these instances, there is still present this notion of empty gestures. Even when His Holiness won the Congressional Gold Medal in October of 2007, President George Bush would not meet with him in the Oval Office in the fear that it would disturb Chinese sensibilities. I wanted to frame our discussion of the 1950 invasion and its aftermath with a look at the contested nature of Tibetan-Chinese history. We examined five or six moments in history that the Chinese use as arguments for their invasion in 1950, and we also analyzed the Tibetan counter-arguments. This provided a clear look at how there is no one “historical truth,” but rather many different notions of what has transpired. Following this, I asked students why His Holiness went back to Lhasa (he was staying near the Indian border in the event that he should need to flee into exile) after the Chinese invaded? Danielle said that it was because he could still be of some use, and while this response is correct (that was much of His Holiness’ impetus for returning), I was looking for a more specific reason. Kelley suggested it might have something to do with the 17-Point Agreement, and, indeed, this was the primary reason for His Holiness’ return. Many of the portions of this agreement (which denoted the first written treaty where Tibet accepts its position as a part of China) were written to have a conciliatory tone, promising that the monastic system, the religion, the culture, language, schooling and the like would remain untouched, but that China would help the Tibetans “step by step” in accordance with the actual conditions of Tibet. I also read off some of the other points that were not included in the reading. Finally, we explored the Melvyn Goldstein reading that was assigned for today by watching a segment of an excellent film, Kundun, a movie directed by Martin Scorsese that outlines the life and times of the 14th Dalai Lama. I think the students really enjoyed this clip. It depicted the Dalai Lama’s temporary flight from Lhasa to the Indian border, his interactions with the Chinese generals who came to give him a copy of the 17-Point Agreement, and the heated discussion that followed as to whether or not His Holiness should flee to India or return to Lhasa. Eventually, he decides to return, but it is short-lived.

This class flowed well. Students were responsive, engaged and interested in the topic, and we were touching on some very important points, like the tone of the 17-Point Agreement, the historical precedents that China looks to for its annexation of Tibet, and the like. I had hoped that we could cover the aftermath of the revolution, specifically the disintegration of the situation in Lhasa, the Dalai Lama’s escape, the dissolution of the Tibetan Government that followed, the Chinese Cultural Revolution, and the 80’s to the present day, but we did not get to that in this classroom. I feel that a brief discussion of these points will be crucial for Thursday’s topic: looking at what is happening in Tibet right now. Given all the riots and protests in Lhasa and the East, we would be remiss not to pay any attention to this vital point in a class on Tibet. I feel that the class has finally gotten comfortable for everyone, and as happy as I am to have my schedule calm down a little, I also wish that I could continue teaching Intro to Tibet after Thursday’s class.

Notes/Reactions – 4/3 (IT #12)

Today was our last class of Introduction to Tibet, and focused on looking at Chinese-Tibetan relations from a contemporary context. We did not get to talk about every aspect I had hoped to cover in the previous course, specifically, how Tibet related to China after the invasion of 1950, so I took this information from the lesson plan for IT #11, and added it to our discussion. I saw three major elements to this class: first, Sino-Tibetan relations following the invasion of 1950; second, the readings I assigned which (by student suggestion) were written from the perspective of the People’s Republic of China’s government; and third, the articles from the news that I asked students to bring in. Given the huge amount of political unrest in Tibet today, I felt it would be foolish to finish out the class and not speak about this contemporary aspect that has very important historical moorings. We spoke about the status of Tibet after 1950, how there followed six time periods or so of varying relationships with mainland China. Initially, relations with China were fairly cordial. The 17-Point Agreement that the Tibetan government (eventually) signed actually provided for some degree of religious and cultural autonomy, and this gave the Dalai Lama hope that some agreements could be made. The situation quickly worsened, however, and by the mid-1950’s, revolts began to erupt in the east, and by 1959, the Dalai Lama had to flee. A massive uprising and revolt followed in Lhasa, resulting in the deaths of at least 86,000 Tibetans. After the Dalai Lama’s flight into exile, the Chinese government did away with the gradualist 17-Point Agreement, and dissolved the Tibetan government. The time period that follows (1966-1976) saw the worst cruelties inflicted upon Tibetans. Religion, dress, songs, and anything resembling the “old culture” was banned by the Chinese government. The Cultural Revolution was a terrible time for Tibetans, and many of the 1.2 million who have died in Tibet as a result of Chinese occupation lost their lives during this time, due to persecution, imprisonment, execution and famine. Following Mao’s death in 1976, a period of relative reconciliation followed, wherein the Chinese government tried to implement modern reforms. The Dalai Lama suggests that while many of these reforms (schools, factories, hospitals, jobs, etc.) are very good in theory, most of them do not benefit the local Tibetan population, and in many cases, show preferential treatment to Han Chinese pilgrims who have been sent into Tibet by the government. From the period of 1982 (when the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Prize) through 2008, Tibet has seen more intensive crackdowns (as evidenced by the most recent rash of riots and police reactions), and more armed Tibetan resistance for the first time since the 1960’s. We moved on to discuss the readings, and the students were very vocal on these. This article included many smaller articles from Chinese newspapers and other Chinese writers who suggest precisely what the PRC does: that Tibet has been a part of China for thousands of years, and that to say “Free Tibet” is akin to saying “Free Vermont.” It placed the blame for the Lhasa uprising of 1959 solely on the CIA, equated Hollywood’s Seven Years in Tibet with the official position of the United States government (which is incredibly erroneous), and made other similar claims over Tibet and over the “imperialist threat” of America and Britain. Students asked why these positions are so prevalent in the Chinese government and among so many mainland Chinese students, and I pointed out that often these positions are ingrained in children from a very young age; in the same way that we are taught that Christopher Columbus discovered America, Chinese youth are taught that Tibet has always been a part of China. We explored some of the few accuracies this article included – that Tibet was not perfect during the reign of the Dalai Lama; that the Qing dynasty did have a great degree of control over Tibet; that you can’t get a history lesson from watching Seven Years in Tibet. However, much of our discussion was centered around the highly propagandistic nature of these writings, and the historical renderings it put forth. Finally, we discussed many of the current events in Lhasa and eastern Tibet, as I asked the students to do this task-based assignment for homework. Students brought in articles about George Bush being urged to boycott the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics; the PR disaster that the Tibet situation is causing for China; the mass protests against the Olympic torch; the violent police crackdowns on the protests in Tibet; and the jailing of a Chinese dissenter for speaking out on Tibet and human rights.

This class was an excellent send-off. We managed to get through quite a bit of Sino-Tibetan history, as well as examine these perspectives from a Chinese government position. As a thank you, my students baked me a cake! This class was also satisfying because I felt that especially over the last two classes, I have been able to integrate many teaching methods almost seamlessly with one another. It seems to be no great difficulty now to switch between lecture, class discussions, task-based instruction, group interaction, and Socratic questioning with ease. I am gaining a better understanding of how I can utilize each of them, and how student questions and concerns are really the heart of the class, and these present me with an excellent way to inform and educate the students. Although I am pleased that the class is ending of the sake of my schedule, I would love to continue teaching the course, and I am sad to see it stop.

Appendix D: Student Responses and Course Feedback
This appendix is for easy reference to students’ a) written work b) feedback on the course c) and Tibetan Buddhism presentations. Please note that when reprinting student work and feedback, I use no identifying marks. Names have either been radically changed or completely removed to protect the confidentiality of the participants.

Students’ Written Responses

It’s funny how mistranslation can completely change our perceptions. I like many people in the West associated Buddhism with a pessimistic view of the world. A religion which viewed live as just suffering? No thank you, I thought. Of course, I like my many of my fellow westerners was wrong. Simply translated, dukkha means ‘suffering,’ but a deeper and more nuanced translation shows it to also mean impermanence or insubstantiality. Both happiness and sadness are included in dukkha – everything is included in dukkha! Still, the perception of Buddhism as a pessimistic and negative religion continues. Of course, that brings up the debate, is Buddhism a religion or a very complex philosophy? Does it depend on the tradition of Buddhism you are looking at? It seems to me, that Buddhism really depends on how you approach it. For many, it represents deeply felt faith, for others, it is simply a guide for living a compassionate life. For the followers of the Buddha, I don’t think the debate matters, it is simply theirs. Despite the contradictory views the West has of Buddhism (a pessimistic yet peaceful religion), it is very much preoccupied with it. Our Hollywood stars are enamored with his Holiness and our overpriced “exotic” import stores are filled with the jolly figure of the laughing Buddha. Though we may not know much about Buddhism, it represents inner peace to us, something which is often missing in our own lives.

My comments: These are powerfully important and compelling issues! How can “suffering” and the truth of Dukkha be liberating? What is the distinction between philosophy and religion? Why is there a percieved hunger for spirituality and inner peace in the west? I think these notions float to the top of our discourse on Buddhism, and I’d challenge you to investigate these questions, perhaps for an answer, but also to answer why these are questions in the first place. Powerful insights!

The idea of Buddha’s teachings is something that I haven’t had a lot of experience with. However, some things like Nirvana, was something that I vaguely heard of, but never had any true grasp on. After the readings, especially after the one about the fourth truth. The idea of reincarnations as a way to continue to fulfill your existence was something that I hadn’t learned about. It’s interesting to hear about, to then complete your purpose in life, gain the enlightenment and be able to go to Nirvana where there is no pain or suffering or really any feeling at all. Although there is no real explanation for what this is, but for me, no real explanations are necessary because I think that is all irrelevant. Another aspect of the readings that I really enjoyed was the idea of no self. That in order to be enlightenment no one can think in terms of “me” or only for their own soul gain. Also the fact that it is excepted that new people will not be so quick to really know the true sense of no self is a good one. In the “Doctrine of No-Soul: Anatta,” this idea is presented more, and the idea that man has to sort of cease having these notions of “me” and “mine.” Also, the idea of the sort of rejection of the consciouses and self-interest until the person doesn’t truly want anything for themselves in more of a materialistic sense. From my own understanding, you basically start wanting things for yourself and instead want things for the people around you. So in this way, Karma can play into this because the people can either do good and help others and complete the ways of Buddha or not.

My comments: Great points here. I was curious as to why the content on Nirvana was irrelevant. This idea of self is one of great interest and attention within Buddhist philosophy, cosmology, ethics and a full and clear understanding of it is precisely the understanding one needs to understand Nirvana. You mentioned ‘going to’ or ‘getting to’ Nirvana. Try thinking of it like the mountain path. Whether we are on the path or not is fairly irrelevant; the mountain is still there. So in a very real way, there is nothing to ‘get to’ or attain. Nirvana is already present, it is a truth. The point is that we need to understand it as opposed to attain it. What are some of the questions these readings bring out for you?

“Two ideas are psychologically deep-rooted in man: self-protection and self-preservation.” The excerpt goes on to say that from these two ideas arises the concept of the divine (as a protector) and the soul (as the part of the self which is eternal)/ I found that concept quite interesting – that all of humanity’s endeavors could be boiled down to those two. However, I think just from my own observations, I would add a third deep-rooted need or idea: the concept of self-distinction. From what I’ve seen of humanity (in 18 years, which I suppose is relatively short) most humans feel a need to distinguish themselves from the people around them and from the universe as a whole – a need to say not just “I AM” but “ AM ME, NOT YOU.” I’m not sure how this concept would fit into Buddhism and its conception of the universe. I’m sure the need for importance and distinction is the cause of a lot of suffering, however, whether in the form of megalomania that leads to violence and war or in the form of discrimination and distrust of those who are different.

My comments: You’ve touched on a central nerve here. I think your point about self-importance, the distinction between “me” and “you” is included within this very notion of self. As soon as we delineate between subject and object, we are prone to selfishness and deluded acts. Why do we go to war? Or steal? Or kill or any other negative act? We think it is what will fix our problems, it is what we want for ourselves. Santideva says, ‘if the self needs protection, it is inappropriate to protect it.’ What questions did this reading bring up for you?

Response to readings on the Four Noble Truths and the Five Aggregates I was very concerned with the interaction of the Five Aggregates, so I’ve taken a stab at untangling them: The Aggregate of Matter is basically that which exists in the external world. In this category of existence are included the Four Great Elements, which would seem to cover all that which exists in the objective physical world. Even our sense-organs and the subjects of our senses – not the material substances themselves, but the aspects of them that we sense – are concrete, relatively objective realities. Matter is not really subject to individual experience or interpretation. The Aggregate of Sensations then is the contact with the Aggregate of Matter; senses are our contact with that which exists objectively. The Aggregate of Perceptions takes it one step further – perceptions recognize the objects/external world that they come into contact with. The Aggregate of Mental Formations deals with volitional acts, which are what produce karmic effects. This aggregate deals with active participation and engagement. The Aggregate of Consciousness defines consciousness as a reaction/response that has one of the faculties as its basis and one of the external phenomena as its object. The way I interpret it is that this consciousness about the external world results from the engagement implied in the Aggregate of Mental Formations. In other words, consciousness is achieved through a volitional act. Also the concept of the mind as merely another faculty/organ that sense the world of ideas, thoughts, and mental objects resonated with me. I experienced a lot of confusion with the description in one of the handout of the karmic cycle of existence, and particularly the nuances of the concept of dependent origination. If a misapprehension of the nature of actual reality begins each cycle of the process, than what defines a cycle of the process? And what is meant by “a misapprehension of the nature of actual reality?”

My Comment: “Misapprehension of the nature of actual reality” implies that every being who is not Awakened is somehow diluted into thinking something erroneous about the way things truly are. For example, we might assume that there exists some kind of everlasting soul that exists beyond this conditioned self. Or, we might think that objects and phenomena in our lives are somehow inherently existent, as opposed to noticing how they are really just a confluence of conditions. The cycle starts here, because our fundamental ignorances taint everything else, including our thoughts and subsequently our actions, causing us to be reborn again and again. The Five Aggregates are very complex…you did a superb job explaining them!

The history of Tibetan Buddhism is, once again, something that I never heard of before. The idea of putting on form of Buddhism together is also a very interesting one. It’s very different from any Christian belief, and the idea that different ‘sects’ cannot be put together. However, from the class, I wanted to hear more about these “tales” of how Buddhism came to be in Tibet. These sort of events/pieces of history is what I am very interested in learning more about. For example, during lunch I was talking about the readings with Julia. Julia has done some private study on Buddhism and I mistakenly (is that a word?) called Tibetan Buddhism just ‘Buddhism,’ without realizing that there are many different types of Buddhism, like there are many different types of Christianity. Some aspects on what was being discussed in class that I would like to hear more about, would be why the ruler of Tibet at the time, wanted something to believe in so bad. Were there any other religions that attempted to take root in Tibet? I believe that this would be very relevant to the study and the history of Tibetan Culture.

My comment: The tales are the most fascinating parts. They can teach us as much as any scholarly article can. When Buddhism was brought to Tibet, it was chosen because the Tibetans (particularly the King) felt they had little culture, few binding, unifying aspects. Later there was a debate between the Ch’an and Indian Buddhists in Tibet. The Indians won. Also, two other religions took root in Tibet: Bön and Islam, both of which came from contact with Afghanistan. Keep the questions coming!

The history of Tibet. A history that, until now, I had no contact with. So, I was very happy with the least three readings, especially the one entitled, “The Imperial Era.” The reason for this is because I like learning about topics from history, and because I know a little about Tibet, it’s nice to now know about the history, and how the Chinese government at times did have somewhat of a control over Tibet. During the imperial era, Tibet and China were both distinct and independent political entities, and a part from I found interesting was that China used to pay tribute to Tibet. What this means (at least to me) is that Tibet was a grand force, despite it’s size in relation to China. From there, Buddhism was introduced from India and the first monastery was built at about 779 A.D., however, this meant the introduction of more and more political conflict. Political conflict came about because of the emergence of a leader, the Dalai Lama, but more so because of the Chinese need to have control over Tibet. Don’t get me wrong, there was always political conflict, as there always will be, and the Dalai Lama didn’t suddenly emerge and thus caused political conflict, these just happened to happen at the same time. For a while, both Tibet and China were under the rule of the Mongols, that changed and Tibet (all the while) was losing military power. What I also found to be very interesting was the British, and their control over Tibet. As always, the British empire came to India, saw Tibet, and wanted it too. As always, the British empire wanted to force if the other party didn’t wish for it to happen. Now, the other article was also something that I found to be interesting. The description of Tibet and the way in which they conduct their funeral very different from a western point of view. The way that the article depicted the Tibetan people was that they are a merry bunch of people. People that would gladly give you food, or let you stay in their houses. However, although I think that the article was meant to describe the real Tibetan Culture, I feel as though, in some ways whether conscious or unconsciously, it was still exotifying (in some ways, not all) how Tibetan people lived.

My comment: Elaborate on this notion of exotifying Tibet. How did you see Thubten Jigme Norbu Depicting Tibet? Why might he choose this depiction? Excellent reflection…you have a very firm grasp on Tibetan history!

I thought the documentary the Wheel of Time was beautifully shot, but I’m not sure that it fulfilled its goal of demystifying the Kalacakra. It would have been better, if the makers allowed the people going through the initiation to speak for themselves, rather than the narrator summarizing their thoughts or conversations. The only ones who were allowed to use their own voices to speak were those who spoke English. The only exception was the man who was imprisoned by the Chinese. His portion of the documentary was the most interesting; the tone of the documentary felt less condescending when he was allowed to tell his own (amazing) story with the aid of a translator.

Response to reading on Tibetan religious history

My general response to this chapter was more questions. Regarding the dispute over origins of the name “Po”, the Tibetan’s name for Tibet, I wondered what the significance and the context of the dispute are. And what are the Blue Annals and the White Annals and what are their roles in this dispute. I also wondered more about what exactly defines the cultural area of Tibet and how the people within those territories identify themselves. And what were China’s claims on the area of cultural Tibet not included in the political area? What was involved in the process of dividing up Tibet? How were the parameters of political Tibet determined? The borders of political Tibet were drawn basically along the mountain ranges around the Tibetan plateau. Did the Chinese draw the original borders because of the logistical problems of crossing the mountain ranges? I also wanted to know more about the Tibetan nomads, the Dropka, and their political and religious position in Tibet, both before and after the Chinese conquest. Yet another area I was interested in pursuing was the agricultural economic significance of Tibet and how that factored into China’s claim on the region. And related to this, what are the eventual aims of Chinese population transfer (otherwise known as the invasion) and how is this effecting Tibetan culture? In regard to the accuracy of Tibetan historical sources, I would be curious to know more about what effect this has had on Tibetan culture. And what does it reveal about how the Tibetans view themselves, their religion, their country and others?

My comment: The cultural area of Tibet includes Amdo, Kham and U-Tsang. I think the biggest cultural connections are a deep love for the Dalai Lama and devotion to Buddhism. People in Amdo describe themselves as Amdoans, people in Kham are Khampas, but they all self-identify as Tibetans. Political Tibet can be understood as all the areas the 13th Dalai Lama brought under the central government’s control. Population displacement is having a massive impact in Tibet, especially with the completion of the Beijing – Lhasa Railroad. Tibetans fear that the new Chinese settlers will get all the jobs, money, housing, healthcare, education, etc….which they usually do. The PRC touts it as ‘development. You have a lot of great questions here. Consider going into them for a final paper. Response to Readings on the Imperial era and the development of Tibetan society

The position of serfs in Tibetan society and Tibetan societies complete dependence on them is quite fascinating. I wonder to what degree these serfs resembled the serfs of Europe and to what degree they were oppressed. They seem to have had significantly more freedom than European serfs, and they retained the entire harvest, although they were still tied to the land. Also the Tibetan serfs were accountable to the Tibetan government and religious establishment rather than feudal overlords. I also wonder how the concept of serfdom fit into Buddhist philosophy. I would think serfdom, which I consider a form of slavery, would be contradictory to the Buddhist religion. It seems to me that a great deal of Tibetan politics – i.e. the positions of regent, Dalai Lama, and king of Tibet, as well as Tibet’s relationship with both Mongolia and China – were affected by the struggle between China and Mongolia for domination of Asia. The struggle between the constantly rearranging alliances between the three major powers in the area, namely China, Mongolia, and Tibet, eventually resulted in China’s subordination of Tibet. This process began with the Mongolian invasion of Tibet in the early 13th century and was heightened with unification of China under the Qing dynasty in the 17th century.

My comment: Don’t be too quick to include Mongolia into “China.” My question is, whose China are we talking about? The Yuan was run by Mongols. The Ming was Han, but they had little (if any) authority in Tibet. The Qing dynasty was run by Manchurians, who generally despise the Han population. The first Qing dynasty control over Tibet comes in 1720…before then, Mongol rule was big, but neither of these groups are “Chinese,” who are usually understood to be the Han ethnicity, making up 96% of the population in the PRC. You raised really good points about the role of serfdom. I doubt the Buddha would’ve approved, either.

Course Feedback

Explanations needed for the following: the concept of religion and philosophy in Buddhism and in other faiths, the concept of Soul in Christianity.

Readings are excellent. Perhaps lecture could have touched more on how the Four Noble Truths relate to and effect Tibetan culture of the Tibetan way of life. Group activity seemed slightly redundant.

Well. We haven’t gotten that far yet, but I’ve quite enjoyed everything we’ve done up to this point. The homework readings were certainly manageable and quite interesting, and class discussions have been fun. I think maybe some more specific discussion questions might help: usually “what did you find interesting” is enough to get us started, but if the discussion stalls it might be useful. Oh, also, I really liked the slideshows of pictures of Tibet, especially because the land is so obviously important to the culture and identity.

The readings have done a good job of giving a diverse and varied perspective of Tibet – though they don’t really answer any questions (this is, of course, a good thing). Reading aloud is good, but take into account that some of us suck at it – it is a good strategy for promoting understanding, though. Everything’s explained well and made clear. We’re being challenged to think critically. The only thing I’d like to see more of is going a little deeper into everything, though as we get farther into the course this will probably happen and be easier.

So far, for myself, I have enjoyed the class and the ways that it is being taught. Although the style of teaching is different, this is what I expected since you didn’t go to teaching school, nor have the experience. I enjoyed the readings that were given to read as homework. I think that that allows for more time for the material to really sink in. Although all the readings that were read out loud in class were interesting. I feel that they would have been better had they been homework assignments, and then talked about in class. However, I would also enjoy learning about the structure of the Tibetan government and perhaps read recorded days in the life of a person from Tibet.

I think the subject matter so far has been really interesting. I’ve already learned much more about Tibet than I knew before. So, I’d say the content is working out well. However, I’m not particularly fond of reading the excerpts in class. I would rather have more reading in between classes so we could spend the class time doing something else. I mean, each class is only an hour long. Why waste it doing something we could do outside of class? The slideshow on the first class was helpful (not that you should necessarily do it every class) but if was definitely a good introduction to Tibet.

Class is going great. What I really enjoyed was the discussions that we had as a class, last class. I felt more connected to the readings, and all the questions that I had were answered. Once again, I think that we maybe should read about the history of Tibet from a Chinese main land source to see the differences between the readings, and to then draw our own conclusions from there. I’m still debating with myself if we as a class should learn about the situation in Tibet right now, since this is a situation that I haven’t been able to grasp completely.

I really enjoyed the presentations we did, though I think I’ve said that several times before. That kind of independent work is one of my favourite ways to learn about stuff, and it was also interesting to hear about what other people were interested in. In a longer course I would have suggested that we do them a little later in the semester so that we had more background to help us choose topics, but since we don’t have that much time I think the timing was good. The readings so far have been perfectly manageable. I haven’t had any trouble with the length, and any problems understanding the ideas (particularly the more sophisticated Buddhist concepts) were cleared up in class. I think it’s awesome when you bring in Tibetan stuff, like the Thangka painting and the prayer wheel. I wish we had more time in class, or perhaps more students—it’s hard to have a really good discussion with just three or four people, and only an hour to get through an entire lesson plan. Still, for the time we have I think we’ve been learning quite a bit.

I think class is going really well. The edition of the presentations was a great idea. Learning more, but with less effort—genius! It feels like we’ve settled into a routine somewhat, which is good. The only problem I have is small, and perhaps biased, so take with a grain of salt. I’d love to talk more about the role of women in all aspects of Tibetan life (perhaps because we were discussing Buddhism, there wasn’t much to talk about? Though, I think the subject of nuns and especially their role in protesting China is fascinating.  Final project perhaps?). Overall, class is really interesting and informative—it makes me what to dig a little deeper into everything on my own, definitely a good sign!

Final Class Assessment

Introduction to Tibet: History, Religion, Culture and Politics – Course Assessment Answer the questions to the best of your ability. Basic Assessment

Agree with the following statements by circling a number; 1 being the lowest level of agreement, 5 being the highest.

My general understanding of Tibet has grown. 1	2	3	4	5 My understanding of Buddhism has grown. 1	2	3	4	5 I have a strong grasp of Tibetan history. 1	2	3	4	5 I learned new skills and procedures. 1	2	3	4	5 I have gained a sense of some of the basic, foundational concepts about Tibetan history, religion, culture and politics.

1	2	3	4	5 We have explored multiple perspectives on Tibet. 1	2	3	4	5 I have had the freedom to explore the content and ideas that interest me. 1	2	3	4	5 The classroom environment has been open and inviting for the exploration of new ideas. 1	2	3	4	5 Difficult and complicated ideas explained thoroughly. 1	2	3	4	5 The class was approached with an adequate level of respect for the culture being examined. 1	2	3	4	5 I have a (re)new(ed) sense of interest or enthusiasm in this area of study. 1	2	3	4	5 I enjoyed the class. 1	2	3	4	5 The class was taught effectively; the instructor competent at exploring these four aspects (history, religion, culture and politics).

1	2	3	4	5 Narrative Assessment

What did you enjoy about the course?

What areas do you feel could use improvement?

How have you grown intellectually/personally as a result of the course?

Of the texts discussed in this class were there any you found particularly helpful? Or, conversely, any that were distinctly not?

What surprised/interested,/frustrated you about what you discovered?

Did the instructor conduct the class in an effective way? If so, or if not, please explain why, and how he can improve.

If this course were to be taught again, are there any other topics you can suggest that would be interesting for further exploration?

Any final comments or suggestions?

Student Research into Tibetan Buddhism

Tulkus (Reincarnated Lamas) –Research into Tibetan Buddhism (IT #7/#8)

General ∑ Tulku=lit. ”apparent body”, living incarnation of deity or holy teacher ∑ Over a thousand in modern Tibet ∑ Predominantly male, though one or two females History ∑ originated in the 12th century AD, started by Karma Kagyu School ∑ KKS has three exceptional leaders (Karmapa Lamas) ∑ 4th Karmapa Lama declared official reincarnation of Third, tradition began Search process ∑ When Tulku dies, search for reincarnation begins ∑ First search for hints or letter from lama before death ∑ Consult prominent lama to see if have received info (in case of Dalai Lama, Panchen Lama is in charge of search) ∑ Consult oracle/gods ∑ Sometimes monks or other lama will have visions/dreams ∑ When a suitable candidate is found, tests: o See if recognizes previous lama’s possessions o Intelligence tests (???) o See if selection confirmed by gods o In case of Dalai Lama, if more than one candidate choice is decided by lottery ∑ Process subject to corruption, dispute, power games, etc (see current events) ∑ Tulku’s duties preformed by regent until is of age…therefore not only can his power be abused while he is too young to claim it, but the regents have a very strong incentive for making sure he never does so Duties and power ∑ Once confirmed, sent to study Buddhism (Panchen Lama instructs Dalai Lama) and duties ∑ “the rearing of an important Tulku is not left to chance. He is brought up inside a monastery, under the direction of a head tutor and a number of other teachers or servants. He must study hard and adhere to a strict regimen. He has few if any toys or playmates, and is rarely allowed outside. Early on, he learns to receive important visitors, take part in complicated rituals, and give blessings to followers and pilgrims.” Harvard Asia Quarterly ∑ Over 300 volumes of Buddhist scripture to learn ∑ Hwvr, environment not at all bleak; Tulkus showered with love and reverence from monks and visitors (often allowed contact with family), though corrected when err and not spoiled ∑ Usually take vows of monkhood when old enough o Hwvr, interestingly, not required to become a monk or a spiritual teacher @ all. Can reject duties and identity as a Tulku. (see _____) ∑ Tulkus inherit a labrang, or estate, consisting of property, servants, and treasure, and passes it on to successor when old enough. ∑ All Tulkus are powerful w/in structure of Buddhism. Hwvr, hierarchy among Tulkus is not defined by law, but by tradition ∑ “A Tulku brought up in a monastery might become the de facto local chieftain and concern himself with the affairs of the common people; he might become abbot and administer the monastery's religious activities; he might be a scholar who spends the greater part of his time on teaching and penning commentaries; or, he might be a man of limited mental faculties who appears on ceremonial occasions to recite scriptures by rote.” Famous Tulkus ∑ Dalai Lama o Title “Dalai Lama”=”Ocean of Wisdom”, created by Mongols in mid1500s to honour head of Geluk school. o Position as head of state secured by HH 5th Dalai Lama, Lozang Gyatso (1617-1682) o HH 14th Dalai Lama one of main spiritual leaders of the world today, head of Tibetan government in exile ß Labeled a “separatist” by Chinese government because of advocation for Tibetan Independence ß fled Tibet in 1959 ß received Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 ß currently 72, residence in Dharamsala, India but travels majority of year ∑ Karmapa Lama o Head of Karma Kagyu school o 2nd most powerful/influential Tulku o See controversy abt identity ∑ Panchen Lama o In charge of finding new Dalai Lama and instructing him o See controversy abt identity ∑ Scandalous/unconventional Tulkus: o “HH Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsayang Gyatso, born in 1683, preferred archery and socializing to study and prayer. He refused ordination and gave back his novice vows. Sneaking out of the Potala Palace at night, he drank to excess, and pursued secret assignations with women in the city, both high- and low-born. died at age 23 under mysterious circumstances. Now, three centuries later, Tibetans celebrate the Sixth Dalai Lama's memory, especially the love songs that he wrote.” o “HE Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche (1939-1987). He fled Tibet at age 20, settling first in Britain, then America, and finally Canada. Despite his Tulku upbringing, he could not hold himself to a proper monkish life. He was a notorious seducer of pretty female students. He drank heavily, and alcohol contributed substantially to his death at age 47. hwvr, has been called by one western Buddhist organization the “pre-eminent communicator of Dharma of the 20th century,” for he had a remarkable gift for using vernacular English to make abstruse philosophy understandable to the public.” o HE Chungdrag Dorje Rinpoche, also known as Steven Seagal, is an action film star. His identification as a Tulku of the Nyingma school gave rise to much debate and controversy. Current relations with China ∑ Sept 2007: all Tulkus w/out official gov’t approval banned in Tibet o No possible Tulkus outside Tibet according to new rule ∑ Identities of both Karmapa Lama and Panchen Lama debated o Karmapa Lama: ß 2 17th Karmapa lamas claimed; 1 in India, 1 in Tibet/China ß Chinese lama confirmed by both Chinese gov’t and HH Dalai Lama; fled to India in 2000 ß Most people accept Chinese KL o Panchen Lama: ß Previous lama cooperated to an extent w/Chinese gov’t but still protested occupation, died in 1989 ß 1995 HH Dalai Lama announces choice for successor as per tradition ß China refuses to accept; Panchen Lama goes missing ß 1999 China announced own candidate ß Currently Tibetan Panchen Lama’s whereabouts unknown; some Free Tibet activists call him the “world’s youngest political prisoner” though he would now be 18 ∑ Many less prominent Tulkus within occupied Tibet given official positions in Chinese government o Hwvr, have no power to actually affect policies o Many Tulkus engaged in charity to combat widespread poverty in Tibet ∑ In government in exile, Tulkus are the backbone of the government and have virtually all the power ∑ HH 14th Dalai Lama has brought up the possibility of choosing his successor instead of reincarnating, and has announced that if does reincarnate, will not be in Tibet

Sources: http://www.asiaquarterly.com/content/view/143/

http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-31545220080123?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

http://www.slate.com/id/1004379/

Tibetan Astrology – Research into Tibetan Buddhism (IT #7/#8)

∑ Tibetan astrology has its origins in many other traditions like India, Chinese, the local Bon religion, and Buddhist tantra ∑ The oldest literature dates back to the 7th century. Prior to the 7th century, Tibetan astrology was passed down orally in song lyrics ∑ Traditionally, it is considered one of the five secondary sciences of Tibet. It is used for divination as well as time cycles, Tibetan chronology, and their calendar. ∑ It is closely related to Tibetan medicine and they are usually taught and practiced in tandem. ∑ Whereas western astrology focuses on the individual’s personality, Tibetan astrology focuses on predicting the individual’s general life-span to see what could possibly happen. ∑ Because it is influenced by Buddhism, Tibetan astrology is not a fatalistic system. A perhaps can change the course of their future through their actions – the future is not set in stone. ∑ Tibetan astrology can be divided into two categories: Byung-r Tsis (Elemental astrology) and Kartsi (Astronomy) Elemental Astrology ∑ Byung-r Tsis is the oldest type of Tibetan astrology. It is also called Nagtsi that means black calculation. ∑ Elemental astrology has its roots in the Bon religion of Tibet as well as being influenced by China. The name actually comes from the black clothes worn by the Chinese practitioners ∑ There is no mathematical calculations or planetary observations in this tradition. ∑ It is based upon the relationship of the five elements (wood – green-rectangle; fire – red-triangle; earth – yellow-square; iron – white-half-circle; water – blue-circle) the twelve animal signs (mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, bird, dog, pig) the nine magic Mewa square numbers and the eight Parkha trigrams. ∑ Mewa square numbers represent the nine categories of astrological spirits ∑ Parkha symbolizes the eight elements (the four seasons and the four cardinals). The name comes from Chinese and it means eight. Astronomy ∑ Or Kartsi is of Indian origin and means white calculation. And again, the name comes from the white clothes the practitioners wore. ∑ This tradition does use mathematical calculations and planetary positions to create horoscopes and to make calendars and almanacs. ∑ The Tibetan calendar and astrology is based on lunar cycles ∑ The Tibetan New Year (Losar) falls around February – lunar system o The Kalacakra New Year falls in April – solar system o The Elemental New Year falls around December – lunar system ∑ As with Indian astronomy, the Tibetan tradition uses the system of the Sun, Moon, five planets and shadowy planets Rahu and Kethu (moon nodes) along with the twelve zodiac signs. ∑ Tibetan weekdays are ruled by the Sun, Moon and Five Planets. ∑ A Full Tibetan birth horoscope would be made using planetary calculations and an elemental horoscope. Knowing the exact time of birth is very important. o Weekday ruler Tibetan name: Sunday Sun Nyima; Monday moon Dawa; Tuesday Mars Mig-mar; Wednesday Mercury Lhakpa; Thursday Jupiter Phurbu; Friday Venus Pasang; Saturday Saturn sPenpa ∑ The Kalacakra system for creating birth horoscopes is called Dhus Khor. It focuses on a person’s sun sign, their ascendant sigh, and the weekday of their birth. ∑ In addition to the Kalacakra system, Kartsi also includes a secret tantric practice called Yangchar (Shiva Sarodhaya Tantra), which means Arising Vowels. This is of Indian origin and it concerns the initial syllables of a person’s name in relation to their horoscope. ∑ Today, one of the major centers for Tibetan astrology is in Dharamsala. The Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute of H.H. Dalai Lama or Mee-Tsse-Khang is under jurisdiction of the government in exile. There are about 40 branches including one in Amsterdam.

The Sakya Tradition-Research into Tibetan Buddhism (IT #7/#8)

-Originated in India (Virupa = first to teach “fruit and path”) -as a child entered monastic university -given name Dharmapala -at night secretly practiced tantra -tantric sadhanas and meditation didn’t produce results -dreamed of horrific things (his lama and spiritual guides hanging upside down, faces torn apart, blood dripping, etc.) -threw prayer beads in a urinal + decided to devote himself to exoteric Mahayana practices -tantric deity Nairatmya gave him beautiful new beads + told him he had a karmic connection with her, she became his meditation deity -realized that all appearances are manifestations of the mind (gained ability to create illusions) - Nairatmya appeared to him and gave him tantric empowerments; he attained the first bodhisattva level and the path of seeing. -after 12 years he transcended the confines of monastic life and started to act strange and irreverent. He renamed himself Virupa meaning “the ugly” or “ ill mannered” because he also transcended social norms. -traveled and did miraculous (although inconsiderate) deeds such as keeping the sun up so as not to pay a check

-lived for 700 years before attaining complete liberation and ascended to the heaven of the dakinis (other term for nirvana?)

-Sakya tradition in Tibet begins with monastery established in an area called Sakya -founded in 1073 by Gonchok Gylepo, disciple of Drokmi who translated the tantra (basic Sakya text) and introduced it to Tibet -Kohn family founded and still directs Sakya tradition (separated from Nyingma after seeing that the performed secret tantric practices for an audience in public and sent Gylepo off to study with Drokmi) -Gylepo’s son = Great Sakyapa, named Gunga Nyingpo -incarnation of Manjusri from whom he received teachings: If you cling to this life, then you are not a dharma practitioner. If you cling to existence, then you do not have renunciation. If you are attached to your own interests, then you do not have the mind of enlightenment. If you hold to [a position], then you do not have the correct view. Basis of the teachings called separations from the four attachments -motivation for religious dedication is reincarnation as a human -cyclic existence is painful and pointless -transform neutral deeds into positive ones (eating, sleeping, breathing are also for a religious purpose) -overcome selfishness, act only on love and compassion -by viewing reality, Buddhas overcome pain -unrealistic viewpoints are overcome by meditation -and object’s final nature is emptiness, seeing it’s emptiness is great accomplishment Sakya Pandita “Scholar of the Sakyas” + incarnation of Manjusri (child prodigy) -studied everything, great debater, specialized in tantra + epistemology - wrote about Buddhist philosophy and practices, music, grammar, poetry, epistemology -took over Sakya lineage after Drakpa’s death -1244, summoned by Mongolian prince, Godan - Godan was sick, Sakya Pandita cured him, Godan converted to Buddhism and decided not to invade Tibet -was tested by people jealous of his influence, despite being a foreigner, magicians created an illusion of a temple, but he gave is substance and they could not make it disappear, so they called it the Magical Temple of the North and he lived there -because of links w/ Mongols Sakya became the ruling lineage in Tibet -patron-priest relationship -Sakya ruled Tibet from 1245- 1358, but lost power when Mongolia lost its influence “Path and Fruit” = Sakya meditative system -in order to have potential to reach enlightenment one must have the essential instructions, an enlightened teacher, tantric empowerment, and diligence -can’t tell you more about it because these practices are highly confidential

Tibetan Medicine – Research into Tibetan Buddhism (IT #7/#8)

The Tibetan Science of Healing - "Sopa Rig" in Tibetan - has been taught and practiced throughout Central Asia for at least 1100 years. Elements of Indian, Chinese and Greek medical traditions are integrated with Tibetan practices in a Coherent and powerful system.

In the 7th century, King Songtsen Gampo adopted Buddhism in Tibet. He was responsible for the international medical conference in Tibet, inviting physicians from India, China, Nepal, Byzantium and Persia to translate their medical texts into Tibetan. The ideas exchanged and knowledge imparted became the founding of what is now considered one of the oldest complete medical systems in Tibet.

The Tibetan medical system developed a vast body of medical literature, the oldest surviving written system of medical psychiatry, an enormous herbal pharmacopoeia and a complete system of diagnosis and treatment. The diverse and complex elements that constitute Tibetan medicine -- its highly refined ethical principles, its philosophical and psychological structure - created a sub-culture of medical practitioners that hold themselves up to the highest standards of practice on both a psychological and, in many cases, spiritual plane.

The three Nye-Pas or the three poisons of delusion which constitute the human types and associated illnesses: 1. Rlung associated with the wind element Ruled by Desire 2. Mhris-Pa associated with the fire element Ruled by Hatred 3. Bak-Dan associated with the earth & water elements Ruled by Delusion

Five elements and their relation to medicine: ∑ Earth has qualities like firmness and stability and because of this, provides the basis of physical existence and development.

∑ Water creates moisture in all its forms and so in the body gives rise to all fluids.

∑ Fire due to its heat creates transformation and activity and therefore is expressed as for example metabolic functions.

∑ Wind creates movement and therefore in the body all aspects of circulation

∑ Space provides the potential for existence to be created in the first place.

Although all five proto-elements are responsible for the formation of each tissue cell, each element has a specific influence: 1. sa exerts a greater influence over the formation of muscle cells, bones, the nose and the sense of smell 2. chu is responsible for the formation of blood, body fluids, tongue and the sense of taste 3. me is responsible for body temperature, complexion, the eyes and the sense of sight 4. rLung is responsible for breathing, skin and the sense of touch and 5. nam-mkha is responsible for body cavities, the ears and the sense of hearing

The Three main principles that control the body

1. Wind functions in circulation, such as, circulation of our blood, circulation of the nervous system's impulses, circulation of thoughts in our minds, circulation of food through our digestive tract and eliminative organs. The mind expressed as attachment, desire or our materialist worldview is manifested as the system of Wind.

2. Bile, gives rise to and controls functions such as metabolism, liver function and vision and allows our mind to function with discriminating intellect. The mind expressed as aggression, hatred, anger or the like is manifested as the system of Bile.

3. Phlegm, creates the physical principle whereby energy can create function, provides our body's lubrication, creates the will and allows us to have good memory among other things. The mind expressed as ignorance or incomprehension is manifested as Phlegm.

A disturbance in one or a combination of these three principle systems results in illness. The disturbance can come from diet, behavior or environmental factors whose qualities, based on their constituent elements, act to disturb the qualities of any of the three energies. The nature of the illness can change depending on the what the person does to endues this illness. It also matters what the person has done to disrupt this flow, or any inequality in the elements in their body that could have caused the illness to befall them.

Treatment:

The ways in which treatment is first started is to interview the sick person, to find out their medical history, but also their personal history. This aspect is interesting as it co-insides with the idea of the Tibetan Buddhism and the idea of (well, semi) Karma and that the inequalities in the elements in the body could have been a result of the person’s personal life. What is then looked at is a urine sample. In the urinalysis things such as the color of the specimen and its odor and then after vigorous stirring the size, color, amount, and persistence of bubbles, and any deposits. From that practice the nature of the illness can be assed as well finding out the location of the illness. Next, the 12 pulses are looked at. There are six distinct pulses at the radial artery of each wrist. What is felt for is characteristics such things as the width, depth, strength, speed and quality of the pulse. Each of those factors when understood properly allow for the doctors to clearly define the illness, its location, hidden complications and its etiology. To further confirm the diagnosis what can be looked at is the color, shape and coatings of the tongue, the sclera of the eye and we may look for sensitivity at certain pressure points on the body.

Some illness can be physical as well as psychological, and the Tibetan doctors treat both. However, the belief that is held is that all illness originate in the mind, but does not mean that all of the sickness that are treated are psychological. Given this basic principle, when treating an illness physicians first begin by recommending specific behavioral and lifestyle modifications. If this is not sufficient, then physicians work at the level of dietary therapy. If these are not enough to cure the problem, physicians employ herbal medicines or, if needed, physical therapies such as acupuncture.

Behavioral Modification:

Behavioral modification can include meditation instruction, spiritual advice, counseling, exercise, or the reorganization of habitual patterns such as sleep habits and eating schedules.

Initial stages of meditation generally include simple breathing practice and working with one's thoughts in a manner which calms the mind. Meditation then evolves beyond that point to include specific contemplations and visualizations which begin a process leading to a new understanding and perception of the world. This aspect of the treatment may vary slightly with the diagnosis. Physical activity, lifestyle, exercise and habits are also considered.

Based on the centuries-old Buddhist study of the mind, Tibetan medicine gives priority to factors of psychological and spiritual development in its definition of health. It seeks to understand and explain the nature and reason for the suffering we experience in our lives.

It teaches acceptance of and gives meaning to the cycle of birth, sickness, old age, and death we all encounter. Common experiences such as not getting what we want, not wanting what we get, being separated from whomever or whatever is dear to us, and being joined with people and things we dislike becomes a basis of spiritual understanding and growth.

Tibetan medicine explains how hatred, anger and aggression, ignorance and incomprehension and a materialist view of the world result in states of mind which are at the root of our suffering. How our habitual patterns of thinking and behaving are the primary cause of illness. Finally, it asserts that through study and spiritual practice an understanding and awareness can gradually be achieved which transcends that suffering.

Death and Rebirth – Research into Tibetan Buddhism (IT #7/#8) According to Buddhism, if a person is born into this cyclic existence in the desire  realm, he encounters the four inevitable sufferings - birth, old age, sickness and death. These sufferings are mentioned in the 1st noble truth by Lord Buddha. In Tibetan Buddhism, it is believed that there are 4 states of existence in our lives. They are:- 1.Birth state 2.Live state 3.Death state 4. Intermediate/Bardo state Generally, the 1st three existences can also be called as an intermediate state or Bardo. These three existences show a certain period of time in human lives. We are also called as Bardo beings just because we are in between the certain time period of our birth and death in this cyclic existence. In Bardo or the intermediate state of being, the deceased stays in the process of becoming for a duration of 49 days. In this period of time, the deceased has the ability to take birth in the human form depending upon the merit he has accumulated or the positive thoughts that he gains during the process of sowing the seed for his next life. In a reply to Sogyal Rinpoche by his master Dudjom Rinpoche, he stated that “during the first twenty-one days of the bardo, the deceased has the strong impression of his previous life, and it is the most important period for the living people to be able to help by performing required rituals to let him take a shape in the form of a good human being or also in the God realm”. Sogyal Rinpoche- a Buddhist master calls this period of bardo as “a transit lounge in which one can wait for up to forty-nine days before transferring to the next life”. He further adds that “there are two special cases who don't have to wait in the intermediate state, because the intensity of the power of their karma sweeps them immediately on to their next rebirth. So, these two cases are- i)the first case is that when one has accumulated good merit and that if one has led a life full of virtuous deeds will take rebirth into a good human life. ii) the second case is that if a being has done negative actions in his life, he is subjected to be born down to his next birth wherever it might be”. Therefore, it is believed that if one exhaustion occurs in our death, it is preventable whereas if the three of them occurs at a time, it is not preventable. Basically it is preventable because one can accumulate merit by following the dharma teachings. The Buddha Sakyamuni had shown that life is full of miseries and that there is no such thing on this earth that can give the lasting peace and happiness in our lives. The moment right after we were born we experience certain kind of sufferings or the other. No one who is being born into this samsara or the cyclic existence is free from suffering. For instance, at this stage of our lives, we experience one suffering or the other, like any of the three sufferings- the suffering of pain, the suffering of change and pervasive suffering. Even the newly born child experiences suffering because of not being able to communicate or wanting to be fed and so forth. We adults also experience sufferings in our course of lives. The suffering of old age is a major suffering when one gets old. No one is happy when they know that they are getting older. No one is happy when they get sick. In this way, one experiences lot of sufferings in this cycle of existence. Death is inevitable. In Tibetan Buddhism it is said that there occurs the death because of the following three reasons:- 1.Exhaustion of the life span 2.Exhaustion of one's karma. 3.Exhaustion of the merit. Of the many factors which enhance a Buddhist practitioner to seek the teachings of the Buddha is that when one is born into the the human realm (one of the 6 desire realms), he should have the following factors to practice the dharma teachings. They are:- 1.Born in a land where dharma exists. 2.Not living in a barbarian land. 3.Living in a time where dharma prevails. 4.Having dharma teachers and people who appreciate and help the practitioners.

Thus, it is believed that if one exhaustion occurs in our death, it is preventable whereas if the three of them occurs at a time, it is not preventable. Basically it is preventable because one can accumulate merit by following the dharma teachings and in practicing the dharma teachings the above factors are required.

Reference:

Sogyal Rinpoche, The Bardo of Becoming – The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying (2002), 295.