Prof. Dorji Wangchuk: “Tibetan Textual Culture: Driving Forces Behind the Production, Dissemination, and Transmission of Texts”
21 December 2011
Photo: Orna Almogi
Traditionally the material or tangible culture in the Tibetan cultural sphere that has a deeper sacral or spiritual significance can be represented by what is called the “three supports or receptacles” (rten gsum) namely (a) the “receptacle of the [Buddha’s] Body” (sku’i rten) which means statues and other images of Awakened Beings (b) the “receptacle of the [Buddha’s] Speech” (gsung gyi rten), which refers to scriptures and other sacred books and texts, and (c) the “receptacle of the [Buddha’s] Mind” (thugs kyi rten), which refers to sacred structures called the stūpas. Tangible culture, associated with these three types of physical objects, is omnipresent in Tibet and the Tibetan culture sphere as a whole. Of the three, the receptacle of the Buddha’s Speech, which stands for the Teaching or Doctrine (dharma) of the Buddha, has clearly a higher standing. For those of us who are interested in the intellectual culture, textual criticism, literature, language culture of the book manuscript culture process of printing and publishing and the like, Tibetan material culture related with the receptacle of the Buddha’s Speech becomes particularly relevant and interesting. It is in this context that I would like to talk about the Tibetan Textual Culture by considering some of the driving forces behind the production, dissemination, and transmission of texts.
Prof. Dr. Dorji Wangchuk, Professor für Tibetologie und Direktor des “Khyentse Center for Tibetan Buddhist Textual Scholarship”, Abteilung für Kultur und Geschichte Indiens und Tibet, Asien-Afrika-Institut, Universität Hamburg.
December 21st, 2011 - 18.00h
Universität Hamburg, Westflügel (ESA W),
Edmund-Siemers-Allee 1; Raum 221.
Free Entrance.