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Śāntideva’s Biography: Some Preliminary Observations on the Effect of Culture

Śāntideva’s Biography: Some Preliminary Observations on the Effect of Culture. Rev. Dr. Ani Kunga Chodron Assistant Professorial Lecturer The George Washington University. Who was Śāntideva ?. Indian Buddhist Mahayana philosopher-saint Associated with Nalanda University

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Śāntideva’s Biography: Some Preliminary Observations on the Effect of Culture

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  1. Śāntideva’s Biography:Some Preliminary Observations on the Effect of Culture Rev. Dr. Ani Kunga Chodron Assistant Professorial LecturerThe George Washington University

  2. Who was Śāntideva ? • Indian Buddhist Mahayana philosopher-saint • Associated with Nalanda University • Late 600s to early 700s • Author of: • Bodhicharyāvatara – Engaging in the Conduct of the Bodhisattvas • Śiksā-samuccaya – Compendium of Precepts • Sūtra-samuccaya – Compendium of Sutras

  3. Cultural Frameworks for Understanding Śāntideva’s Life • Biographies are recounted within a cultural framework of the tellers and listeners • Themes in religious biographies are both: • Created by past cultural values and goals • Create future culture through: • Serving as exemplars of accomplishment • Delineating what is recommended for future generations

  4. Indian Cultural/Religious Themes in Śāntideva’s Life • Praise biographical subjects • Life events are explained by reference ot supernatural events, dreams, predictions, divine intercession • Facts, dates, historical events provide context, not causation.

  5. Tibetan Cultural/Religious Themes in Śāntideva’s Life • Great masters’ biographies are known as rnam thar (complete liberation) • Rnam thar are important as teaching stories about the Bodhisattva Path • Told and heard as true stories of spiritual “forefathers” • Designed to be emulated as examples of how to practice

  6. Śāntideva’s Rnam Thar as an Exemplar of the Bodhisattva Path • 1) What is the traditional rnam thar of Śāntideva as recounted in the earliest Tibetan sources? • 2) How does Śāntideva’s rnam thar reflect traditional frameworks of the Bodhisattva path? • 3) How has Śāntideva’s life story changed when recounted in the West? • 4) What do these changes imply about present and future Western understanding of the Bodhisattva Path?

  7. Śāntideva’s rnam thar as recounted by Buston (1290 – 1364) Śāntideva’s biography contains seven stories: • How he secured his tutelary deity • His splendid acts in Nalanda • Refutation of opponents • Story of Pasandakas • Story of the beggars • Story of the king • Story of victory over the non-Buddhist teacher

  8. 1. How Śāntideva secured his tutelary deity • Son of King Kalyanavarman in Saurastra • Studied sciences and arts • Manjusri appeared and advised him to renounce the throne • Traveled to Banga • Spent 12 years in meditation on Manjusri • Became able to directly perceive Manjusri

  9. 2. Assistance to the King • Assistant to King Arivicana • Protected king from a riot • Used a wooden sword blessed by Manjusri • Jealous ones forced him to show it to the king • King lost his eye due to sword’s power • Śāntideva restored the eye and king converted to Buddhism

  10. 3. Refutation of Opponents • Hindu master Shankananda challenged Buddhists to philosophical debate • Śāntideva represented Buddhists • Śāntideva won the debate • Blessed people and caused Buddhism to flourish

  11. 4. Activities in Nalanda • Ordained by Jinadeva and named Śāntideva • Studied Tripitaka and meditated deeply • Composed three texts including Bodhicharyāvatara • Exterior behavior earned him the nickname Busuku • Forced to give public debate • Spoke Bodhicharyāvatara in 1000 verses

  12. Nalanda, cont’d • Levitated and disappeared at verse 9.34 When neither matter nor non-matter Abide before the intellect, As there is no alternate shape Without anything to observe, it is thoroughly pacified • Proclaimed a great being • Three versions of his teaching emerged • 1000-verse version authenticated • Told location of two other texts in his room

  13. 5. Conversion of the Pasandakas • Travelled to Sawanatha • Met 500 starving Pasandakas during famine • Fed them all with one bowl of rice • Converted the Pasandakas to Buddhism

  14. 6. Story of the Beggars • Fed thousands of starving beggars during famine • Taught them Dharma • Brought happiness to all

  15. 7. Story of Victory over the Non-Buddhist Teacher • At Criparvata in the South • Practiced deity Ucchusman • Washwater thrown on him boiled • King was challenged by Cankaradeva, who created a magical mandala in the sky • Śāntideva destroyed mandala with a huge wind • Rescues king and queen

  16. How does Śāntideva’s rnam tharReflect Frameworks of the Bodhisattva Path?

  17. How does Śāntideva’s rnam tharReflect Frameworks of the Bodhisattva Path? Nine characteristics of Noble Ones: Study, contemplation, meditation Teaching, debate, composition, Learning, purity, and nobility.

  18. Comparison of Tibetan and Western Biographies • Two fourteenth century biographies translated from the Tibetan written by • Buston • Sazang Mati Panchen • Two seventeenth century biographies translated from the Tibetan written by • Taranatha • Author unknown, from the Jewel Garland (dates approximate) • Seven biographies written since 1988 by Westerners in English

  19. How Has Śāntideva’s Life Story Changed When Recounted in the West? Dismissal of rnam thar as myth: Religious and cultural interpretation of miracles: By-product of accomplished meditation Demonstration of spiritual power Western interpretation of miracles: Evidence of fabrication/legend

  20. PRESENCE/ABSENCE OF BUSTON’S ‘SEVEN STORIES’ WITHIN SANTIDEVA’S BIOGRAPHY X = present in at least some detail

  21. Findings from Comparison of Tibetan and Western Biographies • Which of the seven stories stays? • Meeting the tutelary deity • Activities at Nalanda • Which disappear? • Compassion • Conversion of Pasandakas • Feeding of beggars • Spiritual Power • Victory over opponents • Victory over Cankaradeva

  22. Deeper Analysis of Activities at Nalanda • What elements stay? • “Eating, sleeping, and walking” • Forced to give lecture to embarrass him • Levitation and disappearance at verse 9.34 • Which are rarely emphasized? • Receiving teachings from Manjusri • Studying the Tripitaka • Which disappear? • Composed three texts • Achieved high realization through meditation • Authentication of 1000 verse version.

  23. Summary of Changes in the Western Biographies: • Seven Stories become a Single Vignette of a lazy monk suddenly delivering a brilliant poem and levitating • Links to three qualities of a great being and nine qualities of a noble one are lost

  24. Implications for Western Understanding of the Bodhisattva Path • Rnam thar are an important teaching tool for each generation of followers on the path • Drastic changes to recounting of biographies threatens their utility as exemplary lives to be emulated • Preservation of complete rnam thar can help Westerners better understand what it means to live the Bodhisattva Path

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