- Tibetan Studies, Tibetan Literature, Tibetan Buddhism, Hagiography, Tibetan History, Intellectual History of Tibetan Buddhism, and 8 moreMahamudra, Tibetan Buddhist Literature, Tibetan Textual Culture, Tibetan Buddhist Philosophy, Tibetan Print Culture, Tibetan Book and Manuscript Culture, History of Tibetan Buddhist Ideas, and Kagyuedit
- My research focuses on Tibetan literary genres, religious history of the Tibetan plateau and Buddhist meditative trad... moreMy research focuses on Tibetan literary genres, religious history of the Tibetan plateau and Buddhist meditative traditions. Recent publications include Tibetan Literary Genres, Texts, and Text Types (2015), the monograph The Eighth Karmapa’s Life and His Interpretation of the Great Seal (2017) and the monograph The Life and Works of Karma ’phrin las pa (1456–1539) )(2021).edit
Among the so-called learned and accomplished masters of Tibet's "long 15th century," the First Karma 'phrin las pa stands out as influential commentator on Saraha's Dohā, great poet, and key figure in the rise of Central Tibetan block... more
Among the so-called learned and accomplished masters of Tibet's "long 15th century," the First Karma 'phrin las pa stands out as influential commentator on Saraha's Dohā, great poet, and key figure in the rise of Central Tibetan block printing workshops. This book aims to present a historical investigation of his life and works in the context of his time, clarifying his spiritual roles and titles. Sources are Tibetan hagiographies about Karma 'phrin las pa and all his available writings (including their colophons), along with genealogies, letters, instructions, religious chronicles, and life narratives of some of his contemporaries.
See flyer for download.
See flyer for download.
Research Interests:
The Eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje (1507–1554), was one of the most prolific scholarmeditators of the Karma Kagyutradition in Tibet. This book investigates Mikyö Dorje’s biographies and carries out case studies of some of his mahāmudrā... more
The Eighth Karmapa, Mikyö Dorje (1507–1554), was one of the most prolific scholarmeditators of the Karma Kagyutradition in Tibet. This book investigates Mikyö
Dorje’s biographies and carries out case studies of some of his mahāmudrā (Great
Seal) teachings, Buddhist instructions for the acquisition of meditative insight.
After surveying a variety of textual sources for the study of the Karmapa’s life
and works, this book shows how he developed into one of the most productive
scholars of his tradition, who, located within the shifting religious and political
hegemonies of his time, managed to acquire a status of singular importance to
his school. Rheingans then goes on to analyse Mikyö Dorje’s mahāmudrā teachings
by examining selected texts that contain such instructions in historical and
doctrinal context. This study contends that the Kagyüpa mahāmudrā constitutes
less a static system than an independent key instruction to be adapted by the
guru to different students’ requirements and are thus chiefly characterised by
didactic pragmatism.
Dorje’s biographies and carries out case studies of some of his mahāmudrā (Great
Seal) teachings, Buddhist instructions for the acquisition of meditative insight.
After surveying a variety of textual sources for the study of the Karmapa’s life
and works, this book shows how he developed into one of the most productive
scholars of his tradition, who, located within the shifting religious and political
hegemonies of his time, managed to acquire a status of singular importance to
his school. Rheingans then goes on to analyse Mikyö Dorje’s mahāmudrā teachings
by examining selected texts that contain such instructions in historical and
doctrinal context. This study contends that the Kagyüpa mahāmudrā constitutes
less a static system than an independent key instruction to be adapted by the
guru to different students’ requirements and are thus chiefly characterised by
didactic pragmatism.
Research Interests:
Edited by Jim Rheingans, University of Hamburg The papers in Tibetan Literary Genres, Texts, and Text Types deepen our knowledge of Tibetan literature. They not only examine particular Tibetan genres and texts (pre-modern and... more
Edited by Jim Rheingans, University of Hamburg
The papers in Tibetan Literary Genres, Texts, and Text Types deepen our knowledge of Tibetan literature. They not only examine particular Tibetan genres and texts (pre-modern and contemporary), but also genre classification, transformation, and reception. Despite previous contributions, the systematic analysis of Tibetan textual genres is still a relatively undeveloped field, especially when compared with the sophisticated examinations of other literary traditions.
The book is divided into four parts: textual typologies, blurred genre boundaries, specific texts and text types, and genres in transition to modernity. The introduction discusses previous classificatory approaches and concepts of textual linguistics. The text classes that receive individual attention can be summarised as songs and poetry, offering-ritual, hagiography, encyclopaedia, lexicographical texts, trickster narratives, and modern literature.
Contributors include: Franz-Karl Ehrhard, Ruth Gamble, Lama Jabb, Roger R. Jackson, Giacomella Orofino, Jim Rheingans, Peter Schwieger, Ekaterina Sobkovyak, Victoria Sujata, and Peter Verhagen.
The papers in Tibetan Literary Genres, Texts, and Text Types deepen our knowledge of Tibetan literature. They not only examine particular Tibetan genres and texts (pre-modern and contemporary), but also genre classification, transformation, and reception. Despite previous contributions, the systematic analysis of Tibetan textual genres is still a relatively undeveloped field, especially when compared with the sophisticated examinations of other literary traditions.
The book is divided into four parts: textual typologies, blurred genre boundaries, specific texts and text types, and genres in transition to modernity. The introduction discusses previous classificatory approaches and concepts of textual linguistics. The text classes that receive individual attention can be summarised as songs and poetry, offering-ritual, hagiography, encyclopaedia, lexicographical texts, trickster narratives, and modern literature.
Contributors include: Franz-Karl Ehrhard, Ruth Gamble, Lama Jabb, Roger R. Jackson, Giacomella Orofino, Jim Rheingans, Peter Schwieger, Ekaterina Sobkovyak, Victoria Sujata, and Peter Verhagen.
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Narrative Pattern and Genre in Hagiographic Life Writing: Comparative Perspectives from Asia to Europe examines so far mostly unstudied ‘non-occidental’ pre-modern hagiographic texts across disciplines with both philological and... more
Narrative Pattern and Genre in Hagiographic Life Writing: Comparative Perspectives from Asia to Europe examines so far mostly unstudied ‘non-occidental’ pre-modern hagiographic texts across disciplines with both philological and narratological approaches. Texts that recount the life of a saint have been labelled ‘hagiography’ and such works have been employed as sources for historical or literary research. However, a text-based definition of the term, not to mention a confirmation of its use on the basis of wider examinations across cultures is still wanting. Furthermore, the analysis with the methodological devices offered by narratology is only in its beginnings. This volume aims to be a step on this way: eleven contributors examine texts from Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism in the respective source languages. Works studied include the Christian hagiography of Anthony or St. Brigit of Ireland, narrative texts about Tibetan Buddhist masters such as Milarepa or the Eighth Karmapa-hierarch, Sino-Tibetan Communist ‘hagiographies’, Persian Sufi monographs, Turco-Persian hagiographies and Hasidic legends. A comprehensive introduction outlines hagiographic life writing; an outlook develops some definitions and suggests a scheme of analysis for future research. The table of contents and introduction can be downloaded below.
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Among the masters of 15th century Tibet, the first Karma ’phrin las pa Phyogs las rnam rgyal (1456–1539) was an arguably non-sectarian scholar-meditator active within the Sa skya and Karma bKa’ brgyud traditions of Tibetan Buddhism.... more
Among the masters of 15th century Tibet, the first Karma ’phrin las pa
Phyogs las rnam rgyal (1456–1539) was an arguably non-sectarian scholar-meditator active within the Sa skya and Karma bKa’ brgyud traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Although the genre of songs itself has received quite some attention, the mGur of Karma ’phrin las pa have not been researched extensively. This paper—by way of three exemplary songs and some overall analysis—aims to examine this textual corpus as a source for the study of history, literature and Buddhist doctrine. After an introduction to Karma ’phrin las pa’s mGur volume, I shall offer an annotated translation of three selected songs along with a brief discussion of their style and contents.
Phyogs las rnam rgyal (1456–1539) was an arguably non-sectarian scholar-meditator active within the Sa skya and Karma bKa’ brgyud traditions of Tibetan Buddhism. Although the genre of songs itself has received quite some attention, the mGur of Karma ’phrin las pa have not been researched extensively. This paper—by way of three exemplary songs and some overall analysis—aims to examine this textual corpus as a source for the study of history, literature and Buddhist doctrine. After an introduction to Karma ’phrin las pa’s mGur volume, I shall offer an annotated translation of three selected songs along with a brief discussion of their style and contents.
Research Interests:
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This paper attempts to provide an overview of academic approaches to Tibetan text typologies. After surveying previous classification strategies, it briefly discusses the text linguistics concept of text type and other analytical angles... more
This paper attempts to provide an overview of academic approaches to Tibetan text typologies. After surveying previous classification strategies, it briefly discusses the text linguistics concept of text type and other analytical angles considered useful for future research. Finally, the contributions in the volume Tibetan Literary Genres, Texts, and Text Types are introduced in greater detail.
(Take a look at the whole paper at google scholar:
https://books.google.de/books?id=OqCXCgAAQBAJ&pg=PP4&dq=rheingans,+jim&hl=de&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=rheingans%2C%20jim&f=false)
(Take a look at the whole paper at google scholar:
https://books.google.de/books?id=OqCXCgAAQBAJ&pg=PP4&dq=rheingans,+jim&hl=de&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=rheingans%2C%20jim&f=false)
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Narratology in Buddhist Studies: Dialogues about Meditation in a Tibetan Hagiography briefly discusses literary theories and narratology in Buddhist studies, before zeroing in on a specific phenomenon: dialogues about meditation in a... more
Narratology in Buddhist Studies: Dialogues about Meditation in a Tibetan Hagiography briefly discusses literary theories and narratology in Buddhist studies, before zeroing in on a specific phenomenon: dialogues about meditation in a hagiography about Mikyö Dorje, a Karmapa hierarch of 16th-century Tibet. Examining the function of the dialogues in the main story of this incarnate lama narrative, Rheingans illustrates the possible benefits and limitations of applying narratology – and also Western notions of history – to Tibetan hagiographies. Apart from the historical context, the paper translates and studies the meditation instructions of the dialogues that are about conceptualisation and Buddhahood, the Great Seal (Skt. mahāmudrā).
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Pe rs pe ct iv es fr om A si a to E ur op e Narrative Pattern and Genre in Hagiographic Life Writing: Comparative Perspectives from Asia to Europe examines so far mostly unstudied ‘non-occidental’ pre-modern hagiographic texts across... more
Pe rs pe ct iv es fr om A si a to E ur op e Narrative Pattern and Genre in Hagiographic Life Writing: Comparative Perspectives from Asia to Europe examines so far mostly unstudied ‘non-occidental’ pre-modern hagiographic texts across disciplines with both philological and narratological approaches. Texts that recount the life of a saint have been labelled ‘hagiography’ and such works have been employed as sources for historical or literary research. However, a text-based definition of the term, not to mention a confirmation of its use on the basis of wider examinations across cultures is still wanting. Furthermore, the analysis with the methodological devices offered by narratology is only in its beginnings. This volume aims to be a step on this way: eleven contributors examine texts from Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism in the respective source languages. Works studied include the Christian hagiography of Anthony or St. Brigit of Ireland, narrative texts about Tibetan Buddhist masters such as Milarepa or the Eighth Karmapa-hierarch, Sino-Tibetan Communist ‘hagiographies’, Persian Sufi monographs, Turco-Persian hagiographies and Hasidic legends. A comprehensive introduction outlines hagiographic life writing; an outlook develops some definitions and suggests a scheme of analysis for future research.