"Like Pouring Water into Water:" Buddhist Lineages, Modernity, and the Continuity of Memory in the Twentieth-Century History of Tibetan Buddhism (Submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate S

370 Pages·2009·16.814 MB·English

by  Pitkin Annabella Claudia

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"Like Pouring Water into Water:" Buddhist Lineages, Modernity, and the Continuity of
Memory in the Twentieth-Century History of Tibetan Buddhism
Annabella Claudia Pitkin
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the
Requirements for the degree
of Doctor of Philosophy
in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
2009
UMI Number: 3393598
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ABSTRACT
"Like Pouring Water into Water:" Buddhist Lineages, Modernity and the Continuity of
Memory in the Twentieth-Century History of Tibetan Buddhism
Annabella Pitkin
This thesis focuses on the life of the Indo-Tibetan scholar and yogi Khunu Lama Tenzin
Gyaltsen (Khu nu bla ma Bstan 'dzin rgyal mtshan, 1895 - 1977). It considers the role of
teacher-student transmission lineages (Tib. brgyud) in enabling or limiting intellectual
innovation among Himalayan Buddhists. By examining oral and literary narratives of
Khunu Lama's lineage relationships from multiple biographical and autobiographical
genres, this dissertation investigates Tibetan Buddhist strategies for re-appropriating the
past, and demonstrates that these strategies are marked by profound intellectual
independence. The thesis further argues that such independence subtly locates authority
within individual scholar-practitioners, resonating with intellectual moves associated with
modernity, and calling into question common understandings of the term modernity (and
its double, tradition) in both Religious Studies and Tibetan Studies. Via the example of
Khunu Lama's life and work, this dissertation offers a preliminary view of alternative
ways to understand modernity in the Himalayan context, while at the same time enriching
understanding of related intellectual issues, including the role of life narratives in creating
individual and communal Buddhist identity; the question of Tibetan Buddhist
sectarianism and non-sectarianism; and the creative role of individuals from areas long
thought of as at the Tibetan periphery.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements iii
Dedication x
Technical Note on Transliteration xi
Prologue 1
Chapter One. Modernity, Tradition and Memory in Tibet and the Himalayan Region 22
Chapter Two. Biography, Remembrance and Memorialization 66
Chapter Three. The Life Story of Khunu Lama Tenzin Gyaltsen, Part I 88
Chapter Four. The Life Story, Part II: Travel and Study in Eastern Tibet 142
Chapter Five. The Life Story, Part III: Travels and Teaching After 1937 176
Chapter Six. Disruption and Continuity: Sites of Innovation 260
Appendix A. Translation of Khu nu rin po che bla ma bstan 'dzin rgyal mtshan dpal
bzangpo'i mdzadmam tharpa'i them skas. 327
Appendix B. Chronology 347
Appendix C. Bodhisattvacaryavatara Transmissions Received By Khunu Rinpoche in
Eastern Tibet 352
Appendix D. Partial Reception History of the rnam ihar and of Khunu Lama's Published
Work 355
Bibliography 359
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Acknowledgements
It is a Tibetan Buddhist commonplace to acknowledge the kindness of others, and one's
great debt to them. It is very suitable, then, that I acknowledge that this project owes its
being, and any small good qualities it may have, to a host of kind and generous people,
all of whom deserve far more extensive thanks than that offered here.
Deep gratitude is due to my advisor, Robert Thurman, and to the members of my doctoral
committee, for their guidance, encouragement and moral support. Professor Thurman's
tireless energy, passionate interest in Tibet and Tibetan topics, and vivid gifts as a teacher
drew me into the field of Tibetan Buddhist studies. His belief in the value of this topic
and his generosity as a mentor has enriched this project at every level. Gray Turtle went
out of his way to read drafts and offer extensive comments during the writing, acts of
altruism that made this work stronger in a host of ways than it otherwise would have
been. I have benefited enormously from his example of how history can be done, and
from his exemplary model of meticulous scholarship united with collegiality and humor.
Courtney Bender offered insightful guidance and warm encouragement at key moments;
among other transformative suggestions, she made the crucial introduction to the work of
Danielle Hervieu-Leger. Chun-fang Yu graciously joined the committee at a later stage in
the development of this project, and provided wise advice and kind support during the
taxing final months of work. Gary Tubb has inspired me throughout my graduate career
with his erudition, his luminous example as scholar, teacher, interpreter of texts and
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cultures, and his humor, (including his wise suggestion that if Sanskrit studies did not
work out, my classmates and I might consider careers in music as a backup).
The financial support of many institutions made the research and write-up of this study
possible: Columbia University Faculty Fellowships supported the early stages of my
graduate training; Weatherhead East Asian Institute Ph.D. Summer Training Grants, a
Columbia University Summer Presidential Fellowship, and a Daniel and Marianne
Spiegel Fund Grant allowed me to do important preliminary language training, and later,
follow-up research in Asia. A Fulbright-Hays Dissertation Fellowship in 2004 and a
Blakemore-Freeman Fellowship in 2004 - 2005 allowed me to complete the central
components of research and study in Tibet, India, and Nepal. A Whiting Dissertation
Fellowship in 2006 - 2007 gave me the precious gift of time to write. The staff members
at Columbia and hosting institutions, and at the offices of these grantors were
unflaggingly helpful. Many thanks to the attentive board members and staff of the
Blakemore Foundation, Cathy Scheibner in particular; to the program officers and staff of
the Fulbright program in the U.S and in India, especially S.K. Bharathi and Anishya
Madan, to Janet Moy and Kerry Gluckman, the wonderful officers at the Financial Aid
Office of the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; to the staff of
the Namgyal Institute of Tibetology, Sikkim, and to the faculty and staff of the Central
Institute for Higher Tibetan Studies, Sarnath. I am particularly grateful to the many
outstanding Tibetan educators and administrators in Tibet who facilitated and enriched
my time there, and regret that circumstances discourage me from thanking them by name.
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