Matthew Kapstein | Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes (original) (raw)
Papers by Matthew Kapstein
Annuaire EPHE, Sciences religieuses, t. 126, 2019
Brief note on an interesting 'Brug pa bka' brgyud manuscript preserved in Paris. Part of my 2017-... more Brief note on an interesting 'Brug pa bka' brgyud manuscript preserved in Paris. Part of my 2017-2018 seminar at the EPHE, Paris.
Connaître Dieu Métamorphoses de la théologie comme science dans les religions monothéistes, 2024
A brief introduction to the Tibetan contemplative and philosophical genre of "Guides to the View.... more A brief introduction to the Tibetan contemplative and philosophical genre of "Guides to the View." This was written for an audience of theologians and published in a volume entitled "To Know God." But that's in fact not quite my theme here - I've never been comfortable with the idea of "theology" in a Buddhist context - and the article may be of some interest to those studying Tibetan Buddhism alone. Pierre Hadot's thinking on "spiritual exercise" is also referenced, however.
Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation, 1992
One of my golden oldies...
Living Treasure, 2023
A chapter from the autobiography of the 19th century Nyingmapa adept and visionary Khagye Terton,... more A chapter from the autobiography of the 19th century Nyingmapa adept and visionary Khagye Terton, relating his childhood in Amdo and unhappy experience as a recognized incarnation (tulku) in a leading Gelukpa monastery. The essay appears in the volume honoring Janet Gyatso.
Histories of Tibet, 2023
A study of Pelliot Tib. 4216, which appears to be the earliest printed document in Tibetan script... more A study of Pelliot Tib. 4216, which appears to be the earliest printed document in Tibetan script. Offers an analysis of the features of the document and a hypothesis concerning its origins. The essay appears in the volume honoring Leonard van der Kuijp.
Письменные памятники Востока/Pis’mennye Pamiatniki Vostoka, 2022
Russian translation of my earlier article "L'oubli des Russes, An (Almost) Forgotten Chapter in t... more Russian translation of my earlier article "L'oubli des Russes, An (Almost) Forgotten Chapter in the History of 19th-Century Orientalism," on the pioneering work of V. P. Vasilyev (1818-1900). The original will be found posted below.
Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, 2022
A preliminary study of a collection of early texts of the Bon po Dzokchen tradition, the “Ninefol... more A preliminary study of a collection of early texts of the Bon po Dzokchen tradition, the “Ninefold Cycle of the Secrets of the Enlightened Mind.”
A Road Less Traveled, 2021
Introduction to, and text and translation of, a brief Madhyamaka treatise by an 11th-century Kash... more Introduction to, and text and translation of, a brief Madhyamaka treatise by an 11th-century Kashmiri author.
The Many Faces of King Gesar, 2022
This is the preface summarizing the contents of the recent book The Many Faces of King Gesar edit... more This is the preface summarizing the contents of the recent book The Many Faces of King Gesar edited by Charles Ramble and myself:
https://brill.com/view/title/60949
Owing to the publisher's embargo, the individual chapters cannot be posted on public websites such as Academia. However, authors can supply you with a copy of their chapter if you contact them individually. Those who may be interested in my own contribution, on the late Kalu Rinpoche's episode of the Gesar Epic, are asked to write to me at my university address and not via the Academia messaging service.
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encylopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
Gateways to Tibetan Studies A Collection of Essays in Honour of David P. Jackson on the Occasion of his 70th Birthday, 2021
Study of a remarkable, though in some respects enigmatic, portrait thangka probably from early 16... more Study of a remarkable, though in some respects enigmatic, portrait thangka probably from early 16th century eastern Tibet.
Readings of Śāntideva’s Guide to Bodhisattva Practice, 2019
The Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryāvatāra, hereafter, Guide) of Śāntideva is, before al... more The Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryāvatāra, hereafter, Guide) of Śāntideva is, before all else, a practical guide for those who aspire to the life of a bodhisattva, an individual whose determining principle is the attainment of bodhi, or spiritual awakening. Not just his or her personal awakening, but rather the awakening of all, for bodhi, in the Mahāyāna Buddhism that Śāntideva espouses, is a universal principle. To become an individual determined by an orientation to awakening in this tradition, one must abandon the personal, self-centered viewpoint that is our habitual condition, in favor of a growing embrace of an all-encompassing vision. But just how this is to be understood is by no means immediately evident. Some puzzling aspects of Śāntideva's treatment of egolessness are at issue here.
Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 2021
Review article examining a recent book in the Routledge Studies in American Philosophy series: Wi... more Review article examining a recent book in the Routledge Studies in American Philosophy series: Wilfrid Sellars and Buddhist Philosophy: Freedom from Foundations. Edited by Jay L. Garfield.
On a Day of a Month of the Fire Bird Year, 2020
The Third Rgyal dbang Karma pa Rang byung rdo rje (1284-1339) occupies a position of outstanding... more The Third Rgyal dbang Karma pa Rang byung rdo rje (1284-1339) occupies a position of outstanding importance both in the history of his lineage and in Tibetan cultural history overall. The present article examines an early print from Ming-dynasty China of his edition and expansion of the JĀTAKAMĀLĀ OF ĀRYAŚŪRA, one of the masterworks of Buddhist literature.
The Other Emptiness, 2019
Presentation of Zhentong (gzhan stong) Madhyamaka thought as developed in two works of major 18th... more Presentation of Zhentong (gzhan stong) Madhyamaka thought as developed in two works of major 18th century figures in the Nyingmapa tradition of Mindroling (smin sgrol gling) monastery in Central Tibet.
Annuaire EPHE, Sciences religieuses, t. 126, 2019
Brief note on an interesting 'Brug pa bka' brgyud manuscript preserved in Paris. Part of my 2017-... more Brief note on an interesting 'Brug pa bka' brgyud manuscript preserved in Paris. Part of my 2017-2018 seminar at the EPHE, Paris.
Connaître Dieu Métamorphoses de la théologie comme science dans les religions monothéistes, 2024
A brief introduction to the Tibetan contemplative and philosophical genre of "Guides to the View.... more A brief introduction to the Tibetan contemplative and philosophical genre of "Guides to the View." This was written for an audience of theologians and published in a volume entitled "To Know God." But that's in fact not quite my theme here - I've never been comfortable with the idea of "theology" in a Buddhist context - and the article may be of some interest to those studying Tibetan Buddhism alone. Pierre Hadot's thinking on "spiritual exercise" is also referenced, however.
Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation, 1992
One of my golden oldies...
Living Treasure, 2023
A chapter from the autobiography of the 19th century Nyingmapa adept and visionary Khagye Terton,... more A chapter from the autobiography of the 19th century Nyingmapa adept and visionary Khagye Terton, relating his childhood in Amdo and unhappy experience as a recognized incarnation (tulku) in a leading Gelukpa monastery. The essay appears in the volume honoring Janet Gyatso.
Histories of Tibet, 2023
A study of Pelliot Tib. 4216, which appears to be the earliest printed document in Tibetan script... more A study of Pelliot Tib. 4216, which appears to be the earliest printed document in Tibetan script. Offers an analysis of the features of the document and a hypothesis concerning its origins. The essay appears in the volume honoring Leonard van der Kuijp.
Письменные памятники Востока/Pis’mennye Pamiatniki Vostoka, 2022
Russian translation of my earlier article "L'oubli des Russes, An (Almost) Forgotten Chapter in t... more Russian translation of my earlier article "L'oubli des Russes, An (Almost) Forgotten Chapter in the History of 19th-Century Orientalism," on the pioneering work of V. P. Vasilyev (1818-1900). The original will be found posted below.
Revue d’Etudes Tibétaines, 2022
A preliminary study of a collection of early texts of the Bon po Dzokchen tradition, the “Ninefol... more A preliminary study of a collection of early texts of the Bon po Dzokchen tradition, the “Ninefold Cycle of the Secrets of the Enlightened Mind.”
A Road Less Traveled, 2021
Introduction to, and text and translation of, a brief Madhyamaka treatise by an 11th-century Kash... more Introduction to, and text and translation of, a brief Madhyamaka treatise by an 11th-century Kashmiri author.
The Many Faces of King Gesar, 2022
This is the preface summarizing the contents of the recent book The Many Faces of King Gesar edit... more This is the preface summarizing the contents of the recent book The Many Faces of King Gesar edited by Charles Ramble and myself:
https://brill.com/view/title/60949
Owing to the publisher's embargo, the individual chapters cannot be posted on public websites such as Academia. However, authors can supply you with a copy of their chapter if you contact them individually. Those who may be interested in my own contribution, on the late Kalu Rinpoche's episode of the Gesar Epic, are asked to write to me at my university address and not via the Academia messaging service.
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encylopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
The Encyclopedia of Philosophy of Religion, 2021
Gateways to Tibetan Studies A Collection of Essays in Honour of David P. Jackson on the Occasion of his 70th Birthday, 2021
Study of a remarkable, though in some respects enigmatic, portrait thangka probably from early 16... more Study of a remarkable, though in some respects enigmatic, portrait thangka probably from early 16th century eastern Tibet.
Readings of Śāntideva’s Guide to Bodhisattva Practice, 2019
The Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryāvatāra, hereafter, Guide) of Śāntideva is, before al... more The Guide to Bodhisattva Practice (Bodhicaryāvatāra, hereafter, Guide) of Śāntideva is, before all else, a practical guide for those who aspire to the life of a bodhisattva, an individual whose determining principle is the attainment of bodhi, or spiritual awakening. Not just his or her personal awakening, but rather the awakening of all, for bodhi, in the Mahāyāna Buddhism that Śāntideva espouses, is a universal principle. To become an individual determined by an orientation to awakening in this tradition, one must abandon the personal, self-centered viewpoint that is our habitual condition, in favor of a growing embrace of an all-encompassing vision. But just how this is to be understood is by no means immediately evident. Some puzzling aspects of Śāntideva's treatment of egolessness are at issue here.
Journal of Buddhist Ethics, 2021
Review article examining a recent book in the Routledge Studies in American Philosophy series: Wi... more Review article examining a recent book in the Routledge Studies in American Philosophy series: Wilfrid Sellars and Buddhist Philosophy: Freedom from Foundations. Edited by Jay L. Garfield.
On a Day of a Month of the Fire Bird Year, 2020
The Third Rgyal dbang Karma pa Rang byung rdo rje (1284-1339) occupies a position of outstanding... more The Third Rgyal dbang Karma pa Rang byung rdo rje (1284-1339) occupies a position of outstanding importance both in the history of his lineage and in Tibetan cultural history overall. The present article examines an early print from Ming-dynasty China of his edition and expansion of the JĀTAKAMĀLĀ OF ĀRYAŚŪRA, one of the masterworks of Buddhist literature.
The Other Emptiness, 2019
Presentation of Zhentong (gzhan stong) Madhyamaka thought as developed in two works of major 18th... more Presentation of Zhentong (gzhan stong) Madhyamaka thought as developed in two works of major 18th century figures in the Nyingmapa tradition of Mindroling (smin sgrol gling) monastery in Central Tibet.
Tibetan Manuscripts and Early Printed Books, 2024
This file contains the complete tables of contents for both volumes of Tibetan Manuscripts and Ea... more This file contains the complete tables of contents for both volumes of Tibetan Manuscripts and Early Printed Books:
https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501716218/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-i/#bookTabs=1
Volume 2:
https://www.cornellpress.cornell.edu/book/9781501771255/tibetan-manuscripts-and-early-printed-books-volume-ii/#bookTabs=1
The first volume includes contributions by Michela Clemente, Brandon Dotson, Amy Heller, Agnieszka Helman-Ważny, Karl E. Ryavec, Sam van Schaik, Hanna Schneider, and Jeff Wallman. The second volume is authored by Helmut Tauscher, Cathy Cantwell, Rob Mayer, Hanna Schneider, Peter Schwieger, Charles Ramble, Petra Maurer, Stacey Van Vleet, Ricardo Canzio, Vesna Wallace , and Jan-Ulrich Sobisch - many thanks to all for their exemplary work on this project!
For those who order the books through the Cornell University Press, a 30% discount is available with the code 09BCARD to be entered at checkout.
The Life and Work of Auleshi: Sherpa Buddhist Artist and Adept , 2023
We give here the table of contents and preface of a new book dedicated to the life and artistry o... more We give here the table of contents and preface of a new book dedicated to the life and artistry of the Sherpa hermit Auleshi (1913-1983). The volume includes his biography in both English translation and the original Tibetan, and selections of his drawings and paintings. The book is published by Vajra Books, Kathmandu: https://vajrabookshop.com/product/the-life-and-work-of-auleshi/
In 1992 the Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage and festival of the Great Transference at Drikung was rev... more In 1992 the Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage and festival of the Great Transference at Drikung was revived after a gap of thirty-six years. This would prove to be the only renewal of its traditional performance, the photograph documentation of which appears in this book for the first time. The version made available here is the pre-publication model, which differs from the final version in some details of lay-out and includes one less photograph. The published version is available here:
http://www.garchen-stiftung.de/en/edition-garchen-stiftung-49.html
The present volume offers a collection of original studies of Buddhism in the history of cultural... more The present volume offers a collection of original studies of Buddhism in the history of cultural and political relations between Tibet and China. Outside of the special value these contributions may have for students of these two lands in particular, it may be hoped that the work as a whole will be also seen as a stimulus to pursue the investigation of Buddhism in Asian “cross-border” relations more generally.
thought: the analysis of personal identity and of ultimate reality, the Reason’s Traces addresses... more thought: the analysis of personal identity and of ultimate reality, the Reason’s Traces addresses some of the key questions in the study of Indian and Buddhist thought: the analysis of personal identity and of ultimate reality, the interpretation of Tantric texts and traditions, and Tibetan approaches to the interpretation of Indian sources. Drawing on a wide range of scholarship, Reason's Traces reflects current work in philosophical analysis and hermeneutics, inviting readers to explore the relationship between philosophy and traditions of spiritual exercise in a Buddhist context.
Proceedings of panels on Mahamudra and the traditions of the Kagyu orders of Tibetan Buddhism pre... more Proceedings of panels on Mahamudra and the traditions of the Kagyu orders of Tibetan Buddhism presented at the 2006 International Association of Tibetan Studies seminar.
IATS Program of Events, 2019
The program for the forthcoming 15th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies... more The program for the forthcoming 15th Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (Paris, 7-13 July 2019). Please note that this program is subject to a small number of corrections and emendations that will be posted in due time.
For those interested in participating in the up-and-coming seminar of the International Associati... more For those interested in participating in the up-and-coming seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies (Paris 2019), you may wish to consult this list to see if your proposed presentation might fit in one of these panels. There is, however, no requirement that proposals be limited to these panel topics.
These instructions have already been widely circulated and posted on the web. But on behalf of th... more These instructions have already been widely circulated and posted on the web. But on behalf of those who have not received them, or who have lost access to them, I post them here as well.
Journal of Hindu Studies , 2024
That the Sāṃkhya-Yoga and Buddhist traditions are profoundly intertwined has long been evident to... more That the Sāṃkhya-Yoga and Buddhist traditions are profoundly intertwined has long been evident to Indologists, but nonetheless often ignored. Specializations within the broader field have tended to push 'Hindu Studies' and 'Buddhist Studies' apart from one another, so that the mutual relations among divergent religious movements in South Asia are thereby marginalised. Karen O'Brien-Kop's Rethinking 'Classical Yoga' and Buddhism is a welcome departure from this trend, bringing into clearer view significant correspondences between the Pātañjala Yoga system and its Buddhist Abhidharma and Yogācāra counterparts.
Philosophy East and West, 2023
A review article on an important recent book by the "Yakherds" in two volumes on Madhyamaka debat... more A review article on an important recent book by the "Yakherds" in two volumes on Madhyamaka debate in Tibet. An essential contribution to our knowledge of the philosophical traditions of Tibetan Buddhism, that also merits the attention of those focusing on their Indian background and on Buddhist philosophies more generally. Knowing Illusion is among the rare works in this area that may be profitably
taken up by philosophers who are not specifically concerned with Buddhist
or other Asian ways of thought, but who may wish to explore approaches
beyond those of the Euro-American tradition to some of the central topics
of philosophy overall: truth and falsehood, knowledge and ignorance,
existence and illusion, belief and argument.
Journal of Chinese Studies, 2023
Nicole Willock’s Lineages of the Literary: Tibetan Buddhist Polymaths of Socialist China takes a ... more Nicole Willock’s Lineages of the Literary: Tibetan Buddhist Polymaths
of Socialist China takes a significant step in introducing readers to three prominent Tibetan Buddhist intellectuals who sought to contribute to the project of constructing a new China (and a new Tibet) under the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, while at the same time advocating Tibetan traditional learning in several spheres, including history, literature, and Buddhist thought. Willock's treatment of these three figures and their legacy is reviewed in brief here.
Journal of Religion, 2022
Review of the last publication of the late Steven Collins, published posthumously in 2020.
Buddhist Studies Review, 2022
Review of About Padmasambhava: Historical Narratives and Later Transformations of Guru Rinpoche, ... more Review of About Padmasambhava: Historical Narratives and Later Transformations of Guru Rinpoche,
edited by Geoffrey Samuel and Jamyang Oliphant. Garuda Verlag, 2020.
H-Net Reviews, 2022
Review of King, 'Ocean of Milk, Ocean of Blood: A Mongolian Monk in the Ruins of the Qing Empire'... more Review of King, 'Ocean of Milk, Ocean of Blood: A Mongolian Monk in the Ruins of the Qing Empire'; Uranchimeg, 'A Monastery on the Move: Art and Politics in Later Buddhist Mongolia'; and Wallace, 'Sources of Mongolian Buddhism"
Pacific World, 2020
Review of an important recent contribution to the analysis of the logical systems at work in Madh... more Review of an important recent contribution to the analysis of the logical systems at work in Madhyamaka and related ways of Buddhist thought in India and East Asia.
Indo-Iranian Journal 62 , 2019
Review of an important new contribution to the study of Mīmāṃsaka epistemology, with much referen... more Review of an important new contribution to the study of Mīmāṃsaka epistemology, with much reference to developments in Buddhist epistemology as well.
Contains over twenty book reviews I've written on a variety of topics including Buddhism, Tibetan... more Contains over twenty book reviews I've written on a variety of topics including Buddhism, Tibetan Studies, and comparative philosophy.
Times Literary Supplement
review of recent publications on the Gesar epic
Journal of the History of Religions
Review of two recent works dealing with aspects of the early modern European encounter with Buddh... more Review of two recent works dealing with aspects of the early modern European encounter with Buddhism.
Review of Jacob Dalton's excellent book, from the Journal of the American Academy of Religion (20... more Review of Jacob Dalton's excellent book, from the Journal of the American Academy of Religion (2017).
From the Indo-Iranian Journal 60/3 (2017), review of Ulrich Timme Kragh, ed., The Foundation for ... more From the Indo-Iranian Journal 60/3 (2017), review of Ulrich Timme Kragh, ed., The Foundation for Yoga Practitioners: The Buddhist Yogācārabhūmi Treatise and Its Adaptation in India, East Asia, and Tibet (Harvard Oriental Series)
APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies, Vol. 19, No. 1, Fall 2019. Newark: The American Philosophical Association.
This issue on Buddhist Philosophy Today: Theories and Forms and the previous issue on Buddhist Ph... more This issue on Buddhist Philosophy Today: Theories and Forms and the previous issue on Buddhist Philosophy Worldwide: Perspectives and Programs are two special issues of the APA Newsletter on Asian and Asian-American Philosophers and Philosophies which I was invited to guest edit. They are designed to include descriptive and prescriptive/evaluative elements: On the one hand, scholars working on Buddhist philosophy throughout the world provide a descriptive snapshot of the state of the field in their geographical/disciplinary area; on the other, they proffer an evaluative appraisal of how Buddhist philosophy has been carried out and/or a prescriptive programme of how they feel it should be carried out. This collection of articles by experts of the widest possible spectrum of classical, modern, and contemporary Buddhist philosophical schools working in universities throughout Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America thus comprises both an informed survey of the current state of research and a manifesto for the field. As such, it constitutes an important contribution to the ongoing project by scholars of ‘less commonly taught philosophies’ (including but not limited to Chinese, Indian, Islamic, Africana, and Feminist philosophies) to expand the ambit of professional philosophy beyond the narrow confines of the Western canon. Contributions study Buddhist philosophy based on authorial experience in Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, France, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Japan, Myanmar, Nepal, Poland, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the United States.