Bzhad pa'i rdo rje (1697-1740), the Fifth Sle lung Rin po che, was a religiously and politically controversial figure and an incredibly prolific author, having written or compiled over 46 volumes worth of mainly religious texts. A high-ranking Dge lugs pa sprul sku, Sle lung is seen as having gradually "defected" to the Rnying ma school, although he self-identified as a follower of the "non-sectarian" (ris med) perspective. Sle lung also acted as a spiritual advisor to most of the major central Tibetan rulers during the course of his life, most significantly Mi dbang Pho lha nas (r. 1729-1747). But despite numerous features of fascinating interest, Sle lung and his writings have received very little scholarly attention, and this thesis is intended to fill this unfortunate lacuna. The present study begins with an extended biographical examination of Sle lung's life, and the political and religious unrest in central Tibet at the time in which he was deeply invested. I pay special attention to the controversies that surrounded him, particularly his purported sexual licentiousness and his ecumenical work which was unpopular among his more sectarian Dge lugs pa critics. This opening biography provides critical historical context as I move on to examine two of Sle lung's most important literary works. The first is the sixteen-volume Gsang ba ye shes chos skor, a massive cycle of teachings by Sle lung and his students that integrates tantric theories derived from Sle lung's experience with Gsar ma (specifically Dge lugs pa) teachings. The second work is the Bstan srung rgya mtsho'i rnam thar, a unique text in Tibetan literature which consists of an apparently unprecedented compilation of Tibetan Buddhist protector deity (bstan srung, chos skyong) origin myths. I will make sense of key features of these two works within the larger context of Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, as well as the political and personal concerns of Sle lung himself.

The dissertation examines the life narrative of Tsongkhapa Losang Dragpa (1357-1419), the influential founder of the Ganden school of Tibetan Buddhism, primarily through the lens of the bodhisattva path to enlightenment, a topic that animates much of Indian Buddhist literature and Tsongkhapa’s own writings. Over the course of five chapters, the dissertation (1) contextualizes Tsongkhapa’s social, political, and historical circumstances, the limiting factors for that narrative; (2) explores the social nature of life narratives themselves, particularly Tibetan Buddhist ones, and the many sources on which Tsongkhapa drew in creating a self in relation to the bodhisattva ideal; (3) analyses the topic of asceticism as a constellation of practices that embody traditional ideals, which the dissertation uniquely relates to both monastic and, perhaps surprisingly, tantric discipline in the construction of a bodhisattva/would-be buddha self; (4) synthesizes several themes within Tsongkhapa’s oeuvre in relation to the bodhisattva path to enlightenment, highlighting the irreducibly social nature of embodied enlightenment; and (5) proposes that Tsongkhapa’s social activities, specifically his so-called Four Great Deeds, instantiate the ideal of the enlightened self’s acting within society, specifically his context of fifteenth-century Central Tibet. The dissertation relies primarily on Tsongkhapa’s brief intellectual autobiography, Excellent Presence, his earliest biography, Haven of Faith, a number of Tsongkhapa’s systematic writings, and a variety of primary and secondary sources that contextualize elements of the historical, sociological, religious, and theoretical analyses presented throughout the five chapters. In biographies of Tibetan Buddhist figures, emphasis on the hagiographic tends to obscure the social, political, and historical contexts in which their subjects act, which in turn tends to reinforce the Weberian notion of Buddhism as an individualist path. Emphasis on individual achievement (simultaneously including yet excluding lineages, practices, philosophical positions, and so on) tends to reinforce the inverse, Foucauldian notion that this is a deliberate attempt to obscure various power struggles that actually define religious actors and institutions. In the case of Tsongkhapa, modern scholarship has tended to present the remarkable success of his Ganden school either to his individual genius in advancing (allegedly) unique philosophical positions or to social facts (e.g., his efforts at monastic reform), political facts (e.g., Phagdru dominance over rival Sakya), and historical facts (e.g., Mongol allegiance to his successors) largely unrelated to his personal charisma, erudite scholarship, or social impact. As a sort of middle way between these extremes, it is possible to locate within these contexts the specific achievements of the individual who is—according to both general Buddhist understanding and contemporary theorists in philosophy, psychology, literary studies, and sociology—deeply socialized. As social documents, life narratives, inclusive of biography and hagiography, function as indices of tradition, just as do practices of monastic and tantric asceticism, all with goals of embodying the principles articulated in the systematic literature within the social, political, and historical contexts to be transcended. This ideal, then, proves to be fully situated within social contexts, and Tsongkhapa’s Four Great Deeds instantiate it in relation to both individual achievements of asceticism and the institutionalization of communal and educational capacities to replicate the processes engendering this ideal, buddhahood. In sum, Tsongkhapa’s life narrative expresses the expectations and ideals of Tibetan Buddhist culture in a way that proves complementary to systematic presentations and to “lived” practices of monastic and tantric asceticism.

Cette recherche a comme objectif l’étude d’un des thèmes clef dans la vaste œuvre du poète et essayiste mexicain Octavio Paz (1914-1998) : les analogies entre l’érotisme, le poème et le sacré comme chemins ou voies d’union et de réconciliation humaine, idée qui est particulièrement renforcée dans son œuvre à partir des voyages et du séjour en Orient –spécialement en Inde– entre 1951 et 1968. Pendant la période nommée « cycle indien » (‘ciclo hindú’), Paz s’est intéressé aux différentes traditions de la pensée orientale, particulièrement le bouddhisme, et surtout son orientation tantrique. Ce mémoire analyse les apports les plus significatifs du bouddhisme à l’œuvre de Paz. À partir de l’étude de concepts comme la vacuité, le silence, l’autre bord (‘otra orilla’), l’union extatique transcendante et la libération, ce mémoire soutient que Paz a approfondi les analogies entre l’érotisme, la poésie et le sacré en ne les concevant pas seulement comme expériences de réconciliation mais en les menant au-delà, au plan transcendental, à partir de l’union extatique dans la vacuité. Même si ce mémoire tient compte d’un grand nombre d’œuvres d’Octavio Paz, qui vont de El arco y la lira (1956) à Vislumbres de la India (1995), une attention particulière est dédiée à deux textes qui sont les plus représentatifs du résultat de sa rencontre avec l’Orient, Ladera este (1969) et El mono gramático (1974), dans lesquels il est possible d’observer les analogies que Paz établit entre l’érotisme, le poème, et le bouddhisme tantrique à partir de l’expérience de l’altérité (‘otredad’), qui propose à l’être humain la recherche de son ‘autre’ pour se réconcilier dans l’unité, et de l’expérience de dissipation dans la vacuité. La conclusion générale de l’étude souligne que l’érotisme, le poème, et le bouddhisme tantrique se proposent dans l’œuvre de Octavio Paz comme trois chemins parallèles de révélation par lesquels l’être humain peut accéder à sa plénitude, état manifeste dans l’expérience extatique. / This research studies a key subject in the work of the Mexican poet and essayist Octavio Paz (1914-1998): the analogies between eroticism, poetry and the sacred as three human ways of union, reconciliation, and liberation that are particularly reinforced in his work since his journey to and stay in the East –especially in India- between 1951 and 1968. During the period called Hindu cycle (‘ciclo hindu’), Paz was interested in different traditions of oriental thought such as Buddhism, especially in its tantric orientation. This study analyses the significant contributions of Buddhism to Paz’s work. The examination of concepts like vacuity, silence, another shore (‘otra orilla’), ecstatic transcendental union, and liberation proves that Paz studied the analogies between eroticism, poetry and the sacred in depth, broaching them not just as reconciliation experiences but taking them further (‘más allá’) to the transcendental level of ecstatic union in vacuity. Although a large number of Paz’s works are considered, from El arco y la lira (1956) to Vislumbres de la India (1995), particular attention is dedicated to two poetics texts which are the most representative of his encounter with the East - Ladera Este (1969) and El mono gramático (1974) - where we can observe the analogies that Paz established between eroticism, poetry and tantric Buddhism, through the experiences of ‘otherness’, which proposes to man the search of the ‘other’ to reconcile in unity, and dissipate in vacuity. The general conclusion of the study emphasizes that eroticism, poetry and tantric Buddhism are proposed in Octavio Paz’s work as three parallel ways of revelation from which human being can achieve plenitude, which is manifest in the ecstatic experience. / Esta investigación tiene como objetivo el estudio de un tema clave en la extensa obra del poeta y ensayista mexicano Octavio Paz (1914-1998): las analogías entre el erotismo, el poema y lo sagrado como caminos o vías de unión y reconciliación humana, ideas que se refuerzan particularmente en su obra a partir de los viajes y estancias en Oriente –especialmente en La India- entre 1951 y 1968. Durante el período denominado ‘ciclo hindú’, Paz se interesó en diferentes tradiciones de pensamiento oriental entre las que destacó el budismo, sobre todo en su orientación tántrica. Esta memoria analiza las significativas aportaciones del budismo a la obra de Paz y, a partir del estudio de los conceptos de vacuidad, silencio, otra orilla, unión extática trascendente y de liberación, se sostiene que Paz profundizó en las analogías entre el erotismo, la poesía y lo sagrado, no planteándolas sólo como experiencias de reconciliación sino llevándolas ‘más allá’, al plano trascendental, a partir de la unión extática en la vacuidad. Aunque se tiene en cuenta un buen número de obras de O. Paz desde El arco y la lira (1956) hasta Vislumbres de la India (1995), se dedica una atención particular a dos textos poéticos que son los más representativos del resultado de su encuentro con Oriente, Ladera este (1969) y El mono gramático (1974), donde se observan las analogías que Paz establece entre el erotismo, el poema y el budismo tántrico a partir de la experiencia de ‘otredad’, que propone al hombre una búsqueda de su ‘otro’ para reconciliarse en la unidad, y de la experiencia de disipación en la vacuidad. La conclusión general del estudio subraya que el erotismo, el poema y el budismo tántrico se plantean en la obra de Octavio Paz como tres caminos paralelos de revelación por los que el hombre puede acceder a su plenitud, estado manifiesto en la experiencia extática.

Cette recherche a comme objectif l’étude d’un des thèmes clef dans la vaste œuvre du poète et essayiste mexicain Octavio Paz (1914-1998) : les analogies entre l’érotisme, le poème et le sacré comme chemins ou voies d’union et de réconciliation humaine, idée qui est particulièrement renforcée dans son œuvre à partir des voyages et du séjour en Orient –spécialement en Inde– entre 1951 et 1968. Pendant la période nommée « cycle indien » (‘ciclo hindú’), Paz s’est intéressé aux différentes traditions de la pensée orientale, particulièrement le bouddhisme, et surtout son orientation tantrique. Ce mémoire analyse les apports les plus significatifs du bouddhisme à l’œuvre de Paz. À partir de l’étude de concepts comme la vacuité, le silence, l’autre bord (‘otra orilla’), l’union extatique transcendante et la libération, ce mémoire soutient que Paz a approfondi les analogies entre l’érotisme, la poésie et le sacré en ne les concevant pas seulement comme expériences de réconciliation mais en les menant au-delà, au plan transcendental, à partir de l’union extatique dans la vacuité. Même si ce mémoire tient compte d’un grand nombre d’œuvres d’Octavio Paz, qui vont de El arco y la lira (1956) à Vislumbres de la India (1995), une attention particulière est dédiée à deux textes qui sont les plus représentatifs du résultat de sa rencontre avec l’Orient, Ladera este (1969) et El mono gramático (1974), dans lesquels il est possible d’observer les analogies que Paz établit entre l’érotisme, le poème, et le bouddhisme tantrique à partir de l’expérience de l’altérité (‘otredad’), qui propose à l’être humain la recherche de son ‘autre’ pour se réconcilier dans l’unité, et de l’expérience de dissipation dans la vacuité. La conclusion générale de l’étude souligne que l’érotisme, le poème, et le bouddhisme tantrique se proposent dans l’œuvre de Octavio Paz comme trois chemins parallèles de révélation par lesquels l’être humain peut accéder à sa plénitude, état manifeste dans l’expérience extatique. / This research studies a key subject in the work of the Mexican poet and essayist Octavio Paz (1914-1998): the analogies between eroticism, poetry and the sacred as three human ways of union, reconciliation, and liberation that are particularly reinforced in his work since his journey to and stay in the East –especially in India- between 1951 and 1968. During the period called Hindu cycle (‘ciclo hindu’), Paz was interested in different traditions of oriental thought such as Buddhism, especially in its tantric orientation. This study analyses the significant contributions of Buddhism to Paz’s work. The examination of concepts like vacuity, silence, another shore (‘otra orilla’), ecstatic transcendental union, and liberation proves that Paz studied the analogies between eroticism, poetry and the sacred in depth, broaching them not just as reconciliation experiences but taking them further (‘más allá’) to the transcendental level of ecstatic union in vacuity. Although a large number of Paz’s works are considered, from El arco y la lira (1956) to Vislumbres de la India (1995), particular attention is dedicated to two poetics texts which are the most representative of his encounter with the East - Ladera Este (1969) and El mono gramático (1974) - where we can observe the analogies that Paz established between eroticism, poetry and tantric Buddhism, through the experiences of ‘otherness’, which proposes to man the search of the ‘other’ to reconcile in unity, and dissipate in vacuity. The general conclusion of the study emphasizes that eroticism, poetry and tantric Buddhism are proposed in Octavio Paz’s work as three parallel ways of revelation from which human being can achieve plenitude, which is manifest in the ecstatic experience. / Esta investigación tiene como objetivo el estudio de un tema clave en la extensa obra del poeta y ensayista mexicano Octavio Paz (1914-1998): las analogías entre el erotismo, el poema y lo sagrado como caminos o vías de unión y reconciliación humana, ideas que se refuerzan particularmente en su obra a partir de los viajes y estancias en Oriente –especialmente en La India- entre 1951 y 1968. Durante el período denominado ‘ciclo hindú’, Paz se interesó en diferentes tradiciones de pensamiento oriental entre las que destacó el budismo, sobre todo en su orientación tántrica. Esta memoria analiza las significativas aportaciones del budismo a la obra de Paz y, a partir del estudio de los conceptos de vacuidad, silencio, otra orilla, unión extática trascendente y de liberación, se sostiene que Paz profundizó en las analogías entre el erotismo, la poesía y lo sagrado, no planteándolas sólo como experiencias de reconciliación sino llevándolas ‘más allá’, al plano trascendental, a partir de la unión extática en la vacuidad. Aunque se tiene en cuenta un buen número de obras de O. Paz desde El arco y la lira (1956) hasta Vislumbres de la India (1995), se dedica una atención particular a dos textos poéticos que son los más representativos del resultado de su encuentro con Oriente, Ladera este (1969) y El mono gramático (1974), donde se observan las analogías que Paz establece entre el erotismo, el poema y el budismo tántrico a partir de la experiencia de ‘otredad’, que propone al hombre una búsqueda de su ‘otro’ para reconciliarse en la unidad, y de la experiencia de disipación en la vacuidad. La conclusión general del estudio subraya que el erotismo, el poema y el budismo tántrico se plantean en la obra de Octavio Paz como tres caminos paralelos de revelación por los que el hombre puede acceder a su plenitud, estado manifiesto en la experiencia extática.

Tantrische Praktiken von Meditation in Zurückgezogenheit sind auf der tibetischen Hochebene seit mindestens einem Jahrtausend verbreitet, doch ihre äußerst elitäre und geheime Natur hat ihre Erforschung bisher verhindert. Diese Dissertation definiert die vormoderne Struktur der eremitischen Tradition in Khams, die von der Ris med-Bewegung festgelegt wurde, und widmet sich der Wiederbelebung dieser Tradition im modernen Khams unter der chinesisch-kommunistischen Herrschaft. Die Fallstudie bildet die ’Ba’ rom bKa’ brgyud- "Meditationsschule von La phyi" (La phyi sgom grwa) mit Fokus auf den gTum mo-Verwirklicher Tshul khrims mthar phyin (geb. 1947), der als zeitgenössische Verkörperung des Mi la ras pa gilt. Gemäß der Dissertation liegt die rituelle und soziale Macht des tibetischen Eremiten in der Ausführung, Verkörperung und Aussöhnung von Paradoxa: das Erreichen von soteriologischen Zielen im weltlichen Leben sowie die Lösung der Dilemmas der Tibeter in Krisenzeiten. So wird Entsagung zu einer affirmativen Strategie, die Netzwerke aktiviert, die wiederum Eremiten, ihre Linien, Praktiken und Trainingsstätten seit Jahrhunderten unterstützten. Der Antrieb für soziale Ermächtigung der Einsiedler liegt in der Radikalität ihrer Entsagung, bei der nicht nur erwartet wird, Befreiung und Erleuchtung unvermeidlich zu generieren, sondern diese wie Mi la ras pa "in diesem Leib und Leben" zu verwirklichen. Eine solche wahrgenommene Transformation des Körpers durch Meditation ist entscheidend für die Befähigung der Eremiten, Widersprüche zu versöhnen und Einsiedeleien zu gründen, die als Orte für eine effektive Identitätskonstruktion und Sphären der Autonomie und Macht, die aus der lokale Geschichte und heilige Stätten gewonnen werden, dienen. Gerade in Krisenzeiten neigen Einsiedeleien dazu, Netzwerke zu bilden und zu einer alternativen Bewegung zu werden, die die etablierten Machtstrukturen umgeht oder gegen sie spricht, zugleich aber ihren religiösen Charakter behält. / Tantric practices of meditation in retreat have been prevalent across the Tibetan Plateau since at least a millennium, yet their highly elitist and clandestine nature has hitherto prevented their exploration and analysis. This thesis defines the pre-modern structure of the hermitic tradition in Khams, codified by the nonsectarian Ris med movement, but devotes most attention to the examination of its revival in contemporary Khams under the Chinese communist rule through the case study of the ’Ba’ rom bKa’ brgyud “meditation school of La phyi” (La phyi sgom grwa), centered around the cotton-clad gtum mo-accomplisher Tshul khrims mthar phyin (b. 1947), eulogized as the contemporary embodiment of Mi la ras pa. The main claim of this dissertation is that the ritual and social power of the Tibetan hermit lies in the performance, embodiment and final reconciliation of paradox – generally attaining soteriological goals in mundane life and specifically, resolving the dilemmas of Tibetans during times of perceived crisis. Acts of renunciation become an affirmative strategy, activating networks that have sustained hermits, their lineages, practices, and training venues for centuries. The reason for social empowerment of hermits lies in the radical nature of their training, which by social agreement is not only bound to generate liberation and enlightenment, but is even able to yield fruit “in this very body and life,” in emulation of Mi la ras pa. Such transformation of the body through meditation is crucial to the hermit’s ability to reconcile contradictions and to establish hermitages as venues for effective identity construction and spheres of autonomy and power, extracted from local history and sacred geography. Especially in times of crisis, hermitages tend to form networks and evolve into a movement for counter-culture, which circumvents or speaks against the established power structures of the day, but at the same time, maintains its essentially religious character.