20th Seminar on Himalayan Religion (1. Doing Art with Traditional Nepalese Lokta Paper; 2. The Four Signs of Mahāmudrā Meditation―The Prevailing Topic in Karma Phrin las pa’s Dohā Commentary)

The department of Bhutanese Studies, Uehiro Research Division at Kokoro Research Center has regularly organized Seminars on Himalayan Religion. In the 20th Seminar, our guest speaker Prof. Dr. Klaus Dieter Mathes will give a lecture about the four signs of Mahāmudrā meditation of Kagyu tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. German artist Ms. Dagmar Mathes will talk about doing art with traditional Nepalese Lokta paper.

Date: Thurs. 19 December 2019

Time: 17:00-19:00

Place: Medium Seminar Room (3rd floor) at Kyoto University Inamori Center

                            (46 Shimoadachi-cho, Yoshida Sakyo-ku, Kyoto)                  

MAP:http://kokoro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en2/access-en/#honkan

Guest Speaker 1: Ms. Dagmar Mathes (Artist)

Title: “Doing Art with Traditional Nepalese Lokta Paper”

Abstract: Handmade from plant-fibers, lokta paper matches my preference for natural working material and has shaped the expression of my paintings.

Guest Speaker 2: Prof. Klaus-Dieter Mathes (Professor, Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, University of Vienna)

Title: The Four Signs of Mahāmudrā Meditation―The Prevailing Topic in Karma Phrin las pa’s Dohā Commentary

Abstract: In his commentary on Saraha’s Peoples’ Dohās (dMangs do hā), Karma Phrin las pa (1456-1539) repeatedly comments on various subjects in terms of the “four signs” (brda bzhi) of Mahāmudrā meditation, i.e., mindfulness (dran pa), beyond mindfulness (dran med), non-arising (skye med), and transcending the intellect (blo ‘das). Of particular interest is Karma Phrin las pa’s four sign interpretation of Saraha’s dohā on gaṇacakra, which prescribes the four tantric activities of “(1) eating, (2) drinking, (3) union, and (4) filling the cakras.” According to Karma Phrin las pa’s secret explanation, one eats the perceived object (grāhya) through mindfulness, drinks the perceiving mind (grāhaka) through leaving mindfulness behind, and enjoys union with emptiness through non-arising. The result of this profound deconstruction, the transcending of the intellect, allows for the emergence of co-emergent wisdom. It will be shown that the Karma Phrin las pa’s repetitive topic of the four signs has its origin in literature attributed to Maitrīpa (986-1063) and his disciple Pha dam pa Sangs rgyas.

*Language: in English with Japanese translation

**Attendance: limited to 50 people

***Fee: free of charge

Contact: Liaison Office, Kokoro Research Center, Kyoto University, 46 Yoshida Shimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501 Japan.

Tel: 075-753-9681 Mail: kokoro-bh*mail2.adm.kyoto-u.ac.jp (Please replace * with @.)

2019/11/18