Tibetan Studies In India - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the provided Jain text, "Tibetan Studies in India" by V. V. Gokhale, based on the scanned pages:

Overview:

This report, published in March 1972, provides a brief survey of the development and current state of Tibetan studies in India. It highlights the historical connection between India and Tibet through Buddhism, the contributions of various scholars, the evolution of research focus from religious to socio-historical aspects, and the impact of Tibetan migrations into India.

Historical Roots and Early Scholarship:

Ancient Ties: Tibet and India share deep cultural ties, particularly through Buddhism. Over a thousand years, Tibet preserved a vast legacy of Indian knowledge in religion, philosophy, history, art, and medicine, enshrined in the Tenjur and Kanjur collections. Indian pandits and Tibetan lotsavas collaborated extensively in monasteries until the 17th century.
Modern Revival: The revival of Indo-Tibetan studies in the modern era is attributed to Hungarian scholar Csoma de Körös, who brought these studies into global academic discourse. Following him were scholars like Jäschke (known for his scientifically compiled Tibetan-English Dictionary) and Franke.
Bengal's Role: Interest in Tibet first emerged among the educated classes in Bengal. Sarat Chandra Das is highlighted for his indispensable dictionary, based on his deep engagement with Tibetan religious traditions.
Academic Integration: Tibetan studies began to be integrated into Indology at Calcutta University. Later, Santiniketan, established by Rabindranath Tagore as a center for international cultural studies, also incorporated Tibetan studies with the collaboration of scholars like Sylvain Lévi and G. Tucci.

The Buddhist-Sanskrit Approach and Discoveries:

Buddhism as a Starting Point: Tibetan translations of Buddhist Sanskrit literature served as the most convenient entry point for Tibetology in India. This "Buddhist approach" was recognized as essential because Tibet was thoroughly imbued with Indian Buddhism, and its religious literature was considered standard, even as Tibetans themselves had largely forgotten the Sanskrit origins.
Pandit Rāhula Sānkṛtyāyana's Discoveries: Around 1930, Pandit Rāhula Sānkṛtyāyana significantly advanced traditional Sanskrit-Tibetan studies. Driven by his love for ancient Indian culture and adventurous spirit, he discovered approximately 300 manuscripts of Sanskrit Buddhist works in Tibetan monasteries. Many of these were thought to be lost.
Preservation and Publication: Photographs of these manuscripts were deposited at the K. P. Jayaswal Research Institute in Patna. This institute has also published some of this crucial material in its Tibetan Sanskrit Texts Series. The manuscripts, often on palm-leaves and in scripts from the 10th-14th centuries, are being deciphered, with Tibetan versions proving invaluable for this process. This discovery revealed Tibet as a significant repository of Sanskrit manuscripts, alongside Nepal.

Tibetan Publications and Centers of Learning:

Availability of Tibetan Type: The availability of Tibetan printing type increased, especially after the arrival of Tibetan scholars in India.
Key Publishing Initiatives:
- The International Academy of Indian Culture in Delhi, founded by Dr. Raghu Vira and promoted by Dr. Lokesh Chandra, publishes important Tibetan historical and philosophical works.
- Another series with scholarly introductions by Gene Smith is being published in Delhi, which is emerging as a Tibetan learning hub.
- Varanasi is seeing the emergence of a new Tibetan publication center, with the Sanskrit Viśvavidyālaya showing keen interest.
- Older centers like Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Gangtok, and Calcutta continue to publish Tibetan journals, bulletins, and textbooks. The Institute of Tibetology in Gangtok is specifically mentioned for its role in propagating Tibetology through its extensive library under royal patronage.
- Dharmasala is also carrying out publication projects under the guidance of His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

Recent Tendencies and New Directions:

Shift in Focus: Political interests and global trends in area studies have led scholars to shift their focus from purely religious aspects to sociological, historical, geographical, linguistic, and economic aspects of Tibetan life.
Impact of 1959 Migrations: The large-scale migration of Tibetans into India in 1959 has significantly increased attention on these non-religious aspects, particularly in border regions.
Educational Initiatives: The presence of His Holiness the Dalai Lama and his associates has led to the establishment of colleges for high Tibetan Lamas in Leh (Ladakh) and Sarnath, aimed at providing training in Tibetan Buddhism, while also absorbing modern knowledge.
Practical Needs and New Research: The settlement of Tibetan refugees across India and the need for army personnel to understand spoken Tibetan have fostered closer association with the Tibetan working class. This has spurred the development of Tibetan studies on modern lines, including the reduction of unwritten dialects to writing and the coining of new terminology for modern scientific and technological concepts.
University Expansion: New chairs for Tibetan language and literature have been instituted in universities like Delhi, Banaras, Allahabad, Lucknow, and Gorakhpur. Tibetan is also being taught in Schools of Foreign Languages.

Collaboration and Future Prospects:

Japanese-Indian Collaboration: The report acknowledges the excellent work of Japanese scholars in traditional Tibetan studies and modern area studies. It notes existing collaboration between Japanese and Indian scholars and emphasizes efforts to intensify this at the postgraduate level, particularly at Tokyo University.
Shared Scientific Pursuit: The author expresses confidence that the Japanese Association for Tibetan Studies will support such mutual cooperation, as scholars from both countries share identical views on the scientific pursuit of knowledge in this field.

Academic Content (Appended):

The latter part of the document contains academic discussions related to Tibetan Buddhism, specifically on:

Classification of Tantras: The text details different classifications of Buddhist tantras used by various Tibetan schools (Sakya, Gelug, Nyingma, Kagyu), discussing the basis for these classifications (e.g., emphasis on external vs. internal practices).
The System of "Dharma-bhānakas" (Dharma Reciters) in the Ten Stages: This section delves into the meaning and development of the concept of a "Dharma-bhānakas" as described in the Tibetan translation of the Daśabhūmika-vyākhyāna (Commentary on the Ten Stages). It analyzes the stages of development, from seeing Buddhas and making offerings to listening to, receiving, practicing, and ultimately preserving and disseminating Dharma. The text explores the interpretation of "seeing Buddhas" in light of psychological states and the role of vows and intentions.
The Origin of the Tibetan State Name "Tubo" (Tufan): A significant portion discusses the etymology and historical context of the Chinese name "Tubo" (often transliterated as Tufan) for Tibet. It examines various interpretations and proposes the likely connection to the Tibetan pronunciation of "Bod" and related terms, linking it to ancient tribal names and geographical regions.

In essence, the report traces the journey of Tibetan studies in India, from its ancient roots and early scholarly revival to its modern expansion into diverse academic fields, driven by historical events and the ongoing pursuit of knowledge through international collaboration.