Ep214: Tantric Philology - Dr Julian Schott 2
Dr Julian Schott is an Indologist & Tibetologist trained at institutions such as the renowned Center for the Study of Manuscript Culture at the University of Hamburg.
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In the first section of the episode, Dr Schott discusses the idea that Buddhist Studies as an academic discipline is in decline, with meagre enrolment, falling standards, and the deemphasis on philology and mastery of the tradition’s scriptural languages. Dr Schott also reflects on the skills and attitudes that make a good scholar.
For the rest of the episode Dr Schott discusses his re-edition of ‘Indrabhūtis Jñānasiddhi: An In-depth Study of it’s Indian Origins and Early Tradition within the Indo-Tibetan Mahāmudrā Teachings’, details the philological process of reconstructing this important text and explains the pathway from the inception of the idea to obtaining funding to eventual publication.
Dr Schott also remarks on the early tantric tradition in India, compares its character to later tantric forms such as the Yogini Tantras in both India and Tibet, and shares some surprising insights from Indrabhūti’s text on attaining siddhi and enlightenment.
00:00 - Intro
01:29 - Dr Schott’s recent appointment at University of Vienna
03:04 - Which universities have a high philological standard?
04:10 - Bringing classical philology into today’s context
06:23 - The declining quality of Buddhist Studies
08:30 - Weakness in today’s mindfulness research
09:46 - Causes of academic decline
13:41 - The flourishing of philology and Indology
17:32 - The economics of Sanskrit 101
20:48 - What function does today’s university perform?
24:31 - Does it matter of Buddhist studies declines?
27:32 - The qualities of a good scholar
33:09 - Setting a good example
36:24 - The work of a philologist
37:22 - Choosing the Indrabhūti project and getting funding
43:25 - Why Indrabhūti and early Tantric Buddhism?
45:01 - Characteristics of the early Tantric traditions
48:02 - Early Tantra vs later Yogini Tantras
51:38 - Surprising aspects of Indrabhūti’s Jñānasiddhi
01:01:01 - How to attain siddhi through tantra
01:04:20 - The process of Sanskrit translation and producing a critical edition
01:10:44- Profiling the mind of an ancient author
01:12:30 - Human nature and the presentation of truth
01:16:17 - Challenges in reconstructing the Jñānasiddhi
01:19:26 - Navigating the spiritual landscape, what can we rely upon?
01:22:43 - What has Steve learned from over 200 podcast episodes?
01:24:07 - Liberation of ignorance and knowing your place
01:28:10 - The final steps of a critical edition
Previous episode with Dr Julian Schott:
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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James