Himalayan Hermitess : The Life of a Tibetan Buddhist Nun

Himalayan Hermitess is a vivid account of the life and times of a Buddhist nun living on the borderlands of Tibetan culture. Orgyan Chokyi (1675-1729) spent her life in Dolpo, the highest inhabited region of the Nepal Himalayas. Illiterate and expressly forbidden by her master to write her own life story, Orgyan Chokyi received divine inspiration, defied tradition, and composed one of the most engaging autobiographies of the Tibetan literary tradition. The Life of Orgyan Chokyi is the oldest known autobiography authored by a Tibetan woman, and thus holds a critical place in both Tibetan and Buddhist literature. In it she tells of the sufferings of her youth, the struggle to escape menial labor and become a hermitess, her dreams and visionary experiences, her relationships with other nuns, the painstaking work of contemplative practice, and her hard-won social autonomy and high-mountain solitude. In process it develops a compelling vision of the relation between gender, the body, and suffering from a female Buddhist practitioner's perspective. Part One of Himalayan Hermitess presents a religious history of Orgyan Chokyi's Himalayan world, the Life of Orgyan Chokyi as a work of literature, its portrayal of sorrow and joy, its perspectives on suffering and gender, as well as the diverse religious practices found throughout the work. Part Two offers a full translation of the Life of Orgyan Chokyi. Based almost entirely upon Tibetan documents never before translated, Himalayan Hermitess is an accessible introduction to Buddhism in the premodern Himalayas. Contents......Page 8 Introduction......Page 12 Part I. The Buddhist Himalaya of Orgyan Chokyi......Page 22 Buddhism in Dolpo around the Year 1700......Page 24 Hard Times in Buddhist Himalaya......Page 28 The Career of Orgyan Tenzin......Page 32 The Trials of Tenzin Repa......Page 35 Lamas, Hermits, and Patrons......Page 40 Religious Women in Dolpo......Page 43 2. The Life of the Hermitess......Page 54 The Life of Orgyan Chokyi......Page 55 Lives of Saints, Lives of Women......Page 58 Writing the Life of Orgyan Chokyi......Page 62 A Tibetan Folk Heroine......Page 68 An Indian Nun’s Fast......Page 71 A Female Mentor......Page 75 Sorrow and Society......Page 78 Tears of a Saint......Page 85 Tears of a Hermitess......Page 90 Joy and Solitude......Page 92 Women and Samsara in Tibetan Lives......Page 100 Suffering Society......Page 105 Suffering Sexual Difference......Page 107 Body, Speech, and Mind......Page 114 Fasting......Page 116 Pilgrimage......Page 119 Meditation......Page 122 Visions......Page 126 Relics......Page 132 Part II. The Life of Orgyan Chokyi......Page 138 Introduction......Page 140 One. Sufferings of Youth......Page 142 Two. Herding Goats......Page 146 Three. Herding Horses......Page 150 Four. Looking at Mind......Page 156 Five. Pilgrimage to Kathmandu......Page 164 Six. In the Kitchen......Page 166 Seven. Leaving the Bustle......Page 172 Eight. Solitude and Joy......Page 178 Nine. Religious Commitment......Page 184 Ten. Death and Impermanence......Page 190 Appendix: Characters in the Life of Orgyan Chokyi......Page 194 Notes......Page 196 Tibetan References......Page 210 Other References......Page 215 C......Page 224 G......Page 225 L......Page 226 P......Page 227 T......Page 228 Y......Page 229 Contents 8 Introduction 12 Part I. The Buddhist Himalaya of Orgyan Chokyi 22 1. The Religious World of the Hermitess 24 Buddhism in Dolpo around the Year 1700 24 Hard Times in Buddhist Himalaya 28 The Career of Orgyan Tenzin 32 The Trials of Tenzin Repa 35 Lamas, Hermits, and Patrons 40 Religious Women in Dolpo 43 2. The Life of the Hermitess 54 The Life of Orgyan Chokyi 55 Lives of Saints, Lives of Women 58 Writing the Life of Orgyan Chokyi 62 A Tibetan Folk Heroine 68 An Indian Nun’s Fast 71 A Female Mentor 75 3. Sorrow and Joy 78 Sorrow and Society 78 Tears of a Saint 85 Tears of a Hermitess 90 Joy and Solitude 92 4. Women, Men, Suffering 100 Women and Samsara in Tibetan Lives 100 Suffering Society 105 Suffering Sexual Difference 107 5. Religious Practice 114 Body, Speech, and Mind 114 Fasting 116 Pilgrimage 119 Meditation 122 Visions 126 Relics 132 Part II. The Life of Orgyan Chokyi 138 Introduction 140 One. Sufferings of Youth 142 Two. Herding Goats 146 Three. Herding Horses 150 Four. Looking at Mind 156 Five. Pilgrimage to Kathmandu 164 Six. In the Kitchen 166 Seven. Leaving the Bustle 172 Eight. Solitude and Joy 178 Nine. Religious Commitment 184 Ten. Death and Impermanence 190 Appendix: Characters in the Life of Orgyan Chokyi 194 Notes 196 Bibliography 210 Tibetan References 210 Other References 215 Index 224 A 224 B 224 C 224 D 225 E 225 F 225 G 225 H 226 I 226 J 226 K 226 L 226 M 227 N 227 O 227 P 227 R 228 S 228 T 228 V 229 W 229 Y 229 Orgyan Chokyi Spent Her Entire Life In Dolpo, Expressly Forbidden To Write Her Life Story By Her Master. Despite Being Illiterate She Did So Anyway, After Receiving Divine Inspiration To Compose One Of The Most Forthright And Engaging Spiritual Autobiographies Of The Tibetan Literary Tradition. Pt.1. The Buddhist Himalaya Of Orgyan Chokyi. The Religious World Of The Hermitess ; The Life Of The Hermitess ; Sorrow And Joy ; Women, Men, Suffering ; Religious Practice. -- Pt.2. The Life Of Orgyan Chokyi. -- Appendix: Characters In The Life Of Orgyan Chokyi. Kurtis R. Schaeffer. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [201]-213) And Index. The beginning of this book is a bit academic, but the story of her life is a very touching and moving story. It is a valuable insight into the life of a very advanced practitioner in the late 1600s and is well worth reading.