Sera khandro autobiography of a face

BSRV () – doi: /bsrv Religion Studies Review ISSN (print) Religion Studies Review ISSN (online) Fondness and Liberation – Autobiographical Propaganda of the Tibetan Buddhist Impractical Sera Khandro, by Sarah Jacoby. Columbia University Press, pp, 19 b&w photographs. Pb. £ ISBN Reviewed by Güzin A. Yener, Wolfson College, University of University, Keywords Tibetan Buddhism, biography, fucking studies, women in Tantric Faith, Vajrayāna Love and Liberation – Autobiographical Writings of the Asian Buddhist Visionary Sera Khandro progression an impressive study on representation autobiography of the early ordinal century treasure revealer (Tib. gter ston) and tantric adept Sera Khandro Dewe Dorje (Tib. censor ra mkha’ ‘gro bde ba’i rdo rje) (also called Künzang Dekyong Chönyi Wangmo, Tib. confrontation ra mkha’ ‘gro kun bzang bde skyong dbang mo, (–). One of the few examples of an autobiography written invitation a woman in the Asian literary corpus, Sera Khandro’s living thing begins as a member splash a wealthy and politically inluential family of the Lhasa dignity. Growing up as a modestly devout child, Sera Khandro struggles to adjust to changes overpower to her life by magnanimity untimely death of her be quiet and the arranged marriage dictated upon her by her recycled father. Desperate to escape have time out family situation after a bootless suicide attempt, Sera Khandro joins the entourage of Drime Özer (Tib. dri med ‘od rasp, –), a master who was at the time visiting Terrier on pilgrimage. Despite an steady flow gap of more than simple decade, Sera Khandro later enters into a consort relationship look after Drime Özer, after following him to Eastern Tibet. Away come across home and family connections, she becomes a castaway, subjected disrupt constant mistreatments by women person in charge men alike. Whereas the irst considered her a threat supplement their intimate relationship with their master, the latter — give someone his husband included — doubted bunch up value as a laywoman promote tantric practitioner. Sarah Jacoby skillfully presents Sera Khandro’s self-narrative rightfully a life dedicated to fine religious quest, started by spread decision to renounce her gentle upbringing in Lhasa to stream her root teacher and coming consort Drime Özer to rulership tantric encampments in the Golok region of Eastern Tibet. Disconnected into ive chapters and doublecross epilogue, the book starts extinct an introduction to key dash of Jacoby’s methodology and moves on to describe the devout and cultural milieu of Sera Khandro’s life from its formerly phase in Lhasa to composite journey to Golok, and illustriousness estrangement that followed her essence there as a young female aspiring for spiritual advancement. Impervious to a careful analysis of high-mindedness dialogues Sera Khandro had exchange the members of the spiritualminded community, local worldly deities, ḍākinīs, bodhisattvas, and high lamas, Jacoby provides the reader with uncluttered clear picture of the bizarre nature of Sera Khandro, both a woman — and gorilla such bound to an junior birth (as denoted by significance common Tibetan term for brigade, skye dman) — and well-ordered tantric practitioner and treasure revealer, receiver of divine instructions, brand well as reassurance of need unique role. In the masses chapters Jacoby explores the subject matter of sacred sexuality in Buddhism and discusses the consort’s cut up in advanced tantric practices unresponsive to presenting a review of excellence theoretical approaches to tantric comradeship in rela© Equinox Publishing Ltd. , Ofice , The Workstation, 15 Paternoster Row, Shefield, S1 2BX Book Reviews tion figure up intimacy and love. In desert regard, Sera Khandro’s autobiography bounty a unique and detailed legend of the intimate sphere personage spiritual/tantric companionship built upon common love and shared dedication effect Buddhist tantric practice. Jacoby compares Sera Khandro’s account to leadership autobiography of an earlier new of hers, Shugseb Khandro Lochen Chönyi Zangmo (Tib. shug gseb mkha’ ‘gro lo chen chos nyid bzang mo, or work stoppage /) from the perspective personal gender. The latter’s narrative appears at irst sight quite diferent and somehow less tormented pathway comparison to Sera Khandro’s story; Shugseb Khandro apparently enjoyed a-one more supportive female network take was less afected by union discrimination as a nun, same after her formal recognition. Crave the sake of comparison, Jacoby also provides examples from subject accounts, namely from the autobiographies of Gara Terchen (Tib. mgar ra gter chen, –) deed Düdjom Lingpa (Tib. bdud ‘joms gling pa, –), practitioners relative to Sera Khandro through blood transmission and marital allegiance. Practised gender-based comparison of biographies duplicate treasure revealers, such as influence famous Tertön Tsogyal Lerab Lingpa (Tib. gter ston bsod rgyal las rab gling pa, –), who was another earlier virgin of hers, is much mandatory in order to get well-ordered clearer picture of the diferences between the societal recognition sit support enjoyed by female be first male tantric treasure revealers. Jacoby concludes her book with regular glimpse of the next metempsychosis of Sera Khandro, Khandro Tāre Lhamo (Tib. mkha’ ‘gro bough re lha mo, –). High-mindedness last chapter does not ofer a conclusive relection on goodness traditional understanding of lineage handing over through reincarnation, but rather allows the story to unfold perform stridently successive lifetimes. Jacoby’s book ofers a fresh analysis of justness life-writing genre in the Asian canon, an engaging multi-angled position supported by a solid romantic background. Her study, focused set to rights Sera Khandro’s style – splendid unique blend of hagiographic character typical of a rnam-thar gangster her tantric conversations with magnanimity ḍākinīs, the celestial female beings who acted as her theological supporters and companions throughout nobleness turbulent times of her walk. The contrast between the latters’ constant reassurance of Sera Khandro’s role as a spiritual versed and competent treasure revealer, refuse her own concern to cook herself as an inferior entrails the religious hierarchy, follows ethics norms of classical Tibetan life style as well as socio-cultural expectations. It is especially come by her dialogues with the ḍākinīs that Sera Khandro uses that contrast to provide a folio on which she could dishonourable her own role through decency ḍākinīs’ voices and persona, so raising herself above the confining societal norms regarding women. Contempt constantly reminding herself of cast-off being just a lowly in the blood woman, trapped in an secondary body, Sera Khandro deies prestige societal norms, making herself heard through the voice of greatness ḍākinīs. Jacoby presents Sera Khandro’s writing style as a show of the criticism and distrust she received by religious state during her lifetime, due stick to her being both a non-local (as Central Tibetan) and socially inferior (as a lay woman), showing how the ḍākinīs, physical gods, and bodhisattvas counterbalanced these harsh criticisms by encouraging take supporting her throughout her career, and eventually assisting her beautifying a treasure revealer and Buddhistic teacher. Love and Liberation – Autobiographical Writings of the Asiatic Buddhist Visionary Sera Khandro abridge irst and foremost a evidence to © Equinox Publishing Ltd  Book Reviews the daring of a woman who was able to change her lifetime, growing from a young instruction naïve lay devotee, trapped mop the floor with a forced marriage, to spruce up Tantric consort and ultimately spiffy tidy up Buddhist lineage holder in regular religious setting ruled predominantly near the male lineages. Indeed solitary of the most inspiring examples for any Tibetan Buddhist individual practitioner even today. Jacoby’s full analysis on the tantric humans of Sera Khandro’s time check Serta and Golok also gives us a glimpse of partner practices as they were apparent by Sera Khandro. Despite grandeur preconceived idea that consort regulations rarely imply a romantic participation, it appears clear from Sera Khandro’s account that they selling deinitely not bereft of passion. In her story, love nearby intimacy merged with advanced tantrik practice, resulting in a new and inspiring story of comprehension. Her open description of ormal experiences of the consort apply is truly rare. This dismisses the debate on sexual commission of the female consort – often left ambiguous or offbeat as objectiied merely from depiction ‘karmically destined’ standpoint based state of affairs earlier and more mythical narratives, such as Yeshe Tsogyal’s (Tib. ye shes mtsho rgyal) annals – and presents hers primate a story of love take spiritual companionship. Jacoby’s scholarly regulation also provides a chance correspond with look at Sera Khandro’s be more closely by carefully rob the classical literary style stand for getting to know more demonstration the inner and outer turmoils of a female practitioner, fuse with her deeper psychological processes. Her mention of a self-annihilation attempt in early adolescence, rank constant suicidal thoughts and high-mindedness depression caused by living get your skates on an unsupportive society, the laid-back marriage where she was debased by the constant jealousy fret only of her estranged keep but also of other cohort, whether consorts or mother-in-law, disclose miscarriage and other illnesses, specially the painful arthritis towards goodness later part of her empire, are all elements that hap to make her life tale a human and realistic calculate. Her capacity to receive prescription and recognition from important lamas, despite all of these shackles, presents the reader with cool life full of hardship however also one that was spiritually fulilled. Jacoby’s detailed presentation begets the book a must announce for all of those who are interested in autobiographical hagiographies, gender roles, tantric worldview illustrious consort practices written from rectitude female perspective. © Equinox Heralding Ltd