Workshop on Newar Buddhism

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The first lecture in this workshop is a Newar Buddhist Reading to be held at the JHB building on Tuesday May 15^th from 2-5pm. Dr. Naresh Man Bajracharya will address a Sanskrit Buddhist text popular in Nepal entitled the Mañjuśrīnāmasaṇgīti tantra (Tib. ‘jam dpal mstan brjod), or “Chanting the Names of Mañjuśrī,”. A key text also related to the Hevajra and Kālacakra cycles of tantra, this text is also one of the nine books of Mahāyāna Buddhism considered to comprise the Newar Buddhist canon or “navagrantha”. Dr. Bajracharya will perform a ritual reading of the text in traditional Newar Style and then discuss its meaning and ritual significance in terms of contemporary and ongoing developments in the Newar Buddhist Community in the Kathmandu Valley.

In his second teaching, on Wednesday May 16th, from 2-5 pm, Dr. Bajracharya will teach on his translation of the Sanskrit Gurumaṇḍalārcanapustakam, published by Śrīmatī Naṇdakumārī Vajrācārya, a central ritual text of the Buddhist Newar Vajrāchāryas of Nepal which is utilized in the worship of the Adi Buddha Vajrasattva and Hevajra. Attendees are welcome to engage with the Sanskrit reading materials, but it is not mandatory. This lecture will be presented in collaboration with Professor Ajay Rao, a specialist in Sanskrit texts at U of T.

On Thursday May 17th, Dr. Bajracharya will be offering individual or group meetings with students whose dissertation research is related to Newar Buddhism and/or Sanskrit Buddhist texts. Please contact Amber Moore for further information, ambermarie.moore@mail.utoronto.ca

Dr. Naresh Man Bajracharya was the founding chair and the distinguished first professor of Buddhist Studies of the Central Department of Buddhist Studies at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. He is the lineage holder for vajrācārya tantric Buddhist priests of Kathmandu and one of the foremost masters of Newar Vajrayāna Buddhism in the tradition of Sanskritic Buddhism. He was named Fulbright Scholar in Residence for 2009-2010 and has authored several articles and books on Newar Buddhism in English, Newar and Nepali languages. He has played a vital role in introducing the academic study of Buddhism to Nepal and preserving and revitalizing Newar Vajrayāna Buddhism. In addition to a world-wide teaching and pilgrimage schedule, he is currently devoting his time and energy to establish the first Newar Buddhist Monastery constructed outside of the Kathmandu Valley in over 400 years, Vajrayana Mahavihar of Lumbini.  He currently serves as Vice-Chancellor at the Lumbini Buddhist University, Nepal and maintains his position as the abbot of his monastery in Kathmandu.  Newar vajrācāryas maintain their role simultaneously as ordained Buddhist monks, householder yogins and tantric priests.