RLB352 Buddhist Utopias in the Cultural History of Tibet and Mongolia: The Myth of Shambhala

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2012
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
Teacher(s)
Karenina Kollmar-Paulenz (lecturer), doc. PhDr. Luboš Bělka, CSc. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. David Václavík, Ph.D.
Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Lucie Čelková
Supplier department: Department for the Study of Religions – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Mon 16. 4. 17:30–20:45 J21, Tue 17. 4. 14:10–17:25 L31, Wed 18. 4. 15:50–19:05 J21, Thu 19. 4. 15:50–19:05 C34, Fri 20. 4. 9:10–12:25 J22
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 40 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/40, only registered: 0/40
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives (in Czech)
The course follows a twofold aim. It will first provide a general introduction to Tibetan Buddhist utopias, ranging from the various buddhakshetras to the specifically Tibetan "hidden regions" (Tib. sbas yul). Secondly, it will deal in depth with the myth of Shambhala, the hidden country "somewhere to the north", exploring its literary sources as well as its sociopolitical implications in the Tibeto-Mongolian context. The course draws on a variety of primary sources in Sanskrit, Tibetan and Mongolian.
Literature
  • John Newman: “Itineraries to Sambhala”, in: J. I. Cabezon/ R.R. Jackson (eds.), Tibetan Literature. Studies in Genre. Ithaca 1996, 485-499.
  • Franz-Karl Ehrhard: “Political and Ritual Aspects of the Search for Himalayan Sacred Lands”, in: Toni Huber (ed.), Sacred Spaces and Powerful Places in Tibetan Culture. A Collection of Essays. Dharamsala 1999, 240-257.
  • Franz-Karl Ehrhard: “The Role of “treasure Discoverers” and Their Search for Himalayan Sacred Lands”, in: Toni Huber (ed.), Sacred Spaces and Powerful Places in Tibetan Culture. A Collection of Essays. Dharamsala 1999, 227-239.
  • Bělka Luboš, „The Myth of Shambhala: Visions, Visualisations, and the Myth's Resurrection in the Twentieth Century in Buryatia“, Archív orientální: Quarterly journal of African and Asian studies 71/3, 2003, s. 247-262
  • Karénina Kollmar-Paulenz: “Utopian Thought in Tibetan Buddhism: A Survey of the Śambhala Concept and its Sources”, in: Studies in Central & East Asian Religions, Vol. 5/6, 1992-3, 78-96
  • Sacred spaces and powerful places in Tibetan culture : a collection of essays. Edited by Toni Huber. 1st print. Dharamsala: Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, 1999, xi, 403. ISBN 8186470220. info
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
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