"Sugata Saurabha by Chittadhar Hridaya: A Modern Masterpiece of Buddhist Literature and Its Utopian Vision for Nepal"

Demonstrating to what extent the Indic cultural world was alive for the traditional Newar elite in mid-20th-century Nepal, this lecture will explore Chittadhar Hridaya's epic poem on the Buddha's life. Remarkable not only for its doctrinal erudition and the artistry of its rhythmic patterns and end rhymes, this work enlivens the great sage's life with details of Newar urban society and culture. The lecture will examine this text as a case study of Buddhist modernity in Nepal, reflecting the author's awareness of Sanskrit sources, Hindi translations from the Pali Canon, and Mahabodhi Society publications, among other influences.

Yet another level to be examined in the fabric of Sugata Saurabha's narrative is how it is crafted to defend the integrity of Newar culture and offer both critiques and utopian visions on the future of Nepal.

The lecture will conclude by arguing that Sugata Saurabha can speak to Nepalis today and that it deserves a place among the great literary accomplishments of Buddhist history.

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Todd Lewis is Professor in the Religious Studies Department at The College of the Holy Cross, in Massachusetts, where he has taught since 1990. Having done research in Nepal since 1979, Prof. Lewis has published over thirty articles and several books on Newar Buddhism, including Popular Buddhist Texts from Nepal: Narratives and Rituals of Newar Buddhism (2000). He has also co-authored a textbook published by Oxford University Press, World Religions Today that is now its 4th edition. Professor Lewis is a four-time Fulbright scholar and a Guggenheim fellow. His and Subarna Man Tuladhar's translation of the poem that is the subject of today's lecture, entitled Sugata Saurabha: A Poem on the Life of the Buddha by Chittadhar Hridaya of Nepal, was awarded the Toshide Numata Prize for the best book published in the field of Buddhist Studies in 2010.

"Mobility on the Line: Migration, Shifting Livelihoods, and the State in the India-Nepal Borderland, 1800-1930"

This dissertation examines the creation of a borderland between India and Nepal from 1800 to 1930. While historians have more recently come to portray South Asian society as composed in large part by mobile groups in the pre-colonial period, there is still a need to historicize and understand changes in mobility patterns over time (Gommans 1998; Markovits 2003). My project examines how states and people in South Asia came to think of governance in terms of control over a bounded territory in the 19th century. Moreover, I examine how migrant and mobile communities negotiated with, resisted and even participated in new forms of governance, and what sort of changes in livelihood patterns resulted. Studying the India-Nepal borderland is important because most studies in South Asia that consider the formation of borders and deepening of territorial sovereignty take the Partition of 1947 as the paradigmatic example; however, as Nepal forms a major land boundary with India, it seems necessary to consider this much older border in thinking through such issues. My research shows that during this period, new large scale movements of people were set in motion across the borderland, encouraged by the British colonial state to fuel its industries and growing military, even as it sought to curtail circulation and mobile livelihoods (such as pastoralism and shifting agriculture) locally. I also examine the gendering of the border and the ways in which national identities were developed to strengthen the modernizing states' territorial control in the early 20th century. During my presentation, I will outline my work to date, and discuss my experiences doing archival research in Nepal.

"The Prakriti Project:
A Pioneering Synthesis of Newari Repoussé and Contemporary Painting"

Taking its name from the Sanskrit word prakriti, signifying both physical matter and the primal creative force that shapes it, Maureen Drdak's Prakriti Project is the first synthesis of contemporary painting and the metal art of traditional Newari repoussé, a technique in which sheet metal is hammered from both sides to produce a three-dimensional bas-relief.

Drdak is working both at her studio in the Patan Museum, and in the Patan atelier of contemporary master of Newari repoussé, Raj Kumar Shakya, to continue and advance her study with Raj Kumar's brother Rabindra Shakya. Both men are grandsons of the venerable Kuber Singh Shakya, the acknowledged historical master of repoussé. The Kuber Singh Shakya family lineage of artists and scholars, patronized by the Malla rulers, is traceable back to Abhaya Raj Shakya, founder of the Mahabouddha Temple in 1601.

The significance of The Prakriti Project lies in the creation of a genuinely new art form resulting from the mergence of specific materials, artistic practices, and cultural traditions. It represents a unique contribution to the vocabulary of the visual arts, evidencing the unexplored contemporary applications of this venerable and ancient art form, addresses the relevance of qualitatively endangered material techniques to contemporary art practices, and furthers the dynamic expansion of cultural boundaries and the ongoing artistic and cultural dialogue between the Asia and the West. It serves as a model for future investigations of the expressive potential for contemporary art inherent in Nepali traditional practices.

Drdak is creating a major artwork demonstrable of this synthesis, to be exhibited at Siddhartha Art Gallery in Kathmandu in January 2012. She will exhibit jointly with her guru, Rabindra Shakya, in order to exemplify the linkage between master and student, traditional legacy and contemporary form. Drdak's work, Flying Nagas, takes as its theme the protective serpent deities of the Kathmandu valley; among the Naga's many powers and blessings is the ability to alleviate drought--a growing problem for Nepal--beset as it is by the accelerating effects of global warming. Closely associated with the health of the environment, and symbolic of the integration of opposites, the Naga is a beloved and powerfully relevant symbol for Nepal and for this project, one which speaks with authenticity and eloquence to the Nepalese people and to their current environmental concerns.

Drdak explains her work and its genesis, introduces the audience to the repoussé form and process, its contemporary masters, and presents her work progress to date. A Power Point presentation rich in visual imagery and photos will accompany her presentation.

"Changes Faced by Tibetan Groups in Nepal"

This Fulbright presentation will feature photography and discussion about the changing lives of Tibetans living in Nepal. The first section will concentrate on Tibetan refugees in the Kathmandu and Pokhara areas, with photographs of daily life and religious ceremonies followed by a discussion of the changes and issues these refugees are facing in Nepal. The second section will present photographs from the ethnically-Tibetan region of Upper Mustang. The remote region is modernizing rapidly and discussion will center on how increased infrastructure and outside influence affects the traditional culture of the region.

"Ethics of Mortality in Nepal: The Tibetan Buddhist Perspective"

Recent studies have demonstrated the crucial lack of end-of-life services in the developing world. This Fulbright research outlines basic economic, political, and cultural hurdles that care providers in Nepal face when confronted with issues surrounding death and dying. These issues affect how informed decisions can or cannot be made by a patient and their family. An overview of the health care system's capacity to provide palliative and end-of-life care and an assessment of the unique religious and cultural considerations of the people of Nepal which provide context for these efforts are the subject of this presentation, with particular attention to the teachings and moral-ethical framework of Tibetan Buddhism, which traditionally places great emphasis on preparing for and understanding the process of death and dying.

"Preserving Indigenous Knowledge and Natural Resource Management in Nepal"

The Fulbright research to be discussed in this presentation focuses on natural resource management and cultural preservation by examining the sociological, political, and economic contexts of indigenous knowledge in Nepal. Indigenous knowledge is decreasing exponentially as a result of globalization, marginalization of indigenous peoples, and rapid social change. Additionally, a lack of organized, sustainable management techniques which take social issues into consideration has exacerbated decline in the amount of useful natural resources available in Nepal. Essentially, these trends suggest that fewer resources are now available, and less is known about how best to use them. The research discussed will look at three major research questions: How does indigenous knowledge affect local environments? How does indigenous knowledge affect communities and individuals socially? What aspects of indigenous knowledge are most important for its preservation and transmission among populations? Considering the fact that many scholars already acknowledge Nepal as a setting vulnerable to ecological disaster, this research aims to shed light on the underlying issues regarding resource use and community behavior toward the environment in order to avoid serious environmental damage.

"Chasing Saraswati: The Development of Deaf Education in Nepal"

The World Health Organization (2007), states that more than 16% of people in Nepal have a significant hearing loss. Given the large proportion of the population who are deaf or hard of hearing, it is not surprising to see a movement towards the development of deaf education in the country. As of now, there are approximately 150 deaf schools and classrooms around Nepal. The majority of deaf education in Nepal takes place in a classroom setting in a hearing school, though there are several large-scale deaf schools and a number of smaller – growing – deaf schools as well. The number of deaf education opportunities available is positive, but there are issues that must be addressed in order for the system to be most beneficial to the students and families it serves. A few of these issues include outreach to families and villages to educate them about the potential of their deaf children, a national system in place to govern instruction and to ensure that schools and classrooms are placed where needed and have the resources they require, and degree programs established at a Nepali university in Deaf Education and Interpreting. Bethany Hundley's Fulbright reseach has focused on these issues and she will discuss them in this presentation.

"To Leave or Not to Leave: Understanding the Socioeconomic Impact of and Affecting the Migration of Nepalese Female Carpet Weavers"

Recent studies have indicated that Nepal is amidst a transformation from an agricultural to remittance based economy. This Fulbright presentation explores the socioeconomic impact of this transition specifically though the internal and external migration of female carpet weavers. The study undertaken focused first on the circumstances surrounding migration of women from rural areas to urban centers such as Kathmandu, and second, as following more recent trends, the desire for external migration of many carpet weavers to the Gulf. Using Rammechhap and Okhaldhunga as case studies, the project also followed the cycle of migration back to the home villages and districts of some of the weavers. Understanding this overall picture of migratory change in Nepal is the first step in creating development projects that could potentially enhance the lives of many Nepalese women.

"Climate Change and the Nepalese Cryosphere"

Over the past 50 years, Himalayan glaciers have retreated at a faster rate than those found anywhere else in the world. However, despite the obvious signs of climate change in Nepal observed by Western scientists and local residents alike, the gravity of climate change and climate change-induced hazards remains highly disputed within the scientific community. This presentation focuses on two specific climate change impacts on the cryosphere in Nepal – changing precipitation regimes in the high alpine desert of Upper Mustang and glacial lake formation in the Khumbu Himal – in addition to addressing the effectiveness of scientific efforts to document climate change in Nepal and assessing various mitigation strategies.

"Wasted and Waiting: How Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food and Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition Can Provide Treatment for Nepal's Acutely Malnourished Children 'At Scale.'"

As of 2008, nearly 99% of Nepal's severely malnourished children (more than 90,000 children total) under the age of 5 lacked access to effective treatment.

However, the advent of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) in the mid-1990s allowed for a revolutionary community based treatment program to be piloted in Nepal over a decade later. Mark's research focuses on taking lessons from Nepal's Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) pilot program, which began in 2008, and examining how CMAM can go to scale within Nepal in order to dramatically increase access to treatment for acutely malnourished children.

The presentation will portray the historical context of the CMAM pilot program in Nepal and cast an evidence-based plan for scaling up a national treatment program based on analyses of community- and district-level findings, costing studies, and the current policy environment.

"Giving and Getting in Newar Buddhism: Understanding Dipankara Buddha in Nepal"

This presentation will describe research work undertaken on a Fulbright grant which is part of a project investigating the role of festivals and pilgrimage in constructing Buddhist identity in Nepal. The project examines how Newar Buddhists – who are a religious minority in Nepal – define Buddhist ideology and religious identity through art and ritual. The research focuses on the visual imagery and symbolism of Dipankara Buddha during gift-giving (dana) festivals, notably Pancadana and Samyak, and pilgrimage dedicated to this deity. By analyzing the role and symbolic function of Dipankara within the context of ritual, the study underscores the construction of a dynamic visual narrative associated with sacred space, ritual cosmology, and religious authority as an affirmation of Newar Buddhist identity.

"The Suppression and Resurgence of Gorampa's Philosophy"

The first part of this presentation by current U.S. Fulbright student grantees will focus on Gorampa Sonam Senge (1429–89), who is one of the most widely-studied philosophers in the Sakya school of Tibetan Buddhism. A fierce critic of Tsongkhapa, the founder of what later came to be known as the Gelug school, his works were so controversial that they were suppressed by Gelug leaders shortly after they were composed. Gorampa's texts remained hidden until the early 20th century, when a monk named Jamgyal Rinpoche received permission from the thirteenth Dalai Lama to collect Gorampa's extant texts and have them reprinted in Derge. Today, Gorampa's philosophy is studied widely in monastic colleges, not only in those affiliated with his own Sakya tradition, but also in institutions affiliated with the Kagyu and Nyingma schools.

Gorampa, like all Tibetan Buddhist philosophers, considers himself a follower of the Madhyamaka (Middle Way) school developed by the Indian philosopher Nagarjuna in the second century, CE. His views with respect to particular issues within Madhyamaka, however, differ significantly from the views of scholars belonging to other sects of Tibetan Buddhism, and at times, his views even differ from those of other Sakya scholars. Gorampa's particular brand of Madhyamaka philosophy is defined by his understanding of the relationship between the two truths, the use of negation, the role of logic, and proper methods of philosophical argumentation. Connie Kassor's Fulbright research has focused on these issues and in this presentation she will discuss this research.

"Bile & Bodhisattvas: Shantideva on Justified Anger"

Additionally, the second part of this presentation will focus on Shantideva who was a Buddhist monk in India in the 8th century and continues to be one of the most studied and quoted Buddhist philosophers in the world. In his most famous work, The Way of the odhisattva (Bodhicaryavatara), he argues that anger towards people who harm us is never justified. The argument rests on drawing similarities between harms caused by persons and those caused by non-persons. Western philosophy provides resources for objections to Shantideva's reasoning, but by reading of the argument in a more practical way, Shantideva's argument can still have important insights. Nic Bommarito's Fulbright research has focused on these inssues and in this presentation he will discuss this research.

""Tibetan Dreaming and Dream-work""

The examination and manipulation of dreams has existed in Buddhism since the time the historical Buddha taught over 2500 years ago. It is not contested that dreams are culturally influenced. A major difference between Tibetan and Western perspectives on dreams is evident by their language, which describes "seeing" dreams rather than "having" them. In this end-of-Fulbright-grant-period presentation, I will illustrate an overview of dream explanations in Tibetan culture and how these views differ based on the different populations of Tibetans in exile. In addition, I will discuss the psychological role of the Tibetan lama and how dream-work is applied in a therapeutic manner.

There are numerous accounts in Tibetan culture for the nature of dreams. I will categorize five major variations, including folklore, medical, sutric, tantric, and Dzogchen. Although there are a range of dream lists, manuals, and rituals in all of these variations, there is no consistent system in Tibetan dream material. On the whole, dreaming is a powerful mechanism in Tibetan culture, used for reasons ranging from prognostication to illustrating the nature of the mind.