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Saraha Has Stretched His Bow: The Life and Teachings of a Tantric Poet with Roger Jackson, PhD
April 26 @ 4:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Buddhist Scholar-Practitioner Speaker Series #2:
Saraha Has Stretched His Bow: The Life and Teachings of a Tantric Poet with Roger Jackson, PhD
Saraha, “the Archer,” is arguably the most important of the mahāsiddhas, the charismatic and sometimes outrageous Indian Buddhist tantric adepts of the 8th to 11th centuries CE. His poetic works – and especially his Treasury of Dohās or People Dohās – were analyzed and quoted both by his Indian successors and by scholars and contemplatives in all the great Tibetan traditions, where they are regarded as the fountainhead of the philosophical and meditative system focused on the nature of the mind known as mahāmudrā, the Great Seal.
This talk will focus on the life and teachings of Saraha, drawing on the Tibetan hagiographical tradition devoted to him and the Buddhist themes found in his songs. As a biographical subject, Saraha is elusive, and as a teacher, he appears in many guises: ecstatic poet, social critic, radical gnostic, tantric yogin, and mainstream Buddhist. Despite these complexities, we will try to understand Saraha as both a historical figure and a Buddhist master, reading selected verses attributed to him to get a sense of the paradoxes and positionings involved in his distinctive and deeply influential presentation of the Dharma. The talk is suitable for students with all levels of knowledge and experience.
Open to all; registration required (note: We offer a monastics/staff “dana according to my means now/ at door option” for every event, please email program@maitripa.org to register for this option”)
About the Maitripa College Buddhist Scholar-Practitioner Speaker Series, Spring 2025
Maitripa College presents a series of talks by esteemed Buddhist scholar-practitioners who will share their decades of scholarship and meditation for today’s audiences. This spring, we explore lineages of philosophers and meditators who have developed methods for investigating the nature of mind, with a particular focus on mahamudra. We are grateful to the accomplished Buddhist Studies professors and friends of Maitripa College who will present talks in person and online, and we invite you to please join us for learning, insight, and dialogue!