The Bodhisattva, the Dharmarāja, and the Dalai Lamas
Evaluating the Religious and Political Causes of Tibetan Self-Immolation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8207522 |
|---|---|
| Authors | John Soboslai (0000-0003-4439-4884, Montclair State University), Joel Gruber (University of San Diego, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Volume | 86 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 759-788 |
| Publication date | 2018-08-23 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of the American Academy of Religion (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0002-7189 • E-ISSN: 1477-4585 |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1093/jaarel/lfy006 |
| OpenAlex | W2799681890 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 9 |
Since 2009, over one hundred and fifty Tibetans have self-immolated. While most scholarly discussions of these tragedies have revolved around non-violent, bodhisattva ethics, we challenge and supplement those interpretations through an analysis of the long lineage of defensive violence in Tibetan Buddhism. Comparing the discourses of the V Dalai Lama during the sectarian battles of the seventeenth century to those of the XIV Dalai Lama regarding Tibet’s situation with China, we highlight their similar means of legitimating deaths aimed at preserving the Dharma from extinction. We conclude by surveying the last words of self-immolators to show how they have appropriated this discourse.
Bodhisattva · Buddhism · China · Dharma · Lama · Political science · Politics · Theology · Anthropological Studies and Insights · History · Indian and Buddhist Studies · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment · Religious studies
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,25 |
| Citation span | 2022 - 2022 (1) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |