Matthew Kapstein: The Reluctant Professor

Episode 139

This episode of the Wisdom Podcast features an interview with special guest Matthew Kapstein Ph.D., Numata Professor of Buddhist Studies at the University of Chicago, director of Tibetan Studies at the École Pratique des Hautes Études Paris, and co-editor of the online Oxford Bibliographies of Buddhism. His numerous publications include Buddhism Between Tibet and China, Reason’s Traces, Contributions to the Cultural History of Early Tibet, and The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism.

Matthew Kapstein and host Daniel Aitken discuss

Matthew’s fascinating introduction to the languages, landscape, and philosophy of Asia;
his pivotal journey to India and Nepal in the early 1970’s, meeting Lama Yeshe, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, and Zina Rachevsky;
Sanskrit and Tibetan language learning on the ground in Nepal, India, and the United States;
studying with masters such as Kalu Rinpoche, Chögyam Trungpa, Dudjom Rinpoche, the 16th Karmapa Rangjung Dorje, and Khenpo Sangye Tenzin;
Matthew’s pursuits in Western philosophy as well as Madhyamaka traditions such as Mipham Rinpoche’s;
the seminal Tibetan King Gesar epic;
and much more!

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

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