Evento

Profs & Pints: The History of Tibetan Buddhism

Profs and Pints presents: The History of Tibetan Buddhism, with Justin Jacobs, associate professor of history at American University and scholar of ancient China and the Silk Road.

Come take a scholarly journey to Tibet, the rooftop of the world, to gain a deep understanding of the history and current status of Tibetan Buddhism.

Your guide will be Justin Jacobs, who previously has given fantastic Profs and Pints talks on Chinese philosophy, the Silk Road, and the history of archeology. Hell teach you about the origins of Tibetan Buddhism and the invention and evolution of the Dalai Lama reincarnation process. Youll also learn about the lineage of the Dalai Lamas, about their contentious and oft-misunderstood relationship with the rulers of China over the centuries, and about how China has long attempted to manipulate how the Dalai Lama is named.

Our chief stop on this virtual tour will be Lhasas Potala Palace, a towering red and white structure that serves as a symbol of both the unique brand of Buddhism found in Tibet and of the Tibetan nation itself. Since its construction in the seventeenth century, the Potala Palace has been home to ten Dalai Lamas and witnessed several traumatic encounters with the outside world. Well explore the inner sanctum of this religious fortress, and examine the art and artifacts that have animated Tibetan Buddhisms past and continue to mold its future.

Youll come away from this talk fully conversant in the arcane politics and rituals destined to accompany the selection of the next Dalai Lama sometime in the near future.(Advance tickets: $12. Doors: $15. Save $2 with a student ID. Listed time is for doors. Talk begins 30 minutes later. Please allow yourself adequate time to get seated and settled in.)