Hirshberg, D.

Hirshberg, D. on the DRL

Professors • Translators

Dan Alexander Hirshberg

English Phonetics	Daniel Alexander Hirshberg
Sort Name	Hirshberg, Daniel

Tibetan calendar dates

Dates of birth

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

Dates of passing

Day
Month
Gender
Element
Animal
Rab Jyung

About

Primary Language:	English
Translates from:	Tibetan
Translates to:	English

Primary Affiliation (Workplace)

University of Mary Washington

Secondary Affiliation

Nitartha Translation Network

Religious Affiliation

Nyingma; Tibetan Buddhism

Teachers

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

PhD University

Harvard University

Education

• 2012, Ph.D. Harvard University
• 2005, M.A. Naropa University
• 1998, B.A. Wesleyan University
  

Biographical Information

Dan Hirshberg’s study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism began as an undergrad in 1996 and culminated in a PhD at Harvard University (2012) where his dissertation focused on Nyang-rel Nyima Ozer (1124–92), the first of the great Buddhist treasure revealers, and the textual and religious innovations that produced the first biography of Padmasambhava. Dan is now Assistant Professor of Religion at the The University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA, where he directs the Contemplative Studies program and serves as associate director of the Leidecker Center for Asian Studies. His first book, Remembering the Lotus-Born: Padmasambhava in the History of Tibet's Golden Age (Wisdom Publications 2016), explores the earliest re/construction of Tibet's most popular narrative, its conversion to Buddhism under the emperors, by means of Tibetan innovations in reincarnation theory, textual revelation, and historiography. It won Honorable Mention for the E. Gene Smith Book Prize from the Association for Asian Studies in 2018.

Links

Wiki Pages

• Hirshberg, D. on the DRL
• Hirshberg, D. on the LIB
• Hirshberg, D. on the BNW

Buddha Nature Project

Person description or short bio

Expand to see this person's philosophical positions on Buddha-nature.

Is Buddha-nature considered definitive or provisional?
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All beings have Buddha-nature
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If "Qualified", explain:
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Which Wheel Turning
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Yogācāra vs Madhyamaka
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Zhentong vs Rangtong
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Promotes how many vehicles?
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Analytic vs Meditative Tradition
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What is Buddha-nature?
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Svātantrika (རང་རྒྱུད་) vs Prāsaṅgika (ཐལ་འགྱུར་པ་)
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Causal nature of the vajrapāda
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The Nyingma, which is often described as the oldest tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, traces its origin to Padmasambhava, who is said to have visited Tibet in the eighth century.

Refers to something that is taught for a specific reason, rather than because it is entirely true.

Along with Madhyamaka, it was one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Asaṅga and Vasubandhu around the fourth century CE, many of its central tenets have roots in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the so-called third turning of the dharma wheel (see tridharmacakrapravartana).

Along with Yogācāra, it is one of the two major philosophical schools of Mahāyāna Buddhism. Founded by Nāgārjuna around the second century CE, it is rooted in the Prajñāpāramitā Sūtras, though its initial exposition was presented in Nāgārjuna's Mūlamadhyamakakārikā.

The state of being devoid of that which is wholly different rather than being void of its own nature. The term is generally used to refer to the ultimate, or buddha-nature, being empty of other phenomena such as adventitious defiling emotions but not empty of its true nature.

The state of being empty of self, which references the lack of inherent existence in relative phenomena.

Tsen Khawoche's "meditative tradition" of exegesis of the Uttaratantra; it is one of two major Tibetan traditions of exegesis, both stemming from students of Sajjana.