Mathes, K.

 

PersonType	Category:Authors of English Works Category:Authors of German Works Category:Professors Category:Translators
FirstName / namefirst	Klaus-Dieter
LastName / namelast	Mathes
MainNamePhon	Klaus-Dieter Mathes
bio	Tibetology at CIRDIS Bio: Klaus-Dieter Mathes is a professor of Buddhist studies at the University of Hong Kong. His current research deals with exclusivism, inclusivism, and tolerance in Mahāyāna Buddhism. He obtained his Ph.D. from Marburg University in 1994 with a study of the Yogācāra text Dharmadharmatāvibhāga (published in 1996 in the series Indica et Tibetica). From 1993 to 2001 he served as the director of the Nepal Research Centre and the Nepal-German Manuscript Preservation Project in Kathmandu. Before joining the University of Hong Kong in August 2023 he was the head of the Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Vienna, where with his team he hosted the 2014 conference of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. He has organized and given presentations at many other conferences and symposiums, and has served as the chairman of the board of trustees of the Numata Professional Chair for Buddhist Studies, University of Vienna. His major publications include A Direct Path to the Buddha Within: Gö Lotsāwa's Mahāmudrā Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga (Wisdom, 2008), A Fine Blend of Mahāmudrā and Madhyamaka: Maitrīpa's Collection of Texts on Non-conceptual Realization (Amanasikāra) (Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 2015), and Maitrīpa: India's Yogi of Nondual Bliss (Shambhala, 2021). He is also a regular contributor to the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and is the co-editor of the Vienna Series for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies. Current Ongoing Research: Emptiness of Other (gzhan stong) in Tibetan Mahamudra Traditions of the 15th and 16th Centuries
YearBirth	1958/04/05
BornIn	Manheim, Germany
associatedwebsite	http://www.tantric-studies.uni-hamburg.de/people/klaus-dieter-mathes/
languageprimary	German; English
languagetranslation	Tibetan; Sanskrit
languagetarget	English; German
affiliation	Universität Wien
affiliationsecondary	Universität Hamburg; Rangjung Yeshe Institute; CIRDIS; IABS; IATS
phduniversity	Marburg University
education	PhD from Marburg University (Germany) with a study of one of the five treatises of Maitreya, the Dharmadharmatāvibhāga.
IsInGyatsa	No
BnwShortPersonBio	Klaus-Dieter Mathes is a professor of Buddhist studies at the University of Hong Kong. His current research deals with exclusivism, inclusivism, and tolerance in Mahāyāna Buddhism. He obtained his Ph.D. from Marburg University in 1994 with a study of the Yogācāra text Dharmadharmatāvibhāga (published in 1996 in the series Indica et Tibetica). From 1993 to 2001 he served as the director of the Nepal Research Centre and the Nepal-German Manuscript Preservation Project in Kathmandu. Before joining the University of Hong Kong in August 2023 he was the head of the Department of South Asian, Tibetan and Buddhist Studies at the University of Vienna, where with his team he hosted the 2014 conference of the International Association of Buddhist Studies. He has organized and given presentations at many other conferences and symposiums, and has served as the chairman of the board of trustees of the Numata Professional Chair for Buddhist Studies, University of Vienna. His major publications include A Direct Path to the Buddha Within: Gö Lotsāwa's Mahāmudrā Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga (Wisdom, 2008), A Fine Blend of Mahāmudrā and Madhyamaka: Maitrīpa's Collection of Texts on Non-conceptual Realization (Amanasikāra) (Austrian Academy of Sciences Press, 2015), and Maitrīpa: India's Yogi of Nondual Bliss (Shambhala, 2021). He is also a regular contributor to the Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and is the co-editor of the Vienna Series for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies.
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Recordings

• Mathes teaching the Uttaratantrashastra at Rigpa Shedra East 2009

Publications

Further List of Publications

• 2013c "Clouds of Offerings to Lady G.yang ri—A Protector Practice by the First Yol mo Sprul sku Shākya bzang po (15th/16th Cent.)." In: Nepalica-Tibetica. Festgabe For Christoph Cüppers. Edited by Franz-Karl Ehrhard and Petra Maurer (Zentralasienforschung 28, 2). Andiast: International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, vol. 2, 37-56.
• 2013b “bKa’ brgyud Mahāmudrā: “Chinese rDzogs chen” or the Techings of the Siddhas?” In: Tibet after Empire. Culture, Society and Religion between 850-1000. Proceedings of the Seminar Held in Lumbini, Nepal, March 2011. Edited by Christoph Cüppers, Robert Mayer and Michael Walter. Lumbini: Lumbini International Research Institute, 267-294.
• 2013a "Reality in Buddhism". In: Anne Runehov und Lluis Oviedo (eds.), Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religion. Dordrecht: Springer, 1958-1965.
• 2012 “The gzhan stong model of reality: Some more material on its origin, transmission and interpreation.” JIABS 34, 187-226
• 2011 "The Collection of 'Indian Mahāmudrā Works' (phyag chen rgya gzhung) Compiled by the Seventh Karma pa Chos grags rgya mtsho". In: Roger Jackson und Matthew Kapstein (eds.), Mahāmudrā and the Bka'-brgyud Tradition. PIATS 2006: Proceedings of the Eleventh Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Königswinter 2006, (Zentralasienforschung 25). Andiast: International Institute for Tibetan and Buddhist Studies, 89-130.
• 2010a "Maitrīpa´s Amanasikārādhāra (“A Justification of Becoming Mentally Disengaged”)". In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre 13 (2009), 5-32.
• 2010b “The Principle of True Nature (dharmatā-yukti) as a Justification for Positive Descriptions of Reality in Mahāyāna Buddhism.” In: Logic and Belief in Indian Philosophy. Ed. by Piotr Balcerowicz (Warsaw Indological Studies, vol. 3). Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 605-615.
• 2009a The Role of the Bodhicittavivaraṇa in the Mahāmudrā Tradition of the Dwags po bka’ brgyud (2009). URL: http://www.thlib.org/collections/texts/jiats/#jiats=/05/mathes/.
• 2009b “The “Succession of the Four Seals” (Caturmudrānvaya) Together with Selected Passages from Karopa´s Commentary.” In: Tantric Studies, vol. 1 (Centre for Tantric Studies, University of Hamburg), 89-130.
• 2008a “The Śrī-Śabarapādastotraratna of Vanaratna”. Bauddhasāhityastabakāvalī: Essays and Studies on Buddhist Sanskrit Literature Dedicated to Claus Vogel by Colleagues, Students, and Friends. Ed. by Dragomir Dimitrov, Michael Hahn, und Roland Steiner (Indica et Tibetica 36), 245-267.
• 2008b “Die Rolle des Laṅkāvatārasūtra im Wettstreit der verschiedenen Mahāyāna-Modelle der Realität”. XXX. Deutscher Orientalistentag Freiburg, 24.-28. September 2007. Ausgewählte Vorträge. Ed. by Rainer Brunner, Jens Peter Laut und Maurus Reinkowski. Online publication, August 2008. URL: http://orient.ruf.uni-freiburg.de/dotpub/mathes.pdf
• 2008 A Direct Path to the Buddha Within: Gö Lotsawa's Mahāmudrā Interpretation of the Ratnagotravibhāga. Boston: Wisdom Publications
• 2007a "The Ontological Status of the Dependent (paratantra) in the Saṃdhinirmocanasūtra and the Vyākhyāyukti." In: Indica et Tibetica. Festschrift für Michael Hahn zum 65. Geburtstag von Freunden und Schülern überreicht. Ed. by Konrad Klaus and Jens-Uwe Hartmann. (Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde, vol. 66).Vienna: Arbeitskreis für tibetische und buddhistische Studien, 323-339.
• 2007b "Can Sūtra Mahāmudrā be Justified on the Basis of Maitrīpa's Apratiṣṭhānavāda?" In: Pramāṇakīrtiḥ. Papers dedicated to Ernst Steinkellner on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Ed. by B. Kellner, H. Krasser, H. Lasic, M.T. Much, H. Tauscher. (Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhismuskunde, vol. 70, no. 2). Vienna: Arbeitskreis für tibetische und buddhistische Studien, 545-566.
• 2006 "Blending the Sūtras with the Tantras: The Influence of Maitrīpa and his Circle on the Formation of Sūtra Mahāmudrā in the Kagyu Schools". In: Tibetan Buddhist Literature and Praxis: Studies in its Formative Period 900-1400. Ed. by Ronald M. Davidson and Christian K. Wedemeyer (Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the IATS, Oxford 2003, vol. 10/4). Leiden: Brill, 201-227.
• 2005 "'Gos Lo tsā ba gZhon nu dpal's Commentary on the Dharmatā Chapter of the Dharmadharmatāvibhāgakārikās". In: Studies in Indian Philosophy and Buddhism, University of Tokyo, vol. 12, 3-39.
• 2004 "Tāranātha's "Twenty-One Differences with regard to the Profound Meaning"— Comparing the Views of the Two gŹan stoṅ Masters Dol po pa and Śākya mchog ldan". In: Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol. 27, no. 2, 285-328.
• 2003a 'Gos Lo tsā ba gZhon nu dpal's Commentary on the Ratnagotravibhāgavyākhyā (Theg pa chen po rgyud bla ma'i bstan bcos kyi 'grel bshad de kho na nyid rab tu gsal ba'i me long). Critically edited by Klaus-Dieter Mathes (Nepal Research Centre Publications, vol. 24). Stuttgart: Steiner Verlag.
• 2003b "Establishing the Succession of the Sakya Lamas of Näsar Gompa and Lang Gompa in Dolpo (Nepal)". In: Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde Südasiens, vol. 47, 85-108.
• 2002 "'Gos Lo tsā ba gZhon nu dpal's Extensive Commentary on and Study of the Ratna-gotravibhāgavyākhyā." In: Religion and Secular Culture in Tibet. Tibetan Studies II. PIATS 2000, vol. 2, no. 2, Leiden: Brill, 79-96.
• 2001 "The High Mountain Valley of Nar (Manang) in the 17th Century according to Two Tibetan Autobiographies". In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 12 (2001), 167-194.
• 2000 "Tāranātha's Presentation of trisvabhāva in the gŹan stoṅ sñiṅ po". In: Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, vol. 23, no. 2, 195-223.
• 1999 "The Sacred Crystal Mountain in Dolpo. Beliefs and Pure Visions of Himalayan Pilgrims and Yogis". In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 11 (1999), 61-91.
• 1998 "Vordergründige und höchste Wahrheit im gźan stoṅ-Madhyamaka". In: Annäherung an das Fremde. XXVI. Deutscher Orientalistentag vom 25. bis 29.9. in Leipzig. Ed. by H. Preissler und H. Stein. ZDMG-Suppl. 11 (1998), 457-468.
• 1997 "The Golden Kanjur of Mustang". In: Abhilekh, vol. 15 (2054), 127-131.
• 1996 Unterscheidung der Gegebenheiten von ihrem wahren Wesen (Dharmadharmatā-vibhāga). Swisttal-Odendorf 1996 (Indica et Tibetica, vol. 26).

Reviews:

• 2007a Ehrhard, Franz-Karl, Die Statue und der Tempel des  rya Va-ti bzang-po. Ein Beitrag zu Geschichte und Geographie des tibetischen Buddhismus [Contributions to Tibetan Studies 2]. Wiesbaden: Reichert Verlag, 2004. In: Indo-Iranian Journal, vol. 50, 259-261.
• 2007b Keira, Ryusei, Mādhyamika and Epistemology. A Study of Kamalaśīla's Method for Proving the Voidness of All Dharmas [Wiener Studien zur Tibetologie und Buddhis-muskunde 59]. Wien: Arbeitskreis für tibetische und buddhistische Studien der Uni-versität Wien, 2004. In: Indo-Iranian Journal, vol. 50, 77-80.
• 2006 Ludovic Viévard, Vacuité (Śūnyatā) et Compassion (Karuṇā) dans le Bouddhism Madhyamaka. Paris: 2002. In: Indo-Iranian Journal, vol. 48, 155-160.
• 2001 Jean-Luc Achard, L'Essence Perlée du Secret: Recherches philologique et historiques sur l'origine de la Grande Perfection dans la tradition rNying ma pa. [Bibliothèque de l'École des Hautes Études, Section des Sciences Religieuses 107]. Tournhout (Belgium) : Brepols Publishers, 1999. In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 12 (2001), 301-311.
• 2001 Cyrus Stearns, The Buddha from Dolpo: A Study of the Life and Thought of the Tibetan Master Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen. New York: SUNY, 1999. In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 12 (2001), 311-319.
• 1999 Jürgen C. Aschoff, Annotated Bibliography of Tibetan Medicine (1789-1995). Kommentierte Bibliographie zur tibetischen Medizin (1789-1995). Ulm, Germany: Fabri Verlag & Dietikon, Switzerland: Garuda Verlag, 1996. In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 11 (1999), 203-205.
• 1999 Jürgen C. Aschoff & Rösing (eds.), Tibetan Medicine. "East Meets West, West Meets East". Proceedings of the International Symposium. University of Ulm/Germany, 19/20th July 1996. Ulm: Fabri Verlag, 1997. In: Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 11 (1999), 201-203.

Forthcoming:

• "Maitrīpa's Amanasikārādhāra ("A Justification of Becoming Mentally Dis-engaged")". (Forthcoming in Journal of the Nepal Research Centre, vol. 13)
• "The "Succession of the Four Seals" (Caturmudrānvaya) Together with Selected Passages from Karopa's Commentary". (Forthcoming in Tantric Studies, vol. 1)
• "The Principle of True Nature (dharmatā-yukti) as a Justification for Positive Descriptions of Reality in Mahāyāna Buddhism". (Forthcoming in Logic and Belief in Indian Philosophy. Warsaw Indological Studies, vol. 3 (2007), 127-139.
• "The Collection of Indian Mahāmudrā Works (Tib. phyag chen rgya gzhung) Compiled by the Seventh Karmapa Chos grags rgya mtsho". Forthcoming in the Proceedings of the 11th Conference of the IATS in Königswinter.
• "Exegetische Prinzipien des Madhyamaka und Yogācāra: Die hermeneutischen Traditionen der beiden Mahāyāna-Schulen im Vergleich". Forthcoming in Beihefte zu Saeculum.

Mahāyāna, or the Great Vehicle, refers to the system of Buddhist thought and practice which developed around the beginning of Common Era, focusing on the pursuit of the state of full enlightenment of the Buddha through the realization of the wisdom of emptiness and the cultivation of compassion.

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).

Mahāmudrā refers to an advanced meditation tradition in Mahāyāna and Vajrayāna forms of Into-Tibetan Buddhism that is focused on the realization of the empty and luminous nature of the mind. It also refers to the resultant state of buddhahood attained through such meditation practice. In Tibet, this tradition is particularly associated with the Kagyu school, although all other schools also profess this tradition. The term also appears as part of the four seals, alongside dharmamūdra, samayamudrā, and karmamudrā.

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.

International Association for Tibetan Studies

International Association for Tibetan Studies

This refers to a series of five texts that, according to the Tibetan tradition, Asaṅga received directly from Maitreya in the pure realm of Tuṣita.

Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies

The Kagyu school traces its origin to the eleventh-century translator Marpa, who studied in India with Nāropa. Marpa's student Milarepa trained Gampopa, who founded the first monastery of the Kagyu order. As many as twelve subtraditions grew out from there, the best known being the Karma Kagyu, the Drikung, and the Drukpa.

The reality or the objective state of things as they are. In the Buddhist context, it refers to the ultimate nature of things although what exactly suchness means would depend on the philosophical position of the specific schools. The Middle Way school, for instance, consider emptiness as the suchness of all things.

The Sakya tradition developed in the eleventh century in the Khön family of Tsang, which maintained an imperial-era lineage of Vajrakīla and which adopted a new teaching from India known as Lamdre.

According to the Yogācāra school, all phenomena can be divided into three natures or characteristics: the imaginary nature (parikalpitasvabhāva), the dependent nature (paratantrasvabhāva), and the perfect or absolute nature (pariniṣpannasvabhāva).

Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesselschaft

State University of New York