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spelling ndltd-OhioLink-oai-etd.ohiolink.edu-case14915025731832532021-08-03T07:01:21Z Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism Bridges, Alex Wallace Asian Studies Cultural Anthropology Religion South Asian Studies Ladakh Tibet Tibetan Buddhism Buddhist monasticism Tibetan monasticism Tibetan Buddhist monasticism Ladakhi monasticism anthropology of monasticism monastery life religious lifestyles monasticism religiosity social environment Ridzong Spituk Much of the literature on Tibetan Buddhist monasticism has tended to characterize monasteries as homogenous and monks as direct representatives of institutionalized religious values. Very few studies have attempted to directly investigate the lifestyles of Tibetan Buddhist monks and the role that the social environment of the monastery plays in influencing these lifestyles. Research was conducted at two small monasteries of the Gelukpa order of Tibetan Buddhist monasticism – Spituk and Ridzong – in central Ladakh, a predominantly Buddhist region in India’s northern Himalaya. Despite sharing many similarities, these two monasteries differed in their location relative to Ladakh’s urban center, amount of integration with neighboring villages, size, and patterns in monks attending external institutions for monastic education. An array of field methods were carried out that included survey interviews, life history interviews, shadowing and traditional participant observation. It was found that there were significant differences between the two monasteries with regards to patterns in life history narratives and patterns in daily lifestyles. These patterns are suggestive of contrasting trends in the religiosities of the two communities: Spituk Monastery being pastoral – prioritizing service for the spiritual welfare of broader lay society – and Ridzong Monastery being cenobitic – concerned with accommodating the spiritual interests of the monastic community itself. This study provides insights into the details and variations in daily life, operations, social organization and career paths of the kinds of small, traditional Tibetan Buddhist monastic communities that have historically represented the majority of the monastic population in the Tibetan cultural sphere, and of which little is known. 2017-06-02 English text Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491502573183253 http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491502573183253 unrestricted This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.
collection NDLTD
language English
sources NDLTD
topic Asian Studies
Cultural Anthropology
Religion
South Asian Studies
Ladakh
Tibet
Tibetan Buddhism
Buddhist monasticism
Tibetan monasticism
Tibetan Buddhist monasticism
Ladakhi monasticism
anthropology of monasticism
monastery life
religious lifestyles
monasticism
religiosity
social environment
Ridzong
Spituk
spellingShingle Asian Studies
Cultural Anthropology
Religion
South Asian Studies
Ladakh
Tibet
Tibetan Buddhism
Buddhist monasticism
Tibetan monasticism
Tibetan Buddhist monasticism
Ladakhi monasticism
anthropology of monasticism
monastery life
religious lifestyles
monasticism
religiosity
social environment
Ridzong
Spituk
Bridges, Alex Wallace
Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism
author Bridges, Alex Wallace
author_facet Bridges, Alex Wallace
author_sort Bridges, Alex Wallace
title Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism
title_short Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism
title_full Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism
title_fullStr Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism
title_full_unstemmed Two Monasteries in Ladakh: Religiosity and the Social Environment in Tibetan Buddhism
title_sort two monasteries in ladakh: religiosity and the social environment in tibetan buddhism
publisher Case Western Reserve University School of Graduate Studies / OhioLINK
publishDate 2017
url http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1491502573183253
work_keys_str_mv AT bridgesalexwallace twomonasteriesinladakhreligiosityandthesocialenvironmentintibetanbuddhism
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