CEUS U785 0716 Sperling
Seminar in Tibetan Historical Literature
This course will deal with Tibetan historical materials, teaching students the basic skills necessary
to handle such texts through hands on experience. The basic work that will be dealt with in this
course is the biography of Karma Pakshi, found in Si-tu pan-chen chos-kyi 'byung-gnas and 'Be-lo
Tshedbang kun-khyab, Bsgrub-rgyud karma kam-tshang brgyud-pa rin-po-che'i rnam-par thar-pa
rab- 'byams nor-bu zla-ba chu-shel-gyi phreng-ba (New Delhi, 1972). In reading this biography
students will compare it with other biographies of Karma Pakshi and will learn how to deal with a
variety of lexicographical, geographical, chronological, and other problems that they might
confront, using the basic tools of Tibetology.
Exams: Grade based on class performance.
Required Texts: To be announced at a pre-semester meeting; students will be expected to make
their own copies of the assigned materials.
Prerequisite: Three semesters of Tibetan or equivalent.
Days and Time: This class will meet once a week at a time to be agreed upon by all participants.