Last week marked the anniversary of the 2009 conference, ‘Translating the Words the Buddha’ (held at the Deer Park Institute, Bir, India) from which 84000 originated.
To mark this week, we hosted the first segment of a three-part conversation entitled, The Kangyur: Holy Relic, Time Capsule, or Goldmine? in which our speakers led us in a one-hour exploration of how the Tibetan Buddhist Canon came to be and specifically, how the Buddhist scriptures came to Tibet.Dr. John Canti, editorial co-director of 84000, spoke in conversation with Joie Chen, PhD candidate Buddhist Studies, Harvard University (and a recent addition to our editorial team), placing the Kangyur in geographical and historical context. Beginning with the oral tradition and a recognition that ancient Indian cultures were relatively late in developing written records, Dr. Canti took us on a journey across the spiritual landscape of early Buddhist Asia outlining the various routes of trade and cross-cultural exchange to shed light on how and when the Tibetans engaged with the Kangyur.Much more was said about the later codification of the Canon, and while we received a number of insightful and interesting questions from the floor, we regret that we were unable to address them all.However, with this encouraging reception of 84000's first foray into webinars, we are pleased to share that we will be continuing this conversation on the Kangyur over the course of two more events to be held in the coming weeks (dates to be announced soon).Similarly, over the next year, we hope to bring you more such talks from our team as well as from our friends and colleagues in the broader Buddhist studies community. With a focus on diving deep into the foundational texts of Buddhadharma to spark discussion of textual revelations, to inspire collaboration across organizations and around the world, and to continue to revitalize a 2,500-year legacy of wisdom, we hope that these future events give our friends and supporters a way to engage more meaningfully with the Kangyur in today's world.