Abstract
ABSTRACT
This thesis presents an analysis of the Tibetan meditation ritual gcod, which was established by the Tibetan woman Machig Labdron (1055-1149) during the second propagation of Buddhism in the country.
The study is based on fieldwork material which was gathered during a five month stay in Tibet. The thesis contains examples of the gcod practice at three different sites. The monastery of Sangri Karmar (Zangs ri mkhar dmar), the former residence of Machig Labdron. Additionally, the nunnery in Terdrum (gTer sgrom) and the nearby Drigung Til monastery ( Bri gung mthil).
In Part II, the thesis gives an historical and philosophical survey of the gcod tradition. A biography of Machig Labdron, along with description of the tantric milieu in which she lived, provides a historical context. The Indian as well as Tibetan elements and inspirational sources are presented to give the philosophical basis of the gcod ritual.
The contemporary practice of gcod makes out the main part of the thesis. The finding in the three different locations are analysed and compared in Part III. The practice of gcod is not a monastic performance, but an individual practice and private meditation. This is particularly evident in Terdrum and Drigung Til. At Sangri Karmar, however, the monks also practise within the assembly hall where they perform gcod feasts on auspicious days. Such performances are additional to the individual practice of the ritual itself, which takes place within the monks private cells.
One important characteristic is the esoteric character of the ritual, which is expressed by performing the ritual in solitude. Another important characteristic, however, is the forming of groups of practitioners. There are different levels of gcod. Some practitioners might emphasize the life style of the wandering ascetic and some might practise at their permanent place of residence. The nuns in Terdrum practise at home, as do the monks at Drigung and Sangri Karmar.
Part IV constitutes a summery of the main elements of the thesis and suggests the position of gcod in Central Tibet today. The gcod tradition is a marginal practice. It never became a monastic discipline, but has survived up to this day due to association with other Tibetan Buddhist schools, as well as family lineages. The individualistic character of the ritual and its non-sectarian associations, lead many scholastics to forbid the practice. However, due to the involvement of laypeople, women and men, and monastics, monks and nuns, the gcod tradition will continue to exist inside and outside of monastery walls.