Papers by Matthew Kapstein
Yundrung: A Ramble in Tibetan Studies, 2026
According to what has become the standard narrative, the Sherpa people were a distinct group from... more According to what has become the standard narrative, the Sherpa people were a distinct group from far eastern Tibet that migrated together to western Tibet, perhaps in the 15th century. Then, in around 1533, they were pushed out of Tibet by Turkic invaders, settling in the Solu-Khumbu region of Nepal. The present article challenges this account, arguing that there was no such group migration. Sherpa origins were more diffuse, their constitution as a distinct group emerging not in Tibet, but in Solu-Khumbu itself.
Old Tibetan Studies in Honor of Tsuguhito Takeuchi and Helga Uebach, 2026
The terms discussed in this brief communication are well known to Tibetanists chiefly owing to th... more The terms discussed in this brief communication are well known to Tibetanists chiefly owing to their occurrence in the famous narratives revealed as “treasures” (gter ma) during the fourteenth century by O rgyan gling pa (1323-1360?), namely, the epic tale of Padmasambhava, the Padma bka’ yi thang yig, and its five shorter annexes, grouped together as the Bka’ thang sde lnga. Recent Tibetan lexicographers have usually been content to identify bka’ thang and thang yig as referring to books drawn out of the earth, or else have defined them with reference to well-known literary genres. The precise meaning of these terms remains in some respects puzzling, and I seek here to clarify them regarding their history and possible origins.
Recent Research on Tibet, pp. 379-419, 2026/03/27 A Festschrift for Guntram Hazod on the Occasion of His 70th Birthday, 2026
One of the key terms of religion and statecraft under the Tibetan empire (7th – 9th centuries) ap... more One of the key terms of religion and statecraft under the Tibetan empire (7th – 9th centuries) appears to have been gtsug lag, often translated “wisdom,” and in particular sometimes interpreted as “the special capacity whereby a monarch knows to bring proper order to his subjects.” I believe, however, that it will be useful now to consider anew the significance of gtsug lag, taking account of the full range of its occurrences in Old Tibetan documents. Although this undertaking does not yield a fundamental change in our comprehension of the term and its place in Tibetan imperial discourse, a more finely nuanced understanding does come into view, in particular, in its relation to Buddhist canonical conceptions of learning.
Celebrating 100 Years of Wisdom: Honouring His Eminence Yongdzin Lopon Tenzin Namdak, 2025
Presentation and translation of "The Canon Expounding the Sequence of Vehicles," the root text of... more Presentation and translation of "The Canon Expounding the Sequence of Vehicles," the root text of the Bonpo system of nine vehicles of spiritual practice according to the traditions of the "Central Treasure," originating with the translator and culture hero Berotsana.
Annuaire EPHE, Sciences religieuses, t. 126, 2019
Brief note on an interesting 'Brug pa bka' brgyud manuscript preserved in Paris. Part of my 2017-... more Brief note on an interesting 'Brug pa bka' brgyud manuscript preserved in Paris. Part of my 2017-2018 seminar at the EPHE, Paris.
Connaître Dieu Métamorphoses de la théologie comme science dans les religions monothéistes, 2024
A brief introduction to the Tibetan contemplative and philosophical genre of "Guides to the View.... more A brief introduction to the Tibetan contemplative and philosophical genre of "Guides to the View." This was written for an audience of theologians and published in a volume entitled "To Know God." But that's in fact not quite my theme here - I've never been comfortable with the idea of "theology" in a Buddhist context - and the article may be of some interest to those studying Tibetan Buddhism alone. Pierre Hadot's thinking on "spiritual exercise" is also referenced, however.
Tibetan Buddhism: Reason and Revelation, 1992
One of my golden oldies...
Living Treasure, 2023
A chapter from the autobiography of the 19th century Nyingmapa adept and visionary Khagye Terton,... more A chapter from the autobiography of the 19th century Nyingmapa adept and visionary Khagye Terton, relating his childhood in Amdo and unhappy experience as a recognized incarnation (tulku) in a leading Gelukpa monastery. The essay appears in the volume honoring Janet Gyatso.
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Papers by Matthew Kapstein