Talk on Buddhist Life Cycle Rituals of Nepal at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara
Dr. Alexander von Rospatt
Rabin Man Shakya
Nepal Oregon News
A scholarly and brilliant presentation “Tantric Priests in Nepalese Buddhism: Their Performance of Life Cycle Rituals and Other Ceremonies” by Dr. Alexander von Rospatt was organized at Nritya Mandala Mahavihara in Portland on Saturday, November 9, 2019. This talk, which was the last one in a series of talks, was part of the ongoing tenth anniversary of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara.
The event kicked off with a presentation by Kuon Hunt from her biography of Nritya Mandala Mahavihara’s priest Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya, called “Hidden Treasures: The Story of a Vajracharya Boy from Kathmandu and Newar Vajrayana Buddhism”.
Prior to the starting of the presentation, priest and co-founder Prajwal Ratna Vajracharya gave a brief introduction of Dr. von Rospatt, saying ”Dr. Rospatt also speaks in Nepali and Nepal Bhasa, he is very close to me and my family in Nepal.”
Kuon Hunt
In making the presentation, Dr. von Rospatt said ”Religious rituals that begin from the birth of a child and end with the death of a man are very important in the lives of the Newah Buddhists.”
Special attention was paid to the life cycle rituals that Nepalese Buddhists undergo as they grow and pass away. Dr. von Rospatt shed light on birth rituals, rice feeding ceremonies, Ihi, Bara Tayegu, Chuda Karma, wedding ceremonies, Bhimratharohan, death rituals, and more.
Dr. von Rospatt’s talk engaged with the rituals of tantric priests (Vajracharyas) in the Nepalese traditions performed on behalf of their clients and the larger community.
Dr. von Rospatt has long been a part of the Nritya Mandala Mahavihara family and participated in its original consecration days ten years ago. Also, Dr. von Rospatt studied closely with Pandit Ratna Kaji Vajracharya, Prajwal’s father.
Dr. von Rospatt is professor for Buddhist and South Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley and specializes in the doctrinal history of Indian Buddhism and in the indigenous Buddhist tradition of the Kathmandu Valley.
His new book “The Swayambhu Chaitya and Its Renovations” considers the ritual history and social contexts of the historical renovations of the Swayambhu Stupa of Kathmandu. His other research explores various aspects of Newar tradition, including its narrative literature, art and historical heritage and rituals. Dr. von Rospatt’s research is grounded in the study of Sanskrit and Newah texts and informed by fieldwork and the study of material culture.
During the program, Dr. von Rospatt answered numerous questions asked by Nepalese and American participants. To a question of Nepal Oregon News, “Newah Sukunda has Ganesh image on it, some Newah Buddhists worship Lord Ganesh during some rituals, maybe that is why some die-hard Hindus assert that Buddhism is a part of Hinduism. What is your comment?”, Dr Rospatt replied ”Many of the life cycle rituals of Newah Buddhists and Newah Hindus are similar to a greater extent. Buddhists and Hindus have been living in harmony in Nepal for centuries. Forget the die-hard Hindus.”
The program was attended by about 50 Nepalese and American Portlanders and was followed by a lunch.