KING OF THE EMPTY PLAIN: THE TIBETAN IRON-BRIDGE BUILDER TANGTONG GYALPO . By Cyrus Stearns . Ithaca, NY : Snow Lion Publications , 2007 . Pp . xix + 682 ; illustrations, plates. $49.95 .
摘要
In this publication, the culmination of nearly thirty years of patient scholarship, Stearns presents a masterful study of Tibet's acclaimed adept Tangtong Gyalpo (Thang stong rgyal po, 1361‐1485). Tangtong Gyalpo, literally “King of the Empty Plain,” is revered for his esoteric Buddhist teachings but also for his extensive work in the plastic and performing arts, architecture, and engineering. Stearns combines for the first time a complete and annotated translation of the master's best‐known biography with a critical review of his contributions to Tibetan religion and culture. He introduces the life story (itself consisting of some 400 pages of translation) with a series of thematic essays addressing issues central to the biographical tradition. These include a survey of the extensive literary corpus related to Tangtong Gyalpo and analyses of the master's purportedly exceptional life span, his transmission of Tantric Buddhist instructions, and his accomplishments as architect and engineer. Stearns also provides a critical discussion of Tangtong Gyalpo's unconventional and frequently transgressive behavior, a style of Tantric practice often described as divine madness. As an exemplary achievement of both elegant translation and nuanced interpretation, Stearns's book makes a valuable contribution to the study of Tibetan religious history and literature.
