Opening (to) the Sacred: The Ecology of Contemplation in the Tibetan Treasure Tradition
Journal of Contemplative Studies May 14, 2026 DOI: 10.57010/qeaf9551 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractBuddhist contemplation is inherently relational and ethical, not a detached exercise as in modern corporate mindfulness. Tibetan Buddhist thought entangles mind, body, and environment. An ecological approach—drawing on contemporary ecological theory—best illuminates the traditional Tibetan lifeworld. A case study of the place-based activities of the 19th-century Tibetan contemplative master and treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa and his two closest collaborators illustrates this ecological, relational dynamic.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Buddhism Meditation |
| Keywords | Contemplation Treasure Lifeworld |
| Key finding | Argues that an ecological approach to Buddhist contemplation, recognizing the entanglement of mind, body, and environment, is more apt than modern, corporatized mindfulness for understanding the traditional Tibetan lifeworld. |
Abstract
This article calls for an ecological approach to Buddhist contemplation, which recognizes the inherently relational and ethical nature of contemplative practice, in contrast to modern, corporatized approaches to mindfulness as an exercise of detachment. Showing that Tibetan Buddhist onto-epistemologies rest on the entanglement of mind, body, and environment, this piece proposes that an ecological approach to the traditional Tibetan lifeworld is most apt to illuminate its dynamics. Drawing on contemporary ecological theorists, it proposes a case study of the place-based activities of Tibetan contemplative master and treasure revealer Chokgyur Lingpa (1829–1870) and his two closest collaborators.