‘Challenging demoniacal beings’ 1
Hayley Saul
June 27, 2018 DOI: 10.4324/9781315204246-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that transversal conversations with the Dharma can resource Anthropocene debates about material causality, material agency, and the morality of artefacts and corporeality. Drawing on Alexandra David-Neel's encounters with the mortal frontier and her accounts of yiddams, tulkus, and tulpas, the chapter proposes that the body serves as a medium for encountering altered capacities of things beyond ordinary phenomenal experience, and reflects on the death-life-transformation entanglement. |
Abstract
This chapter seeks to resource Anthropocene debates through the transversal conversations with the Dharma, tackling alternative modes of thinking–being about material causality, material agency, the morality of artefacts and corporeality. It also seeks the experiences of the lady-lama Alexandra David-Neel (ADN) as she encountered the various and multiple aspects of the mortal frontier to reflect upon the nature of the death–life–transformation entanglement. The chapter discusses further conversation with the frontier of mortality, through the pilgrimages and experiences of the lady-lama, Alexandra David-Neel. ADN encountered this frontier in realms beyond ordinary phenomenal experience on several occasions. In fact, she went out of her way to gather stories and learn about it. Often the tales invoked the materiality of the body as a medium for encountering the altered capacities of things beyond the mortal frontier. ADN describes three related lively object manifestations: yiddams, tulkus and tulpas .