Lama Govinda: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Lama_Govinda_AT_March_1985.jpg|330px|right|thumb|Lama Govinda. Photo printed with his obituary in The American Theosophist, March 1985.]]
#REDIRECT [[Anagarika Govinda]]
 
[[Category:Writers|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Poets|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Artists|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Lecturers|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Pāli scholars|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Sanskrit scholars|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Buddhists|Govinda, Lama]]
[[Category:Nationality German|Govinda, Lama]]
 
== Life ==
 
Lama Anagarika Govinda was born Ernst Lothar Hoffman in Waldheim, Germany (old kingdom of Saxony) in 1898, the son of a German father and a Bolivian mother. He was the founder of the Buddhist Order Arya Maitreya Mandala. As a young man living in Italy, he became interested in [[Buddhism]] and meditation during the 1920s. In 1928 he moved to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) where he studied Buddhism, mastered the language of Pāli, and took his Buddhist vows. In 1931 Govinda met his Tibetan guru, Tomo Geshe Rinpoche, by whom he was initiated into the [[Gelug-pa sect]]. He spent the next thirty years in northern India, while finding time to make several trips to [[Tibet]] during the early 1930s and again in 1948-49. In 1960 he began his worldwide travels, speaking on Buddhism to audiences in Europe, North America, Japan, South Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Philippines.
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According to Dora Kunz, Lama Govinda was raised as a Christian, but was interested in all religions from early boyhood. He visited Adyar and spent time with [[Charles Webster Leadbeater|Charles Leadbeater]]. He disagreed with some of Mr. Leadbeater's views on Tibet, particularly related to [[Wesak]].<ref>Dora Kunz, interviewed by Peter Michel. Audio recordings and transcripts in TSA Archives.</ref>
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Lama Govinda spent his final days, with his wife Li Gotami, at the Zen Center in Marin County, California, near San Francisco, and passed away in 1985.<ref> "Lama Anagarika Govinda," Quest Books Web page [http://www.questbooks.net/author.cfm?authornum=267], accessed March 30, 2012.</ref>
 
== Lectures ==
[[File:Lama Govinda 1 1977.jpg|350px|right|thumb|Lama Govinda and Li Gotami in Olcott Library, 1977. Photo by Floyd Kettering.]]
 
[[File:Lama Govinda 2 1977.jpg|350px|left|thumb|Lama Govinda and Li Gotami in Olcott Library, 1977. Photo by Floyd Kettering.]]
 
In 1977, Lama Govinda lectured at the headquarters of the [[Theosophical Society in America]] in Wheaton, Illinois, and two of his talks were recorded:
 
* '''"Concepts of Buddhism."''' This talk by Lama Govinda at the age of 79 reveals the discerning wisdom gained from a lifetime devoted to the practice and study of [[Tibetan Buddhism]] and other Eastern philosophical and religious systems. Much of this program involves Lama Govinda responding to spontaneous questions from the audience. Topics covered include dharma, reincarnation, transformation, [[Advaita Vedanta]], and the differences between [[Zen]] and Tibetan Buddhism. 1977. 66 minutes.<ref> "Concepts of Buddhism," Quest Books Web page [http://www.questbooks.net/title.cfm?bookid=487], accessed March 30, 2012.</ref>
 
* '''"Development of Buddhism."''' In this talk he explains the historical origins of Buddhism and how it differs from Hinduism. Terms such as nirvana, karma, and ahimsa are dealt with in some detail. The recording includes questions and answers from the audience. 1977. 64 minutes.<ref> "Development of Buddhism," Quest Books Web page [http://www.questbooks.net/title.cfm?bookid=416], accessed March 30, 2012.</ref>
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== Writings ==
 
Lama Govinda was a prolific writer on Buddhism. Among his '''books''' are these:
 
* '''''Creative Meditation and Multidimensional Consciousness.''''' It was reviewed by Jim Tweedie in ''Circles, '' No. 1 (Spring 1985):12.
* '''''Insights of a Himalayan Pilgrim.''''' Review by Robert Boyd in ''Theosophical History'' Vol 5 (July 1995): 253.
* '''''The Psychological Attitude of Early Buddhist Philosophy.''''' Review by A. N. Relton in ''Theosophical Journal'' 2:4 (Jul-Aug 1961):26.
* '''''The Way of the White Clouds:  A Buddhist Pilgrim in Tibet.''''' Review by Sthavira Sangharakshita in ''Theosophical Journal'' 7:4 (Jul-Aug 1966): 25.
* '''''The Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism.'''''
 
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He was also a frequent contributor to '''''The American Theosophist''''':
 
* "The Significance of Meditation in Buddhism," ''The American Theosophist'' 58:11 (November 1970): 332.
* "Consciousness Expansion and Disintegration versus Concentration and Spiritual Regeneration," ''The American Theosophist'' 60:1 (January 1972): 7.
* Review of 'The Opening of the Wisdom-Eye and the History of the Advancement of Buddhadharma in Tibet' by HH Tenzin Gyatsho, ''The American Theosophist'' 60:5 (May 1972): 95.
* "Principles of Buddhist Tantrism," ''The American Theosophist'' 60:5 (May 1972): 124. 
* "The Seven Auspicious Symbols of a World Ruler," ''The American Theosophist'' 61:10 (October 1973): 283.
* "The Significance of Ritual in Buddhism," ''The American Theosophist'' 65:5 (May 1977): 124.
* "Polarity and Integration [extract]," ''The American Theosophist'' 68:5 (May 1980): 107.
* "Symbols of Transformation: Reflections on the Book of Changes," ''The American Theosophist'' 69:5 (May, 1981): 122. Reprinted from ''Main Currents'' Vol 32.
* "Completeness and Transformation [excerpt Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism]," ''The American Theosophist'' 69:7 (July 1981): 195.
* "Logic and Symbol in the Multi-Dimension Conception of the Universe," ''The American Theosophist'' 69:10 (November 1981): 122. Reprinted from ''Main Currents'' 1969.
* Quotation from "The Psychological Attitude of Early Buddhist Philosophy," ''The American Theosophist'' 70:9 (October 1982): 287.
* "Buddhism as Actuality beyond Pessimism & Optimism," ''The American Theosophist'' 71:10 (October 1982): 356.
* "Creative Meditation," ''The American Theosophist'' 73:3 (March 1985): 64.
* ""''The American Theosophist'' 70:9 (October 1982): 64.
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He also wrote articles for numerous '''other Theosophical periodicals''':
 
* "Pensées, " ''Le Lotus Bleu'' 92 (Avril 1987): 5.
* "Trance Walking And Lung-gom Training, " ''Light Bearer'' 14:3 (Autumn 2006): 31.
* "Consciousness Expansion: Disintegration versus Concentration & Spiritual Regeneration," ''Theosophy in Australia'' 36:5 (October 1972): 8.
* "Fundamental Principles of Meditation." ''Theoscientist'' 10:4 (1986): 8.
* "The Way of Transformation," ''Theosophy in New Zealand'' 41 (July-Sept 1980): 68.
* "Meeting with the Guru <nowiki>[reprint]</nowiki>," ''Theosophy in New Zealand'' 64 (September 2003): 7.
* "The Story of Siddha Kadgapa <nowiki>[reprint 1966]</nowiki>," ''Theosophy in New Zealand'' 64 (September 2003): 26.
* "Trance Walking and Lung-gom Training <nowiki>[extract Way of the White Clouds]</nowiki>," ''Theosophy in New Zealand'' 67 (March 2006): 8.
* "Creative Meditation," ''The Eclectic Theosophist'' 21 (Winter, 1992): 4.
 
== In memoriam ==
 
In March, 1985, The American Theosophist published a tribute to Lama Govinda:
 
<blockquote>
In January of 1985 Lama Anagarika Govinda passed on. Lama Govinda was a long-time friend of the Society, a fine Sanskrit scholar and a wise and kind man. He was born in Germany and very early in life embraced Buddhism. He studied in many European universities, but his dedication to Buddhism led him to India where he finally joined the Tibetan Buddhist order of monks. His greatest literary achievement was ''The Foundations of Tibetan Mysticism'', an outstanding contribution to Tibetan studies and beautifully written. After living for many years in the Himalayas, he and his wife Li Gotami, a wonderful photographer, spent the last few years at the Zen Center in Marin County, California. The community there looked after  im and his wife with loving care. All of us who knew him respected him greatly. The Theosophical Publishing House published one of his last books, ''Creative Meditation and Multi-Dimensional Consciousness'', a selection from which is reprinted in this issue of The American Theosophist.
<ref>"Lama Anagarika Govinda <nowiki>[obituary]</nowiki>," ''The American Theosophist'' 73:3 (March 1985): 86.</ref>
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== Notes ==
<references/>
 
 
== Additional resources ==
 
Lama Govinda Web page. [http://www.lamagovinda.com/]

Latest revision as of 18:30, 5 July 2012

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