E-mail Dr. Gray
Education: Columbia University, New York, NY May 2000 Ph.D. in the History of Religion, with Distinction May 1998 M.Phil. in the History of Religion Major Field: Buddhist Studies Minor Field: Esoteric Buddhism in South and East Asia Fields of Concentration for Qualifying Exams: Esoteric Buddhism, Buddhist Philosophy, Social History of Buddhism in India, China and Tibet May 1995 M.A. in the History of Religion Master’s Essays: Two, on Dunhuang manuscripts and Shingon Buddhism Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT May 1993 B.A. in Religious Studies Area of Concentration: Buddhist Studies Honor Thesis: “The God and Demon Precepts: A Study and Translation of a Biography of the Indian Saint Padmasambhava” Honors: Magna Cum Laude May 1992 University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI Attended the College Year in Nepal program, June 1991 Conducted translation and fieldwork for B.A. thesis Dissertation:
Entitled “On Supreme Bliss: A Study of the History and Interpretation of the Cakrasa·vara Tantra,” my dissertation is based upon an edition and translation of the first four chapters of the Cakrasa·vara Tantra, which deal with the topics of ma°˜ala construction and initiation, and an annotated translation of Tsongkhapa’s commentary on those chapters. Following the groundbreaking studies of RyÒichi Abé and Charles Orzech, I have sought to place this work in context by exploring its literary relationships to the larger field of Buddhist literature. I examine the social and historical milieu in which it originated in India, arguing that Tantric Buddhism developed a “guru-centric” ideology in resistance to the dominant Brahmanic ideology of the time, and that this development is consistent both with the “liminal” groups by whom the tradition was ostensibly developed, the monastic context in which it was elaborated, and the general Weltschauung of the Tantric Buddhists, who adhered to a radical view of non-duality. I also explore the centrality of the ma°˜ala myth and the rite of initiation in the formation of this ideology. In the final chapter I examine the transmission of these myths and ritual technologies of this tradition to Tibet, on the basis of which a quite different ideology was constructed. I conclude that praxis has primacy over theory and ideology, and this is so precisely because the basic constituents of a tradition lack any intrinsic reality, and as human constructs can thus be put to any number of different ideological uses.
Awards: 1993-1999 President’s Fellowship, Columbia University 1997-1998 Traveling Fellowship, Columbia University 1995 Mellon Foundation Research Fellowship, Columbia University 1993-1994 Foreign Language Area Studies award, Columbia University 1993 Giffen Prize for Excellence in the Department of Religion, Wesleyan University 1990-1991 Ford Foundation Research Grant, Wesleyan University Teaching Experience: Eugene Lang College, New School University, New York, NY Spring 2000 Adjunct Instructor, “Introduction to Indo-Tibetan Buddhism.” Conducted a freshman seminar, devised syllabus, formulated course structure and requirements, lectured, led class discussion and administered all grades. New York University, New York, NY Spring 2000 Preceptor, “World Cultures: Chinese and Japanese Traditions.” Conducted bi-weekly seminar-style sections for a large freshman lecture course. Responsible for lecturing, leading class discussion, and administering grades. Columbia University, New York, NY 1997 Adjunct Instructor, “Introduction to Asian Religions.” Conducted seminar, devised syllabus, formulated course structure and requirements, lectured, led class discussion and administered all grades. 1995 Co-instructor, “Second Year Tibetan.” Responsible for design, instruction and evaluation of a language class. 1994-1997 Teaching Assistant. Assisted in curriculum development, led weekly discussion sections, preparation and delivery of lectures, composed exams and essay questions, and was responsible for all aspects of grade administration for the following classes: Dr. Robert Thurman’s “Indo-Tibetan Buddhism” (1994, 1996), Dr. RyÒichi Abé’s “Buddhism: East Asian” (1995, 1997), Dr. Matthew Kapstein’s “Topics in Indian Philosophy” (1995) and Dr. Angela Zito’s “Taoism” (1996). Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 1990-1993 Teaching Assistant. Led weekly discussion sections, lectured, and assisted in grading for the following courses: Dr. Janice Willis’s “Introduction to Buddhism” (1993) and Dr. Peter Jacobi’s “Organic Chemistry” (1990). Related Experience: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Princeton, NJ 1999-2000 Freelance Grant Report Writer. Research and compose reports summarizing the results of past grants. Columbia University, New York, NY 1995 Research Assistant. Assisted Dr. Matthew Kapstein with research concerning Tibetan history. Columbia University, New York, NY 1994 Research Assistant. Assisted conduct research concerning Tibetan religions, history, literature, economy and arts, contributing to the development of the CD-ROM “Illuminated Tibet: An Introduction to Tibetan Culture” (New York: Tibet House, 1999). Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT 1992-1993 Editorial Assistant. Assisted Dr Janice Willis of in the editing of her book, Enlightened Beings (Wisdom Publications, 1995). Proofread English translations using the Tibetan originals.
Languages: Speaking, reading and writing proficiency in modern and classical Tibetan and Chinese. Reading proficiency in classical and medieval Nevðri Buddhist Sanskrit and modern German. Publications/Papers: “The Cakrasamvara Tantra : The History of its development in India and its transmission to Tibet and China”. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Oriental Society. Portland, OR, March 2000. Memberships:
American Academy of Religion American Oriental Society