Buddhism in the Himalayan Deserts: the Tradition of Yogis and Yoginis in Ladakh

In the project a largely unknown tradition of Buddhist hermits and hermitesses (Skrt. yogi, Skrt. yogini; Tib. naljorpa) in Vajrayana Buddhism, which has been continuously preserved in Ladakh since the 11th century, will be examined. While institutional monasticism in Vajrayana Buddhism, including the Ladakh region, has been the subject of a relatively extensive research, the tradition of Ladakhi yogis and yoginis has not yet received systematic and in-depth investigation. The proposed project seeks to address two interconnected research problems: first, the lack of systematic and comprehensive academic research on the past and the contemporary aspects of Buddhist eremitic tradition in Ladakh; second, its endangered material heritage. Based on the outlined research issues, six objectives have been set. The first objective is a systematic study of the origins of the eremitic tradition in the area of Ladakh, examining its philosophical and historical aspects. The analysis of the fundamental philosophical teachings of Buddhist eremitic tradition in the original texts will be complemented by an examination of the historical circumstances of the formation of eremitism in the Ladakh area, based on archival research of historical sources in Ladakh, Oxford and Budapest. The second objective is a study of the relevance of the legendary yogis and yoginis of the past and present for the spiritual and cultural landscape of Ladakh. The research will be based on the analysis of the philosophical texts of the tradition and the hagiographies, complemented by a case studies based on collecting the testimonies of Ladakhi yogis and yoginis. The third objective is an examination of the way of life, a typology of spiritual practices and meditation retreats of Ladakhi hermits and hermitesses. The case studies based on the testimonies of yogis and yoginis will be complemented by the theoretical philosophical aspects addressed in the first objective. The fourth objective is a documentation (professional photo-documentation, creation of a database with interactive maps) of material heritage, i.e. desert settlements and eremitic dwellings, since the segments of the latter are subject to inexorable decay due to the effects of the weather and other environmental factors. The fifth objective is a study of the relation between yogis and yoginis and the natural environment, and the sixth is a study of the relation between the hermits and hermitesses and local communities. The research will be based on a combination of analysis of philosophical and hagiographical texts and case studies. The distinctive feature of our research method is associated with textual studies and archival research that are complemented by case studies, as this is the only way to gain in-depth and extensive insights into the diverse aspects of the living eremitism, from its beginnings to the present day.            The main results of the dissemination will be a monograph, which will systematically incorporate all the findings generated in the course of the research, and a collection of interviews based on case studies, accompanied by a synthesis of the findings on historical and contemporary aspects of Ladakhi eremitism. The papers on the various thematic areas of the research will be published in Slovenian and international scientific journals, and international scientific conference and annual workshops will be organised during the project period, providing an opportunity for the evaluation of project results and networking with the local and international scholarly community. The research work will also be made available to the general public through exhibitions of photographic and video material. At the beginning of the project, a website will be created to publish the individual segments of the research and, detailed and multifaceted documentation in the form of an online open access database on hermitages in Ladakh with interactive maps of desert settlements.