Doc. Daniel Berounský, Ph.D
E-mail:
Seminar of Mongolian and Tibetan Studies, Associate Professor, Director of the Institute
Academic interests
Tibetan history, religions and literature
The published research comprises case studies of spirit-mediums from North-Eastern Tibet, indigenous pre-Buddhist rituals, origins of the tradition of Tibetan reincarnated masters, studies of the cult of local deities in Tibet, Tibetan literary traditions concerning afterlife and history of Ngawa; the nerve-centre of the recent wave of self-immolations in Tibet.
Education
1993-2000 MA, The Hussite Theological Faculty of Charles University, Judaism and Study of Religions
2000-2005 Ph.D, Institute of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, Charles University. dissertation theses: Jamantaka Tantra in Myth, Legend and Ritual
20014 habilitation, Comenius University, Bratislava (Oriental languages and cultures)
Employment
2004-2009 researcher, Institute of South and Central Asia
2000, 2002, 2004 lecturer, The Hussite Theological Faculty, Charles University
2004 lecturer, Institute of Academic Studies of Religions, Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University , Brno
2006 lecturer, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Faculty of Arts, Pardubice University
since 2009 lecturer, Institute of South and Central Asia, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
since 2014 Associated Professor, director, Institute of South and Central Asia, Faculty of Arts, Charles University
Field Research
1993-1996 and 2000 longer stays (altogether 1, 5 year) in Buryatia, Atsagat Monastery, work on documentary film and cooperation with documentary photographer J. Štreit
1998, 2001 10 month stays among the Tibetan refugees in India (Bir, Dharamsala, Dehradun)
2001, 2004-2007, 2010-2011 field research in Amdo (21 month) focused mainly on cult of local deities and Tibetan deity-mediums
2008, 2009 field research in India, Nepal, Arunachal Pradesh
Courses
Classical Tibetan I-III
Reading Classical Tibetan
Buddhism
Tibetan History
Tibetan Literature
Tibetan Culture (with geshe Nyima)
Introduction to Study
Holy Places and Deities of Central Asia (with V. Zikmundová and A. Oberfalzerová)
Shamanic Traditions of Central Asia (with V. Zikmundová and A. Oberfalzerová)
Conference presentations, invited talks and presentations, lecture series (last 5 years)
Lecture series Religion and Politics among Uygurs and Tibetans During the Yuan Period, duben 2012, Wien, Austria, 12 hrs.
Conference: Tibet is Burning: Self-immolations in Tibet, 14th-15th May 2012, paper: The Kirti monastery in Ngaba: Its history and recent situation, École Pratique des Haute Études – INALCO, Paris.
Invited lecture Současná krize ve východním Tibetu (Contemporary crises in Eastern Tibet) seminar organized by Ministry of Inner Affairs, Czech Republic, November 2012.
Conference: Bön at the Peripheries, 28th February 2013, Universität Wien-Museum für Volkerkunde, paper: 11th-12th Century Semi-Historical Bönpo Masters from Amdo.
Invited lecture organized by Lech Walesa Foundation and Warsaw University, talk: Contemporary situation in Eastern Tibet (13. 3. 2013); invited lecture at the Warsaw University The Tibetan Cult of Local Deities (14th May 2013), Warsaw.
Invited lecture Tibetan rituals of weather-making through Tsongkhapa, École Pratique des Haute Études, 5th April 2013, Paris.
Conference Central Asia as a room for interdisciplinary cooperation organized by Institute of South and Central Asia, Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Archeological Institute, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, paper Tibetské ochranné rituály a přivolávání deště skrze Tsongkhapu (Tibetan protective rituals and rain summoning ritual through Tsongkhapa), 11th April, Prague.
13th Seminar of International Association for Tibetan Studies, paper: Weather-changing rituals through Tsongkhapa, 21st-27th July, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
Invited lecture The White Vulture Rock (Brag dkar bya rgod) and Kyangphag (sKyang ’phags) of Thewo (The bo), Amdo, Humboldt Universität, Berlin, 13th November 2013.
Conference History and Fiction organized by Instutue of Far Eastern Studies, paper: Démonický tabák v Tibetu (Demonic Tobacco in Tibet), 9th December 2013, Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague.
International workshop Indigenous Elements in Tibetan Religions, paper Notes on Evolution of g.yang ‘gugs (“Summoning of Well-Being”) Ritual, workshop organiser, Palacky University, Olomouc, 15th February 2014.
Invited lecture Současná situace v Tibetu (Current Situation in Tibet), 12th March, Pardubice University.
Workshop: Wordly Protectors in Tibetan Religions, paper: Worldly rituals through Tsongkhapa, 4th June 2014, Oxford University, Wolfson College, Oxford.
Workshop: Dynamics of Change: Agents, mechanisms and economics of transformation in Amdo, P.R.China, 13. – 15. 12., Humboldt University, Berlin, paper Old murals near Dan tig monastery in Amdo.
Workshop Tibetan Borderlands, paper Notes on the cult of the local deities in Amdo, workshop organiser, Palacky University, Olomouc, 28th February 2015.
Invited lecture Současná situace v Tibetu (Current Situation in Tibet), 17th March 2015, Pardubice University.
Lecture An improbable Tibetan ritual: bsang purification by fox (wa bsang), 2nd April 2015, CRCAO, Collège de France.
Semestral course The cult of deities in Central Asia (part I – Tibet). Institut für Südasien-, Tibet- und Buddhismuskunde, Universität Wien, Austria, 16 hrs., 4th-8th May 2015.
Workshop Memories of Kings: Kongship in the Religious Imaginings of Asia. Parer: Memories of Kingship in the Post-imperial Chronicle of Bon, 22nd -23rd May 2015, Ludwig-Maxmilians Universität, München.
China International Conference of Shang Shung Culture Studies, paper Ritual of purification by burning fox (wa bsang), September 18-20 2015, Beijing, PRC.
Bonpo manuscript Culture: Towards a Definition of an Emerging Field, The Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures, University of Hamburg, 11.-12. 3. 2016, paper The Nyen Collection (Gnyan ‘bum): three versions of an anthology of Tibetan myths on Nyen.
Director d’études invité, École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris, one month: May 2016, cycle of lectures on the topic Sources pour les rituels de purification et le culte des divinités locales au Tibet.
14th Seminar of International Association for Tibetan Studies, 19.-25. 6., Bergen, Norway, paper Animal offerings in Nyen Collection (Gnyan ‘bum).
International Conference on Bon, 29.6.-1.7. 2016, paper Fox Fumigation (Wa bsang), Blou, Shenten Dargyeling, France.
Publications
Monographs
2002 with M. Slobodník, Labrang: tibetský buddhistický kláštor v socialistickej Číne; dokumenty a svedectvá. Lungta, Bratislava, ISBN 80-968860-0-2.
2012 The Tibetan Version of The Scripture on the Ten Kings and the Quest for Chinese Influence on the Tibetan Perception of the Afterlife. Triton - Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Prague, 319 pp., ISBN 978-80-7387-584-8.
Textbooks
2013 Archaické tibetská literatura (7.-10. stol.). Masarykova univerzita, Brno, 166 pp., ISBN 978-80-210-6358-7.
2014 Tibetské představy o zásvětí. Masarykova univerzita, Brno, 118 pp. ISBN 978-80-210-7069-1.
Volumes edited
Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia ‘08. Vol. 1/2. Special Issue: Mediums and Shamans in Central Asia. Edited by D. Berounský. Charles University and Triton, Praha, ISSN 1803-5647.
Mongolo-Tibetica ’14, vol. 7/2. Special Issue: Indigenous Elements in Tibetan Religions. Edited by D. Berounsky. Faculty of Arts, Charles University – Triton, Prague, ISSN 1803-5647.
Research articles
2001 with L. Bělka, Burjatský buddhistický obřad “Předložení tisíce ofěr” u stúpy Dašigomon. In: Religio 1/ 2001, pp. 25-50, ISSN 1210-3640
2001 “Příchod k útočišti” jako vyznání víry tibetského buddhismu. Religio 2/ 2001, pp. 157-180, ISSN 1210-3640
2001 with M. Slobodník, Uctívání hor v amdoských vesnicích Gängja. In: Hieron 6, pp. 3-14, ISBN 80-89058-11-6.
2003 with M. Slobodník, The Noble Mountaineer: An Account of la btsas Festival in Gengya Villages in Amdo. In: Archiv Orientální, Volume 71, Number 3, August 2003, pp. 263-284, ISSN 0044-8699.
2003 Poněkud ozbrojení strážci “dalha” aneb jak v Tibetu vítězí bohové. In: Studia Orientalia Slovaca 2/2003, pp. 101–132; ISSN 1336-3786
2004 The Wind Horse Galloping: On a Tibetan Symbol Connected with Nature. In: Vacek, J, ed., Pandanus’ 04, Signeta, Praha, pp. 185-203, ISBN 80-903325-1-X.
2004 Abundance in a whirpool of symbolic contexts: Notes on Tibetan g.yang ‘gugs and Buryat dalga rituals. In: Vacek, J., Oberfalzerová, A., eds., Mongolica Pragensia ’04, Triton, Praha, pp. 167-193, ISBN 80-7254-606-6.
2005 with L. Sklenka, Tibetan Tsha-tsha. In: Annals of Náprstek Museum, 26/2005, pp. 59-72, ISSN 0231-844X.
2005 The Tigress and the Goddess;The Tibetan Sacred Place Tagtshang Lhamo. In: Vacek, J., ed., Pandanus ’05, Signeta, Praha, pp. 135-188, ISBN 80-903325-2-8.
2005 Thirtheen Northern Lords of Khori Buryats in Tibetan Ritual Texts of Aga Monastery. In: Vacek, J., Oberfalzerová, A., eds., Mongolica Pragensia ’05, Triton, Praha, pp. 123-170, ISBN 80-7254-754-2.
2005 Nepolapený obřad. Pohřební rituál Učitele Šenraba Miwo v tibetském bönu. In: Kováč. M., Kovácz A., Podolinská T, eds., Cesty na druhý svet; Smrť a posmrtný život v náboženstvách sveta, edice CERES, Chronos, Bratislava, pp. 54-68, ISBN 80-89027-15-6.
2006 Dondub Gjälova bolestná hledání nové tibetské poezie. In: Nový Orient, ročník 61, 2006/4, pp. 41-44, ISSN 0029-5302.
2006 Tibetská sádhana osobního božstva Vadžrabhairavy. In: Studia Orientalia Slovaca vol. V/2006, pp. 115-137, ISSN 1336-3786.
2006 Tělo jako vězení božstev v tradici tibetského lidového náboženství. In: Doležalová, I.; Hamar, E.; Bělka, L., eds., Náboženství a tělo, Masarykova univerzita, Brno, pp. 197-205, ISBN 80-89027-15-16
2006 Tibetan ritual texts concerning the local deities of the Buryat Aga Autonomous Region, Part I. In: Vacek, J.; Oberfalzerová, A., eds., Mongolica Pragensia ´06, Triton, Praha, pp. 191-240, ISBN 80-7254-920-0.
2007 Vrány rozsévající děs a červi s železnou tlamičkou. Pekla v tibetském textu abhidharmy (Crows disseminating dread and worms with iron mouths. Hells in Tibetan text of abhidharma). In: Religio, 1/2007, pp. 109-124, ISSN 1210-3640.
2007 Lapsed Buddhists, evil tobacco and opening of the Bon pilgrimage place of Dmu ri in the Thewo region of Amdo. In: Pandanus´07, edited by J. Vacek, pp. 165-234, ISSN 1802-7997.
2007 Tibetan ritual texts concerning the local deities of the Buryat Aga Autonomous Region, Part II. In: Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia ´07, Ethnolinguistics and Sociolinguistics in Synchrony and Diachrony. Edited by J. Vacek and A. Oberfalzerová. Triton, Praha, pp. 131–176; ISSN 1802-7989.
2007 Iconography and Texts of the Tibetan Five Protecting Deities. In: Filosofija, religija i kul’tura stran vostoka: Matěrijaly naučnoj konferencii. Izdatělstvo Sankt-Petěrburgskogo univesitěta, Skt. Petersburg, pp. 331-340, ISBN 978-5-288-04523-3.
2008 Powerful Hero (Dpa’ rtsal): Protective Deity from the 19th century Amdo and his mediums. In: Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia. Vol. 1/2. Special Issue: Mediums and Shamans in Central Asia. Edited by D. Berounský. Charles University and Triton, Praha, pp. 67–115, ISSN 1803-5647.
2009 “Soul of Enemy“ and warrior deities (dgra bla): Two Tibetan myths on primordial battle. In: MONGOLO-TIBETICA PRAGENSIA ’09, Linguistics, Ethnolinguistics, Religion and Culture. Vol. 2/2. Edited by J. Vacek and A. Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2009, pp. 19–57; ISSN 1803-5647.
2009 Mountain Cult in North-Eastern Tibet and its Relation to the Buddhist Reincarnated Masters. In: Gacek, T; Pstrusiṅska, J., eds., Proceedings of the Ninth Conference of the European Society for Central Asian Studies, Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Cambridge, pp. 31-41, ISBN 978-1-4438-1248-1.
2010 Entering dead bodies and the miraculous power of the Tibetan Kings: The landmark of Karma Pakshi’s reincarnation in Tibet. Part I. In: MONGOLO-TIBETICA PRAGENSIA ’10, Linguistics, Ethnolinguistics, Religion and Culture. Vol. 3/2. Edited by J. Vacek and A. Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2010, pp. 7–33; ISSN 1803-5647.
2010 Opice a démon theurang: tibetské mýty a ochranné obrázky z Amda. In: Olivová, L. a kolektiv, Zvířecí mýty a mytická zvířata, Academia, Praha, pp. 28-47, ISBN 978-80-200-1815-1.
2011 Entering dead bodies and the miraculous power of the Kings: The landmark of Karma Pakshi's reincarnation in Tibet. Part II. Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia '11, Ethnolinguistics, Sociolinguistics, Religion and Culture. Vol. 4/2. Edited by Jaroslav Vacek and Alena Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2011, pp. 7–29; ISSN 1803-5647.
2012 Kīrti monastery of Ngawa: Its history and recent situation. In: Revue d'Etudes Tibétaines, No. 25, pp. 65–80 (http://www.digitalhimalaya.com/collections/journals/ret/), ISSN 1768-2959.
2012 The murdered king protecting fields: A Tibetan deity-medium from the Bonpo village in Amdo. In: Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia '12, Ethnolinguistics, Sociolinguistics, Religion and Culture. Vol. 5/2. Edited by Jaroslav Vacek and Alena Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2012 ; ISSN 1803-5647.
2013 Tibetský text Sútry o deseti králích ze sbírek Národní galerie v Praze. In: Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Philologica 1/2013, Orientalia Pragensia XIX, Karlova Univerzita v Praze, Karolinum, pp. 63-71. ISBN 978-80-246-2118-0; ISSN 0567-8269.
2013 Bon religion in 11th-12th century Amdo: A case of Kyangphag Mula Drungmu (sKyang ’phags mu la drung mu). In: Asiatische Studien/ Etudes Asiatiques, 2013/1, Bern, ISSN 0004-4717, pp. 783-808.
2013 Demonic tobacco in Tibet. In: Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia '13, Ethnolinguistics, Sociolinguistics, Religion and Culture. Vol. 6/2. Edited by Alena Oberfalzerová and Daniel Berounský. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2013 ; ISSN 1803-5647, pp. 7-34
2014 Tibetská tabáková historie. In: Labus, D. – Löwensteinová, M., eds., Tradice a proměny: Mýtus, historie a fikce v Asii. FF UK in Prague, Varia series, pp. 65-90; ISBN 978-80-7308-515-5.
2014 Tibetan myths on “good fortune“ (phya) and “well-being“ (g.yang). In: Berounský, Daniel, ed., Mongolo-Tibetica ’14, vol. 7/2, Faculty of Arts – Triton, Prague, pp. 55-77, ISSN 1803-5647.
2014 Tibetan “Magical Rituals“ (las sna tsogs) from the Power of Tsongkhapa. In: Vitali, Roberto, ed., Trails of Tibetan Tradition. Papers for Elliot Sperling. Amnye Machen Institute, Dharamsala, pp. 95-111, ISBN 978-81-86227-72-5.
2015 A Dialogue between the Priest and the Deer. In Hanna Havnevik and Charles Ramble (eds), From Bhakti to Bon: Festschrift for Per Kvaerne. The Institute for Comparative Research in Human Culture. Oslo: Novus forlag, pp. 97-112, ISBN 978-82-7099-817-3.
Popularizing articles, translations
1995 with V. Zikmundová, Bidija Dandaron. In: Revolver Revue 28: 321-325.
2000 with L. Bělka abd J. Štreit , Na konci světa (At the End of the World). Volary 2000 (part Kižinga: pp. 6-24), ISBN 80-902707-3-5.
2002 Král Straka (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy 16/2002: 20, ISSN 1212-4354.
2002 Zaječí pysk (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy 15/2002: 20, ISSN 1212-4354.
2002 Starej Sipleb (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy 17/2002: 20-21, ISSN 1212-4354.
2002 Šlachík a Sádlinka (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy 18/2002: 20, ISSN 1212-4354.
2003 Oklamaný Dugu Dogdog (translation of a Tibetan folktale), In: Tibetské listy 21/2003: 20, ISSN 1212-4354.
2003 Toulavá mrtvola (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy 22/2003: 20, ISSN 1212-4354.
2004 Bramborsrýží je tu! (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy č. 24, ISSN 1212-4354.
2004 Vyvstání černohlavých človíčků (translation of a Tibetan myth). In: Tibetské listy č. 26, ISSN 1212-4354.
2004 Zaječí pysk (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Kolmaš, J., Suma tibetského písemnictví. Argo, Praha, pp. 323-4, IBSN 80-7203-592-4.
2005 Kočičí máma a syn (translation of a Tibetan folktale). In: Tibetské listy č.29-30, ISSN 1212-4354, pp.28.
2005 Buddhismus; Univerzální náboženství Asie. (Skripta pro Univerzitu třetího věku), VPC, Brno.
2006 with L. Sklenka, Tibetská mandala z Ladaku. Lungta, Praha (brožura k příležitosti sypání mandaly Guhjasamádži v Praze).
2007 Dva příběhy o hudbě. In: Tibetské listy č. 33, 2007, pp. 21-24, ISSN 1212-4354.
2008 Buddha Šákjamuni v tradici tibetského bönu. In: Tibetské listy č. 34, 2008, pp. 17-21, ISSN 1212-4354.
2009 Buddhismus; In: kolektiv autorů, Náboženství světa. (Skripta pro Univerzitu třetího věku), Masarykova Univerzita, Brno, pp. 18-22, ISBN 978-80-210-4961-1.
2011 Původ tibetského krále podle kroniky bönu. In: Tibetské listy, č. 39, jaro 2011, pp. 12-15. ISSN 1212-4354.
Reviews
Bělka, Luboš, Tibetský buddhismus v Burjatsku. In: Religio 1/2002, Brno 2002, pp. 129-131, ISSN 1210-3640.
Bareja-Starzyńska, Agata and Marek Mejor, Kalasyczny język tibetański. Warszava: Dialog, 2002. In: Archiv Orientální, vol. 74 (2006), pp. 250-1, ISSN 0044-8699.
Victoria Sujata. Tibetan Songs of Realization: Echoes From a Seventeenth-Century Scholar and Siddha in Amdo. In: Archív Orientální, vol. 76 (2008), pp. 428-431, ISSN 0044-8699.
Eposito, Monika, ed., Images of Tibet in the 19th and 20th centuries. Études thématiques 22, II vol., École française d’Extrême-Orient, Paris 2008, 856 pp.; 100EUR; ISBN 978-2-85539-659-0 In: MONGOLO-TIBETICA PRAGENSIA ’10, Linguistics, Ethnolinguistics, Religion and Culture, Vol. 3/2. Edited by J. Vacek and A. Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2010, pp. 183–187; ISSN 1803-5647.
Goldstein, Melvyn C., Jiao Ben, Lhudrup Tanzen, On the Cultural Revolution in Tibet: The Nyemo Incident in 1969. University of California Press, Berkeley–Los Angeles–London, 2009, 236 pp., ISBN 978-0-520-25682-8. In: Études mongoles et sibériennes, centrasiatiques et tibétaines [On-line], 40 | 2009: http://emscat.revues.org/index1534.html, ISSN elektronické 2101-0013.
Mejor, Marek; Helman-Waźny, Agnieszka; Chashab, Thubten Kunga, A Preliminary Report on the Wanli Kanjur Kept in the Jagiellonian Library, Kraków. Studia Buddhica 1. Research Centre of Buddhist Studies, Faculty of Oriental Studies, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 2010, 213 pp.; Price not specified; ISBN 978-83-903229-3-3, In: Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia '11, Vol. 4/2. Edited by Jaroslav Vacek and Alena Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2011, pp. 7–29; ISSN 1803-5647, pp. 141-144.
Buffetrille, Katia (ed.), Revisiting Rituals in a Changing Tibetan World. Brill’s Tibetan Studies Library, vol. 31, Brill, Leiden-Boston 2012, 386 pp.; ISBN 978-90-04-23217-4. In: MONGOLO-TIBETICA PRAGENSIA ’12. Linguistics, Ethnolinguistics, Religion and Culture. Vol. 5/2. Edited by J. Vacek and A. Oberfalzerová. Charles University and Triton, Praha 2012, pp. 119–124; ISSN 1803-5647
Scherrer-Schaub, Cristina, ed., 2012, Old Tibetan Studies: Dedicated to the Memory of R. E. Emmerick. Brill, Leiden-Boston, 254 pp., ISBN 978–90–04–15517–6, price 101€–review by Daniel Berounský, Mongolo-Tibetica Pragensia’13, ISSN 1803-5647.
Projects and grants awarded
Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund (2001): field reseach in Northen India.
Central European University- Curriculum Resource Center (2003): course “Historie tibetského buddhismu ve Vnitřní Asii 20. století” (History of Tibetan Buddhism in 20th Century Inner Asia) at Faculty of Arts, Charles University, Masaryk University and Comenius University, in cooperation with L. Bělka (Brno) and M. Slobodník (Bratislava).
Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange (2003-4): participation in the project “Náboženská politika Čínské lidové republiky vůči tibetskému buddhismu: komparativní analýza” (Religious policy of People’s Republic of China towards Tibetan Buddhism: A comparative analysis).
“Sasakawa Young Leaders Fellowship Fund” (2003): field research in Northen India.
Grant Agency of Czech Republic (2005-2007), co-investigator, Obraz a text v buddhismu: tibetská a mongolská ikonografie (Image and Text in Buddhism: Tibetan and Mongolian Iconography), grant No. 401/05/2744.
Researcher within the Research Project Language as human activitz, as its product and factor (2005-2009/2011 č. MSM 0021620825) Principal investigator: doc. PhDr. Zdeněk Starý, CSc.
Grant Agency of Czech Republic, No. 401/08/0762 (2008-2010), principle investigator „Božstva tibetských náboženství: religionistický přístup“ (Deities of the Tibetan religions: approach of academic study of religions).