[Buddha-l] Written and oral traditions.

[Blumenthal, James]

>In the Tibetan Buddhist tradition it is considered vital to receive
>the oral transmission of any religious text before reading and
>studying it. 

I do not think that a blanket statement like this is really accurate.  Some Tibetan lineages and some teachers may stress the importance of oral transmission for some texts and practices, but this is by no means an across-the-board practice.  I have received numerous teachings from high and very conservative Tibetan lamas without them being preceded by an oral transmission.  Sometimes the oral transmission was offered at the end of the teaching.  On many occassions, lamas have suggested I read texts that they had not personally taught to me and that they did not think that I had studied before or heard an oral transmission of before.  For example, "You should go read X text and see what Y said about this."
Jim Blumenthal


James Blumenthal, Associate Professor
Department of Philosophy
Oregon State University
102-A Hovland Hall
Corvallis, OR 97331