Ep197: Scholar Practitioner - Dr Julian Schott
Dr Julian Schott is an Indologist & Tibetologist trained at institutions such as the renowned Center for the Study of Manuscript Culture at the University of Hamburg.
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Julian recalls his early interest in philosophy and meditation, and recounts how he emerged from a period of self destruction and found meaning and purpose in academic studies.
Julian describes how he fell in love with classical Indic and Tibetan languages, and details the rigorous academic atmosphere at the University of Hamburg, where he immersed in years of reading Sanskrit for many hours a day under masters of philology.
Julian makes the case for the vital importance of primary language competency for scholars and religious practitioners alike, and offers his opinion on those who practice or teach religious traditions without an ability to read its writings in the original languages.
Julian critiques the idea of Buddhist transmission as a useful lie without historical support which is employed to encourage behaviour in line with the religion’s soteriological aims, and reflects on his own evolving journey as both a scholar and religious practitioner.
00:00 - Intro
01:13 - Julian’s upbringing
02:27 - Origins of Julian’s interest in Indology and Tibetology
03:11 - Investigating meditation traditions
04:13 - Spiritual not religious
05:08 - Early meditation experiences
06:44 - Julian’s favourite meditation techniques
07:18 - Self destructive phase and turning life around
10:37 - The downward spiral
11:28 - Rock bottom
12:44 - The day is full of potential
13:14 - Immersion in the study of history, classical Western philosophy, law, and 14:58 - Falling in love with Indian and Tibetan language
17:04 - Redirecting from law to philology
17:47 - Discovering what real mastery takes
19:21 - Rigorous academic atmosphere at University of Hamburg
20:16 - Reading Sanskrit for 5-6 hours a day
23:46 - Self-teaching Classical Tibetan via Sanskrit
24:44 - How to bridge the intermediate gap in language learning
27:43 - The vital role of primary language knowledge in understanding a religion and culture
31:29 - The incredible level of previous generations of philologists and Indologists
32:29 - The diminishing role of primary language learning in the academy
34:51 - The limitations of not knowing the primary languages
37:17 - To meditators and religious teachers who don’t know the languages
42:05 - Julian’s own religious journey
43:39 - Scepticism vs naivety
44:37 - Liberated by the proliferating unknowns in practice and scholarship
46:54 - Friction with religious institutions
48:23 - Make your own Dharma
50:31 - Mistaken ideas about lineage and transmission in Buddhism
54:05 - The useful lie of Buddhist lineage
55:51 - Critically investigating Buddhist claims
57:42 - Challenging the esoteric claims of Tantric Buddhist transmission
01:00:56 - Surpassing the master and the Jedi dimension
01:05:53 - Julian probes Steve’s opinion on doctrinal contradictions
01:07:23 - Lack of self confidence and making your own Dharma
01:10:42 - Contradictions of modern Buddhist practitioners
01:12:34 - Was Buddha a Buddhist?
To find our more about Dr Julian Schott, visit:
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James