The Kadam tradition of Tibetan Buddhism is known for its reservations towards tantric practices of the higher tantra classes, in particular those involving consort practices. However, this does not mean that the school was averse to tantric practices in general and it even created its very own brand of an esoteric practice, known as the “sixteen drops” or “sixteen spheres” of the Kadam (bka’ gdams thig le bcu drug). This lecture will introduce the practice, paying attention to its particular blend of deity yoga and guru yoga that skilfully merges Indian and Tibetan elements. It will also explore Indian antecedents, as well as the origins and transmission of the practice in Tibet.

Ulrike Roesler is Professor of Tibetan and Himalayan Studies at the University of Oxford. She received her PhD in Indian Studies from the University of Münster and her Habilitation in Tibetan Studies from the University of Munich. Her research interests include Indo-Tibetan Buddhism, Tibetan historical and biographical literature, Tibetan narrative, and the Kadampa tradition of Tibetan Buddhism. Among her book publications are Frühe Quellen zum buddhistischen Stufenweg in Tibet (2011) and the forthcoming volume Early Tibetan Religious Networks: New Perspectives on the phyi dar (co-edited with Marta Sernesi, publication expected in 2026).

Join us on site in the Seminarroom 1 of the ISTB, or join us online via zoom: https://univienna.zoom.us/j/64073479663?pwd=KJprkbn65j7htpR9MKIwuM2cgx7ft9.1