In the project “Buddhism in the Himalayan Deserts: The Tradition of Yogis and Yoginis in Ladakh” (J6-50211), funded by the Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency (ARiS), we study the still largely unknown tradition of Buddhist hermits and hermitesses, yogis and yoginis (Skt. yogi, Skt. yoginī; Tib. naljorpa) in vajrayāna Buddhism, a tradition that has been continuously preserved in Ladakh, in the Indian Himalayas, since the 11th century. While institutional monasticism in vajrayāna Buddhism, including in Ladakh, has been studied relatively extensively, the tradition of Ladakhi yogis and yoginis has not yet received systematic and in-depth attention, as shown by the modest corpus of scholarly studies, which deal primarily with different aspects of institutional monasticism and mention eremitism only in passing. The project addresses two interrelated research problems: the lack of systematic and comprehensive scholarly investigation into the historical and contemporary aspects of the hermitic tradition in Ladakh, and the endangerment of its material heritage.
On the basis of these research problems, the project defines six goals. The first is a systematic study of the origins of the hermitic tradition in Ladakh, including its philosophical and historical dimensions. The analysis of the fundamental philosophical teachings of Buddhist eremitism in the tradition’s original texts will be complemented by an examination of the historical circumstances in which Ladakhi eremitism emerged, based on archival research in Ladakh, Oxford, and Budapest. The second goal is to study the significance of legendary historical and contemporary yogis and yoginis for the spiritual and cultural landscape of Ladakh. This work will combine the analysis of philosophical texts and hagiographies of hermits with case studies based on testimonies collected from yogis and yoginis during fieldwork in Ladakh. The third goal is to investigate ways of life, the typology of spiritual practices, and meditation retreats, with case studies and testimonies supported by the theoretical and philosophical perspectives addressed in the first goal. The fourth goal is to document the material heritage of the tradition—through photographic documentation and the creation of a database with interactive maps—namely hermit settlements and solitary retreat sites that are rapidly deteriorating due to weather and other environmental pressures. The fifth goal is to study the relationship between yogis and yoginis and the natural environment, while the sixth investigates the relationship between hermits and local communities, combining the analysis of philosophical and hagiographic texts with case studies.
A distinctive feature of the methodology is that textual study and archival research are complemented by case studies, since only direct contact with the living tradition of eremitism can provide deep and comprehensive insight into its many expressions, from its beginnings to the present day. The research will also demonstrate the relevance of this remote tradition to the history of Buddhism and to the preservation of its authentic teachings in the future.
The two main dissemination outcomes are a monograph that will systematically incorporate the project’s findings chapter by chapter, and a collection of interviews gathered through case studies, accompanied by a synthesis of findings on the historical and contemporary aspects of Ladakhi eremitism. Articles from various thematic areas of the research will be published in Slovenian and international scholarly journals. In addition, the project will organize one international scholarly conference and annual research workshops, providing opportunities to evaluate the project results and connect with Slovenian and international academic communities. Through exhibitions of photographic and video material, the broader public will also be introduced to the research in a vivid and accessible way. This website is intended to publish individual segments of the research and the detailed documentation collected in the open-access database.
Foto: Bojan Brecelj
