Transmission, Interpretation, and Contestation: Tibetan Buddhist Intellectuals and the Reframing of Tradition

This paper examines the role of contemporary Tibetan Buddhist intellectuals as contributors to theoretical reflection about religion. In much of the academic study of religion, scholars have argued that theoretical analysis must be conducted from a critical distance outside religious traditions. In contrast, this paper argues that Tibetan Buddhist scholar-practitioners actively participate in theorizing religion from within their own traditions. Drawing on the Tibetan ideal of the khedrup (scholar-adept), it identifies three configurations of modern Buddhist intellectuals: traditional lineage holders engaged in interdisciplinary dialogue, hybrid scholar-practitioners who combine academic training with recognized religious authority, and academic scholars whose Buddhist practice informs their research. Figures such as the Dalai Lama, Anne Klein, and John Dunne illustrate how Tibetan Buddhist thinkers reinterpret doctrines, authority structures, and ethical practices in conversation with contemporary academic and scientific discourse. Recognizing them as theorists expands our understanding of how religious traditions generate critical reflection on religion.