My doctoral project will focus on a translation and contextualization of the personal journal of Dudjom Rinpoche Jigdral Yeshe Dorje (bDud 'joms 'jigs bral ye shes rdo rje, 1904–1987), one of the most important Tibetan Lamas of the twentieth century and head of the Nyingma school from 1960 until his death. I am approaching this unique manuscript with the encouragement of Cathy Cantwell (University of Oxford), who is spearheading an initiative to make the text in its entirety accessible to scholars and, in time, practitioners. 

Situated at the crossroads of historiography, autobiography, and travelogue, the journal is a unique witness to its author’s eminent status as well as his great efforts to manifest, preserve, and transmit the teachings and practices of the Nyingma school, and the Dudjom tradition. It also offers distinct glimpses of the Tibetan socio-cultural sphere in the 20^th century. 

Dudjom Rinpoche himself describes his journal as a “mere seed of a rnam thar” that he will have envisaged to be composed at some later point. It is written by himself in modern Tibetan language, covering at great pace the 1930s through to the 1970s in pages of highly condensed reportage, accompanying the author on his way from Tibet to India, Nepal, and Bhutan to Europe and the US eventually. 

Reflecting on the purpose of his journal, Dudjom Rinpoche himself states in the colophon that it shall preserve what he fears might otherwise eventually be forgotten.

The overall aim of my dissertation is to contribute to a more thorough exposition of the life, times and teachings of Dudjom Rinpoche between the 1930s and 1970s and thereby help the “mere seed” of his journal to grow towards a long-awaited biography.