Jonathan C. Gold joined the faculty in 2008. He teaches courses on the religions of India and Tibet, and his research focuses on Sanskrit and Tibetan Buddhist intellectual traditions-especially theories of interpretation, translation, and learning. His book, Paving the Great Way: Vasubandhu’s Unifying Buddhist Philosophy (2015), traces a continuity of philosophical interest and purpose across diverse works attributed to one of Buddhism’s greatest philosophers. His first book, The Dharma’s Gatekeepers: Sakya Pandita on Buddhist Scholarship in Tibet (2007), explains the nature of language and the role of the scholar from the unique perspective of a great thirteenth-century Tibetan philosopher. Current projects include studies in Buddhist ethics through the Tibetan “Three Vows” (sdom gsum) literature and Śāntideva’s Bodhicaryāvatāra, and a trans-national history of the doctrine of non-violence. He is founder of the Princeton University Buddhist Ethics Reading Group and co-chair of the Columbia University Seminar on Comparative Philosophy. He serves as Director of the Graduate Studies for the 2018-2019 academic year.
Panel on “Approaches to Translation & Transmission”
2017 Tsadra Foundation Conference on Tibetan Translation
http://conference-wp.tsadra.org/session/approaches-to-translation-transmission/
Interview with Robert Wright on “The Wright Show”, meaningoflife.tv:
http://meaningoflife.tv/videos/36591
Interview with Ronney Mourad on “Ultimate Concerns” Podcast:
http://ultimateconcerns.org/vasubandhu-and-virtual-reality
Courses – Fall 2018
HUM 290 /REL 282 (EM) Graded A-F, P/D/F, Audit
Jesus and Buddha
Professor(s): Jonathan C. Gold, Elaine H. Pagels
11:00 am-11:50 MW
Department Area Requirement: Does NOT satisfy sub-field requirement; does count as departmental.
Courses – Spring 2018
REL 528 */AUD
Asian Religions Workshop
Jonathan C. Gold
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm F