Paper short abstract:

The paper employs the metaphor of terma or treasure, which Nyingma Buddhists employ to reinterpret teachings, to argue that activities involving walking have enabled the survival of a Nepali research assistant and his community through allowing him to reinterpret the present to make their future.

Paper long abstract:

Nyingma Buddhists subscribe to the notion of terma or treasure. This consists of religious relics or teachings which were hidden by Guru Rinpoche either as material objects or in the mind-streams of ancient lamas which may subsequently be found by Tertons or treasure finders. Tertons can then use terma to reinterpret previous Buddhist teachings, to adapt them to current contexts.

This paper will explore how the idea of terma aided a Northwest Nepali research assistant to reproduce himself and his community through the last fifty years of Nepal's accelerated social change, as well as the role of walking within this process.

At the age of twelve, Tshewang Lama walked with his lama father to India so that he himself could have his first inauguration into lamahood. His Buddhist education made him ideal as a research assistant for Professor Nancy Levine's infamous study of his polyandrous Nyinba community at the age of sixteen. This experience led to his traversing the Himalayas as a research assistant for a study of nomadic traders, as well as providing him with connections and experience to start a trekking company. Due to these connections he also made documentaries with Lonely Planet, had innovative ideas for trade, implemented development projects and was made Government Minister for his home area. Centring on my experience walking between intermontane Himalayan villages with Lama and twelve members of the local Communist party I will argue that walking has enabled him to find ways to extend his own, and his communities, existence.