Heather Moody - "The Genre of Treasure Origin Literature"

This talk explores the world of Tibetan treasure tradition— hidden teachings believed to have been concealed during the Imperial Era (618–842 CE) and revealed centuries later by visionary figures known as treasure revealers. Focusing on the works of Guru Chokyi Wangchuk (1212–1270) and Ratna Lingpa (1403–1478), this presentation will investigate how their early treasure origin accounts simultaneously construct historical narratives and engage in complex theorization about the nature of authorship, legitimacy, and revelation. By situating these texts within their historical and literary contexts, we will consider how these Tibetan masters understood their role in transmitting wisdom while disavowing creative authorship—challenging modern assumptions about authorship as individual intellectual property.

Heather Moody holds an MA from the Ngagyur Nyingma Institute and an MTS from Harvard Divinity School . She is in the process of completing her PhD at the University of Virginia. Her talk is based on her research into the early treasure traditions, and in particular the works of Guru Chokyi Wangchuk and Ratna Lingpa. She is currently serving as a visiting instructor at RYI.

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