Benjamin Wood, PhD

My research considers Tibetan Buddhist narrative literature and Buddhist monastic history in Tibet. I am especially interested depictions of monastic life within sacred life writing.

My published work has focused on portrayals of childhood, economy, violence, and sexual misconduct in premodern Tibetan biographical and autobiographical literature. Most recently, I have co-translated a canonical Buddhist work, A Teaching on Dreams, with Dr. Khenpo Kunga Sherab (published by 84000 in 2024).

The curriculum I regularly teach covers a range of undergraduate courses, including world religions, Buddhism, method and theory in the study of religion, religious life writing, and Sanskrit.

Aside from academic research and teaching, I have worked in ESL instruction and ESL publishing, as well as Supplemental Instruction (SI), and I hold a certificate from the University of Guelph’s SI Supervisor Workshop.

I publish fiction under the name Benjamin Hollo.

Degrees

PhD, University of Toronto, The Study of Religion (focus: Tibetan Buddhism), 2012. Doctoral Supervisor: Dr. Frances Garrett

MA, SOAS (University of London), Buddhist Studies, 2005

BA, McGill University, Religious Studies, 2001

Additional Education

SI (Supplemental Instruction) Supervisor Workshop, University of Guelph, 2021

Intensive Summer Program for the Study of Colloquial Tibetan, University of Virginia, 2008

Tibet Site Seminar, Princeton University, 2007

Modern Japanese Language Program, Azabu Japanese Language Institute (Tokyo), 2004

Teaching

Instructor, Langara College, Vancouver B.C. (2017-present)

Instructor, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey B.C. (2018-present)

Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, St. Francis College, Brooklyn, New York (2013-2017) resigned voluntarily in good standing

Selected Awards

SSHRC Research Development Initiative (co-authored), 2010-12

Translation Grant, 84,000 (co-authored), 2011

SSHRC Doctoral Fellowship, 2008-10

Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2007-10

Selected Presentations

“Searching for the Right Buddha: Procedures for Locating Incarnations (tulkus) in Tibetan Historical Literature,” UBC Himalaya Program Lecture Series, University of British Columbia, 2017.

“Contesting Tulku Candidates in the Ocean Annals of Amdo,” American Academy of Religion Annual Meeting, San Antonio, 2016.

“Mapping the Life of Losel Tengyong,” The 2014 Himalayan Studies Conference, Yale University, 2014.