An interview with
Charles Manson
Position & Affiliation: Tibetan Subject Consultant Librarian, Oxford University, Bodleian Library
Date: February 20, 2018 in Oxford
Interviewed by: Anna Sehnalova & Rachael Griffiths
Cite this archive
Oral History of Tibetan Studies. (2021, December 2). An interview with Charles Manson. Retrieved 26 April 2025, from https://oralhistory.iats.info/interviews/charles-manson/.
“An interview with Charles Manson.” Oral History of Tibetan Studies, 2 Dec. 2021, https://oralhistory.iats.info/interviews/charles-manson/.
Oral History of Tibetan Studies. 2021. An interview with Charles Manson. [online], Available at: https://oralhistory.iats.info/interviews/charles-manson/ [Accessed 26 April 2025]
Oral History of Tibetan Studies. “An interview with Charles Manson.” 2021, December 2. https://oralhistory.iats.info/interviews/charles-manson/.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview are those of the interviewee and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Oral History of Tibetan Studies project.
Timestamps:
- 0:00 Intro
- 0:23 Family, childhood, and early education
- 3:59 Studying in the USA: Memories of student activism
- 11:07 Training in woodcarving
- 12:17 Career in woodcarving and restoration work in the House of Lords
- 21:38 When you were carving the lotus, were you already interested in Buddhism?
- 24:46 Why were you interested in meditation?
- 27:24 Memories of Samye Ling and Kalu Rinpoche’s first visit to the West
- 32:35 ‘Bodyguard’ of the 14th Dalai Lama
- 39:19 How do you remember Akong Rinpoche?
- 41:15 Immersion in Tibetan Buddhism
- 44:51 Was the 16th Karmapa’s visit influential on you?
- 48:21 Did you take part in other retreats?
- 49:13 Pilgrimage to India and Sikkim (including Rumtek Monastery)
- 56:00 Living at Samye Ling as a monk
- 57:48 What were your impressions of India and Sikkim?
- 1:02:16 Living at Samye Ling as a monk (continuation)
- 1:03:30 Attending the 16th Karmapa’s funeral
- 1:04:55 Living at Samye Ling as a monk (continuation II)
- 1:13:31 Travelling to India
- 1:26:30 Travelling in Tibet
- 1:36:50 Studying at SOAS, Harvard, and Oxford
- 1:41:51 Working at the Bodleian Library, SOAS Library, and British Library
- 1:50:50 Why does the topic of reincarnation interest you?
- 1:53:07 What has your work given you?
- 1:53:51 Do you have a message or advice for future generations engaged in Tibetan Studies?