Cultural Brokers and Other Historiographic Metaphors: Perspectives from Indo-Tibetan Cultural History

This contribution discusses the two analytical concepts of »Indo-Tibetan« Buddhism and »cultural broker«, and shows how both can (still) be usefully applied. The term »Indo- Tibetan« Buddhism, though today outdated, can help us to describe specific configurations in the history of Buddhism. The use of the concept of »cultural broker«, which developed in the field of social anthropology and was adopted in the field of historical studies, is shown as problematic when its scope becomes very wide. The more detailed operative definition that is offered as a result of this in-depth analysis is then tested on the case of the iconic early Tibetan Buddhist monk, translator, and traveler Vairocana. When delimited by precise criteria, the broker concept can structure and guide our investigations and helpfully illuminate pivotal moments in history, as it does in the case of the history of »Indo-Tibetan« Buddhism.