David Ross Komito

A lifelong investigator of the Psychology of Religion, Dr. David Komito's interviews of the Dalai Lama for the JOURNAL OF TRANSPERSONAL PSYCHOLOGY (1983 and1984) are early examples of the Dalai Lama's conversations with western psychological researchers. His book NAGARJUNA'S "SEVENTY STANZAS": A BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY OF EMPTINESS has been in continuous print since 1987, was translated into French and Dutch, and is now available as an e-book as well.

In the early 1990s, while on retreat at Namgyal Monastery (the Dalai Lama's personal monastery), he was asked to edit an English translation of PATHS AND GROUNDS OF GUHYASAMAJA ACCORDING TO ARYA NAGARJUNA, which is a standard meditation manual for the monastery. Later he reflected on his experiences at Namgyal in REHEARSING ENLIGHTENMENT: A RETREAT IN THE BUDDHIST HIMALAYAS. The print edition of this book is no longer available. The Kindle edition of this book contains a collection of thangkas (Tibetan icons) by his wife, Kayla Komito.

Currently David is writing a book about the theory and practice of meditation in Zen and Vajrayana Buddhism. A previous book on the theme, focusing on the nature of mind and consciousness, is BUDDHIST PSYCHOLOGY OF SELF LIBERATION, available here in Kindle format. He also is publishing articles in his substack digital magazine DAVID KOMITO: THE NECTAR OF THE BUDDHA.

David has retired from teaching in the Philosophy Department of Portland State University, Oregon.