Early Buddhism
Indian Philosophy
History of Emotions
Comparative Study of Religions
Buddhist Literature
Current Projects
My research focuses on various philosophical aspects of classical Buddhist literature. Currently, I am working on a book manuscript titled “The Role of Distress in Early Buddhist Scripture.” In it, I explore the range of distressing emotions early Buddhist texts aim to elicit from their audience as well as the concept of distress developed in these canonical texts. The book offers a dynamic view of the nature and function of emotions in classical Buddhism. Additionally, I am working on a research project that focuses on Buddhist narratives, in which I examine the tension surrounding the use of storytelling to construct and articulate philosophical principles such as impermanence or no-self.
Curriculum Vitae
Fellowships and Grants (selection)
- Martin Buber Society of Fellows Postdoctoral Fellowship, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (2024)
- Doctoral Completion Fellowship, University of California Berkeley (2022-2023)
- The Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Dissertation Fellowship in Buddhist Studies, American Council of Learned Societies (2021-2022)
- New Directions in Theology Grant, Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion (2017-2018)
Prizes (selection)
- Padmanabh S. Jaini Graduate Student Award in Buddhist Studies, University of California Berkeley (2022).
- Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award, University of California Berkeley (2020).
- The Dean's Award for Outstanding Academic Achievements at the Faculty of Humanities, Tel Aviv University (2016).
- East Asian Studies Award for Outstanding Academic Achievements, Tel Aviv University (2015).
Education
- Ph.D., Buddhist Studies, University of California, Berkeley (2017-2023).
- M.A., East Asian Studies, Tel Aviv University (2014-2017).
- B.A., East Asian Studies and Philosophy, Tel Aviv University (2011-2014).
Publication
- Feinberg, Nir. Forthcoming 2024. “Turmoil and Tranquility in the Attadaṇḍa Sutta: A Study of Emotions in Early Buddhist Scripture.” Journal of the Oxford Centre for Buddhist Studies 24.
- Feinberg, Nir. 2024. “A Buddhist Critique of Desire: The Notion of Kāma in Aśvaghoṣa's Saundarananda.” Journal of Indian Philosophy 53.2: 143-160.
- Feinberg, Nir. 2023. “Feeling and Factuality: K.C. Bhattacharyya's Reflections on Śaṅkara's Doctrine of Māyā.” In The Making of Contemporary Indian Philosophy: Krishnachandra Bhattacharyya. Edited by Daniel Raveh and Elise Coquereau-Saouma, pp. 64-76. New York: Routledge.
Presentations (selection)
- “The Concept of Saṃvega (Distress) in Early Buddhist Scripture,” National Taiwan University & Tel Aviv University Collaborative Workshop in Buddhist Studies, Tel Aviv, Israel. (2023)
- “Translating the Buddhist Paradox of Fear,” The 15th Biennial Conference of Asian Studies in Israel, Tel Aviv, Israel. (2023)
- “The Textures of the Soul: Isolation Throughout History and Religion | Niklaus Largier and Nir Feinberg,” Public Forum on Religion and Pandemic, The Berkeley Center for the Study of Religion, Online Event.(2020)
- “Affect and Factuality: K.C. Bhattacharyya's Reflections on Śaṅkara's Doctrine of Māyā,” The Philosophy of Krishnachandra Bhattacharyya, Online Conference. (2020)
- “Body and Temporality in Early Buddhism”, Department of Philosophy Colloquium, Tel Aviv University. (2019).