Brian Cutillo
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Note: Clean-up in Progress
Brian A. Cutillo (1945-2006) was a Tibetan Buddhist scholar and translator. He was also an accomplished neuro-cognitive scientist, musician, anthropologist, and textile designer. He was born in Plainfield, NJ and raised in Fanwood, NJ, USA.
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[edit] Studies at MIT
Cutillo was a graduate of MIT majoring in physics (1967). He also studied music theory and composition with Dr. Gregory Tucker.
While at MIT, Brian wrote the music for An Evening of One Act Plays presented October 14-15, 1966:
At the Hawk’s Well -- By William Butler Yeats Directed by Ralph Sawyer ’67; Music - Brian Cutillo ’67
Brian provided the cultural background and translations for the recording [[The Music of Tibet]]. The recordings were made by Prof. Huston Smith, then Professor of Philosophy at MIT, in 1964. Dr. Smith provided an interpretation. The recording was reviewed in the journal Ethnomusicology in 1972.
[edit] Studies with Geshe' Wangyal
He was introduced to Geshe Wangyal while a student at MIT. He became one of the earliest Americam students of Geshe-La.
Geshe Wangyal wrote the book The Door of Liberation - "Essential Teachings of the Tibetan Buddhist Tradition" published by Maurice Girodias Associates, Inc. (1973) now out-of-print. Among the Acknowledgments are:
"In connection with the Buddhist Studies Institute, I must acknowledge the efforts of two of my students, Dr. Christopher George and Dr. Robert Thurman, who are now coordinating the activities of the Institute.
"Also, I appreciate very much Dr. Jeffrey Hopkins' many years of dedicated service to the Lamaist Buddhist Monastery of America.
"And last but not least, I extend my thanks to my student(s): to Brian Cutillo, for his devotion and effort in our work of translation ..."
Geshe Wangyal and Brian Cutillo also translated the Illuminations of Sakya Pandita published by (LOTSAWA 1988). The book is now out-of-print.
From the rear book cover:
"Like a blind man finding a jewel / In a heap of garbage. / Through what good fortune / Was this Illumination born in me."
[edit] Milarepa Translations
Cutillo's best known work includes 2 books of Milarepa poems translated with Lama Kunga Rimpoche. Drinking the Mountain Stream (First Edition LOTSAWA 1978) is out-of-print (re-issue WISDOM Publications). Miraculous Journey (LOTSAWA 1986) is out of print.
From the back cover of the First Edtion of Drinking the Mountain Stream:
"I the yogin Milarepa / Begin meditation with fervent faith /
I saw without eyes the visible realm / Heard without ears the sound of voidness, / Smelled without nose the natural state's scent / And tasted without tongue reality's sweet taste.
An artist without hands / Drawing pictures in the sky, / Seeing without eyes the myriad things / In perfect vision without movement or strain."
From the back cover of Miraculous Journey:
"A rare collection of previously untranslated narratives and songs of the famous Tibetan poet-yogi Milarepa. This work is an untampered compilation of Milarepa's songs as preserved and sung by wandering yogis of the Kagyu sect. The pieces differ from those in the two popular volumes on Milarepa, the "Autobiography" and the "Hundred-Thousand Songs", in their range of material and directness of style, while continuing a high level of poetic expression. Thus they give a more candid glimpse of this famous yogi's personality than the more official versions.
"This second volume of songs contains thirty-five new stories about the miraculous, wandering poet-saint of Tibet. From advice for local villagers and nomads to his most profound precepts given to his closest disciples, Milarepa informs and delights the reader with his insight, directness, and compassion..."
[edit] The Turquoise Bee
With the late Rick Fields, Cutillo translated The Turquoise Bee. These were the Lovesongs of the Sixth Dalai Lama. The book was published by HarperSanFrancisco (HarperCollins 1994) and is out-of-print.
From the back cover:
"Deceptively simple and unadorned, the poems and love songs of Tibet's Sixth Dalai Lama (1683-1706) express the inner life of a legendary spiritual leader. Eloquently set in historical context, astutely translated, and beautifully illustrated, these sixty-four poems articulate the mysteries, struggles, and joys of spiritual and sensual life with enduring reverence."
From Whole Earth Review by Hacsi Horvath (Summer 1995)
"The Sixth Dalai Lama of eighteenth-century Tibet was a great tantric adept. He used to party all night in Lhasa's brothels and bars, then sneak back to the Potala palace before sunrise to perform his official duties. After a while the Sixth Dalai Lama even renounced his monastic vows and lived like a layman, getting drunk with his friends, singing songs and having fun, but maintaining his holy role as incarnation of Avalokitesvara, the Bodhisattva of Campassion. The Sixth Dalai Lama is still a beloved figure among Tibetans, not only for these anecdotes, but for his poems and spiritual teachings.
"His songs are sparse and fresh. Rick Fields' and Brian Cutillo's translation is manly and true. Mayumi Oda's drawings are sublime."
Included are the poems:
33 "A flower withers in a month's time. / But the turquoise bee doesn't grieve. / At the ending of an affair / I will not grieve either."
65 "I have asked so much / of you / In this short life. / May we meet again / In the childhod of the next."
[edit] Scholarly Tibetan Buddhism Translations
Brian translated scholarly Tibetan Buddhism Abhidharma texts that remained unpublished at his death.
Some of these translations are now being completed for publication under the auspices, among others, of the Infinity Foundation. They were started some 35 years ago in collaboration with Dr. Robert Thurman.
"...The following texts in rough draft form needing further work for publication in the mid-future: ... Abhidharma-samuccaya by Asanga (Thurman and Cutillo); Samdhinirmocana-sutra (Thurman and Cutillo) ..."
http://www.InfinityFoundation.com
[edit] Research in Human Cognition
Brian Cutillo worked with his MIT classmate, Dr. Alan Gevins, in the early days of the EEG Systems Lab in San Francisco. Cutillo co-authored with Dr. Gevins, and others, numerous scientific research papers including 2 papers published in "Science", the Journal of the AAAS:
Gevins, A.S., Cutillo, B.A., et al (1983). Shadows of thought: Shifting lateralization of human brain electrical patterns during brief visuomotor task. Science, 220, 97-99.
Gevins, A.S., Cutillo, B.A., et al, (1981). Electrical potentials in human brain during cognition: New method reveals dynamic patterns of correlation. Science, 213, 918-922.
[edit] With the Hopi Community in Arizona
Cutillo was a key figure, initially as a Tibetan language translator, in the interplay between the Hopi Indian community and Tibetan Buddhist monks who were born in Tibetan speaking regions. While any direct connection between the Hopi Prophecy and the Tibetans has been downplayed, the two communities, both struggling to maintain their religious heritage, found much in common.
Cutillo's association with the Hopi community is documented in a radio recording with James Koots A Hopi Plea. The recording is available from New Dimensions Media as Program #1613. From the New Dimensions Website review:
"(James) Koots, designated messenger of the Hopi Elders, tells of the threat to the centuries-old tradition of the Hopi. Modern technology, unwanted government gifts and misdirected aid programs are taking their toll on the Hopi culture. In a personal and poignant way Koots shares the Hopi love of the Earth. He is joined by (Brian) Cutillo, a Buddhist scholar who has befriended the Hopi in their quest to preserve their ancient ways."
[edit] Textile Endeavors
While living in Adamant, VT, in the early 1970's Cutillo designed a 4-harness textile weaving loom. The looms were manufactured by hand and sold in the NE USA and Canada. Some of his weavings remain in private collections including those in the 2 photographs.
[edit] Obituary
Brian Cutillo died January 4, 2006 in Tulare, CA. His obituary (January 10, 2006) in the Tulare Advance-Register read:
"Brian A. Cutillo, 60, of Tulare died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006. He was a scientist and an author. Funeral arrangements..."
Epitath
Brian spent his entire 60 years within North America. In his lifetime he never traveled to Tibet nor to any region where Tibetan is the native or locally spoken language.
[edit] References
1. One act Plays at MIT: http://web.mit.edu/dramashop/www/archive/1966-67/oneacts.html
2. The Music of Tibet: The Tantric Rituals by Huston Smith, Peter Crossley-Holland, Kenneth H. Stevens, Brian Cutillo, Nga Wang Lek Den Review author[s]: Mireille Helffer Ethnomusicology, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Jan., 1972), pp. 152-154
3. The Door of Liberation by Geshe' Wangyal (GIRODIUS 1973) ISBN 0-8184-0227-x
4. Illuminations of Sakya-Pandita translated by Geshe' Wangyal & Brian Cutillo (LOTSAWA 1988) ISBN 0-932156-05-3
5. Drinking the Mountain Stream translated by Lama Kunga Rimpoche and Brian Cutillo (LOTSAWA 1978) Library of Congress 78-061174 (Out-of-Print)
6. Drinking the Mountain Stream: Songs of Tibet’s Beloved Saint, Milarepa Milarepa, Author; Lama Kunga Rimpoche and Brian Cutillo, Translators (WISDOM Publications) ISBN 0-86171-063-0 In-Print
7. Miraculous Journey translated by Lama Kunga Rimpoche & Brian Cutillo (LOTSAWA 1986) ISBN 0-932156-02-9
8. The Turquoise Bee translated by Rick Fields and Brian Cutillo (HarperSanFrancisco/HarperCollins 1994) ISBN 0-06-250810-8
9. Whole Earth Review (Summer 1995) COPYRIGHT 1995 Point Foundation COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group
10. http://www.infinityfoundation.com/GRI.htm
11. Cognition: http://www.eeg.com
12. "Mind And Brain Sciences In The 21St Century" by Robert Solso -- http://www.pep-web.org/document.php?id=ppsy.017.0600a (also at) http://cognet.mit.edu/library/books/chapter?isbn=026219385X&part=chap7
13. New Dimensions Media: http://www.ndbroadcasting.org
