Brian A. Cutillo was a scholar and translator in the field of Tibetan Buddhism. He was also an accomplished neuro-cognitive scientist, musician, anthropologist and textile weaver.
Studies at MIT
Cutillo was a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology majoring in physics. While at MIT, Brian wrote the music for An Evening of One Act Plays presented October 14–15, 1966: 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.
Studies with Geshe Wangyal
Brian Cutillo was introduced to Ngawang Wangyal while a student at MIT. He became one of his earliest American students. Ngawang Wangyal wrote the book The Door of Liberation published by Maurice Girodias Associates, Inc.,. Among the Acknowledgments in the original edition are: Ngawang Wangyal and Brian Cutillo also translated the Illuminations of Sakya Pandita. 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. Cutillo writes in the Preface to Illuminations:
Cutillo's best known work includes two books of Milarepa poems translated with Kunga Rinpoche, Drinking the Mountain Stream and Miraculous Journey. When starting the Lotsawa publishing company to publish these two collections of beloved songs, against impossible odds, Cutillo was also instrumental in publishing important works by H.V. Guenther and Longchenpa.
''The Turquoise Bee''
With the late Rick Fields, Cutillo translated The Turquoise Bee. These were the love songs of the 6th Dalai Lama. The book page shows Ume calligraphy by Brian Cutillo and a drawing by Mayumi Oda.
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Brian translated scholarly Tibetan Buddhism Abhidharma texts that remained unpublished at his death.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.
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 3 papers published in Science, the Journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Along with a paper from the EEG Systems Lab in Science in 1979, these 3 papers helped usher in the modern era of cognitive neuroscience by reporting advanced computerized methods of measuring the electrical signals in the human brain reflecting fundamental cognitive processes of attention.
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. 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:
Textile endeavors
Brian Cutillo wove textiles on a manual floor loom based on early American heirloom patterns. Many of those weavings, including those in the photographs, are in private collections.
Obituary
Brian Cutillo died January 4, 2006 in Tulare, CA. His obituary in the Tulare Advance-Register read:
