Editing Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson (section)

==Early life==
Jeffrey Masson is the son of Jacques Masson, a Frenchman of [[Bukharian Jew]]ish ancestry, and Diana (Dina) Zeiger from an [[Ashkenazi]] [[Orthodox Jew]]ish family. Masson's great-grandfather [[Shlomo Moussaieff (rabbi)|Shlomo Moussaieff]] was a [[Kabbalah|kabbalist]] and founder of the [[Bukharim|Bukharian Quarter]] in [[Jerusalem]]. His grandfather Henry Mousaieff changed his family name from Moussaieff to Masson. Masson changed his middle name from Lloyd to Moussaieff.<ref name=Moussaieff>Wagner, Frank D. (2004). [https://books.google.com/books?id=Jf-6mBUJHp0C&dq=Jeffrey+Moussaieff+Masson+%22his+middle+name%22&pg=PA504 ''United States Reports: Cases Adjudged in the Supreme Court'']. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 504. {{ISBN|0-16-048116-3}}.</ref>

Both of his parents were followers of the [[guru]] [[Paul Brunton]].<ref name="NY"/> Masson's mother later became a follower of [[Mysticism|mystic]] and philosopher [[John Levy (philosopher)|John Levy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ods.nl/am1gos/am1gos5/index.html?jl_vriend_us.html~mainFrame |title=John Levy: friend and contrary guru |publisher=Ods.nl |access-date=2012-01-05 |archive-date=2020-05-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531121430/http://www.ods.nl/am1gos/am1gos5/index.html?jl_vriend_us.html~mainFrame |url-status=dead }}</ref> During the 1940s and 1950s, Brunton often lived with them, eventually designating Masson as his [[heir apparent]]. In 1956, Diana and Jacques Masson moved to [[Uruguay]] because Brunton believed that a [[World War III|third world war]] was imminent. Jeffrey and his sister Linda followed in 1959.

===Studies===
At Brunton's urging, Masson went to [[Harvard University]] to study [[Sanskrit]]. While at Harvard, Masson became disillusioned with Brunton. Brunton and his influence on the Masson family form the subject of Masson's autobiographical book ''My Father's Guru: A Journey Through Spirituality and Disillusion''. [[Harvard University]] granted Masson a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in 1964 and a [[PhD]] with Honors in 1970. His degrees were in [[Sanskrit]] and [[Indian Studies]]. While undertaking his PhD, Masson also studied, supported by fellowships, at the [[École Normale Supérieure]] in Paris, the [[University of Calcutta]], and the [[University of Poona]].