Published in conjunction with a 2003 exhibition co-organized by the Columbus Museum of Art and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, this hefty, oversize (10x13 catalogue features approximately 160 powerful masterpieces of Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese, and Mongolian art produced over the pa
Based on the author's previous publication The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, this handbook contains an array of symbols and motifs, accompanied by succinct explanations. It provides treatment of the essential Tibetan religious figures, themes and motifs, both secular and religious.
The practice of Vajrabhairava is a practice of the Supreme Yogatantra. The word Yoga means exercise and with Tantra is meant a tissue of different parts of practice that are recited and meditated continuously. That is, daily. When initial progress has been made, exercises are added, which take place through imaginations and breathing exercises. So this kind of tantra has nothing to do with common concepts of tantra, that focus on sexual practices. These are absolutely not to be found here. The pictorial world encountered in this exercise text cannot be understood without instruction. Symbols and images are intended to facilitate a change in your own consciousness. These, however, seem extremely strange to you when you deal with such a text without any help.
The texts presented here are an intermediate-length sadhana and a concise self-initiation ritual of the Solitary Hero Vajrabhiarava. After receiving the Highest yoga Tantra initiation of Vajrabhairava, and then completing the retreat of this deity, with the compensating ritual fire offering of peace, one is authorized to do the self-initiation. It is important to do the self-initiation in order to restore broken vows and tantric commitments. A sadhana must be done in conjunction with self-initiation will enable many practitioners to do this practice more frequently.
Exploring the long history of cultural exchange between 'the Roof of the World' and 'the Middle Kingdom,' Buddhism Between Tibet and China features a collection of noteworthy essays that probe the nature of their relationship, spanning from the Tang Dynasty (618 - 907 CE) to the present day. Annotated and contextualized by noted scholar Matthew Kapstein and others, the historical accounts that comprise this volume display the rich dialogue between Tibet and China in the areas of scholarship, the fine arts, politics, philosophy, and religion. This thoughtful book provides insight into the surprisingly complex history behind the relationship from a variety of geographical regions. Includes contributions from Rob Linrothe, Karl Debreczeny, Elliot Sperling, Paul Nietupski, Carmen Meinert, Gray Tuttle, Zhihua Yao, Ester Bianchi, Fabienne Jagou, Abraham Zablocki, and Matthew Kapstein.