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This book gives basic ideas of Tantric Buddhism. Students who is not related to Archaeology or Art History may be benefited with this book.The substance of this book entitled "Symbols and Iconography of Tantric Buddhism -An Introduction" is derived largely from the standard works of recognized authorities Supplemented by material drawn from Tradition Buddhist Sources. It contains much that is not easily obtainable without access to a large specialist's library.
Tantric Buddhism is concerned with the direct experience of who we are and what we can become. Its sole aim is to help us realize our potential for profound wisdom and unbounded compassion by transforming the energy locked in by old habits, fears and narrow views. For the Tantra this experience is beyond words and thought. But it can be evoked with the help of symbols. Without the help of a reliable guide one could easily get lost or overwhelmed in this unfamiliar world of symbols. Sangharakshita is such a guide.
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.
These 145 illustrated Tibetan Buddhist symbols, and the instructions for incorporating them into everyday life, will please the eye, mind, and soul. Gaze upon Buddhas and Bodhisattvas who exist for the benefit of all living beings. Also: mudras (sacred gestures), good luck symbols, ritual structures, and more.
Author : Michael R. Saso Publisher : University of Hawaii Press Page : 120 pages File Size : 35,81 MB Release : 1990-01-01 Category : Body, Mind & Spirit ISBN : 9780824813635
Tantric Art and Meditation: The Tendai Tradition describes the four basic meditations of Tantric Buddhism: the Eighteen-path Mandala, the Lotus-womb Mandala, the Vajra-thunder Mandala, and the Goma Rite of Fire. The book summarizes the teachings of Tendai Tantric Buddhism, as practiced on Mt. Hiei, Kyoto, by a Master of the Homan devotional (Bakhti) school, one of the major kinds of Tantric Meditation practiced in Japan. Profuse woodblock and line art illustrate the mudra, mantra, and mandala of Tantric practice.
The Iconography of Tibetan Lamaism is an authoritative text on the specifically Tibetan branch of Buddhism--one which possesses a rich visual history of Buddhist art and Iconagraphy. This book gives a descriptive outline of the principal gods in the Tibetan pantheon, tracing the main features and symbols that are used to denote each one. A Comprehensive illustrated list of the various ritual objects, talismans, symbols, mudras (symbolic hand poses), and asanas and vahanas (position of the lower limbs) that are used in the images of the gods is accompanied with a word list of the Sanskrit terms most commonly encountered in a study of Lamaism. A set of thirty-one thang-kas from the famous collection of Baron A. von Stael-Holstein, formerly of Peking, China, which came to America after the publication of the original edition of the book, has been included in this new and revised edition.
The Māyājāla-tantra ("Network of Illusion") is an eighth-century text of Indian Vajrayāna Buddhism. Most tantric texts offer a distinctive plan of ritual action and symbolism involving the forms of deities. By contrasting the iconography of the Māyājāla-tantra with that of other tantras, it is possible to discern historical trends and more fully appreciate the text's symbolism. According to Japanese scholars such as Yukei Matsunaga, the iconography of the Māyājāla-tantra represents a transition from the imagery of mainstream esotericism, typified by the Sarvatathāgata-tattvasangraha, towards the unorthodox, sexually explicit anuttarayoga tradition represented by the Guhyasamāja-tantra. The later anuttarayoga practices were widely propagated in India, Nepal and Tibet, but in China and Japan, where earlier transmissions of Buddhist esotericism were well received, there are few traces of anuttarayoga imagery. This thesis examines the Chinese translation of the Māyājāla-tantra (Taishō 890) and focuses on the reception of its iconographic program in East Asia. The first and second chapters introduce the contents of the Māyājāla-tantra, showing that iconography is a pervasive and important topic. The third chapter locates the forms described in the Māyājāla-tantra within the context of Indian Buddhist esotericism, examining likely precedents for the text and its subsequent influence on the Indian tradition. Many Indian sources, such as the ritual manuals of Abhayākaragupta, are invaluable for evaluating iconographic descriptions in the Māyājāla-tantra. The fourth chapter uses these sources to explain the symbolism of the mandala (“circle”), the key iconographic schema, which ranks the deities' forms in a meaningful, coordinated hierarchy. The fifth chapter discusses the impact of the Māyājāla-tantra and other anuttarayoga literature in East Asia during the Song era. Finally, the sixth chapter examines examples of painting, drawing and sculpture from China and Japan that were probably based on the Māyājāla-tantra. The second part of the thesis presents an annotated translation of chapters 1-4 from the Chinese version of the Māyājāla-tantra.