"The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide” focuses on an extremely rare group of richly-de... more "The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide” focuses on an extremely rare group of richly-detailed album leaves which illustrate the visualization practice of Sarvavid Vairocana, the All-Knowing Buddha. This beautifully illustrated step-by-step visual guide provides a unique glimpse into Tibetan Buddhist meditation and ritual, normally instruction restricted to oral transmission by a teacher to his initiated disciple. These practices are usually not meant to be depicted and this is one of the only albums known to exist in which the meditative visualization process is spelled out visually. While the ritual narrative of these unusual paintings is Tibetan Buddhist in content they are expressed in a vivid Chinese aesthetic, a unique product of cultural translation through its Mongolian patrons. The album exemplifies rich patterns of cross-cultural exchange that characterized the Qing Empire. NOW AVAILABLE FOR FREE DIGITAL ACCESS: https://issuu.com/rmanyc/docs/all_knowing_buddha_online
The monastic complex at Alchi, Ladakh, was most likely established sometime in the third quarter ... more The monastic complex at Alchi, Ladakh, was most likely established sometime in the third quarter ofthe twelfth century and underwent rapid development over the next century. TOday the complex houses five major temples and a number ofhistorically important painted stUpa (Tib. mchod rten), the majority ofwhich can be asSigned to the earliest phase ofbuilding in the complex. Through an interdisciplinary analysis ofthe complex, the interrelatiomhip ofthe different buildings becomes evident. While in some cases an investigation ofthe architectural development clarifies issues ofchronological succession and differences in the iconographicprogram, in other cases art historical analysis ofthe painted decoration in terms ofstyle, iconography and composition reveals the connectiom between the architecturalparts. Both approaches contribute to an understanding ofhow a particular structure was used. Such an analysis is also an indispemable toolfor planning comervation measures. Alchi Chokhor (ch...
"The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide” focuses on an extremely rare group of richly-de... more "The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide” focuses on an extremely rare group of richly-detailed album leaves which illustrate the visualization practice of Sarvavid Vairocana, the All-Knowing Buddha. This beautifully illustrated step-by-step visual guide provides a unique glimpse into Tibetan Buddhist meditation and ritual, normally instruction restricted to oral transmission by a teacher to his initiated disciple. These practices are usually not meant to be depicted and this is one of the only albums known to exist in which the meditative visualization process is spelled out visually. While the ritual narrative of these unusual paintings is Tibetan Buddhist in content they are expressed in a vivid Chinese aesthetic, a unique product of cultural translation through its Mongolian patrons. The album exemplifies rich patterns of cross-cultural exchange that characterized the Qing Empire. NOW AVAILABLE FOR FREE DIGITAL ACCESS: https://issuu.com/rmanyc/docs/all_knowing_buddha_online
The monastic complex at Alchi, Ladakh, was most likely established sometime in the third quarter ... more The monastic complex at Alchi, Ladakh, was most likely established sometime in the third quarter ofthe twelfth century and underwent rapid development over the next century. TOday the complex houses five major temples and a number ofhistorically important painted stUpa (Tib. mchod rten), the majority ofwhich can be asSigned to the earliest phase ofbuilding in the complex. Through an interdisciplinary analysis ofthe complex, the interrelatiomhip ofthe different buildings becomes evident. While in some cases an investigation ofthe architectural development clarifies issues ofchronological succession and differences in the iconographicprogram, in other cases art historical analysis ofthe painted decoration in terms ofstyle, iconography and composition reveals the connectiom between the architecturalparts. Both approaches contribute to an understanding ofhow a particular structure was used. Such an analysis is also an indispemable toolfor planning comervation measures. Alchi Chokhor (ch...
Namgyal Monastery lies at an altitude of 3,850 meters, on a hill west of Lo Möntang, the old capi... more Namgyal Monastery lies at an altitude of 3,850 meters, on a hill west of Lo Möntang, the old capital of the Mustang kingdom, a very remote region in the Nepalese-Tibetan borderlands. While its foundation goes back to earlier times, its fifteenth- century enlargement established it as a thriving Buddhist institution providing a home to a huge number of monks and a remarkable collection of Buddhist material culture including statues, thangkas, and manuscripts.
Among these various sacred objects, two collections of Buddhist canonical literature stand out for their age and complex illumination programmes.This book presents the visual and textual contents of these two sets of Buddhist manuscripts and analyses them from the perspectives of manuscript studies, art history, and textual analysis.
"The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide” focuses on an extremely rare group of richly-detailed al... more "The All-Knowing Buddha: A Secret Guide” focuses on an extremely rare group of richly-detailed album leaves which illustrate the visualization practice of Sarvavid Vairocana, the All-Knowing Buddha. This beautifully illustrated step-by-step visual guide provides a unique glimpse into Tibetan Buddhist meditation and ritual, normally instruction restricted to oral transmission by a teacher to his initiated disciple. These practices are usually not meant to be depicted and this is one of the only albums known to exist in which the meditative visualization process is spelled out visually. While the ritual narrative of these unusual paintings is Tibetan Buddhist in content they are expressed in a vivid Chinese aesthetic, a unique product of cultural translation through its Mongolian patrons. The album exemplifies rich patterns of cross-cultural exchange that characterized the Qing Empire.
Piats 2003: Tibetan Studies: Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the International Association fo... more Piats 2003: Tibetan Studies: Proceedings of the Tenth Seminar of the International Association for Tibetan Studies, Oxford, 2003. Brill’s Tibetan Studies Library, vol. 10/8. In: Journal of the American Oriental Society 129 (3), no. 3 (2009): 503-5.
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Among these various sacred objects, two collections of Buddhist canonical literature stand out for their age and complex illumination programmes.This book presents the visual and textual contents of these two sets of Buddhist manuscripts and analyses
them from the perspectives of manuscript studies, art history, and textual analysis.
NOW AVAILABLE FOR FREE DIGITAL ACCESS: https://issuu.com/rmanyc/docs/all_knowing_buddha_online