The Book of Buddhas: Ritual Symbolism Used on Buddhist Statuary and Ritual Objects - Softcover

Jansen, Eva Rudy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 9074597025 ISBN 13: 9789074597029

Publisher: Binkey Kok Publications, 2004

Synopsis

In Buddhism every symbol has a meaning and this book explores the symbolism of the ritual objects that are used on statues and paintings as well as explaining the ritual meaning of the objects associated with Buddhism. Modern students who are drawn to the study and practice of Buddhism are not always able to easily learn the symbolic meaning of the various types of statuary connected to the study of this philosophy. This book serves as an introduction for Western students. It is not meant as a comprehensive and exhaustive study but provides an introduction to Buddhism itself as well as a generous survey of the most common figures and symbols. The author examines the Three Mysteries mudras asanas Manushri Buddhas Transcendental Buddhas Adibuddha Tara Manjushri and Avalokiteshvara. Also discussed are Yidams Gods and Goddesses dakinis and yoginis and the Laughing Buddha.

About this title

Review

Although I am a practising Thevardian Buddhist , I find this book on Tibetan Iconography and symbolism very interesting It have decipher the ancient secrets of the Tibetan and made it easy to comprehend to every lay Buddhist I strongly recomend this book to any inspiring Tibetan Buddhist learner --By A Customer - 20 March 1998

for being new to asian carvings of buddhas it has brought together for me in one book a great resource of learning symbols gestures poses --By Jeanette Marcus 6 September 2008

This introductory book strikes a good balance of being informative and being not overly burdensome a read. Though it may allow for easy reading in some ways, the subjects feature powerful gateways into the development of intercultural understanding and cosmic minds. People of diverse religions and cultural backgrounds could benefit from repeated visits to the book, especially spread over time and used in conjunction with exploration through meditation, applied imagination, and other means. As an additional note, if a reader finds what appear to be internal contradictions between different statements in the book or external contradictions between the book and other Buddhist sources, it could be fruitful to consider questions over these as written or unwritten koans. --By Maurice Blair 6 September 2009

Synopsis

In Buddhism every symbol has a meaning. This book explores the symbolism and explains the ritual meaning of the objects associated with Buddhism. Central symbols examined include the Three Mysteries and Transcendental Buddhas.

Edition details

• Publisher: Binkey Kok Publications
• Publication date: 2004
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9074597025
• ISBN 13: 9789074597029
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 128