The Tibetan Iconography of Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Other Deities: A Unique Pantheon

Language: EnglishPages: 807 (B & W Illus: 360)From the Jacket :Beginning with a few aniconic symbols, likefootprints, the Bo tree or stupas, in the prechristian Indian art,Buddhism, over the centuries, came to evolve a bewildering array of deities ineverincreasing number of pantheons. Interestingly, in Buddhism today, there areperhaps as many pantheons as there are countries, or internal regions or sectswithin them.Chou Fo Pusa sheng Hsiang Tsan, in focus here, is one these manyBuddhist pantheons and acknowledgedly the culmination of Lamaist art. Authoredby Rol. pahi.rdo.rje, alias Lalitavajra, (17171786): an imperialpreceptor of Emperor Chienlung (17361795), it is a rare set of 360woodcuts/xylographs, representing varying forms and manifestations of theBuddhas, Bodhisattvas, tantric and tutelary deities, arhats, sages,teachers, dharmapalas and protective divinities. It is also accompaniedby 360 eulogies in Chinese.Two internationally distinguished scholars here team up to present afresh theChou Fo pusa Sheng Hsiang Tsan, aptly called a unique pantheon.Drawing together all the 360 woodcut images in their vividly enlarged/enhancedversions without compromising their aesthetic integrity, the book not onlycaptures their subtle iconic devices, but spells out as well, in meticulousdetail, all their iconic attributes, like body postures, faces, arms/hands, mudras,asanas, vahanas, companions, and whether clam or wrathful. The book alsoincorporates the names of each deity/deityform in Sanskrit, Manchu, Mongolian,Tibetan, and Chinese.Unveiling for the first time, the images of a veritably unique pantheon, intheir enlarged format, and their accompanying Ch