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  • McNamara Tibetan Art Powerpoint

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    danrva
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    Introduction to the meanings and styles of Tibetan art. In short, I argue (through the powerpoint) that the Wheel of Life (srid pa'i 'khor lo/bhavancakra) represents the world as it _seems_, while images of deities, mandalas etc depict the world that _actually already exists_ (from a Nyingma/Jonang point of view) or that one can create (Gelug view). I have used this powerpoint in 100 level highly ranged Universities as well as informal study-abroad programs.

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    Introduction to the meanings and styles of Tibetan art. In short, I argue (through the powerpoint) that the Wheel of Life (srid pa'i 'khor lo/bhavancakra) represents the world as it _seems_, while images of deities, mandalas etc depict the world that _actually already exists_ (from a Nyingma/Jonang point of view) or that one can create (Gelug view). I have used this powerpoint in 100 level highly ranged Universities as well as informal study-abroad programs.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    122 views33 pages

    McNamara Tibetan Art Powerpoint

    Uploaded by

    danrva
    Introduction to the meanings and styles of Tibetan art. In short, I argue (through the powerpoint) that the Wheel of Life (srid pa'i 'khor lo/bhavancakra) represents the world as it _seems_, while images of deities, mandalas etc depict the world that _actually already exists_ (from a Nyingma/Jonang point of view) or that one can create (Gelug view). I have used this powerpoint in 100 level highly ranged Universities as well as informal study-abroad programs.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 33

    (Or, a brief history of mirrors)

    HOW TO READ TIBETAN ART

    What do images do?


    Images as mirrors: What we are, what were not Attachment and aversion: advertising, pornography, pictures of family Karma: everything we see (and hear, and do) affects us the mirror changes the face that

    looks into it

    A Brief History of Tibetan Art

    Indian Antecedents
    Buddhist art is aniconic

    until at least 200 BCE Representations of Buddha include Bodhi leaves, trees, wheels, footprints

    Icons
    Gandhara (Pakistan/Afghanistan) and Bactria Alexander the Great establishes Satrapy in

    Bactria circa 330 BCE Greco-Buddhist Art from 1st century CE Ajanta caves (200 BCE-200 CE) Roughly contemporaneous emergence of icons in Mathura
    i.e., Macedonian influence is a source, not the

    source. The matter is far from settled.

    Bactria, circa 180 BCE

    Kanishka, 1st century CE

    Gandhari Buddha, c. 200 CE

    Gandhari Maitreya, 2nd century CE

    Mathura (Uttar Pradesh)

    Buddha head from Mathura Gupta period (320-550 CE)

    Mathura, date unknown (Gupta period?)

    Jumping forward a few hundred years to Tibet


    Three main influences: Gandhara

    (Pakistan/Afghanistan), Kashmir, Nepal China and Central Asia also had a say

    Tibetan Plateau

    Schools of Art
    Major Traditions (in very broad brushstrokes):
    Paltri (Nepali) Menlug (Peaceful) Khentse (Wrathful) Karma Katri (Chinese influence)

    Styles merge, co-evolve; associated with colors and features

    Paltri-style Chakrasamvara and Vajra-Varahi (contemporary)

    Menlug-style Chakrasamavara and Vajravarahi (contemporary)

    Khyentse influenced Vajrapani (contemporary)

    Karma Katri image of Third Karmapa Rangjung Dorje (1284-1339)(not dated)

    Early 20th century photorealism (Samye monastery, Tibet)

    Moving on What are these images doing?


    Types of images 3 Jewels, 3 Roots
    Buddha, Dharma, Sangha Lamas, Deities, Protectors

    Different types of Practitioners


    Inspire faith Reminder of death Depict ideal universe, ideal you

    Detour: the Wheel of Life


    (where we are now) Yamas mirror Six realms-The motors are ignorance, attachment, aversion

    Whats being depicted


    Macrocosm ideal universe Mesocosm ideal personhood Microcosm ideal body We are the world, The universe in a single

    atom
    Visualization exercises Purify impure body, speech, mind

    An exercise in reading symbols: Troma Nagmo

    Chod refuge tree (contemporary)

    Condensed Chod refuges

    Vajravarahi Mandalas

    Vajra-varahi Kharakoto (Mongolia) 12th century

    Interactions
    Faith Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are there

    to help Bardo Thodrol (Liberation through Hearing)


    48 peaceful and 52 wrathful deities manifest in the

    state between death and rebirth

    Reminder of Buddha nature


    Its not that were Varahi instead of Jim Buddhas are whatever its necessary to be, to

    help sentient beings.

    How are we looking?

    More images. Phadampa (Gyantse 14th-15th c.)

    White Tara (contemporary)

    Green Tara with attendants, Gyantse (14th-15th c)

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