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The cult of Tārā; magic and ritual in Tibet.

By: Material type: TextTextSeries: Hermeneutics: studies in the history of religions ; 1Berkeley: University of California Press, 1978Edition: First paperback editionDescription: xxi, 542 pages, 25 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 0520036352
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • 294.3/4/38
LOC classification:
  • BQ4710.T34 T53
Summary: The real history of man is the history of religion."; The truth of the famous dictum of Max Muller, the father of the History of Religions, is nowhere so obvious as in Tibet. Western students have observed that religion and magic pervade not only the forms of Tibetan art, politics, and society, but also every detail of ordinary human existence. And what is the all-pervading religion of Tibet? The Buddhism of that country has been described to us, of course, but that does not mean the question has been answered. The unique importance of Stephan Beyerís work is that it presents the vital material ignored or slighted by others: the living ritual of Tibetan Buddhists. The reader is made a witness to cultic proceedings through which the author guides him carefully. He does not force one to accept easy explanations nor does he direct one's attention only to aspects that can be counted on to please. He leads one step by step, without omitting anything, through entire rituals, and interprets whenever necessary without being unduly obtrusive. Oftentimes, as in the case of the many hymns to the goddess Tara, the superb translations speak directly to the reader, and it is indeed as if the reader himself were present at the ritual - From Worldcat
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Item type Current library Collection Class number Status Date due Barcode
Book Book Lindholme Hall Library General stacks Vajrayana 407 BEY (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 2400556
Book Book Lindholme Hall Library General stacks Vajrayana 407 BEY (Browse shelf(Opens below)) Available 2400557

Bibliography: p. 503-519.

The real history of man is the history of religion."; The truth of the famous dictum of Max Muller, the father of the History of Religions, is nowhere so obvious as in Tibet. Western students have observed that religion and magic pervade not only the forms of Tibetan art, politics, and society, but also every detail of ordinary human existence. And what is the all-pervading religion of Tibet? The Buddhism of that country has been described to us, of course, but that does not mean the question has been answered. The unique importance of Stephan Beyerís work is that it presents the vital material ignored or slighted by others: the living ritual of Tibetan Buddhists. The reader is made a witness to cultic proceedings through which the author guides him carefully. He does not force one to accept easy explanations nor does he direct one's attention only to aspects that can be counted on to please. He leads one step by step, without omitting anything, through entire rituals, and interprets whenever necessary without being unduly obtrusive. Oftentimes, as in the case of the many hymns to the goddess Tara, the superb translations speak directly to the reader, and it is indeed as if the reader himself were present at the ritual - From Worldcat