Sacred Arts of Tibet (.pdf) - Asian Art Museum | Education

Sacred Arts of Tibet
phenomena being truly existent gives rise to desire, hate, envy, and the other ills of living beings. This
ignorance of the true nature of reality is the ultimate root of all suffering. The desires and hatreds that
arise from this ignorance bind one to suffering in the cycle of rebirths, a state called samsara. Each being
has been born over and over in a beginningless series of lifetimes. The sufferings of birth, sickness, aging
and death, as well as the terrible miseries of lower, even infernal states of being make samsara an endless
source of suffering. Realizing the true nature of reality is the wisdom that frees one from samsara. Such
wisdom arises only in the presence of profound and endless compassion for the miseries of all other living
beings. Therefore compassion is the natural expression of wisdom. Compassion arises with the realization
of one’s innate and inalienable connectedness with each and every living being. True compassion entails a
profound and immutable desire to lead other beings to the state of ultimate wisdom where they are liberated
from all suffering and attain true happiness.
To aid his followers in their pursuit of liberating wisdom, Shakyamuni Buddha created the first monasteries
in the history of the world, where they could live and meditate without being completely distracted by
the world around them.
The Bodhisattva
As an advanced bodhisattva, one becomes powerful and effective in bringing about the liberation of
beings. Great bodhisattvas like Manjushri (Slide 8) or Avalokiteshvara (Slide 2) can save vast numbers of
beings from the miseries and terrors of the world and become widely worshiped by ordinary people as
gods and goddesses. Avalokiteshvara is worshiped as Guanyin in China, Kannon in Japan, and in Tibet is
known to take on many aspects, such as the Dalai Lama, in order to better encompass the welfare of the
world.
Vajrayana Buddhism
Vajrayana Buddhism, which is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet, provides a great variety of special
practices, meditations and rituals to accomplish the goals of cultivating compassion and the ultimate liberation
of all living beings. Vajrayana is based on the esoteric doctrines of Buddha Shakyamuni given to
selected disciples. It uses yogic techniques of meditation, mantra, and ritual to bring about psychological
and physiological transformations. Initiations and empowerments are needed to understand and engage in
these techniques, and to use the sacred implements such as the vajra and ghanta (bell) (Slide 10), sacred
images (such as those in the museum collection), hand and body gestures (mudra), and sacred power
words (mantra).
Tibetan Buddhism comprises four lineages. All trace themselves back to Buddha Shakyamuni in an
unbroken lineage of enlightened masters and disciples that extends down to the present day. They are distinguished
much more by lineage than by any major difference in doctrine or practice. The four lineages
are Gelukpa, Sakyapa, Nyingmapa and Kagyupa.
Bön, Tibet’s Indigenous Belief
Bön (Slide 20), Tibet’s indigenous religion, is a high form of religious ritualism primarily concerned with
righting the causes of human ailment and misfortune and coexisting with the underlying forces of the
universe. It focuses on the living, but has a clear sense of an afterlife and seeks to bring benefits and happiness
in both this world and the world to come. The Bön outlook is basically one where humans are
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