20-24 septembrie 2009 - Biblioteca Metropolitana Bucuresti

On the symbolism of the Tibetan book 713state of complete liberation from suffering, themselves becoming Buddhas,sitting undisturbed on a diamond seat.2. The Buddha is the spiritual axis of the world. To touch his garment,which is also the “garment” of his Word aspect, the Book, means to obtainbliss, i.e. the state of nirvāṇa, the disappearance of suffering. The path toreach this goal is long and toilsome and thus requires perseverance. Thegarment, therefore, also symbolises the perfection of perseverance, whichis one of the ten Buddhist perfections3. The book covers symbolise the two forces contained in the book:Means and Wisdom. Means or practical method, representing the male,and Wisdom, representing the female, must be combined in order to attainliberation from suffering. If one of them is lacking, this goal cannot bereached.4. The straps of the book, holding together all the phenomena explainedin the book, demonstrate that all phenomena of this world are constructionsof our mind and, therefore, not existing - they are empty. If one realises this,they are all the same, and to realise it means to attain Knowledge, whichleads to nirvāṇa. Once one perceives the emptiness of worldly phenomena,suffering disappears, since there is nothing left that could cause suffering.This is the symbolism of the Tibetan book as explained on the ritualcards of the Upper Tantric School of Lhasa.Illustrations:No. 1: Tibetan book in the possession of the author.No. 2: Drawing by Namgyal Gonpo Ronge 1983, in Ikonographie und Symbolikdes tibetischen Buddhismus. Teil A II: Die Sādhanas der Sammlung Ba-ribrgya-rtsa, Wiesbaden, 265.Nos. 3a-3b: Ritual cards 265. of the Upper Tantric School of Lhasa.