Religions of Tibet in Practice - Softcover

Lopez Jr., Donald S.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691011834 ISBN 13: 9780691011837

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 1997

Synopsis

Religions of Tibet in Practice is a landmark work, the first major anthology on the topic ever produced. It presents a stunning array of works (hagiographies, pilgrimage guides, prayers, accounts of visits to hell, epics, consecration manuals, sermons, and exorcism texts) that together offer an unparalleled view of the realities of those who have inhabited the Tibetan cultural domain over the centuries. The volume provides a wealth of voices that together lead to a new and more nuanced understanding of the religions of Tibet.

The thirty-six chapters are testimony to the vast scope of religious practice in the Tibetan world, past and present, offering works heretofore unknown. The chapters are organized thematically under five headings: Accounts of Time and Place, Remarkable Lives, Rites and Techniques, Prayers and Sermons, and Dealing with Death and Other Demons. They juxtapose materials from different sects, historical periods, and geographical regions in an attempt to broaden the range of what we understand the religious practices of Tibet to encompass. Each chapter contains a translation and a substantial yet accessible introduction by a leading scholar of Tibetan religions. Religions of Tibet in Practice represents the largest sourcebook on Tibetan religions ever assembled, a work of great value to scholars, students, and general readers.

About this title

Review:

Tibetan Buddhism is most well known for its Book of the Dead and its tantric practices. In Religions of Tibet in Practice, an anthology of religious texts from Tibet, both of these elements are well represented, along with many more selections of prayers, sermons, biographies, and epics. Translated by the top scholars in the field, these pieces provide an excellent introduction to the varied and wide-ranging aspects of Tibetan Buddhism, such as the epic of King Gesar (the "Iliad of Tibet"), the meditative states of the boddhisattvas, the horseback consecration ritual, and the life story of tantric master Lorepa. Not only do the selections allow direct contact with the Tibetan religious tradition, but the introductions to each selection together provide a history of Tibetan religion that exceeds in scope and quality anything in print today.

From the Inside Flap:

"This book will be a worthy companion to the earlier volumes in the series, and will stand on its own as the single most comprehensive sourcebook on Tibetan religions."--Roger Jackson, Carleton College

"The single most comprehensive sourcebook on Tibetian religions."--Roger Jackson, Carleton College

About this edition

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0691011834
• ISBN 13: 9780691011837
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 576