Art for art’s sake has never been an overriding motivation in Tibetan culture or Tibetan Buddhism. For example, we can understand thangka painting, the sacred art of
Japanese artist Takashi Murakami has become renowned internationally for his colorful, smiling flowers, his anime-inspired paintings and sculptures that range in style from erotic to
Thangka paintings are Tibet’s most plentiful and portable form of sacred art. Less known and rarely seen are the highly prized appliqué thangkas. In fact, when I
The Medicine Buddha is a healing Buddha from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Many cultures have healing deities or rituals, and the Medicine Buddha is a
Visually, there are two forms of language: one that has to be learned and one that communicates directly with the other-than-conscious part of our mind.
The Longmen Grottoes, whose name translates into English as “Dragon’s Gate Grottoes,” are located along a one-kilometer stretch of cliffs on either side of the
The Wheel of Life and Death is a central concept and image in Buddhist understanding. Escaping the Wheel of Life and Death is a Buddhist
From several yards away, the image is instantly recognizable—the head of the Buddha gazing downwards as if deep in meditation, floating on a background of
One of the most fascinating examples of Buddhist architecture is the stupa, a structure that evolved from a simple burial mound into the large-scale domed
Aside from the occasional visiting Rinpoche, few are in a position to represent and transmit the Vajrayana tradition in the nations of Eastern Europe. Bulgaria,
Ela Pedma’s dream of being a bronze sculptor began at the age of seven or eight. Her father returned from a trip with a book
Museum renovations have been a significant part of Singapore’s Jubilee Year celebrations in 2015, with the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) opening a new Ancient Religions
