Consecration of Images and Stupas in Indo-Tibetan Tantric Buddhism (Brill's Indological Library, Vol 11)

The present work is an investigation of the Indo-Tibetan ritual for consecrating images, "stupas," books and temples. It is based on a thorough examination of the relevant Tibetan textual material contained in Tantras, commentaries, ritual manuals and explanatory works on consecration. As rituals are meant to be performed, this textual study is combined with observations of performances and interviews with performers. The book opens with a general discussion of certain principles of tantric rituals and the foundations of Indo-Tibetan consecration. The main part focuses on a specific performance of the ritual in a Tibetan monastery located in the Kathmandu Valley. This volume contributes to the often neglected field of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist rituals. It is concerned with the sacred nature of objects for worship as well as with the main Buddhist tantric transformation into a chosen tantric Buddha. Contents......Page 6 Acknowledgements ......Page 12 Preface ......Page 16 Tantric Rituals and Consecration ......Page 22 Consecration, the Two Truths, and the Bodies (kāya) of the Buddha ......Page 34 Ritual of Passage for Objects ......Page 43 1. The ritual of opening the eye ......Page 54 2. The 'enthronement' offerings (mnga'-dbul) ......Page 60 3. Rituals accompanying the request to the lha to firmly remain in the receptacle ......Page 63 4. Offering bath ......Page 66 1. The ritual master ......Page 71 2. The lha invited into the receptacle ......Page 75 3. The consecrated receptacle ......Page 77 The Consecration Literature ......Page 79 The Ritual Manual ......Page 87 Dga'-ldan-chos--phel-gling Monastery ......Page 92 Ritual Roles ......Page 96 The Setting ......Page 98 1. The mandala of the lha ......Page 100 2. The bathing mandala ......Page 101 Rituals of Transformation ......Page 105 Translation and Analysis of the Consecration Manual......Page 112 The Preparatory Rituals (sta-gon)......Page 117 The Main Part (dngos-gzhi)......Page 236 The Concluding Rituals (mjug-chog)......Page 348 Appendix......Page 370 The Tibetan text of the ritual manual......Page 392 Bibliography......Page 412 Index......Page 430 The present work is an investigation of the Indo-Tibetan ritual for consecrating images, stûpas, books and temples. It is based on a thorough examination of the relevant Tibetan textual material contained in Tantras, commentaries, ritual manuals and explanatory works on consecration. As rituals are meant to be performed, this textual study is combined with observations of performances and interviews with performers.The book opens with a general discussion of certain principles of tantric rituals and the foundations of Indo-Tibetan consecration. The main part focuses on a specific performance of the ritual in a Tibetan monastery located in the Kathmandu Valley.This volume contributes to the often neglected field of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist rituals. It is concerned with the sacred nature of objects for worship as well as with the main Buddhist tantric transformation into a chosen tantric Buddha. This study of the Indo-Tibetan ritual of rendering religious objects sacred concerns one of the fundamental Buddhist tantric processes of transformation into a chosen tantric Buddha. It provides a general discussion of the ritual as well as detailed analyses of each ritual step in the composite present-day consecration. This investigation of the Indo-Tibetan ritual for consecrating images, "stupas", books and temples is based on an examination of relevant Tibetan textual material contained in Tantras, commentaries, ritual manuals and explanatory works on consecration. By Yael Bentor. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [391]-407) And Index.