Early West Tibetan Buddhist Monuments : Architecture, Art, History and Texts

This edited volume with 16 original contributions is devoted to early, 10th–13th-century Buddhist monuments of historical Western Tibet. The results are, on the one hand, based on in-depth interdisciplinary field studies in Ladakh, Spiti, Kinnaur, Tsamda und Purang (today partly on Chinese, partly on Indian territory), on the other hand on the critical edition and analysis of hitherto unknown or inaccessible historiographical texts, among others of works by Guge Paṇḍita Drakpa Gyaltsen (1415–1486/98), which are dedicated partly to the foundation phase of the West Tibetan kingdom and the royal monk Yeshe Ö (947–1019), the leading religio-political figure in Western Tibet in the 10th/11th century. Preceded by an outline of macro-historical developments in Western Tibet from the 7th to the 15th century, the studies focus on the archaeology, architecture, art history and foundation phase of the monastery of Nyarma (10th century) (Ladakh), in addition on stelae in Purang and Tsamda dating to the 9th and 10th centuries, newly discovered murals at Tabo monastery in Spiti, illuminated Prajñāpāramitā MSS from Tabo and Pooh (in Upper Kinnaur), as well as wall-paintings and accompanying inscriptions in the Zhag cave temple (Tsamda) from the 13th century. This volume contributes significantly to the wider and deeper understanding of the religious, cultural, political and social developments of the entire West Tibetan language area, in particular during the formative phases of the West Tibetan kingdom from the 10th to the 13th centuries. This edited volume with 16 original contributions is devoted to early, 10th-13th-century Buddhist monuments of historical Western Tibet. The results are, on the one hand, based on in-depth interdisciplinary field studies in Ladakh, Spiti, Kinnaur, Tsamda und Purang (today partly on Chinese, partly on Indian territory), and on the other hand on the critical edition and analysis of hitherto unknown or inaccessible historiographical texts, including works by Guge Paita Drakpa Gyaltsen (1415-1486/98), which are dedicated partly to the foundation phase of the West Tibetan kingdom and to the royal monk Yeshe Ö (947-1019), the leading religio-political figure in Western Tibet in the 10th/11th century. Preceded by an outline of macro-historical developments in Western Tibet from the 7th to the 15th century, the studies focus on the archaeology, architecture, art history and foundation phase of the monastery of Nyarma (10th century) (Ladakh), in addition on stelae in Purang and Tsamda dating to the 9th and 10th centuries, newly discovered murals at Tabo monastery in Spiti, illuminated Prajñpramit MSS from Tabo and Pooh (in Upper Kinnaur), as well as wall-paintings and accompanying inscriptions in the Zhag cave temple (Tsamda) from the 13th century. This volume contributes significantly to the wider and deeper understanding of the religious, cultural, political and social developments of the entire West Tibetan language area, in particular during the formative phases of the West Tibetan kingdom from the 10th to the 13th centuries Cover Table of Contents Preface Spelling and Transliteration Systems Introduction Territory and Trends in Land Control: The Byang thang “Heartland” and the mNga’ ris“Periphery” Power and Religion in Pre-Modern Western Tibet: The Monumental Avalokiteśvara Stela in lCog ro,Purang Brief Description of the Traditions Related to the“Translator’s mchod rten” in Kyu wang, Western Tibet Paṇḍita Grags pa rgyal mtshan‘s Chapter on the Historyof mNga’ ris in Nyi ma‘i rigs kyi rgyal rabs: Notes on the Author and the Content Relating the History of mNga’ ris as Set Down in Writing in Paṇḍita Grags pa rgyal mtshan’s Nyi ma’i rigs kyirgyal rabs skye dgu’i cod paṇ nyi zla’i phreng mdzes: The Tibetan Text The Extended Biography of the Royal Lama Ye shes ’odby Paṇḍita Grags pa rgyal mtshan: The Tibetan Text Joseph Thsertan Gergan‘s Report on Nyarma, 1917 An Archaeological Account of Nyarma and its Surroundings, Ladakh The Architecture of the Buddhist Temple Complex of Nyarma Note on the Spatial Iconography of the Nyarma gtsug lag khang in Context On the Foundation of the Nyarma gtsug lag khang, Ladakh Hārītī and Pāñcika at Tabo: On the Metamorphosis of the Protective Couple in Early West Tibetan Buddhist Temples A Brief Analysis of the Reputed Passing Away of lha bla ma Ye shes ’od among the Gar log A Vajradhātu maṇḍala in a Prajñāpāramitā Manuscript of Tabo Monastery Shaping Space, Constructing Identity: The Illuminated Yum chen mo Manuscriptat Pooh, Kinnaur Guge Kingdom-Period Murals in the Zhag Grottoin mNga’ ris, Western Tibet Index