The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 216 pages
• Published by: Thames & Hudson October 2000
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 0500510032
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-0500510032
• Book Dimensions: 12.9 x 9.9 x 1 inches
• Weighs: 3.6 pounds

From Booklist
Tibet's Lukhang temple, a private retreat for the Dalai Lama established in the late seventeenth century, contains what was, until the Chinese invaded, a secret meditation chamber covered with a set of extraordinary murals. These murals present a host of figures engaged in the basic cycles of life or practicing Tantric meditation techniques in pursuit of inner transformation. Instead of rejecting desire as other Buddhist practices do, Tantra harnesses this intrinsically human drive and turns it into "boundless compassion." So powerful and potentially dangerous is this path to spiritual awakening, only the most enlightened of Tibetan Buddhist monks are initiated into the tradition. Tibet expert Baker's decoding of the murals' images and history of the Tantric tradition are cogent and deeply moving. In his introduction, the Dalai Lama, who was unable to visit Lukhang before being forced into exile, writes that many believe that the very sight of these paintings opens the viewer's mind to spiritual truths, and, indeed, their effect is powerful. Donna Seaman
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Product Review
A timeless work, one for readers to dip into again and again over the years. -- Joi Eden, New Age Retailer, March/April 2001

Reader Reviews
In addition to being a meticulously executed illustrated art book, The Dalai Lama's Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet by Ian A. Baker, et al. guides the reader through some lesser known biographical details of Tibet's greatest Dalai Lamas and of the history of Tibetan Buddhist culture as a whole. The amazing drawings, many of which painted in an almost feverish surrealistic style, are accompanied by insights into the lore of the Dalai Lamas, with thoughtful excerpts from their writings. I am also much obliged as a book shopper to show my appreciation to the book's publisher, Thames & Hudson, for the excellent printing quality and overall layout and binding of this book, details which for me always work to enhance the message of a book and to demonstrate the seriousness and loving care with which the authors themselves have treated their creation.