Creating the Universe: Depictions of the Cosmos in Himalayan Buddhism

Creating the Universe: Depictions of the Cosmos in Himalayan Buddhism
ISBN-10
0295744073
ISBN-13
9780295744070
Category
Religion
Pages
296
Language
English
Published
2019-01-20
Publisher
University of Washington Press
Author
Eric Huntington

Description

Buddhist representations of the cosmos across nearly two thousand years of history in Tibet, Nepal, and India show that cosmology is a rich language for the expression of diverse religious ideas, with cosmological thinking at the center of Buddhist thought, art, and practice. In�Creating the Universe,�Eric Huntington presents examples of visual art and architecture, primary texts, ritual ideologies, and material practices�accompanied by extensive explanatory diagrams�to reveal the immense complexity of cosmological thinking in Himalayan Buddhism. Employing comparisons across function, medium, culture, and history, he exposes cosmology as a fundamental mode of engagement with numerous aspects of religion, from preliminary lessons to the highest rituals for enlightenment. This wide-ranging work will interest scholars and students of many fields, including Buddhist studies, religious studies, art history, and area studies.

Similar books