The Guardian Deities Of Tibet

The Purpose Of This Book Is To Intrduce To The Readers The World Of Tibet`S Rich Tradition Of Guardian Deities Or Dharma Protectors.

A note to the reader about the Use of Tibetan terms -- Rediscovering the arms and armor of Tibet / by Donald J. LaRocca -- A history of ironworking in Tibet : centers of production, styles, and techniques / by John Clarke -- armor and weapons in the iconography of Tibetan Buddhist Deities / by Amy Heller -- The Gonkhang, Temple of the Guardian deities / by Lozang Jamspal-- Catalogue : Lamellar Armor and helmets -- Helmets -- Shields -- Horse armor -- Leather armor -- Mail and other forms of armor -- Swords -- Spears, spearheads, and miscellaneous -- Archery equipment -- Firearms and accessories -- Saddles and tack, stirrups, and bridles -- Appendixes -- Excerpts from a treatise on worldly traditions types and subtypes of swords, helmets, and armor named in 'jig rten lugs kyi bstan bcos -- Tibetan-English glossary of arms and armor terms -- Radiocarbon dating results.

The compilation of this book originates from my interest in the unique process of vetting, identifying, recognizing and confirmation of Dorje Pawo-tsal of Kirti Monastery as a State protector of the Gadhen Phodrang and Ven. Lobsang Tashi, as its authentic medium by Dharmaraja Nechung, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama (HHDL), and His Eminence the Eleventh Kirti Rinpoche. In the year 2000, Dorje Pawo-tsal (in the form of Ven. Lobsang Tashi, the medium) came calling in Dharamsala, claiming to have been summoned by Palden Lhamo and Nechung Chogyal, the two principal State protector deities of Tibet. Through a unique process of vetting, Dorje Pawo-tsal was officially promoted and confirmed as a State protector based on various transcendental communications, portents, signs and actual communication with other officiating State oracles like the Nechung, Pehar Gyalpo, Lha-chen Tshangpa, Lhamo Yudron-ma as well as acknowledged masters such as His Eminence the Eleventh Kirti Rinpoche and His Holiness the Dalai Lama.

The historical development of Esoteric Buddhism in India is still known only in outline. A few verifiably early texts do give some insight into the origin of the ideas which would later develop and spread to East and Southeast Asia, and to Tibet. However, there is another kind of evidence which can be harnessed to the project of reconstructing the history of Esoteric Buddhist doctrines and practice. This evidence consists of art objects, mainly sculpture, which survive in significant numbers from the 6th to the 13th century.

This book is a study of the Tibetan protective deities, those gods worshipped by the Tibetans as protectors and guardians of Buddhism.