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John C. Huntington
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The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art Hardcover – January 1, 2003

by John C. Huntington (Author), Dina Bangdel (Author)
5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
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Attention to Himalayan Buddhist art has come to the forefront of art historical scholarship in recent years, especially in the areas of connoisseurship and attribution. Several major exhibitions have highlighted the artistic achievements of the Himalayan cultures, yet very few have focused primarily on the reasons for the creation of the art and its original intent. The Circle of Bliss: Buddhist Meditational Art attempts to fill this lacuna in the scholarship by showing that the function of Himalayan Buddhist art is to interpret and give physical form to specific Buddhist practices.

The exhibition catalogue for The Circle of Bliss points the way to an entirely new direction for the study of the visual representations of the Chakrasamvara Tantra and other key Buddhist Tantras. The texts of the Chakrasamvara Tantra offer profound meditational techniques to practitioners to enable them to experience the increased awareness necessary for reaching the ultimate state of human perfection, or Enlightenment. Here, for the first time in Himalayan art historical scholarship, the works of art are presented in their socio-religious context, with details about how their symbolic visual language expresses the attainment of that path. The study focuses on the esoteric meditations related to Chakrasamvara and Vajravarahi, which are regarded as among the principal meditational practices throughout the Himalayan Buddhist world. Long believed to be taught only to initiated disciples, the details of these meditations have gradually come into the light of modern scholarship over the last sixty years. With this increased public awareness, the authors have been allowed a unique opportunity to explain these esoteric processes without breaking any of the still-secret traditions. The book’s thematic emphasis provides a clear, well-articulated overview of the Himalayan Buddhist meditational process from its inception through its completion stages.

The study delineates the geo-cultural development across Asia of the diverse esoteric religious practices of Himalayan Buddhism, especially the seminal contribution of the Newar Buddhist community of Nepal in the transmission and reinterpretation of the esoteric Tantric Buddhist teachings. The practices of the Newar community, in particular the Chakrasamvara teachings, are revealed as a major force in the development of Buddhism.

Featuring approximately 160 of the aesthetically finest and most powerful masterpieces of Indian, Nepalese, Tibetan, Chinese, and Mongolian art produced over the past thirteen centuries, the catalogue includes many works published for the first time. It highlights the extraordinary artistic accomplishments of esoteric Buddhism and at the same time leads the reader to understand the intrinsic function of these exquisite works. In this in-depth contextualization of the art works, the complex world of Himalayan Buddhist art has been explicated beyond aesthetic appreciation to a germane understanding of its innermost meaning and its service in the pursuit of Enlightenment.

Previous page
  1. Print length
    560 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Serindia Pubns
  4. Publication date
    January 1, 2003
  5. Dimensions
    9.75 x 2 x 12.75 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1932476016
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1932476019
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

The catalogue is co-authored by Professor John C. Huntington and Visiting Assistant Professor Dina Bangdel, with contributions by graduate students, of the Department of the History of Art at The Ohio State University. Professor Huntington is an internationally known authority on Himalayan art and co-organizer of the 1990 exhibition, Leaves from the Bodhi Tree. Dr. Bangdel, currently assistant professor at California State Polytechnic University/ Pomona, is a specialist in Himalayan art and a leading expert on Nepalese art and culture.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Serindia Pubns (January 1, 2003)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 560 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1932476016
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1932476019
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.75 x 2 x 12.75 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

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John C. Huntington

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5 out of 5 stars
5 out of 5
6 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Adam Trombly
5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable
Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2015
Verified Purchase
This is, beyond a doubt, one of the most important books about Indo-Tibetan Sacred Art ever produced. It offers the actual practice of Tantric Buddhism as the context for the many remarkable creations beautifully presented within it's covers.
I would go so far as to say that whether or not you are a beginner or think of yourself as an expert, this book is indispensable. Finally, here is a reference which is not filled with highly truncated and frequently inadequate descriptions of the sacred images and there subjects. I am frequently appreciative of some of the various books now available on this subject, but this book is an answer to prayer. If you can afford to get this then by all good means do. Otherwise, I hope that your university or institution has a copy available for prolonged perusal.
4 people found this helpful
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David K
5.0 out of 5 stars A masterpiece from John Huntington
Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2021
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The best book of Tibetan art.
One person found this helpful
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M. Dunn
5.0 out of 5 stars Studies from the Circle of Bliss
Reviewed in the United States on January 30, 2005
I was unfortunate to miss the exhibition for which this book is a catalogue and a venue for presenting the previously obscure art of the Chakrasamvara tantras of Nepal to a wider audience.

In the absence of being at the exhibit, this catalogue reproduces all 157 objects to a high degree, enough for you to ascertain for yourself the ideas of the authors, and to appreciate the quality, beauty and devotion held by the artists and reflected within these works of art.

The authors had access to Nepalese tantric priests for help in explaining the meaning of some of the esoteric representations, allowing for an accurate description of much of the iconography contained within the artworks. At the same time, the authors don't transgress the secret nature of the practices as contained in the ritual ceremonies of Chakrasamvara or the oral lineage from Guru to disciple.

Excellent work to have conceived and organised an exhibition of this nature and to have exectuted to this extent.
9 people found this helpful
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secchi antonio
5.0 out of 5 stars himalayan art at its best !
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2004
This is really one of the few books that everyone seriously interested in himalayan art should not afford to miss. All the different aspects of the himalayan branch of the buddhistic religion / philosophy which have visual representation - from tangkas to statues, to any kind of ritual objects - are illustrated with exceptionally detailed, wonderful pictures, each supplemented by exhaustive descriptions. Entire chapters of the book introduce, and then guide, the reader to and through the meanders of a truly fascinating journey, which develops from peak to peak, from monastery to monastery in that magic world - suspended between land and sky - known as The Himalayas. This is one of those rare books with top class quality built in. Outstanding !
17 people found this helpful
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