Power Objects in Tibetan Buddhism
| Author | : James Duncan Gentry |
| Publisher | : BRILL |
| Total Pages | : 530 |
| Release | : 2016-12-05 |
| ISBN-10 | : 9789004335042 |
| ISBN-13 | : 9004335048 |
| Rating | : 4/5 (42 Downloads) |
Book excerpt: In Power Objects in Tibetan Buddhism: The Life, Writings, and Legacy of Sokdokpa Lodrö Gyeltsen, James Duncan Gentry explores how objects of power figure in Tibetan religion, society, and polity through a study of the life of the Tibetan Buddhist ritual specialist Sokdokpa Lodrö Gyeltsen (1552–1624) within the broader context of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Tibet. In presenting Sokdokpa’s career and legacy, Gentry traces the theme of power objects across a wide spectrum of genres to show how Tibetan Buddhists themselves have theorized about objects of power and implemented them in practice. This study therefore provides a lens into how power objects serve as points of convergence for elite doctrinal discourses, socio-political dynamics, and popular religious practices in Tibetan Buddhist societies.
