Cult of Tara: Magic and Ritual in Tibet

Cult of Tara: Magic and Ritual in Tibet
An in-depth study of the living ritual surrounding the devotion of Tara, the mother of all Buddhas, plus an analysis of Tibetan Buddhist ritual in general.

"The fullest (almost encyclopedic) description of religious life yet published. It is an outstanding achievement." Times Literary Supplement.

"Opens a new door for the Western student of religion to the understanding of ritual in one of its most sophisticated and artistic forms. The author povides a precise and descriptive representation of the actual rituals. He gives a very readable translation of the important parts of the ritual texts such as the visualizations of the contemplated deity, prayers, praises, offerings, and innovations along with a detailed account of what the participants actually do." Artibus Asiae.

"Going beyond the irreducibly Tibetan flavour that pervades this material, Beyer`s presentation propels the reader over the ocean of tantra in the direction of a more general theory of religious ritual, within whose confines the socio-dynamics of magic and mysticism, the history and philosophy of religion, epitemology, psychology, and semiotics all play important roles." Philosophy East and West.

TPB