The vibrant color reproductions of thankas and mandalas in this book reveal the artistic heritage of Tibetan painting, rich with symbolism and illuminated with Buddhas, bodhisattvas, and goddesses. The book emulates the Buddhist tour of self-discovery; Buddhist deities do not exist outside ourselves, but instead represent aspects of innate human potential the capacity for compassion, wisdom, mental discipline, and other spiritual conditions.

Lokesh Chandra is an internationally renowned scholar of Tibetan, Mongolian and Sino-Japanese Buddhism. A prolific writer, he has to his credit 580 works, including critical editions of classical texts in Sanskrit, Tibetan, Mongolian, Chinese and old Javamer language. Among them are classics like the Tibetan-Sanskrit Dictionary, Materials for a History of Tibetan Literature, Buddhist Iconography of Tibet, and the Dictionary of Buddhist Iconography in 15 volumes. Lokesh Chandra was nominated by the President of of India to the Parliament in 1974-80, and again in 1980-86. He has been Vice-President of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and Chairman of the Indian Council for Historical Research. Presently he is Director, International Academy of Indian Culture.

	Contents: Tibetan Art
	Preface - Unto the Mindground of Tibetan Art: Lokesh Chandra	6
	Tibet: The Land of Spaces and Silences	11
	Buddhas	17
	Bodhisattvas	57
	Goddesses	79
	Tantras and Mandalas	107
	Masters, Mystics & Kings	149
	Medical Thankas	177
	Stupas	185
	Guardian Deities	191
	Conclusion	208
	Glossary	210
	Acknowledgements	215
	Index	216