Behind Tibet’s Potala Palace–seat of the Dalai Lamas since 1649–lies a sacred pond said to be inhabited by serpentlike deities called Lu. There, on a willow-covered island in the middle of the lake, is a pagoda-roofed Khang, or temple. During the brief reign of the Sixth Dalai Lama, who built the temple in the eighteenth century, unknown artists created a series of mysterious paintings on the walls of the temple’s private chapel. Comparable in quality and ambition to the Sistine Chapel in Rome, these masterpieces of Tibetan art are reproduced for the first time in this extraordinary publication. The chapel was reserved exclusively for the Dalai Lamas as a place of meditation and spiritual retreat. For centuries the Lukhang murals, which illustrate the path to spiritual liberation, guided the Dalai Lamas in a form of mystical contemplation called Dzogchen–the most secret practice in Tibet’s Tantric tradition. Beyond their Tibetan origins, the murals display a universal spiritual vision. Merely to contemplate them, Tibetans believe, can open the mind to timeless spiritual truth. At the heart of this book are more than 150 color photographs of the murals and their temple, taken in the most difficult conditions by the American explorer-photographer Thomas Laird. Ian Baker’s text, which places these remarkable works within their historical and cultural perspective, is augmented by accounts from other Tibetan sources. A special feature of the book is an introduction and quotations by Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet, as well as additional drawings from Buddhist texts. This treasure of Tibetan Buddhist spirituality is presented in a magnificent large-format edition. The vivid detail, rich color, and awe-inspiring impact of this path to spiritual liberation can at last be experienced outside the Lukhang chapel. Introduction by Tenzin Gyatso, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet.

200 illustrations, 151 in color.

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5 Responses to “The Dalai Lama’s Secret Temple: Tantric Wall Paintings from Tibet”

1. reading guy says:

   February 10, 2010 at 12:00 am

   The only criticism I have of this book is the title: calling it “the secret temple” is a marketing ploy, as this temple is a major tourist attraction in china (formerly in part of tibet). But, the essays are enlightening on tibetan buddhist art. I’m not sure that the comparisons to Bosch and Breughal hold up to anyone who knows anything about european art, but that aside, it gives a fascinating overview of the history of the dali lamas and their relaitonship to art. i’d recommend this to anyone interested in art, buddhism or tibet. also, excellent page stock, photographs and binding.
2. javafusion says:

   November 27, 2009 at 12:00 am

   In a visionary landscape worthy of Hieronymus Bosch, the murals at Lukhang depict spiritual adepts engaged in contemplative practices which were traditionally concealed even from ordained Tibetan monks. The murals’ surreal, dream-like settings and esoteric symbolism defy easy access even to initiates. A visual analogue of the “twilight language” in which much Tantric literature is encoded, the paintings are often obscure and suggestive, urging the viewer beyond literal interpretations. Sections of the murals are accompanied by inscriptions which, quoting from various Tantric texts, illuminate the meaning behind specific images and serve as instructions in meditation and Tantric yoga. More than an illustrated treatise on mystical technique, however, the murals directly invoke Tibetan Buddhism’s highest meditative experiences in visions that seem to anticipate the abstract art of the early 20th century. The murals fulfill a ritual function in that they seek “to bring about new relationships between persons and the sacred, to be a means for the transformation of the self.”
3. A. O. Harkavy says:

   May 17, 2009 at 12:00 am

   Beautifuly done! Great pictures and explanations. Very useful for meditators and practioners of channels and winds.
4. Anthony Truett says:

   January 25, 2008 at 12:00 am

   This book is a valuable asset to anyone desiring an illustrated view of tantic Buddhism. With gorgeous pictures of the walls of the Lukhang Palace, and plenty of supporting documentation, the reader can truly appreciate the spiritual value of this book.
5. Sven Z says:

   December 30, 2007 at 12:00 am

   a beautifully detailed book with amazing reproductions of these important paintings. highly recommended to anyone one interested in tibetan buddhism, art, tantra, or history.