142261 SE Invoking Tibet’s Main Deity: Avalokiteshvara Practice Manuals in Context (2024S)

Avalokiteśvara, in Tibetan Chenrezig (spyan ras gzigs), represents the key Buddhist deity of the Tibetan plateau and its peoples. Avalokiteśvara is sometimes conceptualised as a Bodhisattva on the path to enlightenment (sūtra) or as the embodiment of the kindness and compassion of all Buddhas (tantra). Within the traditional histories of the Tibetan plateau, this deity is not only inextricably linked with the origin myth of the Tibetan people, but Tibet’s religious history is conceived of as a series of events that express Avalokiteśvara’s salvific activity. Important Tibetan lines of reincarnates, trülku, are also portrayed as embodiments of this bodhisattva. Therefore, we find countless Buddha forms and artistic expressions of Avalokiteśvara along with a vast body of tantric scriptures, commentaries, evocation rituals, and meditation guidebooks. In this exercise, we will focus on two famous short rituals on the four-armed Avalokiteśvara, authored by Thang stong rgyal po (1361–1485) and Zhabs dkar Tshog drub rang sgrol (1781–1851), and study meditation guidance manuals to this practice, such as Karma Nges don bstan rgya’s (19th century) Grub chen thang stong rgyal po’i ’gro don mkha’ khyab ma’i ma ṇi sgom bzlas, “The Ma ṇi [Mantra] Meditation and Recitation of Mahāsiddha Thang stong rgyal po’s ‘Benefit of Beings that Fills Space’.” In this way, students not only develop a deeper understanding of the Tibetan language, but also general skills for dealing with this type of text. Furthermore, we also want to work out some historical details about the authors and origins of this ritual, its meaning, and the doctrinal contexts embedded in it. The importance of orality is also addressed. This leads to a deeper understanding of Tibetan Buddhist and Vajrayana practices overall.