Seeing the Sacred in Samsara

Seeing the Sacred in Samsara is a gem that should adorn the library of every Tibetan Buddhist or that of anyone who has more than a passing interest in Tibetan Buddhism. This book brings to life the stories of the Indian mahasiddhas, hugely important figures in the imagination of the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition. -Thupten Jinpa, Principal English Translator to His Holiness the Dalai Lama Commissioned from an artist in eastern Tibet by a senior member of the Thirteenth Dalai Lama's government but never displayed or published before, these remarkable paintings offer fresh insight into the workings of a master painter and the conversion of religious concepts into images. Written with his characteristic clarity and elegance, Professor Lopez has produced a book that will be a delight for admirers of Tibetan painting and a wonderful resource for students of Tibetan Buddhism. -Clare Harris, Professor of Visual Anthropology, University of Oxford This book makes available for the first time a beautiful set of paintings of the Indian siddhas from early twentieth century Tibet. Lopez's introduction provides the reader with a marvelous overview of the siddhas, their social context, the tantric tradition to which they belonged, their doctrines, and their depiction in Tibetan art history. A feast for both the eye and the mind, Seeing the Sacred in Samsara is a superb primer on one of the most important and fascinating saintly confederations in all of Buddhist history. -Jose Cabezon, Dalai Lama Professor of Tibetan Buddhism and Cultural Studies, University of California Santa Barbara Seeing the Sacred in Samsara is a wonder, a one-of-a-kind collection... It will serve as a timeless inspiration for all wisdom seekers for generations to come. -New York Journal of Books