White Paper: Why Tibet is Burning…

This white paper examines the underlying causes of the increasing number of self-immolations that are currently engulfing Tibet. The Central Tibetan Administration has made many appeals to the Tibetans in Tibet to desist from self-immolation. Despite the Central Tibetan Administration’s repeated appeals to stop the self-immolations, unfortunately the numbers of Tibetans setting themselves ablaze are adding up at an alarming rate and frequency.

ll Tibetans who have set themselves ablaze have called for the return of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his homeland and freedom for Tibet. What are the causes which drive Tibetans to such acts of extreme desperation?

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Robert Beer "The Encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols and ornaments“

"Tibet House Moscow”, publishing house "Orientalia" and  Center of Practices  "Open World" represent a project of the unique book edition  - "The Encyclopedia of Tibetan symbols and ornaments “ by Robert Beer. The issue of this album-encyclopedia is scheduled for December 2010. It is published in Russia for the first time.

This is going to be a high-quality large-format illustrated album (295 to 210 mm.) printed on the Finnish coated paper, with a hardcover;  its volume is 400 pages.

The Encyclopedia covers the entire spectrum of symbols and attributes of Tibetan Buddhism, and the material used by the author while  writing this book has the highest culturological value, introducing the original images, detected and systematized by him in the course of many years of studying Tibetan art. This book is not just a detailed and authoritative encyclopedia, it is perceived by the reader as a fascinating journey through the various levels and categories of the most profound symbols of Tibetan Buddhism.

On its pages one will find more than two hundred detailed author illustrations performed with traditional thin brushes and ink with incredible accuracy and thoroughness, and thematically grouped in the original size. On performing of each of the drawings the author spent from 50 to 200 hours. In general, the work on this book took him eight years.

Images are accompanied with very detailed explanations of the origins of symbols, their outer, inner and secret meaning. The author tells about the origin of symbols of Tibetan Buddhism and the process of integration of  ancient Indian and world symbolism in the traditions of Mahayana and Vajrayana, with their inherent esoteric significance and multilevel interpretation. Also the book tells about the canons of images of different symbols in the Tibetan thangka-painting.

Encyclopedic knowledge of the authoris  is derived not from books, but is a result of the thirty years of research and creative work in Tibetan art and learning from living Tibetan masters. Going through the first few pages and looking  through the first few drawings, one might want to read a book until the end. The book is written in a simple and accessible language, and, at the same time, its style is elegant and poetic. Robert Beareis a  true artist!

 

V.P. Androsov "Indo-Tibetan Buddhism"

"Tibet House Moscow”  and Centre of Practices  "Open World" represent the project of edition of Encyclopedia of  V.P. Androsov "Indo-Tibetan Buddhism".

Monograph of professor V.P. Androsov, which includes more than 700 interpretations of Buddhist terms, contains extensive information about philosophy, history, mythology of  Buddhism, its major personalities and literary sources. In the short and intensive dictionary entries the author reveals one of the brightest layers of Oriental culture, exploring in an open minded way the essence of theoretical concepts of Buddhism and their development in various schools and trends. 

In the dictionary readers will find the  articles related not only to ancient India and Tibet (including the traditional Tibetan Buddhist Peoples of Russia), but also essays regarding the existence of this culture in other countries starting with the past centuries to the present. 

This book will be useful for young researchers of Buddhism, as well as for a wide range of readers interested in the culture of the East. 

 

Publishing activity

Publishing House “Open World” published two new books:

Robert Thurman «Tibetan Book of the Dead»

This book is devoted to brave and cheerful people of Tibet, enduring one of the greatest tragedies of our age. The whole world had turned its back to them because of its fear and greediness, while Chinese government was conducting towards them a systematic genocide campaign. Let the conscious of all the people in the world respond to this situation!

Let the Chinese know at last, that they were deceived by their governments and let them understand, that the rules of humanity and justice have been broken! Let their hearts soften and they cure the wounds they've delivered to the innocent nation. Let Tibetans achieve freedom and independence they used to have since the beginning of their history! And let the light of Tibetan spiritual science shine brightly above the renewed world!

Russian translation O.Albedil. – Open World, 2005, Moscow. -352 p. ISBN 5-9743-0002-5
Buy a book (russian): OmStore | Оzon

Robert Thurman «Infinite Life»

Whether human life is finite or infinite? If it's infinite, how to find not only trust in this belief, but also knowledge and connection. Is the hermit's hut the only way to this infinity, or modern world's insanity and saturation give us a possibility to get in touch with eternity and felicity?

Robert Thurman suggests a Buddhist view of gaining the infinite life and its perception. And this is not the way of obscure nihilism or constrained conditionality, but the way of joy and optimism, diversity and discovery.

Russian translation A. Stepanova – Open World, 2005, Moscow. -384 p. ISBN 5-9743-0001-7
Buy a book (russian): OmStore | Ozon

See also:

Presentation of the book “Infinite life”
Yoga-bridge from Thurman to BG and back

 

Film «Bhutanese Transparent Lama» (DVD)

Film “Transparent Lama from Bhutan” is the biography of one of the great teachers of Tibetan Buddhism school Karma Kagyu – Lama Tseche Rinpoche.

The general plans of two countries are involved in the film: last years of his life he was the abbot of the monastery in Nepal, and Bhutan is the country where he was born.

His first western students Ole and Hannah Nydahl share the memories about their spiritual teacher Tseche Rinpoche. The chronicle from Tseche Rinpoche's life is also used in the film.

details