Tibetan Astrology [Hardcover]

Philippe Cornu (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 23, 1997

Astrology is one of the traditional arts and sciences of Tibet, where it is known as "the science of calculation," used by monks and lamas in the study of the rhythms and cycles of time, for divination, for choosing auspicious times for rituals and life-cycle events such as marriages and funerals, and as an adjunct to the practice of traditional medicine. This comprehensive introduction to the topic includes: Historical roots and influences from China and India as well as the Buddhist Kalachakra teachings and the ancient Bön religion of Tibet The two main branches of Tibetan astrology: Nagtsi, or "black astrology," based on the Chinese system, and Kartsi, or "white astrology," derived from Indian astrology The twelve- and sixty-year cycles and the twelve animals and five elements associated with them The mewa, or magical squares, which are numerological factors used to calculate the auspiciousness of days or years The parkha, or eight trigrams of the I Ching, representing the elements, directions, seasons, and fundamental universal forces How to analyze the character of hours, days, months, and years, so as to determine auspicious times for various activities How to cast and interpret a Tibetan horoscope Also included are numerous diagrams and charts that are indispensable to the practice of Tibetan astrology, including tables for converting Western dates to dates on the Tibetan calendar.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Until now there has been no definitive book on the art of Tibetan astrology. Philippe Cornu's Tibetan Astrology changes all that. This is an important book for anyone interested in astrology or in exploring the special Tibetan vision of the universe."— Bodhi Tree Book Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: Shambhala; 1st edition (September 23, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570622175
• ISBN-13: 978-1570622175
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,966,051 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A missing link in modern astrological literature, August 24, 1998

By 

Roy "Roy" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tibetan Astrology (Hardcover)

This is a book that has been needed for a long time. It is a perfect introduction to the methods of Tibetan Astrology for both Dharma students and astrologers alike. It describes the subject in enough detail to enable those who have some familiarity with Jyotish (Hindu Astrology) or some of the Chinese systems to get started with using some aspects of Tibetan Astrology.

The reason that I gave 4 instead of 5 stars is that there are a few minor omissions that make it difficult to go further than the basics. We are told that most Tibetan astrologers do not follow the astronomical rule when creating the calendar, that they just excise inauspicious days (and double the auspicious ones), but we are never told by which criteria those days are selected, and a little study show that the regular methods do not work here. For an astrologer like myself, this causes a big problem in research, because we are only given the calendar until the end of 1997.

The first 3 chapters on the relationship between astrology and the dharma are worth the price of the book. The translation is excellent, and the book is well written. I would recommend it to anyone with an interest in the subject, but with the precautionary note that if one is interested in seriously pursuing the field, they should consider this text introductory.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars - But!, March 28, 2001

By 

Buz Overbeck (La Grange, California, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tibetan Astrology (Hardcover)

As the only source for Tibetan Astrology so far in print, this book is a must have. It almost makes sense out of a system that even the Tibetans find confusing!

There is also a lot of very good material on Tibetan Buddhism included; material that you don't often see.

However, beware Table 22 (the main table you use to convert Western Dates to Tibetan Dates---the very first step in working with Tibetan Astrology for westerners). It is *riddled* with errors.

That said, there is information here that you'll find nowhere else. Definately a "must have".

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars excellent resource, January 15, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Tibetan Astrology (Hardcover)

This is an excellent book on tibetan astrology. It even gives an example for casting a horoscope on your own. The only weakness is its lack of an index.