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The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "The drawings on Plates 1 to 24 illustrate examples of the five great elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space, as they are represented in..." (more)
Key Phrases: fourth drawing shows, tortoise diagram, wrathful offerings, Five Buddhas, Palden Lhamo, Shakyamuni Buddha (more...)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)

List Price: $65.00
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Frequently Bought Together

The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs + A Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols + Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture : An Investigation of the Nine Best-Known Groups of Symbols
Price For All Three: $70.25

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  • This item: The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs by Robert Beer

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Tibetan Buddhism has one of the most complex iconographies of any religion. Robert Beer, the artist who brought to life the saints of Tibetan Buddhism in Buddhist Masters of Enchantment, has now brought the myriad symbols of Tibetan Buddhist art to life. Not exactly arranged like an encyclopedia, this book is more like a tour of the categories of Tibetan Buddhist symbols, beginning with Landscape Elements (rocks, clouds, rainbows, etc.); moving on to such areas as Flowers and Trees, Cosmology, and Mudras (hand gestures); and ending with Geometric Borders. Exquisitely detailed line drawings (using fine-pointed traditional brushes) are grouped on full-size plates, each of which the author tells us took between 50 and 200 hours to draw. The eight years that went into this book are revealed not only in the drawings but also in the text that is equally detailed in its descriptions of the religious significance of the symbols as well as their sources and development in Tibetan art. Beer's encyclopedic knowledge has not come from book learning, but from 30 years of doing Tibetan art and learning firsthand from Tibetan masters. After glimpsing just of few of these plates, you'll be calling Beer a master too. --Brian Bruya


From Library Journal

Through 12 thematically organized chapters of text (accompanied by black-and-white line drawings), BeerAa British artist who's studied Tibetan thangka painting for 30 yearsAsets out to "cover the whole spectrum of Tibetan Buddhist symbols and attributes." Given the dearth of English-language works on the topic, libraries serving sophisticated interests in Tibetan Buddhism or Eastern art may want to add this work to their circulating collections. Its value as a reference title, however, is severely limited on several counts. First, Beer lacks credentials both in terms of traditional Western scholarship and Buddhist lineage of transmission. Additionally, the book contains no index or glossary; cross references are scarce; and terms unique to Tibetan Buddhism (like "concealed treasure" traditions) are not defined in the text.AJames R. Kuhlman, Univ. of North Carolina Lib., Asheville
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Shambhala; First Printing edition (October 12, 1999)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 157062416X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1570624162
  • Product Dimensions: 11.9 x 8.4 x 1.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 4.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #58,509 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

    #6 in  Books > History > Asia > Tibet
    #9 in  Books > Arts & Photography > Schools, Periods & Styles > Ancient & Classical
    #13 in  Books > History > Ancient > China

More About the Author

Robert Beer
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The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs
67% buy the item featured on this page:
The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs 4.8 out of 5 stars (16)
$40.95
A Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols
21% buy
A Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols 5.0 out of 5 stars (6)
$18.45
Celestial Gallery
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Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangkas
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Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangkas 4.0 out of 5 stars (1)
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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews
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4 star:
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3 star:
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Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars who else can draw like this?, April 25, 2001
By A Customer
Other reviewers have praised the usefulness of this beautiful book for those interested in Tibetan Religious Art and Vajrayana Buddhism. No doubt the efforts of this author to make this most complex of traditions more accessible and intelligible deserves our gratitude. However I would like to particularly point to the artistic quality of the plates. Today in the time of computer graphics and push-button reproduction of images, it is hard to find anyone under the age of 70 who has taken the care to acquire artistic skill and apply it as Robert Beer has done. The plates in this book are all originally composed, not just copied. They are accomplished by drawing with the finest imaginable brush and ink (no computerized improvements here). In other words, we are talking a labor of love which is also a masterpiece. Each plate yields new detail and delight on each viewing. I write this to tempt those who are not devotees of Eastern religion but are lovers of fine art to invest. It will yield hours of pleasure in the seeeing for the rest of your life.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Coverage of Tibetan Ritual Symbols, March 30, 2000
I would like to recommend this book to anyone who is seriously interested in practising Vajrayana Buddhism, as it accurately decribes and illustrates every ritual item. Appropriate guidance is given throughout the book in terms of usage, purpose and source of origin for each motif. A treasure to be kept before it vanishes from this world.
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant!, January 10, 2000
By Clare Dygert (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews
Robert Beer's book is a feast, a master work. I will turn to it time and time again. No practicing Tibetan Buddhist should be without this in her library. Thank you so much, Mr. Beer for what you have given us. As I was reading your book, I was looking at my thankgas more closely than I ever have before, understanding them in ways I never could before.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Educational
this book is very educational. the descriptions are very detailed and tend to be lengthy (which I find to be very informative) but I must say the pictures aren't all that good... Read more
Published 10 months ago by A. Smale

5.0 out of 5 stars Very in depth, a must for anyone interested in Tibetan Buddhist iconography
If you're interested in Tibetan Buddhist iconography for whatever reason you can't go wrong with this detailed book. Read more
Published on November 6, 2007 by D. Eadie

5.0 out of 5 stars The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs
Recieved the book promptly and in the condition promised. The book is an excellent source book. It does suffer from being without an index, for which the author apologizes. Read more
Published on July 9, 2007 by Michael G. Ehmer

3.0 out of 5 stars read Dagyab Rinpoche's Buddhist Symbols in Tibetan Culture
It's a more interesting and authoritative reference for this subject matter. This is due to Rinpoche being a qualified (I emphasise the word 'qualified') Lama and Tibetan scholar... Read more
Published on June 4, 2006 by simon

5.0 out of 5 stars The 'Wonderful' Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs!!!
I love this book. Having found it a few years back at a tattoo shop in Santa Cruz, California, I was only able to look at it for a short time but I was able to gain so much... Read more
Published on February 22, 2006 by Erin E. Carlson

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Great book, with lots of details. If you are interested in tibetan handicrafts, here you can get any tibetan design you can imagine.
Published on October 23, 2005 by Oscar Amodeo

5.0 out of 5 stars The most useful and insightful art book on the shelves
If you are looking for beautiful, black and white line drawings of Tibetan (and Chinese) art then this book is for you. Read more
Published on May 30, 2004 by B. T. Denyer

5.0 out of 5 stars The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs
I'm not going to babble on and on about this book. I'ts an excellent reference material. I only wish it had color schemes.
Published on April 10, 2002

5.0 out of 5 stars A beautifully illustrated book
This book is not only an incredible collection of art, it is also wonderfully explanitory. R. Beer tells the mythos and history behind each set of images in a logical and easy to... Read more
Published on February 22, 2002 by J. R. Uder

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent tibetan art reference
This is a great book, a customer brought it in to me to show what she wanted for a tattoo and I was amazed at all the rad stuff in it. Read more
Published on August 5, 2001 by aeros66

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