Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime and start saving today with fast, free delivery

eTextbook
$23.99

Available instantly

Paperback
$25.90

List Price: $34.95 Details

Save: $9.05 (26%)

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns

FREE delivery Wednesday, April 3 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35. Order within 21 hrs 46 mins

Select delivery location

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

$$25.90 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details

Ships from

Amazon

Ships from

Amazon

Sold by

Supperior seller1

Sold by

Supperior seller1

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

Returns

Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt

This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy

Payment

Secure transaction

Payment

Secure transaction

We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more

Details

Add a gift receipt for easy returns

Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime

FREE delivery Thursday, April 4 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35

Select delivery location

Used: Good | Details

Sold by D's Books and more

Fulfilled by Amazon

Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.

Other Sellers on Amazon

Added

Not added

$25.72
FREE Shipping on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Bookworm_CT

Added

Not added

$22.73
+ $3.99 shipping

Sold by: Prime Deals, USA

Added

Not added

$33.48
FREE Shipping on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.

Sold by: Amazon.com

Image Unavailable

Image not available for
Color:

To view this video download Flash Player

Follow the authors

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols Paperback – October 14, 2003

by Robert Beer (Author)

148

See all formats and editions

{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$25.90","priceAmount":25.90,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"25","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"90","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"HZYLsS6E6tO32lPi0Ftd1iDesheUlWaAdBEMPH%2F5dBsO8vL%2BzVu1xCkwl7fYwDhRhAYFgcqONgb07Rsw6FLti2Ur3Jo92gbRA13ukYGJPtppONzGSaHQXPQmsVnQ6RRettf7vd98Nh4Rraht%2BWEufkNyzh06Zk5vJvcw7d7CfZkMBfl3n3u0%2B%2FHEmgrN6rkq","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$13.56","priceAmount":13.56,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"56","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"HZYLsS6E6tO32lPi0Ftd1iDesheUlWaAB%2BA%2FqU38jpc0ZfIlkr9QBXFQg4vtaFlSzbdItxM2%2FdhNSa4WoeCMTHweLhhj6rbUo%2B0ZnlabZhA29mhwTFekUtpcHnk%2Bw2bd3OSnGJFJ8hyBUm4k8gLjZNi6kyJi%2FgVPvnAtRc7XlwKaJeR5NxkvABWyqp4OlI3K","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

A deep and encompassing dive into the vast array of symbols and attributes that appear within the complex iconography of Tibetan Buddhism

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols is a portal into the rich, multifaceted, and profound symbolism of Tibetan sacred art. The succinct descriptions that accompany Robert Beer’s detailed line drawings reveal the origins, meanings, and functions of these symbols. Beer unravels the multiple layers of symbolism and meaning contained within the iconography, affording the reader a panoramic vision into the deeper dimensions of this sacred art.

Drawn largely from Beer’s monumental work The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, the meticulous brush drawings in this book depict all of the major Buddhist symbols and motifs, including the various groups of auspicious symbols; cosmological symbols; natural and mythical animals, such as the dragon, garuda, and makara; the entire assembly of ritual tantric implements and weapons; magical and wrathful symbols; handheld emblems, attributes, and plants; esoteric Vajrayana offerings; and mudras, or ritual hand gestures.

Print length

288 pages
Language

English
Publisher

Shambhala
Publication date

October 14, 2003
Dimensions

7.14 x 0.69 x 9.26 inches
ISBN-10

9781590301005
ISBN-13

978-1590301005
See all details

Frequently bought together

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols

$25.90

Get it as soon as Wednesday, Apr 3

Only 1 left in stock - order soon.

Sold by Supperior seller1 and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.

+

The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs

$44.12

Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2

Only 10 left in stock - order soon.

Sold by TwinLine Shops and ships from Amazon Fulfillment.

+

Buddhist Art Coloring Book 1: Auspicious Symbols and Mythical Motifs from the Tibetan Tradition

$15.95

Get it as soon as Tuesday, Apr 2

Only 10 left in stock - order soon.

Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.

Total price:

To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Try again!

Details

Added to Cart

Some of these items ship sooner than the others.

Show details Hide details

Choose items to buy together.

Robert Beer
187
Hardcover
27 offers from $37.85
Tashi Dhargyal
47
Paperback
14 offers from $8.95
Romio Shrestha
90
Hardcover
17 offers from $14.00
Andy Weber
32
Spiral-bound
14 offers from $5.95
Art Meets Science
170
Hardcover
24 offers from $34.47
Archive for Research in Archetypal Symbolism (ARAS)
1,874
Hardcover
37 offers from $22.93

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols is a portal into the rich, multifaceted, and profound symbolism of Tibetan sacred art. Robert Beer provides a deep and encompassing insight into the vast array of symbols and attributes that appear within the complex iconography of Tibetan Buddhism. The succinct descriptions that accompany his detailed line drawings reveal the origins, meanings, and functions of these symbols. Beer unravels the multiple layers of symbolism and meaning contained within the iconography, affording the reader a panoramic vision into the deeper dimensions of this sacred art.
Drawn largely from Beer?s monumental work The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, the meticulous brush drawings in this book depict all of the major Buddhist symbols and motifs, including the various groups of auspicious symbols; cosmological symbols; natural and mythical animals, such as the dragon, garuda, and makara; the entire assembly of ritual tantric implements and weapons; magical and wrathful symbols; hand-held emblems, attributes, and plants; esoteric Vajrayana offerings; and mudras, or ritual hand gestures.

From the Back Cover

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols is a portal into the rich, multifaceted, and profound symbolism of Tibetan sacred art. Robert Beer provides a deep and encompassing insight into the vast array of symbols and attributes that appear within the complex iconography of Tibetan Buddhism. The succinct descriptions that accompany his detailed line drawings reveal the origins, meanings, and functions of these symbols. Beer unravels the multiple layers of symbolism and meaning contained within the iconography, affording the reader a panoramic vision into the deeper dimensions of this sacred art.
Drawn largely from Beer’s monumental work The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, the meticulous brush drawings in this book depict all of the major Buddhist symbols and motifs, including the various groups of auspicious symbols; cosmological symbols; natural and mythical animals, such as the dragon, garuda, and makara; the entire assembly of ritual tantric implements and weapons; magical and wrathful symbols; hand-held emblems, attributes, and plants; esoteric Vajrayana offerings; and mudras, or ritual hand gestures.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 1590301005
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Shambhala; First Paperback Edition (October 14, 2003)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9781590301005
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1590301005
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.24 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.14 x 0.69 x 9.26 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #618,502 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #255 in Religious Arts & Photography
- #1,989 in Arts & Photography Criticism
- #3,130 in Art History (Books)

Customer Reviews:
148

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.

Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Videos

Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video!

Upload your video

About the authors

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.

Robert Beer
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Robert Beer first began to study and practice Tibetan art and thangka painting in India in 1970, and was one of the first westerners to become actively involved in this field. He is the author and illustrator of The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs and The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols. His drawings have appeared in hundreds of Buddhist-related books and websites, and he lives in Oxford, England.
See more on the author's page
Robert Beer
Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.
Discover more of the author’s books, see similar authors, read author blogs and more
See more on the author's page

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5

148 global ratings

How customer reviews and ratings work

Sort reviews by

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Jason Underwood

Beautiful Line Drawing ❤

Reviewed in the United States on June 3, 2023

Verified Purchase

Amazing amount of Information organized & succinctly explained. Thank You!

Helpful

Dojin

Price, Quality and Delivery Excellent

Reviewed in the United States on August 29, 2022

Verified Purchase

Wanted to purchase this book for some time. It serves as a reference guide for new and seasoned practitioners. The black and white illustrations invite me/us to pick up coloring pencils to fill in the lines. Call this purchase a Joyful Effort. Thank you for offering good/precious books in great condition at a decent price.

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Bubblegum

Quintessential for its Quality

Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2017

Verified Purchase

This revised edition of Beer's compilation of Tibetan symbols is indispensable as a student of Tibetan studies. Although I am not focused religion, the iconography if religious figures and themes comes up often enough that I had extensively relied on Google previews of the book and finally decided to buy a copy and save myself the screen time. The Handbook is a little better organized and has more of the material that I need compared to the earlier Encyclopedia. Beer's images are clear and show a considerable amount of the possible variety, much easier to learn to recognize form than in the complexities of fully colored thangka. In terms of just needed a simple answer and enough background to start understanding and researching elements of iconography this book is the perfect launching point.

The book is made with nice paper and the illustrations are nice and clear. Shipping with Prime was great.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

Paul Camira

Infinite beauty

Reviewed in the United States on January 10, 2012

Verified Purchase

Beer is a genius of Tibetan symbolism and a master of the art. If Tibetan art is a passion of yours, or you are an aspiring Buddhist this is a must for you. He also published a larger hardcover volume which this was adapted from. The hardcover book is much more comprehensive, larger and quite beautiful. The quality of printing is excellent. Beers ability to replicate the repetitive images is almost robotic and mind blowing in his precision. Just look at the rolling waves or cloud formations..for pen and ink drawings that are vibrant and alive on the page. The essence of Tibetan Buddhist multiverse perception. It is infinitely enjoyable and informative as he defines all of the images meanings and the essence of what they evoke. Just looking at his drawings evokes a peaceful, meditative and introspective experience. For a student or artist studying Buddhism or just art, this will educate and enthrall. It gives definitive meaning and helps clarify the imagery in one volume unlike any other writings i have found. I do recommend this book as well as the larger comprehensive volume..also available on Amazon. Om mani padme hum.

6 people found this helpful

Helpful

B. Mitchell

this belongs in the library of anyone begining or interested in Vajrayana, Tantric Buddhism.

Reviewed in the United States on December 7, 2013

Verified Purchase

Awesome book that's enjoyable and informative. As a practitioner it brings new depth and understanding to visualizations and practices as well as bring up lots of "Oh that's what that represents." I wandered why Rinpoche was packing that thing around. Thanka's, ritual items, gestures, art and other mediums come alive vibrant and enriching having gained a fuller understanding of the meaning, intent and purposes. Hat's off to Robert for sharing your wealth of knowledge and skill with us!

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

a customer

Not to be confused with Beer's Encyclopedia

Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2011

Verified Purchase

This Handbook is an excellent reference book, handsomely published by Shambhala, and affordable. BUT...do not confuse this with Beer's Encyclopedia of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols and Motifs. This Handbook is NOT a paperback version of the Encyclopedia. The 400-page Encyclopedia goes into more detail, has additional text, and provides the reader with many, many more pages of drawings. I confused the two and thought I would save some money by buying the paperbound. Nope, it's a much abridged version. If you can afford the Encyclopedia, it is well worth Amazon's price.

38 people found this helpful

Helpful

Linda P.

Impressive!

Reviewed in the United States on April 7, 2013

Verified Purchase

The obvious commitment and care that went into the creation of this book is outstanding. It contains beautifully drawn artwork and is full of information and wisdom presented in a very engaging way. The glossary is truly helpful. More than a list of page numbers, it is a clear, concise explanation of important Buddhist concepts. What a generous gift Robert Beer has offered us! Thank you.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Ming

Great compliment to the encycloedia.

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2018

Verified Purchase

A great summary of the symbols and motifs. It doesn’t have as much details such as origins of the symbols and motifs but condensed the essential points and meaning of them.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English

Omar d.

Calidad y precio

Reviewed in Mexico on September 4, 2022

Verified Purchase

Llego integró recomiendo este libro cantidad de ilustraciónes y buena información sobre los símbolos los recomiendo ampliamente
Gracias

Translate review to English

Cliente Amazon

Ótimo.

Reviewed in Brazil on October 4, 2020

Verified Purchase

👌🏼👍🏼🙏🏼

sumanta mukherjee

know the unknown

Reviewed in India on August 22, 2019

Verified Purchase

it is an excellent book which helps us to know the unknown parts of vajrayana buddhist culture. even if one has no interst to know those information, ze can keep this book for b/w artworks. thanks to the author and artist.

Gabriele Belotti

buon libro

Reviewed in Italy on November 6, 2017

Verified Purchase

Direi un ottima versione della simbologia Tibetana, molte linee guida e immagini da cui prendere spunto, sono contento dell'acquisto, anche se in versione brossura

Translate review to English

Maria J.

Five Stars

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2017

Verified Purchase

Fantastic book as all book by ROBERT STEEL

See more reviews

Return this item for free

Other Sellers on Amazon

Image Unavailable

Follow the authors

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols Paperback – October 14, 2003

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Similar items that may ship from close to you

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the authors

Robert Beer

Robert Beer

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Prime includes:

Buy new: $25.90$25.90 FREE delivery: Wednesday, April 3 on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon. Ships from: Amazon Sold by: Supperior seller1

Buy used: $13.56

Other Sellers on Amazon

Follow the authors

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols Paperback – October 14, 2003

Purchase options and add-ons

Frequently bought together

Similar items that may ship from close to you

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

From the Back Cover

About the Author

Product details

Videos

About the authors

Robert Beer

Robert Beer

Customer reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.

Top reviews from other countries

Buy new:

$25.90

FREE delivery: Wednesday, April 3 on orders over $35.00 shipped by Amazon.

Ships from: Amazon

Sold by: Supperior seller1

Buy used:

$13.56