Mandalas

Literature Tibetan culture is closely linked to Tibetan Buddhist beliefs - in former times the majority of literature, music, dance and drama, painting, sculpture and architecture was inspired by those beliefs. The bulk of Tibetan literature is based on its religion, as texts were printed with inked woodblocks at certain monasteries. Two massive works of religious literature are the Kanjur (Canon of Buddhist Law, 108 volumes) and the Tenjur (commentaries on the Kanjur, in 228 volumes). These are mostly translated from Sanskrit. An exception to religious literature is the epic of Gesar of Ling, the legendary king - this was a staple of Tibet’s former wandering story-tellers, who committed the long tale to memory. The thousand year old tale runs to milions of words, and is Asia’s equivalent to Homers Odyssey. Artwork Unlike Theravadan Buddhist traditions, monks at Tibetan Buddhist monasteries are actively involved in the creation of artwork, using formulaic methods. Inspiration is t