from the Alice S. Kandell Collection
Whether small domestic altars or grand temple halls, the sacred spaces of Tibetan Buddhism are filled with images of enlightened beings and powerful deities. Sites of ritual performance and worship, such spaces present a spiritual hierarchy. Sonorous chants, flickering lamplight, and incense smoke inspire Buddhist practice.
Inside the shrine room within Encountering the Buddha, visitors encounter Tibetan Buddhist art in a manner that evokes the sacred precincts of the Himalayas. More than two hundred objects, assembled by the New York collector Alice S. Kandell over many years, reflect Tibetan Buddhist concepts and customs rather than museum conventions.
Explore the shrine room and discover the variety of Tibetan Buddhism’s sacred spaces, or download our free Sacred Spaces app to your phone or tablet. Tapping on objects in the app’s interactive panorama reveals information about their functions and meanings in the religious lives of Tibetan Buddhists. The app also includes images and films of different practices that take place within and around shrines, as well as an illustrated glossary.
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