Artwork Details

Title
Mongolian Rosewood Prayer Beads
Dimensions
10 × 2 1/8 × 1/4 in.
Medium
Rosewood, coral, pink coral vajra
Origin
Mongolia
Classification(s)
ritual objects
Date
19th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Anne Breckenridge Dorsey
Object number
C2012.6.15
Bibliography
Arts of Asia: Celestial Silks and Prayer Beads
Published references
  • Anne Breckenridge, ”Prayer Beads: In Asian Buddhist Cultures,” Arts of Asia 34, no. 4 (July-August, 2004): fig. 29.

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Lineage

Concepts

The transmission of teachings from one generation to the next, from teacher to student, traced all the way back to the Buddha without interruption. A complete lineage is essential in Tantric Buddhist practices as it makes the blessings of the teaching more powerful.

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Meditation

Concepts

A contemplative practice in which a person uses concentration and visualization to achieve aims such as transforming the mind and generating feelings of compassion. Techniques include focusing on breathing or visualizing oneself as a deity.

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Mongolian Regions

Region

Mongolians have been widely active in the Tibetan Buddhist world, playing a key role in Tibetan culture, politics, and relations with China. In the 13th century, the Mongol Empire—the largest contiguous empire in world history—facilitated the spread of Tibetan visual culture.

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