Artwork Details

Title
Tibetan Book Stand
Dimensions
26 3/8 × 21 3/4 × 13 in.
Medium
Pigment, gesso on wood
Origin
Tibet
Classification(s)
furniture
Date
mid-20th century
Credit Line
Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, Gift of Shelley and Donald Rubin
Object number
SC2012.7.21
Published references
  • J. Van Alphen, Collection Highlights: Rubin Museum of Art (Rubin Museum of Art, 2014), 248-249.

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Merit

Concepts

In Buddhism merit is accumulated through engaging in positive actions that lead to positive results, such as better rebirths. Buddhists gain merit by making offerings, donating to those in need, reciting mantras, and other good deeds.

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Secular Goals

Concepts

While the primary religious goal for followers of Buddhism is enlightenment, many of the practices also serve secular goals related to daily life, including ethical conduct and cultivating well-being.

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Tibetan Regions

Region

Today, Tibetans primarily inhabit the Tibetan Plateau, situated between the Himalayan mountain range and the Indian subcontinent to the west, Chinese cultural regions to the east, and Mongolian cultural regions to the northeast. During the 7th to 9th century, Tibetan rulers expanded their empire across Central Asia, and established Buddhism as the state religion.

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