In this episode, Dawnette Samuels explores a painting of Prajnaparamita, or the mother of perfection. Then the Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi teaches us about this special deity and how she embodies the message of the Heart Sutra, inspiring us to move toward wisdom.
Phakmo Drupa Dorje Gyelpo (1110-1170) with His Previous Incarnations and Episodes from His Life; Central Tibet; ca. 1270; Pigments on cloth; 26 × 14 3/4 × 1/4 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2005.16.38
Dralha Yesi Gyelpo; Tibet; 19th century; Pigments on cloth; 50 1/4 × 30 3/8 in. (estimated); Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation; F1997.14.2
Agni, God of Fire; China; first half of the 15th century; Pigments on cloth; embroidered textile mount; 17 1/2 × 6 3/8 × 3/8 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2004.4.1
Makzor Gyelmo, Queen Who Repels Armies; Mongolia; 18th century; Silk applique with pearls, coral, horsehair, and gold thread; 56 1/8 × 39 3/8 × 1 1/4 in.; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art, gift of the Shelley and Donald Rubin Foundation; F1996.19.1
The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi is an innovative thinker, philosopher, educator, and polymath monk. He is president and CEO of the Dalai Lama Center for Ethics and Transformative Values at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a center dedicated to inquiry, dialogue, and education on the ethical and humane dimensions of life. The Center is a collaborative and nonpartisan think tank, and its programs emphasize responsibility and examine meaningfulness and moral purpose between individuals, organizations, and societies. Six Nobel Peace Laureates serve as the Center’s founding members, and its programs run in several countries and are expanding. Venerable Tenzin entered a Buddhist monastery at the age of ten and received his graduate education at Harvard University with degrees ranging from philosophy to physics to international relations. He is a Tribeca Disruptive Fellow and a Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University.
The Venerable Tenzin Priyadarshi’s memoir, Running Toward Mystery: The Adventure of an Unconventional Life, was recently released and tells the beautiful story of a singular life compelled to contemplation, sharing lessons about the power of mentorship and an open mind.
Dawnette Samuels was formerly the manager of Visitor Experience and Interpretation at the Rubin Museum.
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