Encyclopedia of Buddhism

tainer was made of jade, the material treasured above
all others in Tang China.

See also:China, Buddhist Art in; Japan, Buddhist Art
in; Korea, Buddhist Art in; Mijiao (Esoteric) School;
Shingon Buddhism, Japan; Tantra

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CYNTHEAJ. BOGEL

ESOTERIC ART, SOUTH AND

SOUTHEAST ASIA

The Buddhist esoteric arts of India, the Himalayan

regions, and Southeast Asia are inspired by the

VAJRAYA
NAsect that is sometimes called TANTRA, re-

ferring to the texts, called tantras(literally, “woven

threads”), that the sect uses. These arts are an integral

part of the visualized meditation rituals (sa
dhana) that

Vajraya
na developed to harness the powers needed to

achieve enlightenment in a single lifetime. Vajraya
na

arts are called esotericbecause the intensely complex

and mystical quality of the visualized meditations

make them mysterious and “secret” to all but the ini-

tiated. To fully utilize esoteric art the practitioner must

be guided at every step by a qualified teacher; merely

following a text will not suffice.

ESOTERICART, SOUTH ANDSOUTHEASTASIA