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Faces of Enlightenment by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche – a Review

The images of the Buddhas in ‘Faces of Enlightenment’ and their iconographies changed my whole outlook on Buddhism. The images and iconographies of enlightened beings represent the Dharma in visual form. When we study, contemplate and meditate on them, we create the causes to attain the qualities of these beings, the qualities of enlightenment itself.

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Faces of Enlightenment by Tsem Tulku Rinpoche – a Review

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  1. Faces of Enlightenment by TsemTulku Rinpoche – a Review

  2. The images of the Buddhas in ‘Faces of Enlightenment’ and their iconographies changed my whole outlook on Buddhism. The images and iconographies of enlightened beings represent the Dharma in visual form. When we study, contemplate and meditate on them, we create the causes to attain the qualities of these beings, the qualities of enlightenment itself.

  3. The Many Ways To Walk The Path To Enlightenment In ‘Faces of Enlightenment’, His Eminence Tsem Rinpoche compassionately and skilfully presents a pantheon of Buddha deities, whose images and forms are, in actual fact, different manifestations of the enlightened mind of the Buddha. Buddha Shakyamuni taught 84,000 ways to reach enlightenment, tailored to the diverse dispositions of the mind.

  4. Various Buddha images and forms show us the numerous ways to travel this path. Even though they may be vastly different in form, every single Buddha bring us towards the same goal of lasting happiness and ultimately enlightenment. Therefore whichever Buddhas we have an affinity with, will lead us towards the same goal, as long as we practice consistently and with a pure motivation.

  5. Enlightenment – The Goal Of Peace And Ultimate Happiness We All Seek Enlightenment is a state of mind, it is inner peace, and permanent and ultimate happiness. It is a state achieved by traversing a path of profound mind transformation, that takes us from the egocentric mind clouded by the delusions of anger, hatred, pride, jealousy, desirous attachments and cravings, to a mind that is filled with clear-sighted wisdom, and an altruistic and heartfelt undiscriminating concern for all others, as though they were our only child.

  6. Each Buddha deity or ‘face of enlightenment’ symbolises a road map for this inner journey. Each beautiful face of the enlightened beings in their peaceful forms represents the result of having walked the path of Dharma, and of having achieved that total peace we all want. There are also faces of enlightened wrath. For instance, Vajrapani is wrathful, as are other tantric deities and Dharma protectors. Their wrath (and often the flames around them) are transformative in function, changing us by helping to clear our inner obstacle of delusions (like desire, hatred and ignorance).

  7. An Introduction To The Buddha Form And Iconography In this book, Tsem Rinpoche introduces us to a rich range of Buddha forms, providing basic information to kindle our interest in the iconography of statues –their postures, gestures and mudras, the ornaments and the implements they hold. Each one of these is a symbolic teaching in itself. Indeed the entire iconography, colour and pose of each Buddha statue combined presents a path to ultimate enlightenment.

  8. Each Buddha has a unique way or path to help us overcome our delusions and suffering, and achieve wisdom. By studying the significance of the Buddha forms in this book, we understand the qualities of an enlightened mind. These are qualities we need to achieve ourselves, if we wish to be free of all suffering and find lasting happiness. As we gaze upon these images and contemplate on them in peace and tranquillity, we are reminded of the Buddha nature within us that has the same essential qualities. Therefore, we develop a bond of kinship with the Buddha deities.

  9. When we pray before a statue, we are not praying to an image, but we are praying to what the image represents and the qualities embodied by the Buddha form – compassion, wisdom, the ability to overcome and destroy anger, the altruistic mind, generosity, patience, perseverance and the like.

  10. Praying to them is, in effect, making a wish that we may attain the same qualities ourselves and thus become an enlightened being with the capacities to serve others fully and bring them to the state of lasting happiness and enlightenment. We see before us a profoundly transformed mind that cherishes others and spontaneously pours out love and care.

  11. It is very important for us to make a daily connection to the Buddha or Buddhas, with whom we have an affinity, so that we can develop the qualities they represent. Therefore it is necessary for us to know and understand the Buddha forms and their iconography.

  12. We Still Need A Spiritual Guide On Our Inner Journey To Enlightenment Powerful as it is to have Buddha forms, complete with iconographies, for us to contemplate on to help us on the path to enlightenment, we still need a spiritual guide. It is only through the guru or spiritual guide that the full transformative power inspired by the enlightened mind can work its effect on our innermost being. It is the guru who can discern which enlightened quality needs cultivation and which accompanying deity to practice, through his complete understanding of his students’ strengths and weaknesses. A powerful analogy of the guru would be a magnifying glass that focuses the rays of the sun-like energy of the Buddhas and bodhisattvas to ignite our minds of bodhicittta, wisdom and skilful means.

  13. What The Accumulation Of Virtues And Abandonment Of Non-Virtues Leads To As I gaze upon each face of enlightenment, it fills me with great awe to realise that each represents the culmination of three aeons of lifetimes of accumulation of virtues. These virtues were accumulated through their consistent and continuous holding of their vows, their steadfast practice of the six Perfections and their total abandonment of all non-virtues. Each enlightened being has painstakingly perfected altruistic love, compassion or bodhicitta, wisdom and skilful means for the sake of all beings. They thus continue to inspire us to achieve the same state.

  14. The path to Buddhahood is two-fold, and embraces method and wisdom. Method comprises the practice of compassion and bodhicitta, and the Perfections of giving, moral discipline, patience, perseverance and concentration. Wisdom is the Perfection of wisdom – the unmistaken view of reality, clear of all wrong perceptions and projections.

  15. The Three Qualities Of Full Enlightenment Compassion, wisdom, and power or skillful means are the three qualities of enlightenment. These are symbolised by the three meditational deities –Avalokiteshvara, Manjushri and Vajrapani. In ‘Faces of Enlightenment’, Tsem Rinpoche present these three deities vividly, and in a manner that is clear to understand, explaining their iconographies which trace the path of complete enlightenment.

  16. http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/ To know more information, visit us

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