Scroll with Tibetan Buddhist Mantra
Former TitleCalligraphy
CultureNepalese
Datelate 19th-early 20th century
MediumPaper
DimensionsOverall: 1 1/4 × 45 inches (3.18 × 114.3 cm)
Credit LineBequest of Joseph H. Heil
Object number74-36/47 A
On View
Not on viewCollections
DescriptionPiece of paper placed inside the Akshobhya (74-36/47).Exhibition HistorySonam Dolma Brauen, My Father's Death, The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, October 28, 2023–November 11, 2024, no cat.
Mantras are sacred spoken sounds and words used for specific meditations, rituals, and prayers. Different mantras play specific roles in Tibetan Buddhism. Important mantras are inserted inside Buddhist sculptures as part of the sculptures’ consecration. The first section of this text is the “Ali Kali” mantra, which is a recitation of Tibetan vowels (ali) and consonants (kali). Chanting “Ali Kali” helps purify the speaker and bless further speech. A second mantra that honors all buddhas follows the “Ali Kali” mantra.
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