Jigme26 Sep 2024
Paripurana Tara, the Perfecter [21/21]
Tara “supreme and wholly perfect” is beautiful, half-wrathful and white, her three wide eyes signifying the three doors of liberation.
SonMani — Jewel beneath the Vermilion
Heritage
Sơn Son in the flow of Vajrayana.
As in centuries past — when Kaundinya brought Buddhism into our country and let it harmonize with the culture of the ancient Vietnamese — Vajrayana Buddhism is finding its way, step by step, into the quiet beauty of Vietnamese temples. In this current, SonMani offers traditional Vietnamese lacquer as a living vocabulary for the thangka.
Wisdom
The Encyclopedia of
Tibetan Symbols and Motifs
169plates12chapters512pages
This study of the sacred art of Tibet is the fruit of eight years of patient painting and a lifetime of reflection on the origin and the hidden meaning held within each line — drawn out of one of the great visionary traditions of humankind. Thousands of individual details are composed into 169 plates, figuring the ritual implements and the stylized forms in which they appear. The contents read like a luminous tapestry, woven from the origin, the meaning and the use of these symbols — sourced from India, Tibet and China — on the loom of Buddhist wisdom.
A classic for those who love Tibet, for painters and designers, and for every seeker turning Eastward in search of the meaning of a life.
- Author
- Robert Beer
- Translator
- Jigme— translated and annotated
Documentary
Vāsanā
An independent documentary on “karmic imprint” (vāsanā). The film follows people who seem worlds apart — separated by time zones and thousands of kilometres — yet bound powerfully together by the wisdom of Buddhism and a love of art.
Why do we venture forth and sacrifice so much to follow our intuition?
Is there an invisible thread that links and drives us all?
What is the true meaning of this life?
The documentary is a tribute to the artists Robert Beer and his partner Gill Farrer-Halls, as well as to the Vajrayana artists and practitioners in Nepal and India. It carries multiple layers of meaning and messages — addressing questions of faith, perseverance, humanity, and the strength to overcome adversity.
This is also the next step in our journey of “a mix of passion and insanity.” In the challenging conditions of an independent project, we take on various roles and fully self-fund the production.
Articles
Essence. Wisdom. Passion.
SonMani curates, translates, and brings you compelling knowledge of tradition, history, and art.
Jigme25 Sep 2024
Siddhisambhava Tara, Source of Attainments [20/21]
Tara “the wellspring of realisation” appears peaceful and orange in colour, with the power to heal every kind of infectious bodily disease.
Jigme24 Sep 2024
Duhkhadahana Tara, Consumer of Suffering [19/21]
Tara “who consumes suffering” appears peaceful and wholly white, with the power to pacify nightmares and free beings from captivity.
Jigme23 Sep 2024
Vijaya Tara, the Victorious [18/21]
Tara “the victorious” appears peaceful and white, with one face, two eyes and four arms, seated upon a goose.
Jigme22 Sep 2024
Sukhasadhana Tara, Accomplisher of Bliss [17/21]
Tara “who perfects great bliss” appears peaceful and orange in colour, with one face, two eyes and two arms, seated upon a golden sun disc.
Jigme21 Sep 2024
Raganisudana Tara, Destroyer of All Attachments [16/21]
Tara “who destroys every attachment” is beautiful and slightly fierce, coral-red in colour, with one face, three eyes and two arms.
Jigme26 Sep 2024
Paripurana Tara, the Perfecter [21/21]
Tara “supreme and wholly perfect” is beautiful, half-wrathful and white, her three wide eyes signifying the three doors of liberation.
Jigme24 Sep 2024
Duhkhadahana Tara, Consumer of Suffering [19/21]
Tara “who consumes suffering” appears peaceful and wholly white, with the power to pacify nightmares and free beings from captivity.
Jigme22 Sep 2024
Sukhasadhana Tara, Accomplisher of Bliss [17/21]
Tara “who perfects great bliss” appears peaceful and orange in colour, with one face, two eyes and two arms, seated upon a golden sun disc.
Jigme25 Sep 2024
Siddhisambhava Tara, Source of Attainments [20/21]
Tara “the wellspring of realisation” appears peaceful and orange in colour, with the power to heal every kind of infectious bodily disease.
Jigme23 Sep 2024
Vijaya Tara, the Victorious [18/21]
Tara “the victorious” appears peaceful and white, with one face, two eyes and four arms, seated upon a goose.
Jigme21 Sep 2024
Raganisudana Tara, Destroyer of All Attachments [16/21]
Tara “who destroys every attachment” is beautiful and slightly fierce, coral-red in colour, with one face, three eyes and two arms.
Jigme26 Sep 2024
Paripurana Tara, the Perfecter [21/21]
Tara “supreme and wholly perfect” is beautiful, half-wrathful and white, her three wide eyes signifying the three doors of liberation.
Jigme23 Sep 2024
Vijaya Tara, the Victorious [18/21]
Tara “the victorious” appears peaceful and white, with one face, two eyes and four arms, seated upon a goose.
Jigme25 Sep 2024
Siddhisambhava Tara, Source of Attainments [20/21]
Tara “the wellspring of realisation” appears peaceful and orange in colour, with the power to heal every kind of infectious bodily disease.
Jigme22 Sep 2024
Sukhasadhana Tara, Accomplisher of Bliss [17/21]
Tara “who perfects great bliss” appears peaceful and orange in colour, with one face, two eyes and two arms, seated upon a golden sun disc.
Jigme24 Sep 2024
Duhkhadahana Tara, Consumer of Suffering [19/21]
Tara “who consumes suffering” appears peaceful and wholly white, with the power to pacify nightmares and free beings from captivity.
Jigme21 Sep 2024
Raganisudana Tara, Destroyer of All Attachments [16/21]
Tara “who destroys every attachment” is beautiful and slightly fierce, coral-red in colour, with one face, three eyes and two arms.