Honors Theses
Date of Award
2011
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
History
First Advisor
Laurie Cozad
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
This paper focuses on a discussion of sound energy in Tibetan Buddhism emd how practitioners have transformed sound into a sacred part of their religious tradition. Two specific areas have been investigated: chordal chanting practices of certain Tibetan Buddhist lamas and death rituals and how the Tibetan Book of the Dead is used to influence a consciousness. For the section dealing with chordal chanting, most information was gained from studying secondary sources as a result of there being very little primary source material available. For the section dealing with the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the text itself was investigated along with the beliefs of several practitioners who adhere to its teachings. Secondary sources also used, although there are far scholarly works devoted to this text than the practice of chordal chanting; therefore, this paper draws upon a select few secondary sources to show how the Tibetan Book of the Dead turns sound into a sacred force. At the conclusion of the research, it was were more discovered that Tibetan Buddhists place such a heavy emphasis on sound that it is integral to their religious practice. In conclusion, sound has become a vehicle by which a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner can gain a deeper understanding of his or her religion; in order to move beyond the physical world that is experienced on a daily basis, the practitioner must embrace sound and use it as a sacred force that is capable of advancing one on the path toward enlightenment.
Recommended Citation
Chandler, Thomas Earl Jr, "Vehicles of Tibetan Buddhism: Sound Energy as a Sacred Force" (2011). Honors Theses. 2304.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2304
Accessibility Status
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