Tibet and India: Buddhist Traditions and Transformations

The Metropolitan Museum of Art just opened an exhibit that shows how the Buddhist Tibetan traditions drew from outside influences, especially in the 11th and 12th centuries. That's when Islam came into the northern part of India and disrupted political and religious traditions. And that's when, according to exhibit literature, monasteries of the north began an exchange with Tibet.

Tibet wanted to "purify their understanding of Buddhism and thereby establish correct religious practice." As a consequence, northern Indian monasteries sent teachers to Tibet and Tibet sent monks to study in northern India.

The "exhibition examines how esoteric imagery, texts, and Vajrayana ritual practices contributed to reshaping the complex religious landscape of Tibet"  and  runs from February 8th through June 8.

You can view some of the objects in the exhibition on the museum's Pitnterest board here.