To protect the Buddhist religion and its institutions against adversaries, as well as to preserve the integrity of its teachings is a task assigned, in accordance with precepts common to the various sects of Tibetan Buddhism, to an important group of deities, best known under the name dharmapalas and dvarpalas. Yet the iconography of the deites worshipped by the Tibetans as protectors and guardians of the Buddhism belongs to the least known fields of the Tibetan studies. The chief obstacle, however, is the secrecy with which Tibetans surround the cult of the protective deities. The valuable information presented in this book was obtained first hand by the author from Tibetan lamas, priests, officials and Incarnate Lamas. The painstaking efforts made during hazardous and turbulent years of Tibetan exodus have made available for the researchers and scholars invaluable material specially on the ceremonies involving ritual dances, divination, black magic and weathermaking. The voluminous text is amply supported by Tibetan blockprints, sketches, pictures and a large number of rare photographs and drawings.
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