Buddha of the Karmapa temple, the Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Buddhist monks making a sacred Mandala, Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Tibetan tantric goddess, Kopan monastery, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Buddhist monks of the yellow hat tradition, Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Tantric cosmic eye, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Tantric offerings, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Tantric painting on doors at Tongren Monastery, Qinghai, China, Asia

Buddhist monks of the yellow hat tradition, Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Buddhist monks of the yellow hat tradition making a sand mandala, Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Buddhist monks of the yellow hat tradition, Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Tantric paintings on doors at Tongren Monastery, Qinghai, China, Asia

Buddhist monks and the Karmapa temple, Gyuto Tantric Monastery, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, India, Asia

Detail of golden plaque of Yamantaka, Doorkeeper of the South, a Tantric Tibetan God, at Erdeni Dzu Monastery at Karakorum, Mongolia, Central Asia, Asia

Tantric mural at Ganden, Tibet, China, Asia

Tantric Buddhist priest, Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

H.h. 14th dalai lama. In early days most of individual tantric systems were kept separate from another, each regarded as a path to enlightment. here again passage of time brought about fusion cross-fertilization, a tradition of uniting various tantras emerged, at least on a simple level a daily meditation. India

Nepal. Sonam & boom praying at charnel grounds. Humla. Vajrayana is tantric mahasiddha, lives fearlessly in terrifying places like remote jungles charnel grounds. nyingma lamas perform ritual at cremation grounds. lama rattles damaru, a small ritual drum to have origins in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bones dried human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. other lama, boom blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers

Nepal. Ritual, sonam/boom. Lobsangs cremation. Humla. traveler reached of journey! In freedom of infinite he is free from sorrow, fetters that bound thrown away, burning fever of life is no more,oesays dharmapada. Lobsang having spent whole life preparing moment of death, finds liberation on february 14, 1986. Extensive ritual follows cremation-traditionally a forty nine period, sonam lama rattles damaru. A small ritual drum to have origin in - shamanism. damaru, used as a tantric device to summon gods ward evil spirits, once made from human skull bone dreid human skin as a reminder of impermanence of body. Boom lama blows a kangling, a human thigh-bone horn. kangling is used in exorcism is capable of gods demons. Traditionally, best bones a kangling come from brahmans, particularly sixteen-year- brahman girls-or from tigers. On makeshift altar rest chhome, votive lamps filled with butter, cups of water, grains, tormas, holy food made of barley meal decorated with medallions of butter offered to gods. Alone, boom lama continues prayers of deceased

A traditional Thanka painting at the Boudhanath Stupa, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Kathmandu, Nepal, Asia

Monks offer butter lamps. Kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps. Bodgaya, india. Monks offer butter lamps in front of mahabodhi temple marks site of buddhas enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Budhist lamas in prayer, bodhgaya, india. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Monks offer butter lamps prayer, kalachakra initiation, bodhgaya. India. Monks attending kalachakra initiation at mahaboudhi temple in bodhgaya, india. mahabodhi temple marks site of buddha’s enlightment twenty-five hundred years. centuries have made pilgrimages across himalayas to sites connected with life of historical buddha. From a tantric perspective, pilgrimage is more than paying homage at sacred sites. Rather, it is that activities performed at these places become a memory of place itself. By attuning oneself through ritual meditation to this timeless presence, similar experiences be evoked

Tantric ritual impliments of, on right hand is (drilbubell on left is dorje, symbolizing male female principle, skillful means wisdom

Tantric stone relief demon and apsara temple Banteay Srei Angkor Siem Reap Cambodia

Bhutan, Lhuentse Dzong, Erotic mandala of Tshokey Dorji in the entrance to the Monastery.,

Nepal, Kathmandu, Durbar Square Erotic carvings on roof supports of Jagganath Temple.