Page 12 - A MONUMENTAL GILT-BRONZE BUTTER LAMPS IN TIBETAN BUDDHIST RITUALS

BUTTER LAMPS IN TIBETAN BUDDHIST RITUALS AND

THE BODHIMANDA FOUNDATION BUTTER LAMP

Dr Michael Henss

Butter lamps, in Tibetan mar me, to use the popular The burning light of the lamp has a wide and deep
name for the various types of offering lamps (mchod symbolism. It is the light of the Buddha and of the
me), are amongst the paraphernalia of ritual objects in dharma, which generates wisdom and enlightenment,
a Tibetan temple or in a private house shrine. Typically, and eliminates mental darkness and impurities. A ‘lit lamp’
they measure between about 10cm to 30cm in height, (Sanskrit: taila pradipa) has been compared to the Buddha
rarely beyond, and most often made of brass, or, when as ‘the lamp of the world’ (loka pradipa), in the famous
in more sumptuous forms, of silver or even gold, in cast Lotus Sutra, one of the fundamental texts of Mahayana
or hammered (repoussé) technique. Most offering lamps Buddhism.
consist of a stand, a central longevity vase section as a
handle, and of the actual upper cup receptacle filled with Offering ‘jewel-like lamps on golden lotus buds’ are
the butter. Many are decorated with the Eight Buddhist described in Shantideva’s 8th century’s Guide to the
Emblems (bajixiang, or with the Seven Jewels of Royal Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Light-giving lamps, often a
Power, the Seven Precious Gems, the symbols of the hundred or more when of smaller size, serve to venerate
five senses, or with ritual objects, and symbols such as the Buddha, from whom himself golden radiating rays of
kapalas, tormas, skulls, protecting deities and various other light are said to illuminate the universe. Offering a butter-
offering motifs. lamp brings spiritual merit to the donor and demonstrates
in the case of the present monumental butter lamp, the
Two main types exist: the first, with a bowl-like bell-shaped specific appreciation and patronage of Buddhist rituals at
body; and the second, with a cylindrical flat bottom chalice. the Imperial Court.
Larger lamps have often a perforated cover. The chalice
and handle section are usually decorated in fine repoussé No other offering lamp such as the present one of the
or engraving technique. Bodhimanda Foundation type is known to exist in either
Tibet nor in any Buddhist sanctuary in China. Therefore,
A few exceptionally large and elaborately adorned lamps of the present butter lamp is a unique cultural relic of Tibetan
almost up to one meter in height were dedicated to special Buddhist influence on the Imperial Chinese milieu of the
rituals, installed on or beside an altar shrine. Inscriptions, early Ming dynasty.
especially on silver or gold lamps, may inform about the
purpose of the very donation and of the name of the
sponsor.