Human world
Ritual dagger Kila (Sanskrit) Phur bu (Tibetan)
The World Cultures gallery features a shrine that includes elements of all the main branches of Tibetan Buddhism. Here you can see what this shrine is like.
A shrine is the focus of every monastery, temple and private home. Tibetans visit shrines on a daily basis to carry out small acts of devotion - to recite prayers, light the lamps, fill the bowls with clean water and replace offerings as necessary. Such acts are a core part of Buddhist practice.
The shrine contains the vital elements for prayer and devotion - thangkas (paintings) and sculptures to help focus the mind, sacred texts and an altar. The altar has different levels, so that the objects can be placed in order of their spiritual importance.
The chief image (usually a Buddha) is always at the centre on the highest level, surrounded by other religious figures. Other items such as butter lamps, vessels, offerings and offering bowls are arranged below.
Follow the links in the navigation panel to see more shrine objects.