Tibet House US - His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s Cultural Center in North America - is offering TABO, into the Light: An Archaeological Photographic Exhibit on Thursday, April 10, at 6 pm US EST, at 22 W 15th St. in New York City.
Entrance is by donation. Membership is warmly welcomed.
This community exhibit marks the opening of a breathtaking new showcase on the sacred Tabo Monastery—the oldest preserved Tibetan temple complex, founded in 996 AD. Hidden deep in the Indian Himalayas, Tabo is home to over 1,000 years of remarkably lifelike sculptures and murals, created by Indian and Tibetan artists long ago.
Through the dedicated work of author and archaeological photographer Peter van Ham, and with support from UNESCO and the Rubin Museum of Art, these spiritual treasures will be presented in high-resolution, immersive images at Tibet House US.
At the heart of the exhibit is Tabo’s “Palace of the Excellent Teachings”, a deeply sacred space that’s considered one of the most extraordinary artistic and cultural legacies of Tibetan Buddhism.
Peter van Ham will be at the reception to sign copies of his stunning new book, Tabo – Gods of Light, and answer questions from the community.
For more information on the exhibition: thus.org/tabo-into-the-light-exhibition
Spiritual Art as Craft Nirmanakaya
One glance at the murals of Tabo Monastery, and something stirs deep within — devotion, longing, a quiet sense of awe. These are not simply images—they are, in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, nirmanakaya, reflections of enlightened qualities, expressed through beauty and form.
Tabo’s sacred art invites us to move beyond the surface, to touch a deeper reality. In our daily lives, we shift between emotions, memories, and sensory experiences. These murals remind us of what is impermanence. Not as something fearful but as a broad stroke that unveils the fleetingness of beauty, seeing with deeper clarity.
The Khamtok (Gangtuo) hydroelectric dam, now under construction in eastern Tibet, is displacing thousands of people, razing villages, and drowning irreplaceable cultural treasures. Among them are the sacred murals of the 13th-century Wonto Monastery, which are now submerged forever. This loss mirrors past tragedies, like the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan. The silence around these events only accelerates the erasure of priceless heritage.
Tibet, The Third Pole & a Call to Care
The Tibetan Plateau, often called The Third Pole, is not just an environmental treasure—it holds some of the last intact traditions of Tibetan Buddhist wisdom. As glaciers melt and development surges, it’s not just nature that’s being lost. Entire ways of life, once alive in harmony with the land for centuries, are now vanishing.
For generations, Buddhist monasteries have been built around ancient trees, out of respect for the life that came before. Now, many monastic communities—Khenpos and caretakers of gompas in Tibetan communities within India —are reservedly opening their doors, inviting people to help protect these sacred spaces.
The spiritual and environmental crises we face are deeply intertwined. Perhaps, in this, secular Buddhists move with fewer encumbrances.
The Dharma path calls us to act, but not from a place of anger or fear. We’re invited to engage with the world through compassion, presence, and wisdom. Whether we walk the traditional path or a more secular one, the Call remains the same: to be mindful and active stewards of the world and its precious heritage.
Whether you're new to Tibetan culture or have walked the path for years, this exhibition is a moment to gather, reflect, and connect—with beauty, with each other, and with something timeless. We hope to see you there.
✨ Visit thus.org and menla.org to learn more, become a member, or support the work of Tibet House US.
#loveTibet #innerwisdom #nycevents #newyorkcity #newyorkers #compassionateliving
