Aris Lecture: Magic, Healing, and Ethics in Tibetan Buddhism

Books of spells are a constant but little-studied aspect of Tibetan Buddhism. Some, but not all of them contain aggressive spells—what we commonly call 'black magic'. This talk, delivered by Dr Sam van Schaik, will elaborate on the role of books of spells in Tibetan Buddhism, and how the use of magic fits within the Buddhist ethical framework. 

Van Schaik is a Research Project Manager at the British Library in the Asian and African Collections department. Currently, he is specialising in the study of Tibetan Buddhist manuscripts from Dunhuang. 

The Annual Aris Lectures were created in 2015 to celebrate Michael and Anthony Aris and their contributions to Tibetan and Himalayan Studies. 

This event takes place on 15 November. Learn more