Aspects of Contact in Tibetan Buddhism

Abstract

Although touching something is an everyday act, it can take on special meaning when performed in a religious context. For Tibetan Buddhists, the act of contact produces both bad causes and favorable results. They believe that by touching the possessions of ascetics, the relics of sages, and objects that have been blessed through contemplation, various desires can be fulfilled. Furthermore, they believe that various religious values can be accomplished through contact with objects manifested in the consciousness through contemplative practice. Conversely, however, some Tibetan Buddhist doctrines argue that the experience of contact is a delusion and it triggers the creation of disturbing emotions. This article examines the significance of contact in Tibetan Buddhism and its peculiarities by consulting diverse Tibetan Buddhist literature, discussing the doctrinal status of contact and the sense of touch, and introducing various contact acts performed in religious practice.