The Buddha Tarot is a remarkable Tarot deck that connects the Eastern and Western spiritual experience by linking Siddhartha’s journey to enlightenment with the archetypal Fools Journey. Artist and writer Robert M. Place, who drew parallels between Christianity and the Tarot in the Tarot of the Saints, created a mandala of cards, which are broken into its separate parts. The deck features 79 cards, each representing a different cardinal direction, and the trumps as the sacred center.
The Tarot is often seen in larger terms as a depiction of the archetypal hero’s journey. In this companion guide to The Buddha Tarot, artist and writer Robert M. Place, who drew parallels between Christianity and the Tarot in the Tarot of the Saints, discusses the history and development of the Tarot.
The idea behind the Buddha tarot is that the life of Siddharta Gautama, the Buddha, can be mapped on to the linear progression of the Tarot. This book examines the history and development of Tarot, from its roots in the Middle Ages to its myriad modern incarnations. The ancient philosophers and alchemists taught that the highest wisdom is to see the patterns that are present in the Tarot.
In conclusion, The Buddha Tarot is a powerful tool for understanding the spiritual journey of Siddhartha, connecting it to the archetypal Fools Journey. The Tarot deck, illustrated by Robert M. Place, offers a unique perspective on the spiritual journey and the connection between the Eastern and Western spiritual experiences.
📹 Unboxing the (New) Buddha Tarot
Gorgeous & genius and ready for pre-order: Robert M. Place’s new edition of his well-loved Buddha Tarot. RMP and I will be …
📹 Flip-Through of the 2022 Buddha Tarot
A comparison flip-through of the 2022 and 2004 editions of the Buddha Tarot by Robert M. Place. RMP and I will be workshopping …
Looks like a fascinating deck. I’m curious…you mentioned you are a Zen Buddhist. I am working my way a 2nd time through Alan Watts’ “The Way of Zen.” I’ve been fascinated by how many of the Zen poems and stories show a somewhat or even very amoral view of life. Essentially, to stop trying to “fix” the world or to prevent suffering. It shocked me at first. Has that been your view with your own studies? You seem like a careful and logical thinker, so I’d be interested in your take.
Since you have an “in” with Mr. Place, and I know you’re a fan of the Standard Playing Card Tarot, so you would get this if I ask if you could please, please, pretty please, ask Mr. Place to create Majors for his Hermes Playing Card deck? It would be the penultimate deck of PERFECTION! He’s a genius, it’d be easy-peasy for him. Take him, like, 2 seconds, tops. 🙂
Thank you so much for filming this article dear Esther! It was so so sweet to see your excitement about the new Buddha Tarot by Schiffer! 🥰 How AMAZING you will be teaching at the Omega Institute alongside with Robert! So cool! I wish I was able to be there! You have no idea how much I would LOVE to see the Llewellyn and Schiffer editions of the Buddha Tarot side by side along with the book details (differences in the updated version)! I have the Llewellyn’s Buddha Tarot and love it! I was so lucky to come across the big guidebook in my local second-hand bookshop among all places a couple of years back. And YES! That book made me fall for the Buddha Tarot! 🙂 Anyways, it’a a long-ish comment from me! I thoroughly enjoyed this article! xx
I can feel how excited you are for the Omega retreat!! I would love to go, but I doubt I could do that and NWTS…and I really want to do the new NWTS. I missed that last one because I had the sniffles and a cough, and I was just entering ‘panini paranoia’. sigh. I will get this new edition, I never did get a copy of the book, and I am really thrilled with the new format…I can already see a few differences in the artwork! Love this deck, can’t wait to see what you have to say in future vids.
Wow! Beautiful! I was lucky enough to get the Llewellyn edition in a trade and then found the big guidebook for twenty bucks online!!! But I do love that black background so I may have to succumb and get this edition, too! I would love to see you do more articles on this deck. Exciting that you’ll be doing a weeklong class with RMP at Omega!!! too cool!!!! I just don’t understand why Schiffer doesn’t get the whole card stock thing! That card stock looks the same as the second edition Star Tarot card stock which is literally impossible to shuffle!!! Come on Schiffer!!!! Your excitement over this deck was palpable!!!! Enjoy your new deck and thank you for sharing.
While that Mara isn’t holding a vajra or doing the correct mudra, he still feels very Vajrapani-ish to me. I think I would have a hard time shaking that feeling. The different Buddhas showing up in the other suits feels a bit jarring to me as well. It was particularly noticeable to me with Amogasiddhi’s fearless mudra in the lotus suit. Also, while I know there are only four suits and there are five Tathagatas, so choices need to be made, not representing Vairocana feels wrong. It may have been better to broaden the tarot form to match the subject rather than the other way around. Otherwise, the deck is gorgeous. Robert Place did do a beautiful job blending the two cultures together within the constraints he was given.
In my opinion, I will never buy Buddhist decks, especially those printed with images of Buddha… even though I am a Buddhist, I always love and respect the Three Jewels. It is not advisable to take a deck of cards with the image of the Buddha to spread the cards. Please respect, display if you want to buy because of our love for Buddha, Buddhism ❤❤❤