The Buddha in the Tarot

On the surface, the worlds of Buddhism and Tarot appear very different. The "Tarot" conjures up images of fortune-telling and divination; or, for the more seriously-minded, Hermeticism, Neo-Platonism and other aspects of the Western Mystery Tradition. By contrast, "Buddhism" brings to mind a world of meditation, Eastern mysticism, and compassionate ethical action in the world. Yet the bridge between both is the story of the Buddha's journey towards enlightenment, which mirrors in many surprising ways the archetypal "Fool's Journey" through Tarot's Major Arcana. The aim of this book is to provide a series of Buddhist reflections on the Fool's Journey; reflections which allow us to approach and appreciate Tarot symbolism in a new and refreshing way. Conversely, the Tarot images themselves provide us with an opportunity for relating Buddhism's unique worldview to Western art and mythology, and for presenting Buddhist ideas in a way that may engage the Western mind.