For thousands of years the people of Tibet, Bhutan and Nepal have remained steadfast in their commitment to Buddhism, its spiritual practice and traditions. This selection of more than 30 photographs, taken during Matthieu Ricard's spiritual journey through these countries, provides a glimpse into the life of both monastic and lay Buddhists, and movingly captures their intense devotion to Buddhism.

Journey to Enlightenment includes a comprehensive selection of photographs of colorful ritual accessories, sacred festivals, magnificent landscapes, arduous pilgrimages and everyday life of nomad families. Among the images chosen for this exhibition is a striking photograph of a sacred festival dance at Shechen Monastery in Nepal. Dance masters journeyed from Tibet to Nepal to teach the intricate dances, which were performed for two full days. Another photograph, taken at the seventh-century temple of Paro Kyichu in Western Bhutan, gives a unique look at monks performing a fire ceremony (chinsek) in which deities are being offered to a mandala that the monks are visualizing in the fire. Equally touching is a photograph of the Great Stupa of Bodhnath in Nepal, aglow with a hundred thousand butter lamps during a funeral ceremony.

Matthieu Ricard was born in France in 1946. He studied biology at Paris Science University and wrote the well-known book on animal migration, Les Migrations animales. While doing postgraduate research in cell genetics at the Institut Pasteur, under Nobel Laureate François Jacob, Ricard traveled to India and developed a keen interest in Buddhism. He has studied with Kangyur Rinpoche and Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and lived in the Himalayan region since 1972. Ricard has been a Buddhist monk for eighteen years, and he is currently living at Shechen Monastery in Nepal. He has translated and edited countless books on Tibetan Buddhism and is regarded highly for his work and his knowledge of Tibetan religion and culture.

This selection of photographs, made by Peggy Roalf for the Asia Society, is drawn from an exhibition organized by Aperture Foundation, the world-renowned publisher of fine photography books and producer of exhibitions. Aperture wishes to thank the Gere Foundation, E.T. Harmax Foundation, Vivian Kurz, and Jessica Brackman for their support of Journey to Enlightenment. All photographs for this exhibition were printed and donated by the Everett Corporation.

The Asia Society is America's leading institution dedicated to fostering understanding of Asia and communication between Americans and the peoples of Asia and the Pacific. A nonprofit, nonpartisan educational institution, the Asia Society presents a wide range of programs including major art exhibitions, performances, media programs, international conferences and lectures, and initiatives to improve elementary and secondary education about Asia. The Asia Society is headquartered in New York City, with regional centers in Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, Hong Kong and Melbourne, Australia, and representative offices in San Francisco, Seattle, Manila and Shanghai. For more information, contact the Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021. (212) 288-6400. (www.asiasociety.org).

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