Materiality, Symbolism, and Ritual Agency: The Rkang-Gling and Damaru in Tibetan Chöd Practice

This research examines the object agency of rkang-gling (thighbone trumpet) and damaru (skull drum) in 18th-19th century Tibetan Tantric Buddhism by placing them back in their original religious context, based on the materiality foundation. Through the anthropological perspective of emic-etic and material culture, the reasons why bone ritual objects become sacred agents were analyzed from two dimensions: internal cognition and external observation. In the case studies part, the study concentrates on the materiality of rkang-gling and damaru, analyzing the choice of material and religious symbols in the 18th-19th century. Focusing on their ritual functions, the analysis shows how these two types of bone ritual objects function in Chöd ritual by embodying sound, physical action, and material engagement, helping practitioners confront the concept of “cutting through the self”. This paper contributes to the analysis of bone ritual objects in terms of transmitting meaning through cosmology, material selection, body embodiment, and ritual practice.