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Thanka is excellent piece of Tibetan art works.
Thanka is a Tibetan painting depicting various facts
of Buddhism of mystic sect. Thanka is painted on silk
or cotton fabrics using bright colors of many
hues.Thanka is of exceptional quality, hand-paintedby Nepali and Tibetan artist. The word "Thanka" is
believed to have come from the Tibetan word "thang
yig" meaning a written record. Thanka are used as
wall -decorations. For, Lamas Thanka is object of
religious importance. Thanka is an object of devotion,
an aid to spiritual practice, and a bringer of blessings
On the basis of techniques involved and materials used
thanka can be grouped into several categories.
Generally they are divided into two broad categories:those which are painted (called bris-than in Tibetan)
and those which are made of silk either by weaving or
with embroidery (called gos-than). The painted thanka
are further divided into five categories:
Thanka with different colors in the background
Thanka with a gold background
Thanka with a red background
Thanka with a black background
Thanka whose outlines are printed on cotton support and then touched up with
colors
Thankas come in a huge variety of styles, depicting various subjects. Colorful
thanka paintings are generally represent Buddhist and Hindu Gods, Goddesses,
meditating Buddha and his life cycle, Wheel of Life, Mandala, Bhairab, Exotic
pictures, etc. Two basic types of thanka paintings are generally available, Tibetanstyle and Newari style (Paubha) i.e. Thanka each having its own fundamental style
of painting. A Thanka may portray the Buddha or some other deity, or a concept in
Tibetan cosmology, astrology or medicine. The iconography of the thanka is rich
in information about the spiritual practice of Buddhists and the Tibetan world
view. A thanka can help a mediator to learn and emulate the qualities of a
particular deity, or to visualize his or her path towards enlightenment. Thanka can
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bring blessings on the household and serves as a constant reminder of the Buddha's
teachings of compassion, kindness and wisdom. Thanka of particular deities may
be used for protection or to overcome difficulties such as sickness. Most thanka are
scroll paintings usually framed in a rich colorful silk brocade and have thin silk
veil covering the front surface. They are distinctively Tibetan, highly religious, and
possess a unique art style of their own. Tibetans have always considered the thanka
a treasure of tremendous value.
There are different kinds of thanka employing various canvases. However, most
are painted on cloth or paper. The white cloth is first mounted on a frame and
water-based colloid chalk is applied to the surface. It is polished with talc when
dried. The canvas is thus ready for painting. Apart from this, there are thanka
which are webs of embroidery, woven silk, silk tapestry or appliqué. Embroidered
thankas are done with multi-colored silk threads. Silk woven thanka take the warp
of brocade as the base and applies the method of jacquard weaving with coloredsilk threads as the weft. With appliqué thanka, human figures, designs and patterns
are cut out of colored satin and glued onto the canvas. The resulting work is also
called ³embossed embroidery.´ Tapestry thanka are woven with the method of
³complete warps and broken wefts: which calls for the application of the weft
threads on the warp only where the picture or design needs it. The ³hollowed out´
work produces a three- dimensional effect. Tapestry thanka are thick, closely
woven, delicately designed and gorgeously decorated with colored silk threads.
There is yet another kind of thanka in which beautifully designed colored fabrics
decorated with pearls and precious stones are attached to the fabric with gold
thread thereby creating a resplendent and dazzling effect.
Although always religious in nature, Tibetan thanka cover a wide range of subject
matters. Some depict the social history and customs and habits of Tibet . Others
illustrate the Tibetan calendar, astronomy, and Tibetan traditional medicine and
pharmacology. Biographical thanka describe the major events in the life of
religious figures and historical personages.
Thanka painting involves mastery of many demanding techniques: mastery in
sketching the illustrations and numerous deities according to formal iconographyrules laid down by generations of Tibetan masters; learning to grind and apply the
paints, which are made from natural stone pigments; and learning to prepare and
apply details in pure gold. From the canvas preparation and drawing of the subject,
through to mixing and applying colours, decorating with gold, and mounting the
finished work in brocade, the creation of a thanka painting involves skill and care
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at each stage and displays meticulous detail and exquisite artisanship.
A spiritual and religious expression as much as an art form, the process of learning
to paint thanka is rigorous. In the first three years, students learn to sketch the
Tibetan Buddhist deities using precise grids dictated by scripture. The two years
following are devoted to the techniques of grinding and applying the mineral
colors and pure gold used in the paintings. In the sixth year, students study in detail
the religious texts and scriptures used for the subject matter of their work. To
become an accomplished thanka painter, at least ten years training is required
under the constant supervision of a master. After the training process, students still
need five to ten years to become experts in thanka painting.
Thanka painting requires extended concentration, attention to detail, and
knowledge of Buddhist philosophy, and must be carried out in a peaceful
environment.
History Of Thangkas
The exact time of the origin or history of the
thangka or thanka art a religious painting
is not yet known. However, History of thanka
or thangka art Paintings in Nepal began in
11th century A.D. when Buddhists and
Hindus began to make illustration of thedeities and natural scenes. Historically,
Tibetan and Chinese influence in Nepalese
paintings is quite evident in Paubhas
(Thangkas). Paubhas are of two types, the
Palas which are illustrative paintings of the
deities and the Mandala, which is mystic
diagrams paintings of complex test,
prescribed patterns of circles and square each
having specific significance.
It was through Nepal that Mahayana
Buddhism was introduced into Tibet during
reign of Angshuvarma in the seventh century
A.D. There was therefore a great demand for
religious icons and Buddhist manuscripts for
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newly built monasteries throughout Tibet. A
number of Buddhist manuscripts,
including Prajnaparamita, were copied in Kathmandu Valley for these monasteries.
Astasahas rika Prajnaparamita for example, was copied in Patan in the year 999
A.D., during the reign of Narendra Dev and Udaya Deva, for the Sa-Shakya
monastery in Tibet. For the Nor monastery in Tibet, two copies were made in
Nepal-one of Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita in 1069 A.D. and the other of
Kavyadarsha in 1111 A.D. The influence of Nepalese art extended till Tibet and
even beyond in China in regular order during the thirteenth century. Nepalese
artisans were dispatched to the courts of Chinese emperors at their request to
perform their workmanship and impart expert knowledge. The exemplary
contribution made by the artisans of Nepal, specially by the Nepalese innovator
and architect Balbahu, known by his popular name "Arniko" bear testimony to this
fact even today. After the introduction of paper, palm leaf became less popular;
however, it continued to be used until the eighteenth century. Paper manuscriptsimitated the oblong shape but were wider than the palm leaves.
From the fifteenth century onwards, brighter colours gradually began to appear in
Nepalese.Thanka / Thangka. Because of the growing importance of the Tantric
cult, various aspects of Shiva and Shakti were painted in conventional poses.
Mahakala, Manjushri, Lokeshwara and other deities were equally popular and so
were also frequently represented in Thanka / Thangka paintings of later dates. As
Tantrism embodies the ideas of esoteric power, magic forces, and a great variety of
symbols, strong emphasis is laid on the female element and sexuality in the
paintings of that period.
Religious paintings worshipped as icons are known as Paubha in Newari and
Thanka / Thangka in Tibetan. The origin of Paubha or Thanka / Thangka paintings
may be attributed to the Nepalese artists responsible for creating a number of
special metal works and wall- paintings as well as illuminated manuscripts in
Tibet. Realizing the great demand for religious icons in Tibet, these artists, along
with monks and traders, took with them from Nepal not only metal sculptures but
also a number of Buddhist manuscripts. To better fulfil the ever - increasing
demand Nepalese artists initiated a new type of religious painting on cloth thatcould be easily rolled up and carried along with them. This type of painting
became very popular both in Nepal and Tibet and so a new school of Thanka /
Thangka painting evolved as early as the ninth or tenth century and has remained
popular to this day. One of the earliest specimens of Nepalese Thanka / Thangka
painting dates from the thirteenth /fourteenth century and shows Amitabha
surrounded by Bodhisattva. Another Nepalese Thanka / Thangka with three dates
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in the inscription (the last one corresponding to 1369 A.D.), is one of the earliest
known Thanka / Thangka with inscriptions. The "Mandalaof Vishnu " dated 1420
A.D., is another fine example of the painting of this period. Early Nepalese
Thangkas are simple in design and composition. The main deity, a large figure,
occupies the central position while surrounded by smaller figures of lesser
divinities.
Thanka / Thangka painting is one of the major science out the five major and five
minor fields of knowledge. It's origin can be traced all the way back to the time of
Lord Buddha. The main themes of Thanka / Thangka paintings are religious.
During the reign of Dharma King Trisong, Duetsen the Tibetan masters refined
there already well developed arts through research and studies of different
country's tradition. Thanka painting's lining and measurement, costumes,
implementations and ornaments are all based on Indian style. The drawing of
figures are based on Nepalese style and the background sceneries are based onChinese style. Thus, the Thanka / Thangka paintings became a unique and
distinctive art.
Thanka / Thangka have developed in the northern Himalayan regions among the
Lamas. Besides Lamas, Gurung and Tamang communities are also producing
Tankas, which provide substantial employment opportunities for many people in
the hills. Newari Thankas (Also known as Paubha) has been the hidden art work in
Kathmandu valley from 13th century. We have preserved this art and are
exclusively creating this with some particular painter family who have inherited
their art from their forefathers.Some of the artistic religious and historical paintingsare also done by the Newars of Kathmandu Valley.
Importance of Thangka or Thanka Paintings
Ever since the Buddhism rooted in Tibet, the
tradition of depicting Thangka or Thanka might
have been prevalent around in the area where
Buddhism spread. It was about 10th century
meanwhile tantric Buddism was gradually beingdeveloped in Tibet. The tradition of Thangka or
thanka painting was just outset in Tibet and is
not confined only within Tibet and Tibetan
community but those who adopted the Tibetan
Buddhism learnt this art so as Tamangs, Sherpas
,Thakalis, Yolmos, Manangeys, and Newars are
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the instants. Most of the thangka or thanka
viewer simply think that thangka or thanka is an
art of the Buddhist scholar of higher
intellectuality revere it with entire homage
considering mystic power of Lamaistic dieties .
In accordance with the religious culture, the
Thangka to be kept at the worship room
sanctifies with holy water muttering mantras to
enliven thangka or thanka mystic power and puts
kada (a two feet long
silk cloth) on it . Since then the devotee use to bow his /her head before it at the
time of worship specially in the morning time. Almost people never consider the
thangka or thanka as an object of decoration. By worship of Tara (dolma) goddess
results lucrative for the business and as well as the (wrathful diety). Dharmapala
protects from the hazardous, calamity, subduing enemies, every accident andfulfilling ones desire in believed with empty heart.
Use Of Thangka or Thanka Paintings
There are various use of Thangka or Thanka Paintings. Thangka or Thanka serve
many purposed in Tibetan society. In times past, the aristocracy kept a number of
thangka or thanka as precious heirlooms. Ordinary people also invited artists to
create thangkas for them for religious purposes or to commemorate certain events.
Thangkas or Thankas are considered works of stateliness and, therefore, are found
in the halls and living quarters of all temples and monasteries.
y In a temple, thangka or thanka are use for worship and meditation of a priest,
and practice of specific Buddhism.
y Thangka or Thanka are intended to serve as a record of, and guide for
contemplative experience. For example, you might be instructed by your
teacher to imagine yourself as a specific figure in a specific setting. You
could use a thangka or thanka as a reference for the details of posture,
attitude, colour, clothing. etc., of a figure located in a field, or in a palace,
possibly surrounded by many other figures of meditation teachers, your
family, etc.. In this way, thangkas or thangka are intended to convey
iconographic information in a pictorial manner. A text of the same
meditation would supply similar details in written descriptive form.
y In Tibetan culture Thangka or Thanka is used for the time of the ceremony
on the 49 the of the reparative who passed away. Moreover, it is used also in
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the case of the congratulation of a marriage ceremony or the New Year.
y Thangka or Thanka afford us important material for studying the religion,
history, culture, painting, arts and crafts, and scientific achievements of
Tibet.
y Thangka or Thanka is now a days used as a decorative objects.
Thanka or Thangka painting process or method or steps is very difficult. To
sketch the figures in a Thangka or Thanka, the artist must be an expert in the
measurements and proportions of Buddhas, Boddhisattvas and deities, as outlined
in Buddhist iconography. There are thousands of different deities in Tibeten
Buddhism. The artist will have to rely on a grid of exactly positioned lines to
sketch the deities. The basic system of these coordinates is one vertical and two
diagonal lines. The intersection of these three lines defines the centre of any
Thangka or Thanka. In Thangka or Thanka having more than one figure, there will
be additional circles and connecting lines, to contrast the main icon with the
background figure.
The grid system divides the painting into different parts with fixed proportions. If
the artist wants to have a Thangka twice the original size, he has to double thedimensions or distances between all the lines.
A completed thangka or thanka, however beautiful or impressive, never tells the
full story of the complex process artists undergo to create such a divine image. I
have compiled this list of thirteen steps involved in producing a traditional Tibetan
sacred painting to help you appreciate your new thangka or thanka. Although
certain elements of thangka or thanka painting have changed since artists began
painting in exile, much of Tibet 's traditional styles and techniques have been
painstakingly retained. I hope the following will both interest and enlighten you as
to this sacred ancient art.
There are several steps or process or method involved in making Thangka or
Thanka Painting.
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1. GENERATING A PURE MOTIVE
In old Tibet , a thangka or thanka was the fruit of a sacred human trio: a lama, a
religious practitioner and a thangka or thanka artist. The practitioner, having
sought the counsel of a qualified Buddhist lama, learned which deity image of the
Tibetan pantheon was most beneficial for his or her spiritual practice. He or she
then invited a thangka or thanka painter to his or her home and hosted the artist
with the best possible hospitality for the duration of the painting process. If the
requested deity was especially difficult or unusual, the artist consulted with the
lama to clarify aspects of the image.
In order that the finished thangka or thanka be worthy of the practitioner's heartfelt
devotion, offering and meditation practice, the thangka or thanka painter generated
a pure intention free of all selfish motives and undertook the task with a
oyful mind. There was no discussion of price when the order was placed, and the
thangka or thanka was not considered a mere commodity bus as a living expression
of enlightened energy.
The practitioner must be willing to be patient and refrain from rushing the artist.
The combined energy generated by the realized lama, the devout practitioner and
the concentrated artist renders the finished thangka or thanka particularly sacred. In
modern times, it has become necessary to set prices for thangkas or thankas, but in
old Tibet an artist was paid whatever the practitioner could afford or felt was
appropriate. The artist felt grateful and happy regardless of the size or quality of payment.
2. CANVAS PREPARATION
The cloth to be painted undergoes a complex process
of preparation which takes between 14 to 20 days
depending on local climatic conditions. In Nepal foggy
Himalayan foothills, canvasses for the whole year
must be made in the dry months of March, April,
October and November. If a canvas is improperlyprepared, the entire thangka or thanka will be a failure.
First, the cloth is carefully sewn onto four lengths of
bamboo which are tightly strung to a large wooden
frame. The artist then spreads a cost of glue over the
whole canvas and leaves it to dry. He stirs up a
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mixture of white clay, water and glue in a clean pot to
the consistency of thick cream. Blessed medicines or
other sacred substances are added if available. The
mixture is then strained through fine gauze to remove
any impurities and applied evenly to the dry canvas.
When this second coat has dried, the canvas is held up
to the light and the areas which have not been evenly
coated are patched up with more of the
clay mixture and again left to dry. This process is repeated 8-10 times until the
entire canvas is evenly coated.
The canvas is then laid upon a smooth wooden board and a small area is moistened
with water using a soft white cloth. Section by section, the artist vigorously rubs
the canvas smooth with a piece of white marble, moistening it with water as heworks. This takes about an hour. The entire canvas is then slowly are carefully
stretched by tightening the strings tied to the frame and left to dry in indirect sun.
Once dry, the entire procedure is repeated for the other side of the canvas,
stretching it after each moistening and leaving it to dry. When it has been
thoroughly treated and dried, the canvas should be so tightly stretched that it makes
a nice drum sound when tapped. This is the sign it is ready to be painted. The front
of the canvas is then polished with a conch shell.
3. FOUNDATIONAL LINE DRAWING
At this stage the artist bathes, takes purification vows
at dawn, meditates upon his tutelary deity, and
performs rituals to clear away obstacles and harmful
spirits. Having studied the description of the image to
be painted in a religious text and consulted a lama
about any confusing details, the artist recites the
sacred syllables of the Buddha or deity in question and
begins to draw.
Ideally, the artist recites these syllables and visualizes
the deity for the full duration of the creation of the
thangka or thanka. If this is done in a genuine way, the
thangka or thanka is very different from an ordinary
work of modern art and is inherently highly sacred.
The foundational lines are done in pencil (followed by
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black ink in old Tibet ) and take between 10 to 30 days
to complete, depending on the size and complexity of
the thangka or thanka.
4. MIXING PAINT
It takes a full day to prepare the five primary colors.
Traditionally, the materials included a variety of
mineral and vegetable substances: minerals, precious
stones, bark, leaves, flowers (especially the rock rose),
gold, silver, copper, etc. Each had to be collected from
its source in different areas of Tibet , cleaned, ground,
powered, crushed or cooked.
Nowadays, artists in exile tend to opt for chemical
based pigments, easily available for purchase. In an
attempt to preserve the genuine tradition of Tibet , I
use natural materials as far as possible in my work.
While each color is being mixed, it is continuously
tested on the edges of the canvas and allowed to dry.
Only after the paint has completely dried does it reveal
its true color.
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5. PAINT BR USH MAK ING
Traditional paint brushes were made out of several different materials. For painting
on rough surfaces, brushes were made out of Nama grass, a tough grass growing
along riverbanks. For medium soft brushes, the hair of horses' tails was uses. For
soft brushes of any size, the tufts of hair growing above goats' hooves, the fine hair
inside cows' ears, the fur of otters, the very soft feathers of mountain songbirds,
and the fur of brown and black cats (especially in India where the other hair and
fur is not available) are perfect for painting.
It takes 3 to 4 days to make about 20 high quality brushes. The handle of the brush
is a slender piece of upward growing bamboo cut just above the joint. One inch
long hair clipped from the animal has to be carefully mixed with powder and
sorted to find the hairs that resemble a needle in shape. These are carefully
extracted and laid side by side perfectly evenly.
Then they are very carefully inserted into the bamboo in such a way that all the
hairs lie together in a cone shaped point. They are seized in between the fingertips
and dunked into glue. The bamboo is also dunked in the glue, and the hair is then
inserted into the bamboo. Each hair must be perfectly in place. Then a string is
carefully tied around the bamboo, not too tight and not too loose. The brushes are
then left to dry.
6. PAINTING
There is a definite, specific sequence to color application. In general, the thangka or thanka is
painted from top to bottom. The first step is the sky,
which takes 3 to 6 days. An initial deep blue wash is
followed by innumerable slender, length wise brush
strokes to produce a stipple effect of lines. Then all the
blue parts of the thangka or thanka (water, clothing,
etc.) are filled in.
The dark green landscape and all the dark green areasare next. This is followed by light blue, then light
green, red, orange, pink, brown, pale orange, yellow,
pale yellow and finally white. When the whole series
of base coat colors have been applied and allowed to
dry, the thangka or thanka is scraped with a razor
blade, held at an arched angle to the cloth, to smooth
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away any roughness in the paint. The dust is brushed
off with a soft cloth or feather.
7. REDRAWING AND SHADING
The original detailed lines of the clouds and flowers
which have been covered by paint are redrawn in
pencil and traced over in black ink. The artist then
shades them with a fine paintbrush. In general, a
thangka needs three applications of paint, but flowers
require many repeated applications of thin paint to
give them their effect of inherent radiance. A single
flower may take 3 to 7 days to complete.
8. DETAILS
Painting the intricate details of the back and
foreground landscape and brocade clothing designs
follows the same sequence of color application as
above. This takes 18 to 20 days to complete.
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9. BODY SHADING AND FINAL PAINTING
The artist then shades in color to give shape to the
figure's body and face. The flowers are given a final
shading and all the minute background details such as
fish, deer, birds, fruit and countless grass blades are
painstakingly painted.
10. GOLD APPLICATION
A considerable quantity of gold is used to highlight
and give it its final glorious touches. This entails a
strenuous, complex process. Preparing the gold takes 7
to 10 days and applying it takes an additional 6 to 25
days. The artist generally purchases about 50 grams of
gold at a time (no more than five grams are applied to
a single thangka or thanka ) and employs a goldsmith
to heat, clean and beat it into sheets.
The artist cuts the sheets into tiny pieces and puts themin a mortar with water and grain sized pieces of marble
or glass. He grinds the mixture until the bits of marble
or glass are mere dust particles. More water is added
and the mixture is covered and allowed to stand
overnight. By morning, the gold has sunk to the
bottom and the milky mix of marble water is dumped
off.
This process is repeated with the addition of glue, andeach morning for seven days the surface water is
poured off. Finally, only glue is added to the gold and
this mix is vigorously ground to extract any remaining
impurities. The artist then
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evenly heats a metal sheet over a medium flame. Adding water and a little glue, he
drops tiny dollops of gold onto the hot metal.
The water evaporates and the gold hardens into little pellets. A few of these are
then dissolved in water, glue and egg white or juice of Sema grass seed. After the
gold has been applied to the thangka, it is polished with a gZis stone.
11. OPENING THE EYES
This is the most important moment of a thangka or
thanka artist's work. Before painting the figure's eyes,
the artist bathes and makes offerings to the Buddha's
body, speech and mind. When the eyes have been
painted, seed syllables and prayers are inscribed on theback of the thangka or thanka to awaken the image's
energy.
12. BROCADE
A final 4 to 6 days elapses while the tailor affixes a
brocade frame to the completed thangka.
13. CONSECRATION
This final step is what distinguishes Tibetan Buddhist practice from ordinary "idol
worship." The practitioner takes his or her newly completed thangka or thanka to ahighly realized Buddhist master and makes offerings to request the master's
blessings.
The master, endowed with the clear mind of enlightenment, is able to "bring alive"
the image on the thangka or thanka by infusing it with energy and beseeching the
deity to open its eyes and look upon all sentient beings. The thangka or thanka,
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having now been properly consecrated, is a receptacle of wisdom. It is ready to be
hung and venerated as a genuine living embodiment of enlightened mind.
It is important to note that this final step is only necessary if the thangka or thanka
artist himself is not acknowledged as a realized being. Over the centuries, many
important Buddhist masters have intentionally taken rebirth as thangka or thanka
painters, and if such an artist creates a thangka or thanka, the very mind of the
artist naturally consecrates the image being painted. In such cases, there is no need
to seek the services of a lama for an additional consecration.
These thangka or thanka making process or method, steps provides a guide in
achieving the desired visual effects required for the creation of quality thangka or
thanka. However, one must remain aware that it is essential to combine these
processes with the correct motivation, philosophy and creative ability to obtain a
thangka or thanka of excellence.
1.SHAKYAMUNI BUDDHA THANKAS OR THANGKAS
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Shakyamuni Buddha was born about 2549 years ago in what is now Nepal . He
was known as Siddhartha Gautama, a prince and son of King Suddhodana and
Queen Mayadevi. At the age of 29, he renounced the luxury of his royal heritage to
take up the life of a religious wanderer. He submitted himself to rigorous and
extreme ascetic practices, putting forth a superhuman struggle for six strenuous
years. At the age of 35, after gaining profound insight into the true nature of reality
(Dharma), he attained complete enlightenment. For the remainder of his life, living
as the perfect embodiment of all the virtues he preached, the Buddha ('Awakened
One') traveled widely teaching the Dharma. He offered his teachings to men,
women, and children from all walks of life so they could also end suffering and
attain awakening.
The Buddha Shakyamuni , at the moment of enlightenment, invoked the earth as
witness, as indicated by the fingers of his right hand, which spread downward in
Bhumisparshana Mudra, the "gesture of touching the earth." As the Buddhist
Sutras relate, the sun and moon stood still, and all the creatures of the world came
to offer obeisance to the Supreme One who had broken through the boundaries of
egocentric existence. All Buddhist art celebrates this supreme moment and leads
the viewer toward the Buddha's stylized footprints served as supports for
contemplating what was ultimately beyond words or form. As the possibility he
presented. "Don't look at me," he said, "but to the enlightened state." The first
anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha are said to have been drawn on
canvas from rays of golden light emanating from his body. Later Buddhist art
pictured the Buddha in numerous manifestations, but always as an archetype of
human potential, never as a historically identifiable person. All forms of the
Buddha, however, are commonly shown seated on a lotus throne, a symbol of the
open space, so too does the mind rise through the discord of its own experience to
blossom in the boundlessness of unconditional awareness.
Buddhism is not a static doctrine, but a creative expression of the interdependentnature of all things. It is a means by which we can discover in the heart of e
xperience, not ourselves, but a luminous and unfolding mystery. Buddhism
envisions the universe as a net of jewels, each facet of reality reflecting every other
facet. Our calling is not to escape this web of interdependent origination, but to
awaken to our indwelling Buddha nature, to see the world for what it is, and to
become Buddhas in our own right - beings of infinite awareness and compassion.
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"Be a light unto yourself," Buddha Shakyamuni declared at the end of his life.
Become a Buddha, an awakened being, he urged, but never a blind follower of
tradition. The image of the Buddha, transcending time and place, centers us in our
innermost being. All the images in Celestial Gallery lead, ultimately, to the same
dynamic serenity in which the light touch of a hand can tame the entire universe
2. AMITABHA BUDDHA THANKAS OR THANKGAS
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Painting of a Buddha is called in Sanskrit a "Buddharupa," meaning "the form of
an Enlightened One." So Amitabha Buddha thanka or thangka represent "Buddha
of Infinite Light," personifies the transmutation of passion into all encompassing
luminous awareness. Seated in his celestial paradise called Sukhavati, the "realm o
bliss," Amitabha rests his hands the gesture of meditation while holding the
begging bowl of an ordained Buddhist monk - a symbol of infinite openness and
receptivity.
In the Kalinga ± Bodhi Jataka, the Buddha condemns anthropomorphic
representations of his forms as "groundless, conceptual, and conventional"
(Avatthukam Manamattakam).
In deep meditation or spontaneous states of lucid awareness, body and mind can be
directly experienced as dissolving into porous and incandescent bliss, reshaping
itself as celestial being. The Buddhist art of Nepal and Tibet illustrates this inner reality, which has remained unchanged for millennia. Thangka Paintings Gallery
brings this trancenscendent world into vivid presence with its images of our
primordial nature, beyond culture and conditioning.
The Amitayur - Dhyana Sutra states, "if you ask how one to behold the Buddha is,
the answer is that you have done so only when the thirty - two major and minor
characteristics (i.e. the iconography) have been assumed in your own heart: it is
your own heart that becomes the Buddha and which is the Buddha." In this
Thangka, the Buddha Amitabha illustrates the timeless continuum of enlightened
awareness - mind and body liberated into the light of wisdom and compassion.According to Buddhist art history, the first images of the Buddha were traced from
the rays of light reflected from his body. In this final Thangka, the
anthropomorphic form of the Buddha dissolves back into the rays of light from
which it first manifested. This rainbow body represents not only the Buddha's own
luminous origins, but the potential within all beings to achieve the same exalted
state. The paintings in Thangka Paintings Gallery are points of departure, windows
more than scrolls, a gallery of empty forms to inspire our own journey into the
cosmos. From the point of view of Buddhist Tantra, life and death are a seamless
continuity. When we free ourselves from outmoded, each one is mirroring aspectsof our own deepest nature, which remains inseparable from the Buddhas of past,
present, and future. Breath enters the body like a spiraled rainbow, bringing with it
the life force of the universe. This vital air, or prana, feeds the subtle body that
dwells within us. In meditation, absorbed in the flow of the breath, we can actually
see this divine body.
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3. WHEEL OF LIFE THANKAS OR THANGKAS
Commonly referred to as the " Wheel of Life ," this classical image from the
Tibetan Buddhist tradition depicts the psychological states, or realms of existence,
associated with the unenlightened state. A powerful mirror for spiritual aspirants,
the wheel of deluded existence is often painted to the left of Tibetan monastery
doors; it offers an opportunity for monks and pilgrims alike to look deeply into
their essential being. At the center of the Mandala , the intertwined images of a
pig, a rooster, and a snake symbolically depict the ignorance, greed, andaggression that characterize the worlds of suffering and dissatisfaction, which
Buddhist call Samsara . Surrounding the central figures are five concentric rings of
attendant deities or, in the case of these Thangkas , their symbolic equivalents.
The first circle, the circle of Great Bliss, consists of four goddesses in the four
cardinal directions. At the intermediate points of the compass are four skull cups
supported by vases and containing seminal essences, blood, five ambrosial
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nectars, and the "five awakening." The second circle is the Circle of Mind (
C hittachakra ); the third is the Circle of Speech ( Vakrachakra ); the fourth, the
Circle of the Body ( Kayachakra ); and the fifth, the Circle of Tantric Vows (
Samayachakra ). In the second two versions, these circles are represented by
stylized lotus petals radiating from the central image. Each of the Mandalas isinscribed by a decorative frieze of mythical animals and floral motifs, an element
introduced into Buddhist painting in the mid twentieth century by Newar artists
of the Kathmandu valley. As a support for inner transformation, C hakrasamvara's
blissful radiance converts timid responses to reality into radical engagement.
When desire no longer clings to its object, it awakens to its primordial nature,
which no longer divides into self and other. This blissful awareness encompasses
all life and emotions, combusting in the liberating vision of selfless ecstasy. On the
outer ring of the first Mandala are the eight charnel grounds that confront Tantric
practitioners with a realm beyond hopes, desires, preferences, and fears. Thecharnel grounds signify the transformative energies of Tantra itself , the seamless
continuity of life and death. Ignorance of our true nature is transformed in the
charnel grounds into fearless and radiant awareness, the corpse of our mundane
self consumed by jackals and flames. Without an acceptance of death and
transfiguration, our aspirations to wholeness, to Buddhahood , can never bear
fruit. All Creation Begins with the sacred union of male and female energies. To
experience the pure creative passion between man and woman, to know
unconditional love, is to manifest the body, mind, and spirit of a Buddha .
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4. MEDICINE BUDDHA THANKAS OR THANGKAS
The Medicine Buddha - our enlightened essence - is known as the great healer, the
energy which releases all beings from affection. According to the Tibetan tradition,
the Buddha emanated as Bhaishajyaguru, the "master of remedies," thousands of
years ago. He established the Tibetan medical tradition in the form of texts known
as The Four Tantras of Secret Instructions on the Eight Branches of the Essence of
Immortality, which are more commonly referred to as Gyushi, "The Four Medical
Tantras." The master of remedies holds in his right hand a spring of arura, or
cherubic myrobalan, from which much of Tibetan medicine is compounded. His
hand faces outward, symbolizing his bestowal of boons. In his left hand he holds a
bowl containing three forms of ambrosia: the nectar that cures disease and
resurrects the dead; the nectar that counteracts aging; and the supreme nectar that
illuminates the mind increases knowledge. The Tibetan psysian yeshi Donden
explained: Bhaishajyaguru is blue in color like the sky; his body is clear when
looking from the outside and clear when looking outward from inside... Look
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carefully at how he is sitting, the shape of his eyes, the gesture that his hands are
displaying... and think about his qualities and altruistic activities...Imagine that
light rays spread out from the heart...radiating in the ten directions, entering into
the four elements, and turning them into highly potentialized medicines. These
light rays return and dissolve into the medicines in Bhaishajyaguru's begging bowl.
This is how the power of mantra and meditative stabilization affects the potencies
of medicines.' The Medicine Buddha's throne is supported by snow lions and
flanked by dragons. In the sky above him are five Buddhas and other celestial
beings. Below are fearful protectors of the path to wholeness. In the healing
practices of Tibetan medicine, the unconscious energies that often sabotage our
lives are restored to conscious awareness. When we recognize our inseparability
from all life, healing often occurs spontaneously - the expression of natural
abundance.
The Ambrosia Heart Tantra and essential text of the Tibetan medical tradition,states: The Supreme Healer, the King of Aquamarine Light, entered into meditative
absorption, with rays of multi ± colored light radiating from his heart in all ten
directions, dissolving the mental defilement of all animate beings and pacifying
ailments which arise from ignorance. Then drawing the light rays back to his heart,
the magical form of the Buddha Rigpa Yeshe emanated from his mind. Appearing
in the sky before him, he beseeched the Sovereign Healer, "O Master. As we desire
to obtain this bounty for the sake of ourselves and others, how may we learn the
oral teachings on the science of healing?" (Above text: from lama Thangka.)
Medicine Buddha is also called Bhaisajyaguru and dispenses spiritual as well asphysical healing. He wears monastic robes and sits in meditation holding in his left
hand a medicine bowl. In his right hand he holds the myrobalan plant, known for
its medicinal properties. " O Destroyer, complete in all qualities and gone beyond
and you four med icinal godd esses, please pacify immed iately t he ill nesses t hat
afflict me now and help me avoid all future sickness."
Medicine Buddha is the embodiment of the collective healing power of all the
Buddhas. He is the physician, the enlightened healer who protects living beings
from physical and mental sickness, as well as other dangers and obstacles.Medicine Buddha helps all beings to effectively eradicate the three poisons of
attachment, hatred, and ignorance, which are the cause of all sickness and
suffering. He has the power to see the true cause of all afflictions, whether
physical, psychological, or spiritual, and does whatever is necessary to alleviate
this suffering. Medicine Buddha has his right hand outstretched in the gesture of
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supreme generosity, giving protection from illness and holding the great medicine
plant myrobalan.
Ancient teachings tell us that merely seeing the Medicine Buddha, or even seeing
an image of the Medicine Buddha, or hearing the name of the Medicine Buddha,
can confer inconceivable benefits. In Tibetan images of the Medicine Buddha the
left hand typically holds a blooming Myrobalan plant. Tibetan medicine recognizes
three basic types of illness, the root causes of which are the conflicting emotions --
passion, aggression, and ignorance. Myrobalan is the only herb in the Tibetan
pharmacopoeia that can aid in healing each of these three types of diseases. This is
like the action of the Buddha of Healing, who has the power to see the true cause
of any affliction, whether spiritual, physical or psychological, and who does
whatever is necessary to alleviate it.
"His right hand is extended, palm outward, over his right knee in the gesture calledsupreme generosity. In it he holds the Arura, or Myrobalan, fruit. This plant
represents all the best medicines. The position of his right hand and the Arura
which he holds represent the eradication of suffering, especially the suffering of
sickness, using the means of relative truth. Sickness can be alleviated by adjusting
the functioning of interdependent causes and conditions by the use of relative
means within the realm of relative truth, such as medical treatment and so on. The
giving of these methods is represented by the gesture of the Medicine Buddha's
right hand.
"His left hand rests in his lap, palm upward, in the gesture of meditative stability or meditation, which represents the eradication of sickness and suffering² and,
indeed, the very roots of samsara ² through the realization of absolute truth. From
the point of view of either relative truth or absolute truth, the fundamental cause of
sickness and suffering is a lack of contentment and the addictive quality of
samsara. Therefore, to indicate the need for contentment, in his left hand he holds a
begging bowl."
Tibetan Buddhists consider the Medicine Buddha Empowerment to be the most
powerful blessing for healing, dispelling sickness and for awakening the innate
healing wisdom that lies within every individual. The practice of the Medicine
Buddha meditation (sadhana), and all the other ways of connecting to the blessings
of the Medicine Buddha (such as those discussed on this page) are said to be much
more effective when one has received the Medicine Buddha Empowerment
(Tibetan: lung ; Sanskrit: abisheka ) from a qualified lama (Tibetan Buddhist
meditation master).
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Medicine Buddha is one aspect of awakened mind, which the practitioner's (and
the vajra master's) vast real unconditioned (non conceptual) mind. In this
empowerment the lama reminds us, in a sense, of our deep innate connection with
the Medicine Buddha.
This empowerment is given periodically at various Tibetan Buddhist centers and
public venues around the world. It can be taken with the intention of practicing the
Medicine Buddha sadhana or as a blessing. In either case it would be expected to
enhance ones practical and spiritual efforts for the healing of oneself and others.
5. BUDDHA LIFE THANKAS OR THANGKAS
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Buddha Life Thanka or Thangka illustrates the life story of Buddha. All the
historic part of Buddha's life is depicted visually in the Buddha Life Thangka. The
Day he was born from his mothers right arm pit as she rested her arm on the branch
of a big tree in the garden of Lumbini . The childhood locked inside the palace
compounds, freeing him from the evil and preventing him from seeing and
experiencing any kind of pain or suffering of outside world. The day he ventured
beyond the castle walls and came across sorrow, pain, death and those suffering -
he saw beggar, a cripple, a corpse and a holy man - which affected the prince
deeply, awakening a deep desire to find the corpse of suffering and thus alleviate
it. The night when he escaped the walls of palace, when all were asleep and began
the life of wandering ascetic. His years of fasting, meditation and time spent in
painful search to find a way to end suffering. The full moon night when he had a
direct realization of Nirvana (eternal peace), which transformed prince into
Buddha. The times he spent guiding people towards nirvana, love and friendship.
The Day he left this world at the age of eighty, having exhausted his human bodyfor the sake of all sentiment beings. All are shown in the Buddha Life Thangka.
In the central part of this modern painting Buddha Sakyamuni is seen meditations
in the ³earth touching´ gesture on a lotus throne with a modern silk cloth with a
visvavairan ark on it. He is flanked by two of his chief disciples namely Sariputra
and Maudgalyayana. His face seems very serene and his body is emitting auras
surrounding his body. He is holding a bowl with his left hand on the lab. Over the
top of his head a parasol is placed. Handing against the back ground of the Bodhi
tree. On the left corner of the painting, Queen Maya Devi in her palace bed is
having a dream in which a white elephant is seen descending from Tushita heaven
and this has entered to her womb from her right side. Just below this Queen Maha
Maya Devi is standing in the Salbhanjika posture holding a branch of a Plaksa tree
and delivering baby Siddhartha from her right side. The god Brahma is holding a
bodhisattva dressed in white silk, and is accompanied by two devas. Two celestial
fairies carrying flowers are welcoming Lady Mayadevi. She is wearing rich
garmjints, befitting a queen. Her face shows no signs of the pain of labor.
Just below the painting, Siddhartha can be seen making his great announcement
that he is the One who has conquered the temptations of the Buddhist ³Teptor,´Mara. And that this is his last birth. He makes this bold statement with his index
finger raised, as he steps upon a lotus. Baby Siddhartha's announcement is heard
and witnessed by a group of devas who offer him auspicious object.
Below this, prince Siddartha is shown with his charioteer Chandaka taking a
chariot beyond the palace walls. On the journey he observes a man suffering from
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old age, an emaciated man stricken with an incurables disease, standing calm, quiet
and self ± possessed, leading a life of strict discipline embracing the spiritual path.
These characteristic vision formed the basis of Prince Siddhartha's great
renunciation.
Yet on another panel just below this Prince Siddartha, oppressed by the sorrow and
tribulation he saw, are his discarded princely garment and the ornaments of
royalty, seen near a Stupa. Siddartha is cutting his hair as the initiation of his vow
to become a monk. His Charioteer Chandaka and horse Kanthaka are seen crying
at the left side of the painting.
At the bottom panel of the painting the Bodhisattva Siddhartha is seen practicing
his austerities for six year, his body emaciated like a skeleton. Celestial damsels
are seen dancing trying to disturb his meditation.
On far right corner of the painting the Bodhisattva Siddhartha is seen receiving
sweet rice pudding from a lady called Sujata. After taking this food, Siddhartha is
seen having attained perfect enlightenment from his profound meditation under the
Bodhi Tree. Devas and human beings are seen offering the eight auspicious
symbols after his perfect Enlightenment. He is seen turning the wheel of dharma
for the first time preaching to his five disciples on four Noble Truths.
Just above this Buddha is seen descended to Sankasva to tame the six heretical
teachers after giving a discourse to his mother Maya Devi in the celestial realm. At
a certain time during the Buddha's life a band of monks called ³Vrijji´ quarreledamong themselves, unable to hear the instruction of Lord Buddha. To tame these
Vrijji monks Buddha went to the Parileyyaka forest unattended by monks. Instead
monkeys and elephants attended the Buddha faithfully at this Vrijji monks realized
their mistake and a respectful request to Buddha to return to their abode.
At the top right corner of the painting Buddha is seen reclining in his oath bed
attaining his great Parinirvana. The devotees and devas are seen crying at the death
of the Buddha.
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