Buddha Seated on the Six-Ornament Throne of Enlightenment

This lovely painting portrays the Buddha Shakyamuni seated on six-ornament throne of enlightenment. His right hand is in bhumisparsha-mudra which symbolizes the attainment of Buddha's enlightenment at Bodhgaya and the defeat of Mara. It is said that mere sight of this guarantees the believer that it will ward of all evil. His left hand is resting on his lap and holds a pindapatra, the attribute of all Theravada Buddhist monks who pass by houses in the morning to beg for food. The monks are to accept the food that is given them. Around noon, all the monks eat the food together as the only meal of the day.

The throne of the Buddha indicates that he has perfected the six-paramitas (transcendences). These six paramitas are represented by six animals – the Garuda at the top is the first paramita of charity (dana) . The two young nagas stand for moral excellence (Shila-paramita) . The two makara is symbol of forbearance (kshanti-paramita) . The two dwarfs on goats represent endurance (virya-paramita) . The two elephants stand for meditationa (dhyana-paramita) . The two lions on elephants are the highest perfection of wisdom (prajna-paramita) .

The Buddha has an oval face and his figure depicts some of the thirty-two characteristic marks (lakshanas) of a Buddha, such as broad shoulders, long arms, long earlobes, urna between the eyebrows, ushnisha (protuberance on the skull) and so on. There is a jewel on the top of his head. The complexion of body is golden yellow. The Buddha is wearing monk's robe, covering both the shoulders with bare breast. He is flanked by his two chief disciples Shariputra and Maudgalyayana.

On the top, Green Amoghasiddhi Buddha is seated in the left corner in clouds. His left hand lies open on his lap and the right exhibits the abhaya-mudra. He is believed to be unfailingly successful and to have the power of infallible magic. Amitayus Buddha is seated in the centre. He is the Buddha of eternal life. He is holding the ambrosia vase his special emblem. His complexion is red. White Vairochana is seated in the right corner in clouds. His both the hands are in preaching gesture. Vairochana is regarded as the first Dhyani Buddha by the Nepalese Buddhists. He is the lord of the Buddha clan and occupies the centre in many popular tantras and the eastern direction in the advanced unexcelled yoga tantra.

The bottom centre depicts auspicious peaceful offerings with Dharmachakra on a lotus leaf that sprang up in a beautiful lake. Auspicious symbols are also shown in the lake. The ground and foreground are filled with green landscape with trees and natural vegetation etc. The painting is very much suitable for sadhana and practices.

Select Bibliography

Alice Getty, Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

Barbara Lipton & Nima D. Ragnubs, Treasures of Tibetan Art, New York, 1996

Ben Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangka, Holland, 2001

H. Kern, Manual of Indian Buddhism, Delhi, 1968

Lokesh Chandra, Transcendental Art of Tibet, Delhi, 1996

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma, whose Doctorate thesis is on "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)".

Click Here to View the Thangka Painting along with its Brocade

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