Ten-Armed Dancing Avalokiteshvara

$215
Item Code: TJ58
Specifications:
Tibetan Buddhist Thangka Painting
Dimensions 7.5" x 10.5"
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
Fair trade
Fair trade
This handsome thangka portrays the ten-armed dancing Avalokiteshvara, the manifestation of the compassion of all Buddhas. He is considered to be the spiritual offspring of Amitabha and is a very popular deity of Mahayana Buddhism. His cult is prevalent in all Buddhist countries. Avalokiteshvara is supposed to have been incarnate in the Tibetan king sRong-tsan-sgam-po, as well as in every successive Dalai Lama, and is the principal tutelary deity of Tibet.

There are 108 different forms of Avalokiteshvara, each with his own mantra. The present image has a feminine appearance which reminds one of his female form in China, Korea, and Japan. In China and Korea he is generally known as Kuan-Yin while in Japan, Kannon. His face is round and very sweet looking, and alert, gentle and serene. The eyelids are lowered in an introspective gaze and there is a small urna or circle between the eyebrows. His nose is slight flat and thin, and his petal-shaped mouth exhibits a slight smile. A combination of power, beauty, calm, and wisdom pervades this face, which in its mildness completely welcomes the beholder. He is dancing in ardhaparyanka on a moon disk placed on a lotus throne amidst the mountains. His upper right hand holds a vajra above his head, while the principal right hand is in a teaching gesture. The remaining right hands hold a rosary, arrow, and a lotus flower, respectively. The first upper left hand carries a club, his second left hand holds a bow, and his third left hand carries a goad, his fourth left hand holds a ghanta (bell), and his lower left hand is in boon-granting gesture. A deer-skin hangs down his left shoulder, which symbolizes compassion and thus identifies him.

The figure is richly ornamented with an exquisitely designed crown, a necklace and earrings, bracelets, a long garland, anklets, and flowing scarf and dhoti. There is a mandorla and halo behind his body and head, respectively, against a tree. At the center top of the halo, Garuda is holding a snake in its humanlike hands; there is a dragon on the right of Garuda.

The present form of Avalokiteshvara is generally worshipped to bring long life, prosperity, and ample progeny. He is also invoked by the imprisoned and by the childless. Moreover, he helps to bring all beings from the six realms into enlightenment. This thangka is very much suitable for the sadhana and ritual of Avalokiteshvara.

Reference:

Alice Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

L.A. Waddell, Buddhism & Lamaism of Tibet, New Delhi, 1979 (reprint)

M.M. Rhie & R.A.F. Thurman, World of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999

This description by Dr. Shailendra Kumar Verma, Ph.D. His doctorate thesis being on the "Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D)."

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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

A Thangka is a traditional Tibetan Buddhist painting that usually depicts a Buddhist Deity (Buddha or Bodhisattva), a scene, or a mandala. These paintings are considered important paraphernalia in Buddhist rituals. They are used to teach the life of the Buddha, various lamas, and Bodhisattvas to the monastic students, and are also useful in visualizing the deity while meditating. One of the most important subjects of thangkas is the Bhavacakra (the wheel of life) which depicts the Art of Enlightenment. It is believed that Thangka paintings were developed over the centuries from the murals, of which only a few can be seen in the Ajanta caves in India and the Mogao caves in Gansu Province, Tibet. Thangkas are painted on cotton or silk applique and are usually small in size. The artist of these paintings is highly trained and has a proper understanding of Buddhist philosophy, knowledge, and background to create a realistic and bona fide painting.
The process of making a thangka begins with stitching a loosely woven cotton fabric onto a wooden frame. Traditionally, the canvas was prepared by coating it with gesso, chalk, and base pigment.
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After this, the outline of the form of the deity is sketched with a pencil or charcoal onto the canvas using iconographic grids. The drawing process is followed in accordance with strict guidelines laid out in Buddhist scriptures. The systematic grid helps the artist to make a geometrical and professional painting. When the drawing of the figures is finalized and adjusted, it is then outlined with black ink.
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Earlier, a special paint of different colors was made by mixing powdered forms of organic (vegetable) and mineral pigments in a water-soluble adhesive. Nowadays, artists use acrylic paints instead. The colors are now applied to the sketch using the wet and dry brush techniques. One of the characteristic features of a thangka is the use of vibrant colors such as red, blue, black, green, yellow, etc.
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In the final step, pure gold is coated over some parts of the thangka to increase its beauty. Due to this beautification, thangkas are much more expensive and also stand out from other ordinary paintings.
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Thangka paintings are generally kept unrolled when not on display on the wall. They also come with a frame, a silken cover in front, and a textile backing to protect the painting from getting damaged. Because Thangkas are delicate in nature, they are recommended to be kept in places with no excess moisture and where there is not much exposure to sunlight. This makes them last a long time without their colors fading away. Painting a thangka is an elaborate and complex process and requires excellent skills. A skilled artist can take up to 6 months to complete a detailed thangka painting. In earlier times, thangka painters were lamas that spent many years on Buddhist studies before they painted.
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