The Pure Land of Shadakshari Lokeshvara

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Item Code:	TI52
Specifications:	Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions	14.5" x 20.5"

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The central figure of this thangka is Shadakshari Lokeshvara, one of the forms of Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara, believed to be the embodiment of the mystic Buddhist mantra of six syllables Om manipadme hum. The six syllables are the seed syllables of the six realms of the wheel of life. Om is white and stands for the god realm; ma is green and stands for the demigod or asura realm; ni is yellow and stands for the human realm; pad is blue and stands for the animal realms; me is red and stands for hungry ghost realm; Hum is black and stands for the hell realm. Avalokiteshvara actually helps to bring all beings from the six realms into enlightenment. He is one of the most popular deities of Mahayana Buddhism. In this form he is usually represented in his mandala with Manidhara and Shadaksharai Mahavidya. The Mani Kambun relates that Amitabha caused a white ray of light to issue from his right eye, which brought the Shadakshari Lokeshvara into existence. A ritual of Shadakshari Lokeshvara is given in sadhana six of the Sadhanamala.

Here he is sitting in diamond position on a moon disk on a lotus in his paradise, in a courtyard with a palatial structure and walls behind. Offerings are placed in front of his seat and below this there is a pool of water. The complexion of the Bodhisattva is white. He has a smiling countenance, as he is filled with compassion for all beings. His two eyes look down with tranquility, as he feels equal compassion for all. He has four arms. His main hands are held in front of the heart, holding magic wish-granting gem, which stands for the spirit of enlightenment that consists of love and wisdom. His right hand holds a rosary, a sign that he draws forth beings from phenomenal existence. His left hand holds a lotus flower, a sign that he serves living beings but is free from attachment. An antelope skin is over his left shoulder, with the antelope's head on his left breast, which symbolizes his compassion. He is extremely richly dressed, which indicates that while pure he has not abandoned pleasant things.

Above the central figure there is an image of Amitabha Buddha in the palace. Within the courtyard are Manidhara, Shadakshari Mahavidya, a lotus-bearer deity, two attendants deities, either side of the Bodhisattva Lokeshvara, one is with celetial parasole, and there is an offering goddess on the left side. Outside the courtyard appear from left to right an image of Arapachana Manjushri, Simhanada Manjushri, and Wrathful Vajrapani. White Tara is seated on a lotus throne in clouds in the left corner, and Green Tara in the right. All the figures are brilliantly drawn and painted.

Select Bibliography

A. Getty, The Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1961

B. Bhattacharyya, The Indian Buddhist Iconography, Calcutta, 1958

B.Meulenbeld, Buddhist Symbolism in Tibetan Thangkas: The Story of Siddhartha and Other Buddhas Interpreted in Modern Nepalese Painting, Holland, 2001

Marylin M. Rhie & Robert A.F. Thurman, Worlds of Transformation: Tibetan Art of Wisdom and Compassion, New York, 1999

S. K. Saraswati, Tantrayana Art: An Album, With Introduction and Notes, Calcutta, 1997

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.).

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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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Unveiling the Divine Art: Journey into the Making of Thangkas

The Pure Land of Shadakshari Lokeshvara

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