BUDDHAS
In
Tibetan thankas figures of Buddha emphasize his human aspect. His colour is
usually golden. He is always represented in monastic garments and his monastic
robe is red-brown. He has urna, usnisa and long lobed cars.
Buddha
is seated on lotus in bhuminsparsamudra. At the top is the effigy of Amitayus
holding ambrosia vase. On his right side is Bodhisattva Candraprabha holding
lotus with crescent moon on the book while on his left is Avalokitesvara
holding lotus. The incidents illustrating the Abidu-renidana Jatakas are
depicted around the central figure of sakyamuni. The scenes mainly represent
miracles at 8ravasti. At the instance of six heretical teachers, king
Prasenajit of Koala held a contest for the demonstration of miraculous feats.
At the top right corner, Buddha is shown travelling through the air. As he
entered the mandapa it appeared as if it was lit up with fire. King Prasenajit
with his wives and retinues bowed down in reverence with offerings and folded
hands. The next incident shows invitation of 8rigupta, a lay disciple of Buddha
and Grahadatta. Grahadatta, a disciple of the naked ascetics invited Buddha and
his disciples in his house, put their seats over a ditch filled will) live coal
and poisoned their food. Buddha by his supernatural power realized the trick
and turned the fiery ditch into a tank of lotuses and made the food free from
poison. The next scene represents offerings of Licchavis to Buddha and offering
of handful of dust by two boys. The successive incidents represented are Indra
with folded hands bowing down to Buddha, Buddha ordaining five hundred heretics
to Buddhism, display of Yamaka Pratiharya emitting water and fire alternatively
from the upper and lower parts of the body and Brahma with folded hands bowing
down to Buddha. At the bottom corner are shown Buddha in the form of Hayagriva
and Vajrapani subjugating die six teachers of heretics, enlightenment of Buddha
and offering of bowls by the four guardian deities. At the bottom centre Buddha
is represented in seated posture displaying dharmacakramudra flanked by two
deities with offerings accompanied by disciples. He is also represented in
walking, standing and recumbent postures. Thereafter a thousand petalled golden
lotuses sprang up supported by Naga king and Buddha created a huge array of
representations of himself in sitting, standing and lying postures. At the left
is shown the great miracle of Sravasti when he multiplied himself. At the top left
corner is shown the conversion of the people to Buddhism by showing them
glimpses of hell. Lastly, the proclamation of Buddhism is shown by the
establishment. Of Dharmarajika stupa. 
The
central figure is Buddha Sakyamuni presiding over the Buddha’s of confession and
is seated on lotus throne with his two disciples Sariputta and Maudgalayana
standing on either side. His right hand shows bhumis-parsamudra while his left
hand holds alms-bowl (pinda-patra). The Thirty-five Buddha’s of confession or Buddha’s
of sin-forgiveness are actually invoked in confessing sins. They emphasize the
omnipresence of the power of Buddha in all directions centre, zenith and nadir
for helping men and purifying them from past and present sins. They are seated
in vajrasana wearing monastic garments and displaying the five different mudras,
viz., varada, abhaya, dhyona, bhumisparsa and vyakhyana.
At the
bottom is represented the great teacher Nga Wang Namgyal who introduced the
Drugpa Karyga Buddhism in Bhutan. He is flanked by Norgyun-ma (Vasudhara), the
goddess of wealth on either side.
Buddha
is seated on lotus throne displaying vitarkamudra in the right hand and the
left hand is placed on the lap in dhyanamudra. In front of the throne a bowl is
depicted with a dharmacakra, an eight-spoked wheel symbolising the eight-fold
path of the Buddhism. The upper part of the thanka represents the figures of
Vajrasattva and Guhyasamaja with Sakti in the right and left corners
respectively. At the bottom are portrayed the figures of eight-armed Usnisavijaya
and Norgyun-ma (Vasudhara), the goddess of wealth showing varadamudra and
holding spike of corn in her right and left hands. In between the two figures, cintamani
and other jewels are shown in the sea. At the left side of the thanka a devotee
with offerings is depicted standing near the lotus throne.
This thanka possibly hails from Southern
Tibet.
Buddha
displaying vitarkamudra in both hands is seated on lotus throne surmounted by
cintamani. In front of the throne a golden dharmacakra is shown in a bowl. At
the top are portrayed the figures of Bodhisattva Manjusri and Ak.5.4agarbha
while at the bottom there are two nude figures of Vajrayogini of red and blue
colours, one standing in ahdha and the other in dancing pose and holding the
attributes kartri (small knife), kapala (skull-cup) and Khatanga (staff topped
by skull). Below the throne is shown a devotee with offerings and three jewels
representing the Tri-ratna viz., Buddha, Dharma and Sangha in the sea.
This
thanka possibly hails from Southern Tibet.
Writer- Sipra Chakravarti
Writer- Sipra Chakravarti
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