The Cosmos of Enlightened Vision

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Seated in the center of his square shaped palace structure is the Great Buddha himself. The perfect square shape indicates that the absolute space of wisdom is without aberration. This square form defines the architecture of the mandala described as a four-sided palace or temple. A palace because it is the residence of the presiding deity of the mandala, a temple because it contains the essence of the Buddha.

The word 'Buddha' in Sanskrit means "to be awakened." Expressed in visual images, Buddhas are not mere objects of worship, but mirror of our innermost being, icons of the journey from ignorance to illumination.

The Enlightened One displays the Dhyana mudra. Dhyana in Sanskrit means meditation, the practice of this mudra is said to lead to the attainment of spiritual perfection. The concentric squares making up his abode have four gates each, each opening in one of the four directions. While the smallest square has stupas marking its entrance, the largest has four kirtimukhas, or faces of victory guarding the gates. As a guardian of doorways, the kirtimukha is popular all across the Indian continent, China, and South East Asia.

Surrounding the squares are similar circular concentric bands. The outermost of which depicts the eight charnel (cremation) grounds. These represent the eight aggregates of human consciousness which tie man to the phenomenal world and to the cycle of birth and rebirth. Next is a circle composed of a ring of fire, depicted here as a stylized scrollwork. This symbolizes the process of transformation which ordinary human beings have to undergo before entering the sacred territory within.

Next is a wide circular region wherein float various sacred syllables and mantras.

Finally the innermost circle is made up of lotus petals, a symbol of auspiciousness.

Floating around the mandala proper are various deities from the Buddhist pantheon, both wrathful and peaceful. Interspersed in between are also various narrative episodes from the life of the enlightened one, and other fantastic visions of enlightenment, completing this picture of a paradisiacal universe of compassion.

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.