Master's Life on Canvas

Attended by his two chief disciples Shariputra and Maudgalyayana on each side, Shakyamuni Buddha sits in the centre in earth-witness gesture and surrounded by scenes depicting episodes from his life. The thangka is packed full of detail. It has practically no empty space. So it has proved impossible to follow a consecutive order. However` anticlockwise from upper center the scenes are:

1. Shakyamuni as Bodhisattva surrounded by other celestial beings in Tushita heaven making vow to manifest himself in the sentient world and relieve people from their sufferings.

2. Mahamaya's dream – it is believed that when the time came for Shakyamuni to manifest himself on earth descended to earth in the form of white elephant. Queen Mahamaya of Kapilvastu dreamed of white elephant that flew through the air and touched her right side with its trunk. Subsequently she became pregnant.

3. Gods of Tushita heaven hailed the pregnancy of Mahamaya. She was congratulated and offered gifts. In order to fortify her, she fed by gods till the birth of divine child.

4. Birth of Siddhartha – when her time was approaching Mahamaya took a trip to her parental home to have baby there with her mother. When she reached the park of Lumbini, her son was born, as she held the branch of the shala tree from her right side. Brahma and Indra were present at the birth. The newborn child walked seven steps towards each point of the compass, exclaiming – "this is my last incarnation." The child was brought to Kapilvastu and named Siddhartha. Queen Mahamaya died seven days after giving the birth. Siddhartha's aunt foster-mother Prajapati Gautami brought him up.

5. Raising the Young Prince and the Life at the Court – sage Asita prophesied to his father, Suddhodana that the little Siddhartha was destined to be either a universal monarch or a Buddha. Fearing this king Suddhodana brought him up isolated in the luxuries of the palace. But the Prince had little interest in glamour or entertainment. Below the scene of nativity, the scene of Suddhodana counsel Siddhartha is depicted. In the scene Siddhartha is shown in the court and consulting his experienced father in skilful conduct of material affairs. Siddhartha's pity towards animal is depicted below the above scene and below this, at the lower left corner; Prince Siddhartha is shown in a palace as he is holding the royal court.

6. Buddha's asceticism – as mentioned above the luxurious life did not attract him, Siddhartha was married at sixteen to Yasodhara, the daughter of the king of a nearby kingdom, after competing for the girl in contests of strength. When Siddhartha was twenty-nine years old Yasodhara had a son who they named Rahul. After a time Siddhartha had a strong desire to see other places and asked his charioteer to drive him outside the palace. On three trips he encountered suffering for the first time in the form of an old man, a sick man, and a corpse. On his fourth trips he saw a man dressed in orange clothes and carrying a bowl, looking very calm and peaceful. The charioteer told him that this was a person who renounced the world with all its luxuries and pleasures and looking for truth and peace, that this person had no desire or anger, and that he lived by begging for his food. Siddhartha then wished to be like this 'renounced one', and they went back to the palace. Thereafter he secretly left his palace mounted on his horse, kanthaka and finally went to the forest, where he removed his princely costumes and jewelry and cut off his long hair. He wrapped himself in a simple monk's robe. Siddhartha subsequently sat under a tree and meditated as a hermit for six years. He had five mendicant companions in the forest. He seeks one teacher after another, but in vain. With mendicant disciples he mortifies his body with the severest privations. Mara had sent his wrathful armies to prevent him from his goal. The scene is at the bottom centre.

7. Temptation of Shakyamuni: After six years, although he was emaciated, he not a step closer to the hoped for understanding. Convinced that this extreme method did not result in ultimate understanding, he decided on another approach. He started eating and went on by himself, under reproach from his fellow ascetic, and found a quite place where he hoped to meditate in silence. He stopped in Bodhgaya and sat down to think under a large papal tree. During his seven weeks of pondering and meditation, Mara tried to prevent Siddhartha from coming to the ultimate understanding, but in vain. At this, the solitary Siddhartha called the earth goddess to be his witness, by earth-touching gesture. The earth opened and the goddess confirmed that he had remained steadfast. Mara backed down and slunk away. After forty-nine days of thinking and meditation, Siddhartha received insight into both his former and present lives. He came to conclusion that extremes in life lead to nothing, that is suffering, and that suffering must be eliminated. When he reached this insight, he attained bodhi or enlightenment and he himself became a Buddha. The scene is depicted in lower right corner.

8. Some Related Events Depicted Just Above Scene (7) :

A. King Suddhodana is seated in his palace and one of his companions is informing him about Siddhartha's exit.

B. Siddhartha saying goodbye to his horse Kanthaka in the forest.

C. Prince Siddhartha is seated in front of a stupa and cutting his princely hair in order to became an ascetic.

D. A meditative Buddha is shown under a tree.

E. Shakyamuni as an ascetic is seated under a tree in deep meditation and the celestial beings are hailing the event.

9. The Buddha's descent from the Tushita Heaven – it is said that the Buddha after his enlightenment had visited Thirty-three Heaven of Indra. His mother Mahamaya had long before died and was residing there in her next life as a goddess. The Buddha had promised to teach her the wisdom teaching of the Abhidharma whenever he became enlightenment. After a three month period there, he descended to Earth. There was a celebratory reception by all the major kings of the day including Brahma and Indra, and chief disciples etc. In this area (upper right corner) there are magnificent stupas, one with rainbow light.

10. The Event of Mahaparinirvana – the scene is depicted below the central image. It is believed that at the age of eighty, the Buddha Shakyamuni died in Kushinagar, the event is known as Mahaparinirvana. The Buddha is shown lying on his right side on a couch and surrounded with disciples who are expressing grief over the death of his Master. Fortified by his last word, the monastic order was on alone – 'Be a lamp for yourself, be a refugee for yourself, seek no refuge outside yourself'.

Select Bibliography

Alice Getty, Gods of Northern Buddhism, Tokyo, 1962

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

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

P.V. Bapat, 25, 00 Years of Buddhism, Delhi, 1956

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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