Sakya Pandita (1182-1251)

The Sakya Order began with the founding of Sakya monastery in 1073 by Khon Konchok Gyalpo (1034-1102). The Sakya order adheres to the basic principles of three Vehicles of Buddhism, as do the other orders. The special flavor of Sakyapa teachings came from their implementing the monastic and scholarly traditions brought to Tibet from Vikramashila monastery in India by translator Drokmi (992-1072) and the Indian masters such as Atisha (982-1054), keeping their knowledge in the practice framework provided by the esoteric lineages of the Path and Fruition (T. lam-'bras) teaching derived from the Great adept Virupa and based on the Hevajra tantra literature. The Sakyapa were among the most active scholarly orders during the early period, collecting enormous numbers of texts, commissioning numerous translations, implementing an effective curriculum designed by the famous Sakya Pandita, and founding numerous monasteries. During the Mongol period, the order was designated to rule over all Tibet, and devoted Mongol Emperors made lavish offerings to the Sakya hierarchs. Thus the Sakyapas were able to commission numerous works of art, bringing artists from all over the Buddhist world. Their combination of vast textual research and intensive spiritual experience enabled them to maintain precise and authentic artistic traditions and also to refine them to a very high degree. They are credited with producing some of Tibet's greatest Buddhist art.

Sakya Pandita is one of Tibet's most revered lamas. He is believed to be an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjushri, the embodiment of the wisdom of all Buddhas. He is renowned for his consummate skills in language and debate as well in the ten branches of learning, which were perfected before he was twenty-seven years old.

In 1240, at the eve of further Mongol conquests across Asia, a main ruler of the Mongols, Godan Khan, invaded Tibet. He requested that Sakya Pandita, the most revered lama of his time, come to him in Lanzhou, in northwest China. Sakya Pandita did go, arriving in 1247 together with his young nephew, Pakpa. Sakya Pandita had a positive effect on Godan Khan, persuading him to stop casting the Chinese into the Yellow River and not to destroy any more Buddhist countries. He was the first Tibetan lama to create a priest-patron relationship with a powerful non-Tibetan ruler. This tradition was continued by Pakpa later in the 13th century, when he became the spiritual preceptor of Khubilai Khan.

Here he is shown seated in the vajraparyankasana on a double petalled lotus seat. His hands make the vyakhyana (preaching) mudra. He is wearing the robes of a monk and half closed eyes and facial expression show peace and serenity.

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).