Tsong Khapa (1357-1419)

Tsong Khapa is also regarded as the founder of the Geluk Order, though he considered himself merely the renewer of the early Kadam Order founded by master Atisha and Drom Tonpa in the middle of the 11th century. Following the example of Tsong Khapa's far-reaching activities, his disciples, especially the early Dalai Lamas, spread his teachings widely. The orders prospered to such a degree that, by the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama (1617-1682), it had become the majority religious order in Tibet and the stimulus to increased expansion in all the other orders. Tsong Khapa was revered as a national hero, an incarnation of the Bodhisattva Manjushri. His charismatic movement was centrally responsible for the religious renaissance that made Tibet's uniquely sacred modern culture possible.

Tsong Khapa is shown here with the gestures and implements that came to typify him in representations. He is seated in vajraparyankasana on a doubled petalled lotus pedestal; making the gesture of 'vyakhyana' (preaching) with his hands. Each of his hands holds the stem of a lotus between thumb and forefinger. The lotus stalks rise to his shoulders and support a sword on his right and a book on his left. The sword is said to cut through the fog of ignorance and the book is a volume of the Wisdom Sutra, emblematic of wisdom. These two attributes indicate that Tsong Khapa is an incarnation of Manjushri.

This image of Tsong Khapa has a strongly naturalistic experience. In expression, he has a calm composure and a kind, smiling demeanor. He is wearing a monk's robes, with an undershirt under his outer robes. The border of the upper garment is decorated with floral motifs and geometric designs. The body of Tsong Khapa is slim and slender. In Tibetan tradition he is described as having a large head, wide forehead, long eyebrows, a big hooked nose, long earlobes, and long arms.

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).