The Buddha Preaching Law of Dhamma to Great Sixteen Arhats

$325
Item Code: TM02
Specifications:
Tibetan Thangka Painting
Dimensions Size of Painted Surface 15.0 inches X 20.0 inches
Size with Brocade 27.0 inches X 36.0 inches
Handmade
Handmade
Free delivery
Free delivery
Fully insured
Fully insured
100% Made in India
100% Made in India
Fair trade
Fair trade
This exquisitely painted thangka depicts Lord Buddha surrounded by Sixteen Arhats or Sthaviras and Lamas. The Buddha is seated on a lotus throne, in the center of the painting. Two snow lions are depicted on each side of the throne, while Dharma Wheel is in the center.

A devout practitioner who has overcome defilement obtains the spiritual rank of Arhat or Sthaviras in Buddhism. Moreover the title Arhat is for a wise and holy one who, during life, attained enlightenment. The Buddha Shakyamuni is shown here preaching to the Arhats. Apart from the Arhats, Buddhist Lamas are also depicted here.

It is said that Shakyamuni Buddha had selected sixteen Arhats from his disciples and asked them to stay in the world and protect the Dharma till the descent of Maitreya, for the benefit of future beings. According to the treatise of Nandimitra, Sutra of the “Duration of Dharma”, the Buddha entrusted his Dharma to sixteen great Arhats. Each has been assigned a quarter of the world, dispersed over the globe. They will watch over the care for the Dharma until Maitreya appears as a Buddha. Thus they represent the continuity of Dharma from the Buddha Shakyamuni of the present Buddha to Buddha Maitreya of the future. The sixteen Arhats were born in India. Their teachings are still preserved in Tibet. These Arhats are painted as teachers, as human beings, with individualized portraiture. There are three traditions of Arhat paintings – Indian, Chinese and Tibetan. While the Indian style has not come down, even the Chinese mode was transformed in Tibet. The thangkas sometimes betray all three tradition’s characteristics in the naturalistic manner of the tender faces of the Arhats.

The Arhats do not have definitive attributes and that makes their identification a matter of conjecture. However as per the literally sources we can identify the images of Arhats shown in this painting. The top center is filled with the figure of Mahasidha Virupa who attained Buddhahood through the unexcelled yoga tantric practice of the Hevajra archetype Buddha. He then created what became known as the “path and fruition” or the vehicle of fruit, which are the four supreme purities, attainable at the end of the ascent, during meditation practice in this very existence. Virupa’s trademark gesture is that one of his hands is always in threat gesture with which he stops the sun’s descent, comes from his fabled exploit. All the Arhats are depicted here in simple monk’s robe. The descriptions of Sixteen Arhats are as follows:

1. Ajita (Ma pham pa): His name in Tibetan means “the unconquerable.” He lives on Rishi Mountain, Hermit Sage Mountain, surrounded by his disciples. He has the samadhi mudra of intense meditation. Sometimes Ajita has both the hands folded in anjali mudra. The Buddha called him the most excellent of the meritorious one. He is depicted here in the middle ground on the right side of the Buddha’s throne against a mountain in meditation.

2. Kanakavatsa (gSer be’u): His name in Tibetan means “golden endless knot.” He lives in caves on Saffron Hill in Kashmir with his disciples. He holds a string of precious stones, which was given to him by the Nagas, when he went to their country to convert them. His teachings develop intuition. He symbolizes a superb memory and control of mind. He is seated on proper right side of the Buddha’s halo.

3. Vanavasin (Nags na gnas): His name means “lives in the forest.” He lives in the mountain cave of Lomadun in a forest grove in Shravasti with his disciples. His right hand is in threatening mudra, and his left hand generally holds a flywhisk. Sometimes flywhisk is missing from his hand. He represents victory over delusion and prevention of man-made or natural harms. The Buddha called him the most excellent of those who dwell in quiet solitude. He is depicted here on the right side of the Buddha’s lotus seat in Nyingma lama’s attire.

4. Angaja (Yan lag ‘byung): His name in Tibetan means “partly born” because he was born from his dead mother’s body after it was consumed by flames. He lives on mount Kailash with his disciples. He generally holds a flywhisk made of an animal tail in his right hand and an incense bowl in his left hand. He is shown here in monk’s robe on the right side of the Buddha’s aureole.

5. Kalika (Dus Idan): His name means “with time.” He lives in Copper Island surrounded by his Arhat disciples. He carries golden earrings given by the gods of Kamadhatu when he preached to them. He is shown seated just below the upper right corner.

6. Vajriputra (rDo rje mo’I bu): His name in Tibetan means “son of Dorje mo.” He lives on a hill in Sri Lanka with is disciples. His right hand is in threatening gesture, and his left hand hold flywhisk, which was given to him by the gods. He is seated here on the right side of the middle ground in monk’s robe.

7. Bhadra (bZang po): His name means “good.” Bhadra is the son of the charioteer of King Suddhodana, Gautama Buddha’s father. He lives on an island in the River Yamuna in India with is disciples. His right hand is in the teaching gesture, and his left hand is in the meditation pose. He is shown here in monk’s on the middle ground of the right side.

8. Kanaka Bhardwaj (Bha ra dva ja gser can): In Tibetan, gSer can means “possessing gold,” because each hand miraculously always held a gold coin. He lives in a palace on Mount Duden in Harata, one of the six great countries of the Western Continent, surrounded by his Arhats disciples. His hands are in meditation gesture. He is seated on the upper left corner in meditation.

9. Bakula (Ba ku la): Bakula is the name of a tree. The Arhat was given this name because he only wore clothing made from the bark tree. He lives in a hermit cave on a hill in Kurava in the Northern Continent. He holds a jewel-spitting mongoosein his hands. Sometimes it is missing from his hands. Here he is shown seated on lower left corner and holds a jewel.

10. Rahula Bhadra (sGra gcan ‘dzin bzang po): Rahula in Tibetan is the “eighth planet, the ascending node of the moon,” and Bhadra means “good.” Rahula, the son of Prince Siddhartha and Yasodhara, was conceived before Siddhartha left his home to seek enlightenment. He became a monk and one of his father’s main disciples. He lives in the northern region of this world with his disciples. He carries a golden crown in his hands, which was given to him by the Tushita heaven gods. Rahul is seated on the right side of foreground in Nyingma lama’s attire.

11. Cudapanthaka (Lam phran brtan): His name in Tibetan means “he who takes the small road.” He lives on Vulture Peak in Magadha with his disciples. His hands are in the meditation position. The Buddha called him the best of all the ordained monks who changed the thinking of others. He is shown seated in meditation position on lower right corner.

12. Pindola Bharadvaja (Bha ra dva ja bsod snyoms len): His name means “a receiver of alms.” He lives in a wondrous cave in the center of a hill, Lanyari, in the Eastern Continent with his disciples. He holds a book in his right hand and alms bowl in his left hand. The Buddha called him the most authoritative and confident champion of his teachings among his disciples. He is shown here on the right side of the Buddha’s aureole.

13. Panthaka (Lam brtan): His name Tibetan means “he who takes the (great) road.” He lives in a beautiful rocky residence called Flower Essence in the Tushita Heaven with his followers. He generally carries a book in his left hand and his right hand is in teaching mudra. He is depicted here on the left of Virupa

14. Nagasena (): His name means “of the naga race.” He lives on the slopes of Mount Vipulaparsva in Magadha with his disciples. He carries a vase with the Water of Life in his right hand and a monk staff in his left hand. It is that said he was most detached from the material world among his disciples. In this painting he is shown seated on the proper left side of the Buddha’s throne and wearing a Pundit’s hat. He is holding a vase in his right hand and a beginning bowl in the left hand.

15. Gopak (sbed byed): His name means “concealed” because at birth his body was covered with noxious ulcers and he was always concealed with a cloth. He carries a book in both hands. He lives in a cave on Mount Bihula with his followers. He demonstrates the inexorable nature of the law of karma. He is depicted here on proper right side of the Buddha’s aureole. Here he holds a book in his right hand and a begging bowl in his left hand.

16. Abheda (Mi phyed pa): His name means “inseparable.” He lives in a cave on Mount Himavat in one of the twenty-four lands of the mythical kingdom of Shambhala north of India with his disciples. He holds the enlightenment stupa in his hands. The Buddha said he was the most compassionate of the compassionate disciples. He is shown seated on the proper right side of the Buddha’s aureole, just below the corner and holds the stupa in his left hand and damaru in his right hand.

The bottom center depicts Grand Karmapa Lama with his disciples and followers. Apart from these many Nyingma lamas, Gurus and Great Adepts are depicted in different parts of the landscape.

This painting is brilliantly drawn and painted on a lovely Tibetan mountainous landscape. The extended brocade depicts flowers and auspicious symbols.

This description is by Dr. Shailendra K. Verma. His Doctorate thesis being: “Emergence and Evolution of the Buddha Image (From its inception to 8th century A.D.)”.

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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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